After the Smoke Clears investigates how an Australian town transitions from coal to renewables.

The ultimate aim of After the Smoke Clears is to discover the human stories at the heart of the Latrobe Valley coal industry’s impending shutdown. Who are these men, women, longtime residents and new arrivals that make up this community? Will they confront the end directly or bury their heads in the sand? Is the community strong and resilient or have they become apathetic and downtrodden? Do they feel adequately represented in the national discussion? Can they adapt or will they be left behind? How will their anger manifest itself in the region’s politics?

While After the Smoke Clears focuses on the social ramifications of the end of a coal industry in Australia - by dealing with the microcosm that is the Latrobe Valley it raises questions applicable to wider Australia. For instance: how will other regions that rely on single industries for subsistence deal when their industry leaves.

This story is told as a five part serialised radio show, complemented by a dedicated web presence.