Weird Crap in Australia

For generations of Australian schoolchildren, a visit from Healthy Harold was a highlight of the school year. Whether it arrived in a brightly coloured caravan or at a dedicated education centre, Life Education taught millions of children about nutrition, personal safety, drugs, relationships, and growing up through the country's most recognisable giraffe. Join Holly and Matthew as they explore th...

In June 1997, the disappearance of 13-month-old Jaidyn Leskie from the small Victorian town of Moe captured the attention of the nation. What began as a frantic search for a missing toddler soon became one of Australia’s most heartbreaking and controversial criminal investigations. As police worked to piece together Jaidyn’s final hours, conflicting stories, unanswered questions, and a lack of cle...

In June 1997, the disappearance of 13-month-old Jaidyn Leskie from the small Victorian town of Moe captured the attention of the nation. What began as a frantic search for a missing toddler soon became one of Australia’s most heartbreaking and controversial criminal investigations. As police worked to piece together Jaidyn’s final hours, conflicting stories, unanswered questions, and a lack of cle...

In 1921, the quiet New South Wales town of Guyra became the centre of one of Australia’s strangest paranormal cases. Rocks rained from empty rooms, objects moved on their own, furniture overturned, and terrified witnesses claimed unseen forces were haunting a local farmhouse. What began as a family disturbance quickly drew neighbours, police, reporters, and sceptics from across the country. Some b...

In 1971, Adelaide woke to a bizarre sight: an FJ Holden hanging from a pedestrian footbridge above North Terrace outside the University of Adelaide. The stunt became an instant legend, baffling authorities and sparking a mystery that lingered for decades. Part prank, part engineering feat, and entirely Australian, the hanging Holden captured the larrikin spirit of university Prosh Week culture at...

In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris through the early days of television, novelty music, children’s entertainment, painting, the wobble board, and the strange cultural landscape...

In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris through the early days of television, novelty music, children’s entertainment, painting, the wobble board, and the strange cultural landscape...

Welcome to the start of Year 9!!!!! In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris through the early days of television, novelty music, children’s entertainment, painting, the wobble board...

On the morning of October 14, 1968, the small Western Australian town of Meckering was torn apart by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Australia. Roads split open, railway lines twisted, buildings collapsed, and a fault line ripped visibly through the landscape — leaving behind destruction that stunned the nation. In this episode, Holly and Matthew explore the events of the Mec...

Hidden in the hills near Gympie, Queensland, sits a structure that has sparked decades of debate: the Gympie Pyramid. To some, it’s evidence of an ancient civilisation or Egyptian contact with Australia. To others, it’s nothing more than a terraced hillside built by early European settlers. In this episode, Holly and Matthew dig into the claims, the history, and the investigations surrounding the...

In September 2000, on a warm night in Sydney, Cathy Freeman stepped onto the track carrying the weight of expectation — and delivered one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. But her story didn’t begin there. In this episode, Holly and Matthew trace Freeman’s journey from a young athlete in Queensland to a global symbol of achievement, resilience, and reconciliation. From her...

In September 2000, on a warm night in Sydney, Cathy Freeman stepped onto the track carrying the weight of expectation — and delivered one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. But her story didn’t begin there. In this episode, Holly and Matthew trace Freeman’s journey from a young athlete in Queensland to a global symbol of achievement, resilience, and reconciliation. From her...

They’re loud, they’re messy, and they’ve become one of Australia’s most controversial native animals — the grey-headed flying fox. Found along the east coast, these large fruit bats play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal, yet their presence in urban areas has made them the centre of ongoing conflict between conservation and community concerns. From mass colonies in suburban parks to d...

In 1973, a global oil shock reached Australian shores and changed everyday life almost overnight. Fuel shortages, price spikes, and uncertainty rippled through the country, forcing governments and communities to rethink how they used energy. In this episode, Holly and Matthew explore how the oil crisis played out in Australia — from petrol rationing and changing driving habits to the political dec...

In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this episode, Holly and Matthew walk through the events as they unfolded — from the initial police attendance to...

In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this episode, Holly and Matthew walk through the events as they unfolded — from the initial police attendance to...

In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this episode, Holly and Matthew walk through the events as they unfolded — from the initial police attendance to...

In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this episode, Holly and Matthew walk through the events as they unfolded — from the initial police attendance to...

Between Morwell and Traralgon in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley lies a stretch of road with a reputation that refuses to fade. Known locally as Haunted Hills, this unassuming patch of bushland has generated decades of whispered stories — strange lights drifting through the trees, shadowy figures on the roadside, unexplained cold spots, and the unnerving sense that something is watching from the dark. I...

For decades, Australia treated video games differently. Titles were banned. Content was refused classification. Games were edited, delayed, or never released at all. For years, we didn’t even have an R18+ category for games — meaning adult players were restricted by a system built for something else entirely. In this episode, we trace the history of video game censorship in Australia — from early...

For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring countries in the Western world. Join Holly & Matthew as they trace the history of Australian film censorsh...

For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring countries in the Western world. Join Holly & Matthew as they trace the history of Australian film censorsh...

For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring countries in the Western world. Join Holly & Matthew as they trace the history of Australian film censorsh...

Yes… we’re doing it again. Holly & Matthew return to Wolf Creek for a full watch-along commentary, folding in everything they learned while researching Episode 272 — the trivia, the controversies, the odd little production quirks, and the lingering weirdness that’s cropped up since. If you’ve ever wanted to watch the film armed with far too much context (and a healthy sense of unease), this on...

In the late 1970s, a string of disappearances around Adelaide quietly escalated into one of South Australia’s most disturbing serial crime cases. Young women vanished after accepting lifts, their movements barely noticed until the pattern became impossible to ignore. What followed would expose a trail of violence, manipulation, and institutional blind spots that still haunt the case today. Join Ho...