Australian Histories Podcast

We’re going to look at the female convicts who passed through the Cascades Female Factory, in Hobart, Tasmania, and reflect on the different experience the women convicts may have had, to those of the male convicts. There are both harrowing and hilarious stories to be told about the institution and it’s inmates.  So we’ll focus on the women in that institution in particular, as an example of exper...

Douglas Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition concluded, and the last of the expeditioners arrived back in Adelaide in February, 1914.  A lot had happened, both on the frozen continent and across the world, in the years they had been away.  We wrap up the “Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration” in this episode, by reflecting on the AAE, on Mawson’s ongoing relationship with the Antarctic, and A...

Douglas Mawson’s expedition was well underway, and the teams from the Cape Denison base had returned, after completing their various research programs.  All except Mawson and his team.  They had undertaken the most ambitious and distant trek, and were now overdue.  We turn our attention to the trek Mawson, Ninnis & Mertz undertook for the AAE.  (48 mins)   www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Bri...

After returning from Shackleton’s Nimrod Expedition and despite rejecting any idea of returning to Antarctica, the trauma of his polar trekking faded and Douglas Mawson began to consider all the exploration & discovery that still lay waiting there.  He set about planning the “Australasian Antarctic Expedition”, to undertake an ambitious scientific & survey program for Australia & the Empire.  This...

Douglas Mawson, who would later become the leader of Australia’s first Antarctic expedition, undertook his first trip to Antarctica as part of Ernest Shackleton’s “Nimrod Expedition”,  1908.  Though he was young and this was his first foray in to the icy territory, his obvious intelligence, robust constitution and leadership skills, marked him out early for momentous work, and he was tasked with j...

Australia’s first formal expedition to Antarctica in 1911, the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, was led by Douglas Mawson, a geologist from Adelaide University.  This episode we’ll look at what brought Mawson to the Antarctic, and at the earlier British expeditions that helped scaffold Mawson’s later venture.  The following episodes will focus on Mawson’s first trip South with Shackleton and the...

The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge: After a surprisingly long gestation, it’s path to construction threads through the history, of growth & colonial settlement in Sydney, including the political machinations at state, federal and even international levels.    And that’s before we even consider the working of more than 6 million rivets into the impressive steel structure, now recognisable as a beauti...

We're retelling the story of the first encounters of the new British arrivals, in Australia in the 1780s onwards, with our wonderful Platypus, the kerfuffle caused when Platypus specimens were sent back to Europe, and we’ll be reminded of the Platypuses’ place in the development of Darwin’s theory, and of our World War 2 relations with the England. (45 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au B...

Ned Kelly, the only surviving member of the Kelly Gang, was tried and found guilty of murdering the police at Stringybark Creek.  His young life draws to a close and we look at the aftermath of the Kelly Outbreak for the people of Victoria, the Kellys and some of the other families involved.   We wrap up the Kelly saga by looking at the ongoing cultural influence of Ned, the Gang, and their place...

Three of the Kelly Gang died at the Glenrowan siege. Ned was captured and taken to Melbourne to stand trial.  Victoria sees the end of the “Kelly Outbreak”, but there are still many questions the public want answered. We continue the exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang, from Victoria, 1878-80. (64 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!...

The Kelly Gang “declared war” in the Jerilderie Letter, and set themselves up for an armed and armoured confrontation with the authorities at Glenrowan, in Victoria’s North East.  Plans did not progress as expected and after a 31 hour wait, the gang must instead confront large numbers of heavily armed police.  We continue the exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang, from Victoria, in t...

The Kelly Gang “declared war” in the Jerilderie Letter, should Ellen & the others not be released.  Now they prepare themselves for the inevitable violent confrontation with Police and with the Colony of Victoria.  We continue the exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang, bushrangers operating mainly in North East of Victoria, in the 1870’s.     (60 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast....

The Kelly Gang take over Jerilderie, staging another bank holdup – but this time they hope to take full control of their PR, intending to self publish their story. The holdup brings in some funds and once again demonstrates their bravado, but in the aftermath, with a more concerted effort in the police hunt, the Gang decides the only move left might be an outright ‘war’ with the authorities to bri...

The Kelly Gang rides from Faithfulls Creek to hold up the Euroa National Bank. They take the opportunity to try and explain their past actions and warn of future trouble, should the government not respond to their demands. Australian History from the Bushranger theme, this episode continues our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the Kelly Gang.      ( 32 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.a...

Having been outlawed, the Kelly Gang now need to raise funds to help their sympathisers and to make plans for their future.  They decide on a bank hold up at Euroa.  Preparing for the robbery they bail up a number of workers at a nearby homestead, taking the opportunity to explain to their forced audience their actions at Stringybark Creek, hoping to win over some public sympathy for themselves. F...

Following the gang’s devastating Stringybark Creek confrontation with police last episode, we’ll look this time at the impact it had on Mansfield and the general public.  We’ll also have a closer look at the other people involved in the saga, both sympathisers and some of the authorities involved. Episode 11, from the Bushranger theme, continues our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the Kelly Ga...

Ep 10 - Stringybark Creek Pt 2, we continue the story of the Police/Kelly confrontation, and the following events set in motion, once McIntyre made it back to Mansfield and to raise the alarm.  The public were shocked, the police alarmed and the Mansfield community devastated.  The Victorian government was to take drastic action to try and bring the Gang to justice. From the Bushranger theme, this...

Ep 9, Stringybark Creek Part 1, begins looking at the notorious Stringybark Creek confrontation with police, which leads to fatalities and the formation of the Kelly Gang as outlaws.     From the Bushranger theme, this episode continues our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the Kelly Gang.    (40 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian Histories Podcast Brilliant stories from Aust...

This week will focus on the “Fitzpatrick incident” – the catalyst which set off the chain of events - the so called “Kelly Outbreak”. In Episode 8, we continue our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang.  Ned and the Kelly Gang were bushrangers operating mainly in North East of Victoria, in the 1870’s.  (44 mins)   www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian Histories Po...

After a 3 year spell in prison, Ned returns to Eleven Mile Creek to note some changes in his absence.  He begins a period of independence from the family, working honest jobs and mostly keeping his head down for a good while, before trouble again came his way. Episode 7, continues the story of notorious Bushranger Ned Kelly and his gang.  (40 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian...

The Kelly family, having selected a small holding near Greta in North Eastern Victoria, embed themselves in the local community, but petty crime brings them to the attention of the authorities and they become a ‘problem’ for the local squatters. Ned is 14 years old and he will soon be defending some very serious charges.   In Episode 6 (Greta Part 2), from the Bushrangers theme, we continue our de...

The Kelly family relocates to Greta in the North East of Victoria, where we begin to see difficulties with the local authorities develop and young Ned becomes involved with a notorious bushranger. In Episode 5 (Part 1), from the Bushrangers theme, we continue our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the Kelly Gang.   (32 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian Histories Podcast Brill...

We explore the family’s move to Avenel, Victoria, and note some amazing & pivotal life events that occur there for Ned.   In Episode 4, from the Bushranger theme, we continue our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang. (28 mins) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian history - Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

We begin our detailed exploration of Ned Kelly & the notorious Kelly Gang.  Ned and the Kelly Gang were bushrangers operating mainly in North East of Victoria, in the 1870’s.  In Episode 3, from the Bushranger theme, we first look at Ned’s parents and family background, and then his early childhood in Beveridge, Victoria.  (16 mins.) www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au Australian History - Brill...

Episode 2: An overview of the whole Kelly story - Victorian bushrangers from the 1870s. The detailed history of Ned Kelly and the Gang will unfold in detail over the coming episodes. 28 mins.  www.australianhistoriespodcast.com.au