The Modern Meltdown

Weird Crap in Australia

History EN ↓ 428 episodes

Welcome to "Weird Crap in Australia," a podcast hosted by Holly and Matthew, a husband and wife team with a passion for all things strange and unusual in the land down under. Each episode, Holly, a trained historian, and Matthew, a pop-culture enthusiast, dive into the weird and wacky aspects of Australian history and society. From the colonial era to the present day, they explore topics such as aliens, monsters, ghosts, and true crime, uncovering the stories and legends that have fascinated Australians for generations. As a social historian, Holly provides a unique perspective on the cultural...

Author

The Modern Meltdown

Category

History

Podcast website

themodernmeltdown.net

Latest episode

Jul 6, 2026

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Episodes

Episode 347 - The North Head Quarantine Station 26.01.2025

The North Head Quarantine Station, located on the northern headland of Sydney Harbour, holds a chilling legacy as one of Australia's most significant quarantine sites. Operating from 1833 to 1984, the station housed those afflicted by contagious diseases, such as smallpox, Spanish flu, and the plague, aiming to prevent outbreaks in the Australian colony. Thousands passed through its gates, many of...

Episode 346 - The Wooreen School Kidnapping 20.01.2025

Edwin Eastwood was back at it again. Armed with a firearm, he entered the Wooreen State School and took nine students and their teacher, Rob Hunter, hostage. The kidnapper's demands for a ransom and threats heightened the terror of those involved. What did he want? Drugs, money and freedom. Join Holly & Matthew as they explore the details of the kidnapping, the experiences of those involved, a...

Episode 345 - The Faraday School Kidnapping 13.01.2025

The Faraday School kidnapping shocked Australia, as a group of six schoolgirls and their teacher, Mary Gibbs, were taken by two armed kidnappers. They stormed the small Faraday School in rural Victoria and held the group hostage, demanding a ransom of a cool million dollars. The police launched an intense search while the kidnappers took the victims into the bushland, keeping them captive for seve...

Episode 344 - The Royal Train Wreck (1920) 06.01.2025

A Royal Train carrying Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), derailed near Jarnadup, Western Australia, during his Australian tour. The accident occurred when the rails spread, causing the last two carriages, including the Prince’s, to overturn down a low embankment. Remarkably, no one was injured, though the event temporarily trapped the Prince and his entourage in the overturned carr...

Episode 343 - The 1949 Coal Miners' Strike 30.12.2024

In 1949, one of Australia’s largest industrial actions took place when coal miners staged a well-planned strike. Beginning in June and lasting nearly seven weeks, the strike involved more than 23,000 workers protesting poor wages and dangerous working conditions in the coal mines. Coal was a critical energy resource post-World War II, and the strike brought industries and households across the nat...

Episode 342 - The Royal Flying Doctor Service Part 2 23.12.2024

Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has stood as a beacon of hope for those living in its most remote and unforgiving regions. Founded in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn, the service was born out of the need to provide critical medical care to isolated communities. Initially known as the Aerial Medical Service, it has grown into one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive aeromedical...

Episode 341 - The Royal Flying Doctor Service Part 1 16.12.2024

Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has stood as a beacon of hope for those living in its most remote and unforgiving regions. Founded in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn, the service was born out of the need to provide critical medical care to isolated communities. Initially known as the Aerial Medical Service, it has grown into one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive aeromedical...

Episode 340 - The Thallium Craze of the 1950s Part 4 09.12.2024

In the 1950s, Australia was gripped by a bizarre and terrifying trend of thallium poisoning, one of the most sinister and mysterious poisoning cases in Australian history. Thallium, a highly toxic metal, was used in a range of household items, including rat poisons and insecticides, and became the weapon of choice for a number of perpetrators. The poison’s ability to cause severe and often fatal d...

Episode 339 - The Thallium Craze of the 1950s Part 3 02.12.2024

In the 1950s, Australia was gripped by a bizarre and terrifying trend of thallium poisoning, one of the most sinister and mysterious poisoning cases in Australian history. Thallium, a highly toxic metal, was used in a range of household items, including rat poisons and insecticides, and became the weapon of choice for a number of perpetrators. The poison’s ability to cause severe and often fatal d...

Episode 338 - The Thallium Craze of the 1950s Part 2 25.11.2024

In the 1950s, Australia was gripped by a bizarre and terrifying trend of thallium poisoning, one of the most sinister and mysterious poisoning cases in Australian history. Thallium, a highly toxic metal, was used in a range of household items, including rat poisons and insecticides, and became the weapon of choice for a number of perpetrators. The poison’s ability to cause severe and often fatal d...

Episode 337 - The Thallium Craze of the 1950s Part 1 18.11.2024

In the 1950s, Australia was gripped by a bizarre and terrifying trend of thallium poisoning, one of the most sinister and mysterious poisoning cases in Australian history. Thallium, a highly toxic metal, was used in a range of household items, including rat poisons and insecticides, and became the weapon of choice for a number of perpetrators. The poison’s ability to cause severe and often fatal d...

Episode 336 - The Scandal of Big Philou (1969) 11.11.2024

Big Philou, an Australian racehorse with promising odds in the Melbourne Cup, became infamous for a scandal that rocked the racing world. Just minutes before the race, Big Philou was scratched due to a sudden illness, later found to be caused by a malicious case of doping. The horse had been a favourite to win, and the last-minute scratching not only cost owners, bettors, and fans but also spurred...

Episode 335 - Round the Twist (1990-2001) 04.11.2024

Round the Twist is an iconic Australian children’s television series that aired from 1989 to 2001, famous for its quirky humor, supernatural themes, and often bizarre storylines. Created by author Paul Jennings and based on his short stories, the show follows the Twist family—siblings Pete, Linda, and Bronson, and their dad, Tony—as they encounter surreal adventures in a haunted lighthouse on the...

Episode 334 - The West Gate Bridge Collapse (1970) Part 2 28.10.2024

At 11:50 a.m. on October 15, a 2,000-ton section of the bridge buckled and fell into the Yarra River, along with the workers on site. It remains one of Australia’s worst industrial accidents, leaving a profound impact on construction safety standards nationwide. The collapse was caused by a combination of design flaws and construction errors, leading to a Royal Commission investigation. The traged...

Episode 333 - The West Gate Bridge Collapse (1970) Part 1 21.10.2024

At 11:50 a.m. on October 15, a 2,000-ton section of the bridge buckled and fell into the Yarra River, along with the workers on site. It remains one of Australia’s worst industrial accidents, leaving a profound impact on construction safety standards nationwide. The collapse was caused by a combination of design flaws and construction errors, leading to a Royal Commission investigation. The traged...

Episode 332 - The May 8 Moratoriums Part 2 (1962-1975) 14.10.2024

The May 8 protests, part of the Moratorium to End the Vietnam War movement, saw hundreds of thousands of Australians take to the streets. These demonstrations were some of the largest anti-war protests in the country’s history, and they spanned across Melbourne, Sydney, and other major cities. The protests were inspired by similar movements in the United States, with Australians calling for the wi...

Episode 331 - The May 8 Moratoriums Part 1 (1962-1975) 07.10.2024

The May 8 protests, part of the Moratorium to End the Vietnam War movement, saw hundreds of thousands of Australians take to the streets. These demonstrations were some of the largest anti-war protests in the country’s history, and they spanned across Melbourne, Sydney, and other major cities. The protests were inspired by similar movements in the United States, with Australians calling for the wi...

Episode 330 - The Shaft (1973) 30.09.2024

Located along the Limestone Coast, The Shaft is one of the region’s most alluring yet treacherous underwater caves. In 1973, while attempting to explore the sinkhole’s submerged chambers, a group of 9 divers came up against their own mortality - and some didn't live through the experience. The tragedy underscored the extreme dangers of cave diving in Australia. The Shaft, known for its alluring de...

Episode 329 - The Great Barrier Reef 23.09.2024

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, has long been a marvel of natural beauty and ecological importance. Stretching over 2,300 kilometers, it comprises over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. Its biodiverse ecosystem supports countless species and holiday makers, as well as the occasional UFO report. Join Holly & Ma...

Episode 328 - The Story of Chopper Read Part 2 16.09.2024

Mark "Chopper" Read, one of Australia's most notorious criminals, was known for his violent past and larger-than-life persona. He was involved in organized crime, including stints as a debt collector, hitman, and underworld enforcer, throughout the 1970s and 80s. Despite his criminal activities, Read became a controversial figure in Australian media, gaining notoriety for his bestselling books tha...

Episode 327 - The Story of Chopper Read Part 1 09.09.2024

Mark "Chopper" Read, one of Australia's most notorious criminals, was known for his violent past and larger-than-life persona. He was involved in organized crime, including stints as a debt collector, hitman, and underworld enforcer, throughout the 1970s and 80s. Despite his criminal activities, Read became a controversial figure in Australian media, gaining notoriety for his bestselling books tha...

Episode 326 - The Spiny Anteater 02.09.2024

Echidnas are one of the most distinctive mammals on the planet, belonging to the rare group of monotremes, which also includes the platypus. These spiny creatures are equipped with a long, sticky tongue that they use to capture ants and termites, their primary food sources. Despite their spiky appearance, echidnas are shy and solitary animals, often found burrowing into the ground to escape predat...

Episode 325 - Explorers of Australia - The Legacy of Captain Cook 26.08.2024

In this series, we take on the truest form of gaslighting history to dive deep into the life and legacy of Captain James Cook, the legendary British explorer known for his voyages to the Pacific. While his adventures and discoveries have been celebrated for centuries, many myths and misconceptions about his life and actions persist. From his humble beginnings and early naval career that shaped him...

Episode 324 - Explorers of Australia : Captain James Cook Jnr (1728-1779) Part 2 19.08.2024

In this series, we take on the truest form of gaslighting history to dive deep into the life and legacy of Captain James Cook, the legendary British explorer known for his voyages to the Pacific. While his adventures and discoveries have been celebrated for centuries, many myths and misconceptions about his life and actions persist. From his humble beginnings and early naval career that shaped him...

Episode 323 - Explorers of Australia : Captain James Cook Jnr (1728-1779) Part 1 12.08.2024

In this series, we take on the truest form of gaslighting history to dive deep into the life and legacy of Captain James Cook, the legendary British explorer known for his voyages to the Pacific. While his adventures and discoveries have been celebrated for centuries, many myths and misconceptions about his life and actions persist. From his humble beginnings and early naval career that shaped him...

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