Weird Crap in Australia

In 1941, Australia came as close to being invaded as we ever gave with a trio of mini-submarines entering Sydney Harbour and keeping the ships there occupied for almost 5 hours before the assorted navies gave up and fled. Join Holly and Matthew as they look into the only time Sydney was ever bombed, and how it could have been Auckland instead... *SPOILER correction (for a 70yo battle...): M-24 hid...

Escapology was a way of life for some convicts sent to Australia. For some, the thrill of the breakout was its own reward. For others, it was reuniting with their family on the outside. These 10 convicts put most escapes to shame. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the theft of the Frederick - and the convicts' adventure on the high seas. Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" –...

This episode contains a story that hinges on a simple twist of fate: one woman's life ended because she lost a coin toss. There's a lot of terror in the world today, to people stabbing, shooting or running people down in cars. However, this phenomenon of violence stemming from hatred of the 'other' is not unique to modern times. In the 1980s, a series of attacks on innocent and unsuspecting people...

This episode contains a story that hinges on a simple twist of fate: one woman's life ended because she lost a coin toss. There's a lot of terror in the world today, to people stabbing, shooting or running people down in cars. However, this phenomenon of violence stemming from hatred of the 'other' is not unique to modern times. In the 1980s, a series of attacks on innocent and unsuspecting people...

At the start of the Great War, Australia was a place of fevered patriotism. Young men signed up by the score to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force against the threat overtaking Europe, bouyed by the lasting ties Australia had to Britain. Those men, from all over Australia, had to be trained somewhere, so they were shifted to the major cities - Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne - for training and pr...

The poster child for extinction in Australia, the thylacine was declared extinct in 1982, 50 years after the last known specimen died in a Hobart zoo. But there's a lot more to the Tasmanian Tiger than a set of stripes and a wide bite. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the downfall of the thylacine, its role in the wider world of Australian conservation, and the continuing assertion that the...

In the centre of Melbourne, Vic, lies a large bluestone building complex out of time with its surrounds. Some people know the place as the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), whole others know it as Old Melbourne Gaol Museum. The site's history is almost as complex as its zoning laws, stretching all the way back to the colony's first 50 years. Join Holly and Matthew as they look into t...

In the centre of Melbourne, Vic, lies a large bluestone building complex out of time with its surrounds. Some people know the place as the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), whole others know it as Old Melbourne Gaol Museum. The site's history is almost as complex as its zoning laws, stretching all the way back to the colony's first 50 years. Join Holly and Matthew as they look into t...

Just off the well-beaten track of eastern central Queensland lies the remains of an old highway, one that stretches from the towns of Mackay to Rockhampton. The Old Bruce Highway, as it's officially known, is an easy sightseeing route for families looking to relive the old 1950s and 60s road trips, or for people who prefer not to walk the road less traveled by. But the Crystal Highway guards a sec...

Just off the well-beaten track of eastern central Queensland lies the remains of an old highway, one that stretches from the towns of Mackay to Rockhampton. The Old Bruce Highway, as it's officially known, is an easy sightseeing route for families looking to relive the old 1950s and 60s road trips, or for people who prefer not to walk the road less traveled by. But the Crystal Highway guards a sec...

In the north of Queensland, there is a body of water haunted by a pack of demons. When they rise, during the early hours of the morning, their cries are loud enough to break eardrums. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the Wilga Waterhole, and the recorded encounters with the Wailer... Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevin MacLeod Used under a Creative Commons license....

In the early 2000, while the country was still reeling from the horrific acts of the Bodies in the Barrels (episode 9), another crime hit the headlines that scarred the psyches of everyone who read about it. A man's body was found skinned, decapitated and butchered. Who did it, and why? Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevin MacLeod Used under a Creative Commons license. Sou...

Buried deep in the bush just north of Sydney lay two long lines of carvings, out of character with the surrounding environment. For 50 years, their origin has been the subject of wonder, intrigue and mystery. Who created the Gosford Glyphs, and why are they here? Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevin MacLeod Used under a Creative Commons license. Sources cited; Gojak, Denis...

During the 1880s-1970s, aboriginal children all over Australia were taken from their families, their communities and their culture by officials just doing their jobs. The devastation that these "Stolen Generations" placed upon the Australian Aboriginal community is damage that was only surpassed by the massacres that took place as the Europeans made their way out of Sydney Cove. Join Holly and Mat...

During the 1880s-1970s, aboriginal children all over Australia were taken from their families, their communities and their culture by officials just doing their jobs. The devastation that these "Stolen Generations" placed upon the Australian Aboriginal community is damage that was only surpassed by the massacres that took place as the Europeans made their way out of Sydney Cove. Join Holly and Mat...

Picnic at Hanging Rock has become so much a part of Australian lore that few people realise it was a book before it was a movie. Claiming the book was based on a dream, the author has summarily refused to confirm or deny that the events within were based on true events. So hang on to your headphones, because Holly and Matthew are on the case! Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" –...

Hidden in the rain forests of northern Queensland lays a pool of water that is calm, flat and inviting. Below the surface is a churning pool ready to drag you down, haunted by the ghosts of victims past sand present... Welcome to Babinda Boulders, housing such landmarks as The Devil's Pool and the Washing Machine. With a reported 17 victims between 1959 and 2008, almost all male, this pool is beau...

During the 1950s and 60s, Sydney's Kings Cross was one of the more liberal suburbs, hosting artists, musicians, transients and other people who lived on the fringes of society. One of these artists, Rosaleen Norton, was known for something a little different around the area. As High Priestess of her coven, the Witch of Kings Cross hosted all manner of parties and orgies, the likes of which most of...

In 1994, fishermen along the Hawkescury river north of Sydney were trawling for squid. Net snags are not unusual in the industry, especially when trawling rivers. However, what these fishermen dragged up from the depths would kickstart a mystery that would last 25 years... Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevin MacLeod Used under a Creative Commons license. Sources cited: Ke...

In 1979, on an early June evening, a family and a group of school children attended Sydney's Luna Park, seeking to enjoy the fun atmosphere of a Saturday night after exploring the city. From that night grew a legend of demons, child sacrifice and a haunted theme park. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the history and legends surrounding the Luna Park Ghost Train Fire. Main Theme music – Kevin...

In October 2001, on a property nestled in south-east Queensland, three people slept. Disturbed by something they can't quite quantify, one of them wakes up and enters the lounge room... ...only to see one of her housemates being abducted by aliens. Two hours later, that same housemate is found, dehydrated and lethargic, almost 800km to the north, in the city of Mackay. How did she get there? What...

Kelly Cahill’s close encounter in 1993, near Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, remains one of Australia’s most notorious UFO and alien abduction cases. Cahill and her husband were driving home at night when they spotted an unusual, blinding light in the sky. Moments later, they saw a large, disc-shaped object hovering on the side of the road. According to Cahill, as they approached the craft, they expe...

The Family Murders in Adelaide, one of Australia’s most chilling and disturbing cases, spanned from 1979 to 1983, involving the abduction, abuse, and murder of young men. The victims, aged between 14 and 25, were brutally tortured and killed, with their bodies often left mutilated in various locations. The group behind these atrocities became known as "The Family," a name referring to an alleged n...

The Family Murders in Adelaide, one of Australia’s most chilling and disturbing cases, spanned from 1979 to 1983, involving the abduction, abuse, and murder of young men. The victims, aged between 14 and 25, were brutally tortured and killed, with their bodies often left mutilated in various locations. The group behind these atrocities became known as "The Family," a name referring to an alleged n...

The Family Murders in Adelaide, one of Australia’s most chilling and disturbing cases, spanned from 1979 to 1983, involving the abduction, abuse, and murder of young men. The victims, aged between 14 and 25, were brutally tortured and killed, with their bodies often left mutilated in various locations. The group behind these atrocities became known as "The Family," a name referring to an alleged n...