Wait... They Did What!?

Some people think under 18s should be able to vote... but the legal voting age in Australia used to be 21.  This episode will answer questions like:  Who can vote in Australia?  What age is an adult?  Why did the voting age in Australia change?  Why can’t people vote under the age of 18?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the Kids tab of A...

Whales were hunted in Australian waters up until the late 1970s... and they were used in everything from detergent to lipstick.  This episode will answer questions like:  Why did Australia stop whaling?  What is whale oil?  What was whale oil used for?  When did they stop killing whales in Australia?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the...

Doctors once used blood-sucking leeches as medicine... and they were as popular as Panadol.  This episode will answer questions like:  What is a leech?  How were leeches used in old medicine?  Are leeches still used in medicine?  What is blood-letting?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the Kids tab of ABC listen.   

We all know that smoking is stupid, but do you know what’s even stupider? Smoking indoors... and people used to smoke inside anywhere they wanted.  This episode will answer questions like:  Is smoking indoors illegal?  What is passive smoking?  How bad is second hand smoking?  Why was smoking indoors banned?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black...

Every Aussie home used to have an outdoor dunny... some people even protested when toilets started moving indoors.  This episode will answer questions like:  What is an outdoor dunny?  What is a night soil man?  Why did toilets used to be outside?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the Kids tab of ABC listen.   

Up until the 1970s left-handed kids were forced to write with their right... or risk a rap over the knuckles.  This episode will answer questions like:   What is the history of left-handed people?  Why was left-handedness considered evil?  Who are the most famous left-handed people?  Why were left-handed people forced to be right-handed?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Di...

‘Witches’ were burnt at the stake hundreds of years ago, but witchcraft was still illegal in Australia right up until the 2000s... luckily, it’s safe to wave your wands today.   This episode will answer questions like:  Is witchcraft illegal in Australia?  Are witches real?  What is Wicca?  What does the church say about witches?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What?!...

The Stomp was a popular dance in the 1960s until it was banned across Australia... we wonder what the party-poopers would think of twerking?   This episode will answer questions like:  What was The Stomp dance?  Why was The Stomp banned?  Why were dances banned?  Why was The Twist controversial?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What?! with Tilly Oddy-Black on the Kids...

Landline phones and fax machines seemed high-tech in the 1990s, but now they’re almost  extinct thanks to smart phones and email...  and does anyone remember telegrams?   This episode will answer questions like:  What is a fax machine and how does it work?  What is a telegram?  When were mobile phones introduced in Australia?  What is a rotary phone?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wa...

How would you feel if the school rules said you had to show your legs? In the 1970s, boys had to have bare necks, and girls had to have bare legs... until some students fought for their rights to long hair and pants.   This episode will answer questions like:  Why couldn’t girls wear pants to school?  Why weren’t boys allowed to have long hair?  Can a school enforce hair policies?  What to do if y...

Bikinis come in all shapes and sizes today, but in the 1960s you could get arrested for wearing one in public... if the ‘beach inspector’ thought it was too skimpy.   This episode will answer questions like:  Who invented the bikini?  Why was the bikini banned in Australia?  What is a beach inspector?  How have swimsuit laws changed?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did Wh...

Hitchhiking was a popular way to travel in the 1970s... despite some hitchers being accused of needing a shower and a haircut.   This episode will answer questions like:  Is hitchhiking illegal?  Why don’t people pick up hitchhikers anymore?  Why do people no longer hitchhike?  What are vagrancy laws?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the...

It was legal for Australian teachers to hit school kids up until the 1990s... with a weapon known as the cane.    This episode will answer questions like:  What was the cane at school?  When was the cane banned in schools in Australia?  Why was the cane banned in schools?  What are the rights of children in Australia?   Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly...

School assemblies looked a little different between the 1950s and 80s. Kids had to sing God Save the Queen... and then promise to be her servants.   This episode will answer questions like:  What is the oath of allegiance to the queen?  Why did Australia stop singing God Save the Queen?  Why is God Save the Queen controversial?  What is the connection between the monarchy and Australia?  Find more...

People have worn fur to keep warm for thousands of years, but in the 1950s a fur coat became a fashion status symbol... often at the expense of smelly weasel-like creatures.   This episode will answer questions like:  Is it ethical to wear a fur coat?  What animals are used for fur?  How valuable are fur coats?  What is faux fur?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!?...

Did you know that in the 1970s, kids could buy fireworks... with some explosive consequences?   This episode will answer questions like:  What is cracker night?  Who was Guy Fawkes?  Are fireworks legal?  Are fireworks dangerous?  What injuries are caused by fireworks?  Find more episodes of kids’ history podcast Wait... They Did What!? with Tilly Oddy-Black on the Kids tab of ABC listen.

Wait... They Did What!? is the question you’ll be asking after travelling back through modern history with comedian Tilly Oddy-Black.   We’ll unearth the weird, wild and outright scandalous stuff people did in the olden days... like letting kids buy fireworks, banning bikinis on the beach, putting blood-sucking leeches on sick people, and riding in cars without seatbelts.  It’s the podcast that wi...