Weird Crap in Australia

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, an enduring symbol of Australia, officially opened on March 19, 1932. Spanning 503 meters and connecting Sydney's central business district with the North Shore, the "Coathanger" became an iconic landmark and engineering marvel. Construction took eight years, involving over 1,400 workers and 52,800 tonnes of steel. Its grand opening was marked by a dramatic incident when...

The Walsh Street Shooting shocked Australia on October 12, 1988, when two young police officers, Constables Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre, were ambushed and killed in South Yarra, Melbourne. Lured to Walsh Street with a stolen car left as bait, the officers were executed in what became one of Australia’s most infamous crimes. The brutal killings were allegedly carried out as an act of revenge by me...

The Walsh Street Shooting shocked Australia on October 12, 1988, when two young police officers, Constables Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre, were ambushed and killed in South Yarra, Melbourne. Lured to Walsh Street with a stolen car left as bait, the officers were executed in what became one of Australia’s most infamous crimes. The brutal killings were allegedly carried out as an act of revenge by me...

"Skippy the Bush Kangaroo," the iconic Australian television series, first hopped onto screens in Australia, capturing hearts around the world. Premiering on February 5, 1968, the show followed the adventures of Skippy, a remarkably clever kangaroo, and her young human friend, Sonny, as they navigated various challenges and mysteries in Waratah National Park. Skippy’s remarkable "communication" sk...

Phar Lap, Australia's legendary racehorse, met a mysterious and tragic end in Menlo Park, California, on April 5, 1932. After a series of incredible victories, including his historic win at the 1930 Melbourne Cup, the beloved "Red Terror" passed away under suspicious circumstances while preparing for more races in North America. His death sparked an enduring mystery, as many speculated that the ch...

The Queen Street Massacre, one of Australia’s most shocking mass shootings, unfolded in Melbourne’s Queen Street. On December 8, 1987, a gunman entered an office building on Queen Street and opened fire, tragically killing eight people and injuring five others. The rampage stunned the nation, sparking debates on gun control and mental health that reverberate to this day. The gunman, a 22-year-old...

The Tasmanian devil was named by early European settlers who heard the creature's unearthly screams, coughs and growls, and went to investigate They found a small canine-looking animal with black fur and white patches, red ears and sharp teeth. Its howls screeches and snarls haunted the nights, driving some man to the brink of insanity. Some say the devil haunts Tasmania. Here on the podcast, we b...

Australia in the 1960s was a safe, wholesome place to grow up. Ask any Boomer or Gen Xer what their childhood was like, they'll be happy to tell you how great it was, going down to the beach with your siblings, spending time in the sand, surf and sun. In reality, the world was just as dangerous as it is today, we were just less aware of it. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the case that chan...

Australia in the 1960s was a safe, wholesome place to grow up. Ask any Boomer or Gen Xer what their childhood was like, they'll be happy to tell you how great it was, going down to the beach with your siblings, spending time in the sand, surf and sun. In reality, the world was just as dangerous as it is today, we were just less aware of it. Join Holly and Matthew as they examine the case that chan...

On a quiet Sunday night in August, 1987, a man sat in a pub, trying desperately to get the bartender to talk to him. Rejected by his ideal career, his girlfriend, his friends and even his mother, this young man turned what was once a boring night on an inner-north Melbourne street into one his victims would never forget. If they survive. Main Theme music – Kevin MacLeod "Slow Ticking Clock" – Kevi...

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...