Dead Bunyip Society

Today is the second part in our history of feral animals. We are talking about cane toads, cats and compassionate conservation. Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about the history of feral animals in Australia. Liam tells Jesse about the unique nature of Australian ecology, tells the story of the rabbits and the subsequent rabbit genocide and asks the question: is there anything we can do about all these foxes?   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss,...

Today is the second and final part on our history of the Australian right's tendency to tear itself apart every so often and be reborn anew, like the world's most boring phoenix. This episode covers from 1943 to the present. Jesse and Liam talk about the emergence of the modern Liberal Party, it's impressive success over an 82 year period and ask the question: are we in the fifth iteration of Aust...

Today we are talking about the tendency of the Australia Right to tear itself apart every so often and be reborn anew, like the world's most boring phoenix. This episode covers from 1901 to 1942, the second episode will cover 1943 through to the present.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Content warning: Sexually explicit content and genital mutilation.   Today is the second in a two part series on the history of masturbation in Australia. We are talking about the rise of quack treatments in the 1890s, some common myths about masturbation, early twentieth century sexuality and the Great Circumcision Craze of twentieth century Australia.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography...

Content warning: Sexually explicit content and genital mutilation.   Today is the first in a two part series on the history of masturbation in Australia. We are talking about how the views on the harms of masturbation evolved over time and the lengths Australian physicians went to to "cure" their patients of masturbatory desires.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Cr...

Today we are talking about Paul “Pal” Dozsa, a Hungarian-Australian Chess master who became known for his tendency to eat expensive meals without paying.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about Baryugil, a former asbestos mine in NSW where hundreds of Aboriginal people were exposed to lethal quantities of asbestos and the toxic legacy of asbestos in NSW.   Thanks to Josh Boerman for coming on the pod.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about the Blackface and Minstrelsy in Australia and our country’s love affair with racist performance. This is part 2, which covers the period from 1900 to 2026.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about the Blackface and Minstrelsy in Australia and our country’s love affair with racist performance. This is part 1, which covers the period from 1836 to 1900. The next episode will run from 1900 to 2026.   A big welcome to our new co-host Jesse Black!   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss...

Today we are talking about Pine Gap, an outpost of the American Empire and the history of US bases in Australia. We also cover the big questions: did the CIA really overthrow the Australian Government in 1975 and is Australia culpable in the Palestinian Genocide via intelligence at Pine Gap?   Thanks to special guest Jesse Black.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Cr...

Today we are talking about Reg Ansett, the founder of Ansett Airlines and why he was such a dickhead. We also discuss Deborah Lawrie, Australia’s first female civil aviation pilot. We also discuss the history of Ansett and its collapse in 2001. Thanks to Lucy Valentine for coming on the pod!   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" b...

Today we are talking about the 1971 Springbok Tour, the campaign in Australia against apartheid and the strange history of Australians using blackface to fight racism. Thanks to the wonderful writer and academic Giacomo Bianchino for coming on the pod.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about the Mt Kembla Mining Disaster of 1902 which claimed 96 lives. Thanks to our carry-over guest Jesse Black! Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about Australia’s second most famous war criminal: Harry “Breaker” Morant.    Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about Australia’s finest meme “Democracy Manifest” and the fascinating life of the man behind the meme “Jack Karlson”. Thank you to James Hennessy for coming on the pod.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are talking about Maralinga and the sad history of Australia’s nuclear shame. Many thanks to Jesse Black for coming on the podcast, you can hear more from Jesse on https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/savant-garde/id1801643885 and https://sludgefest.substack.com/podcast   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle...

Today we are talking about duelling in Australia, AKA silly rich dudes pretending to shoot at each other and what it tells us about masculinity in the past and today.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today is the fourth part of our series on the genocide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Today we are talking about WA. Thanks to Patrick Marlborough for coming on the show.   To learn more about the Aboriginal Massacres Project see here: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2019/mar/04/massacre-map-australia-the-killing-times-frontier-wars     Please see Blues...

Today is the third part of our series on the genocide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Today we are talking about Victoria and focussing on the Gippsland Massacres.   To learn more about the Aboriginal Massacres Project see here: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2019/mar/04/massacre-map-australia-the-killing-times-frontier-wars     Please see Bluesky for a...

Today we are discussing the First Mardi Gras, the persecution of LGBT people in Australia and how we should think about protests more generally.    Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are discussing the history of swimming in the buff in Australia, both because I needed a lighter topic after the last episode and also because I am shamelessly copying The Dollop.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today we are covering Brenton Tarrant, the Australian perpetrator of the worst act of terrorism in New Zealand and Australian history. Content warning: this episode covers some fairly difficult material, listener discretion is advised.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today is the third and final part in our series on Graham Richardson titled Kingmaker.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006

Today is the second part in our series on Graham Richardson titled Minister for Mates. There will be a third part coming soon.   Please see Bluesky for a full bibliography @deadbunyipsociety   Credit: Intro/Outro music "Harold Hold" by Bluebottle Kiss, (c) 2006