Forgotten Australia

Nearly a century before cocaine bundles started washing up on the Sydney coast, the city’s citizens clamoured to recover a different sort of illicit bounty from the sea: kegs of beer that’d floated free of Malabar, the happiest shipwreck disaster in Australian history.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send me a question for the David Hunt Book Club episode:[email protected] https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaCheck out my books as possible late Christmas presents for yourself or a loved one:The Murder Squadhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlHanging Ned Kellyhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.htmlAustralia’s Sweethearthttps://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was the criminal Christmas miracle to warm the hardest heart. During the festive season in 1951, Pentridge prisoners got a surprise visit from Santa, aka the cheeky crook Harold 'Dusty' Sheehan, who could get out of — and into — prisons as easily as Old St Nick down a chimney. This ‘regifted’ episode was originally released in 2021. Another new episode will be out next week.Merry Christmas! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In December 1950, Australia was under threat from a new menace to society: sex-crazed Bodgies and Widgies. This youth ‘cult’ indulged in wild orgies and violent crime sprees and its ranks teemed with unwanted immigrants and perverted homosexuals. Or so the tabloid newspapers warned. In this episode, we look at the moral panic that went with the Bodgies and Widgies - and the Sydney surfing hero at the epicentre of this ‘youthquake’.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send me a question for the David Hunt Book Club episode:[email protected] https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaCheck out my books as possible Christmas presents for yourself or a loved one:The Murder Squadhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlHanging Ned Kellyhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.htmlAustralia’s Sweethearthttps://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once upon a time not too long ago, wearing a bikini on Australia’s most famous stretch of sand meant you risked the wrath of veteran Bondi Beach inspector Aub Laidlaw. Show too much skin and he’d kick you off – and even threaten you with arrest. But Aub’s enforcement of prudish regulations caused a massive backlash in 1961 when young Joan Barry donned a gold bikini, pushed back against beach bullying and refused to be silenced by the cops and the court. Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send me a question for the David Hunt Book Club episode:[email protected] https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaCheck out my books as possible Christmas presents for yourself or a loved one:The Murder Squadhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlHanging Ned Kellyhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.htmlAustralia’s Sweethearthttps://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 3rd of January 1931, Sydney suffered one of the worst days in Australian police history — the result of a trauma that had festered since a "White Feather" taunt from the Great War.*This episode was originally released in 2019 and has been archived since May 2022*Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To colonial Australia, Betsy Scott had become a ‘female monster’ – all the more dangerous and diabolical for being alluring and attractive. But how much did this image influence her fate?Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Mansfield police arresting Bob Scott’s murderer, the case looks like it’ll be closed quickly. But revelations before the cops reach Devil’s River will cause a sensation – and leave the Victorian government with a controversial decision to make.Murder at Devil’s River - Part Three: Australia’s First Femme Fatale will go general release on 27 November.Part Three is available early and ad-free to Apple and Patreon supporters.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On 11 November 1863 – 160 years ago this month – history was made in Victoria when the murder of drunkard Bob Scott was avenged on the gallows in Melbourne Gaol.But what had really happened when a midnight shot was fired in the darkness of a Devils River grog shanty?Was justice done at the hands of the hangman?Murder at Devil’s River - Part Two: I’m Innocent But I Know I’ll Hang will go general release on 23 November.Murder at Devil’s River - Part Three: Australia’s First Femme Fatale will go general release on 27 November.Part Two and Part Three are available early and ad-free to Apple and Patreon supporters.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Len’s arrival to RAF Bomber Command makes for morale-boosting news. But more than half the men who serve as air crew will not live to see the end of the war. Len’s luck will need to hold if he’s to return to Australia and marry Thelma.For a free trial:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faced with almost certain death during a mid-air collision between two planes, RAAF trainee pilot Len Fuller takes advantage of million-to-one odds by keeping a cool head and a courageous heart. Overnight, he’s acclaimed as an example of Australian heroism. But no good deed goes unpunished - not when the air force brass have something to say about the accident’s aftermath.Part Three is available now, early and ad-free, for Apple and Patreon supporters.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September 1940, young RAAF trainee pilot Len Fuller pulled off a mid-air miracle that made front-page news around Australia and around the world. In this instalment, we look at how his whole life seemed to prepare Len for those desperate moments 3000 feet above the NSW Riverina – and for the year he’d spend dicing with death as he fought the Nazis as a member of RAF Bomber Command.RAAF Hero Len Fuller - Part Two: The Mid-Air Miracle will go on general release on 30 October.RAAF Hero Len Fuller - Part Three: Blood Moon and the Setting of the Sun will go on general release on 6 November.Part Two and Part Three are available early and ad-free to Apple and Patreon supporters.For a free trial:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo send a question to David Hunt for the Book Club episode:Email - [email protected] - https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaBuy my books, Australia’s Sweetheart, Hanging Ned Kelly and The Murder Squad at:https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlhttps://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September 1976, Dr Hunter S. Thompson, then at the height of his infamy as the drink-and-drug-soaked Dean of Gonzo Journalism, came Down Under to give a series of public lectures. What ensued was chaotic – but not for the reasons you might expect. In this episode, we look at what Australia was like when Hunter S. touched down – and we hear from Peter Olszewski, aka "J.J. McRoach", then a young hippie tasked with wrangling the good doctor… and whose adventures would include flying through an electrical storm with the man... while tripping on LSD.To hear Hunter S. Thompson at the National Press Club: https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/245539686To support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book The Murder Squad:https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1803 Sydney Gazette publisher George Howe got a gallows story beyond imagination – and one that would be retold forever after.To support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book, The Murder Squad: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html... and Hanging Ned Kelly:https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1803 in Sydney, Constable Joseph Luker became the first Australian policeman murdered in the line of the duty. Who was responsible for this crime that shocked the colony? How did his death trigger one of the strangest twists of fate in our history? Thankfully, the incredible details were captured in Australia's first-ever newspaper, The Sydney Gazette, which had appeared just months earlier to usher in Australian true crime reporting.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaGet The Murder Squad: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlGet Hanging Ned Kelly: https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October 1919, South Grafton, on the NSW North Coast, was the site of the one of the strangest and deadliest coincidences in Australian history. Later, the town's mayor, Dr Earle Page, would have his own experience of tragedy at the hands of fate – before fate briefly made him Australia's prime minister.To support the show:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book, The Murder Squad:https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raised in mere months for the 1879 International Exhibition, the Garden Palace was colonial Sydney's most spectacular building. But its fiery demise was even more spectacular, the grand complex razed to burning rubble in mere minutes. Why did it burn? Who was to blame? And how are its losses still being felt 140 years later?Get The Murder Squad in time for Father's Day - at 33% off the RRP.https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlSupport Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The jury hands down its verdict in the William Burns murder trial, newspapers discover the existence of his sparrow, a poet is stirred to write verses about what follows... and two more Douglas crew members meet horrible deaths.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book The Murder Squad: https://affirmpress.com.au/browse/book/Michael-Adams-Murder-Squad-9781922863836/If you want to hear my interview with Jen Kelly of In Black & White:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446?i=1000622413263If you want to hear my interview with Meshel Laurie of Australian True Crime:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-real-life-monster-from-australias-great-depression/id1217681421?i=1000622030689 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At his December 1882 murder trial William Burns pleads self-defence, even as fellow shipmates testify he’d committed cold-blooded murder. But what can his past reveal about his actions?Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book The Murder Squad: https://affirmpress.com.au/browse/book/Michael-Adams-Murder-Squad-9781922863836/If you want to hear my interview with Jen Kelly of In Black & White:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446?i=1000622413263If you want to hear my interview with Meshel Laurie of Australian True Crime:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-real-life-monster-from-australias-great-depression/id1217681421?i=1000622030689 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In September 1882, on a British ship on the high seas bound for Australia, English sailor William Burns stabs and kills a superior officer. For this capital crime, he’ll face justice in Adelaide – and await his fate in the company of a baby sparrow.Support Forgotten Australia to get early and ad-free episodes and bonus shows:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaCheck out my new book The Murder Squad: https://affirmpress.com.au/browse/book/Michael-Adams-Murder-Squad-9781922863836/If you want to hear my interview with Jen Kelly of In Black & White:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446?i=1000622413263If you want to hear my interview with Meshel Laurie of Australian True Crime:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a-real-life-monster-from-australias-great-depression/id1217681421?i=1000622030689 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1959, entrepreneur Lee Gordon staged an all-star rock ’n’ roll show at the Sydney Stadium and filmed it for cinematic release. But this pioneering movie – the only one of its kind – was soon lost. More than half a century later, Melbourne man Mark Iaria found the film. He talks about his remarkable discovery and his efforts to digitise, restore and share the “Lee Gordon 1959 Rock ’N’ Roll Spectacular” with modern cinema audiences.Check out the film’s webpage for screenings near you: https://rocknroll1959.com/Read a sample chapter from my new book The Murder Squad: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/the-murder-squadSupport Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exclusive to Forgotten Australia listeners, this episode comprises the first 20 pages of The Murder Squad, my new book about homicide investigation in Sydney and NSW during the worst years of the Great Depression. We start with Detective-Sergeant Tom McRae in Albury in September 1934 as he investigates the Pyjama Girl, before flashing back to the triple tragedies he endured in his early life and as he started his rise through the ranks.Check out The Murder Squad's awesome cover:https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781922863836.htmlHere's what some very nice folks have been saying about The Murder Squad:‘The Murder Squad is a cracking decade-long history of crazed killers and cunning cops – a triumph of true crime storytelling backed by exhaustive research.’ – Stephen Gibbs, Daily Mail‘Michael Adams has that rare ability to drop the reader right in the heart of the action. He gives such precise and evocative detail that the reader can almost see, hear and smell each crime scene. Murder Squad is a riveting read, bringing Australia’s Great Depression era to life through a series of cracking true crime stories starring the ingenious Sydney detective Tom McRae.’ – Jen Kelly, Herald Sun, In Black & White column and podcast‘Michael Adams takes you on a tense journey into Sydney’s historical badlands. Compelling, rich and meticulous: this is Australian true crime at its very best.’ – Candice Fox, author of Fire With Fire, The Chase and Crimson Lake‘Michael Adams is a master true crime storyteller. His mastery is firstly, in digging out intriguing historical crimes – many of which have long been forgotten – and secondly, in recounting them in the most compelling way. The Human Glove Mystery, The Pyjama Girl and The Park Demon all get the Michael Adams treatment, but so too the stories that didn’t attract the sensational headlines, but are no less intriguing. And all of it against a backdrop of historic Australia and the men of the Murder Squad who hunted out the killers and tried to bring them to justice. So thoroughly researched, this is the ultimate reference for true crime in Australia during the depression years.’ – Mercedes Maguire, The Daily Telegraph Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Doyle, author of Suburban Noir, talks about researching and writing true crime, and about his uncle Detective-Sergeant Brian Doyle, a top Sydney cop in the 1950s and 1960s, who led the investigations into the Kingsgrove Slasher and the Graeme Thorne kidnapping-murder. With thanks to listeners who contributed questions for Peter.Read Peter’s wonderful essay about taxi driving in Sydney here:https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/essay/doyle-passage/To support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Launched in September 1922, Melbourne's The Sun News-Pictorial forever changed newspapers in Australia.But for decades this historic publication has been difficult to access and to search because it's only available in a handful of physical microfilm catalogues. Now we have a chance to liberate this extraordinary Melbourne daily tabloid and give everyone free digital access in perpetuity via the National Library of Australia's Trove database.In this "History Matters" episode, I'm joined by the State Library of Victoria's Paul Dee to hear more about this exciting project. I also sample how The Sun News-Pictorial began and how it quickly served up big photo stories about an upcoming solar eclipse, about the war threat that might see Anzacs fight and die again at Gallipoli, and about the sensational surrender of Melbourne's Public Enemy #1.To help digitise The Sun News-Pictorial:https://slv.vic.gov.au/appeal/?fbclid=IwAR00D-VcHcBJ9H6pFPaqpWtwEsLl10J6AKAaLtrJk1sOJsb0hETJvSTtAgs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sue Northey knew barely anything about her dad’s experiences during World War II. That was until she found 98 letters he wrote between 1941 and 1945. Sue joins me to talk about rediscovering her dad through this correspondence, which chronicles the great events and the small details of these turbulent and tragic years. You can get early ad-free access to every episode, along with exclusive bonus shows, by becoming a Forgotten Australia supporter. Free trials are now available on both Apple and Patreon.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even when the verdict is delivered in the Katoomba murder trial, the story is far from over – especially after the convicted man makes a startling allegation.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of the gory outrage at the California, the accused faces an inquest and then his trial for murder. If he's found guilty, he'll be sentenced to death. But is he bad – or mad?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaBook Club: I’ll be interviewing Peter Doyle about his non-fiction book Suburban Noir, which is a cracking portrait of crime and punishment in Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s.We’ll also be talking about Peter’s other books, the non-fiction Crooks Like Us and City Of Shadows, and his four period crime novels, The Devil’s Jump, Amaze Your Friends, Get Rich Quick and The Big Whatever.There’s plenty to talk about – and Peter would love to hear your questions about his work.If you want me to read them to him, send them as an email to [email protected] you’d like to record your question in a free audio file from your computer, go to: https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mountains hotel. A locked room. Screams in the night and a body in the morning. The mystery of what happened in the California boarding house in Katoomba in autumn 1917 was like something by Agatha Christie. Except this wasn’t a whodunit – it was a whydunit.Parts 2 & 3 will be on general release soon. You can hear them now early and ad-free by supporting the podcast:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaBook Club: I’ll be interviewing Peter Doyle about his non-fiction book Suburban Noir, which is a cracking portrait of crime and punishment in Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s.We’ll also be talking about Peter’s other books, the non-fiction Crooks Like Us and City Of Shadows, and his four period crime novels, The Devil’s Jump, Amaze Your Friends, Get Rich Quick and The Big Whatever.There’s plenty to talk about – and Peter would love to hear your questions about his workIf you want me to read them to him, send them as an email to [email protected] you’d like to record your question in a free audio file from your computer, go to: https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Lady Justice favour Lady Munro? Would she have the last laugh on her copper nemesis? Has anyone ever faced court more often in Australian history or done it with more style? All will be revealed... almost!Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having come back from the grave once, Lady Munro faces another close call with death, becomes ever-more popular in colonial culture and goes toe-to-toe with one of Australia's most prominent gentlemen in a high-profile criminal court case.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eccentric Lady Munro cut a swathe through late colonial and early Federation Australia with her drunken antics, defiant unconventionality and mysterious claim to be from one of England’s most famous aristocratic families. The ‘Notorious Lady Munro’, who confessed to having been been ‘drunk around the universe’, was celebrated as ‘one of the most remarkable women alive’ – and stayed alive long enough to read of her own death in the newspapers more than once. Join me for a strange, funny, sad and always surprising deep dive into the utterly forgotten life of our very own blue-blooded lady larrikin. Parts 2 & 3 available now early and ad-free for Apple Subscribers and Patreon Supporters. **Take advantage of the Apple three-day free trial to hear them and all bonus episodes. Cancel before it expires and you won't pay anything**Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While The Salvation Army is now a beloved institution, 140 years ago its men and women were regularly the victims of violent assaults by larrikin hordes who marched under the skull and bones and called themselves The Skeleton Army. These shameful attacks were staged all over Australia but were most prevalent in Melbourne and Victoria. In this episode, we explore the rise of the Salvos, the hostility they faced from the police, press and the public – and how these factors set the scene for their brutal persecution by the hateful Skeletons.Hear the new bonus episode Gotcha! Australia’s April Fools via:Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaApple (you can get a three-day free trial):http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaQuestions for the Book Club episode featuring Peter Doyle can be submitted:In writing: [email protected] audio: speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaHanging Ned Kelly is 40% off here (at time of writing):https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlSave Trove:Change.org petition to fully fund Trove:https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-troveEmail Arts Minister Tony Burke:https://www.tonyburke.com.au/contact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“GIRLS ON PYLON SEX MACHINE”– it’s gotta be the weirdest newspaper headline of the 1930s. So what’s the strange story behind it? Join me for a plunge into the "Pashometer" craze that had Australians going bonkers to have a go on the machine that scientifically measured their all-important Sex Appeal! Change.org petition to fully fund Trove - https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-troveContact Tony Burke - https://www.tonyburke.com.au/contactSupport Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaContact email forgottenaustraliapodcast (at) gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s July 1950 and Sydney detectives have Arthur Graham - aka Fred Stevens, aka Thomas Croft, aka Lionel Thomas – cornered in Perth. But can the man they suspect of multiple murders escape justice again?Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s winter 1950 and Sydney detectives are criss-crossing Australia as they try to piece together the whereabouts of Blacktown widow, Phyllis Mary Page, last seen in the company of Fred Stevens – aka Thomas Croft – aka Lionel Thomas.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s 1945 and Lionel Thomas - aka Thomas Croft – looks set to pay for one of the most heinous murders in Melbourne’s recent history: the cold-blooded shooting of a railway stationmaster. Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lionel Charles Thomas went by a lot of aliases. But by any name, he was one nasty character. In this instalment, we chronicle his early criminal career and piece together the evidence that made Sydney and Melbourne suspect him in a handful of murders.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the true horror of the pay car outrage revealed – but buried ever-deeper in the war-time newspapers – Sydney police follow promising leads, conduct sweeping interviews and utilise the skills of the scientific squad in the hope of cracking the case. Eventually they’ll come up with a prime suspect – but where is he?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just hours after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, cold-blooded bandits staged a ruthless ambush on a railway pay car crew south of Sydney. In the aftermath of this ambush, homicide detectives faced an unprecedented task. How could they get the public’s attention – get the information they needed to catch these killers – when all anyone could talk about was the new and unprecedented threat to Australia?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo help save Trove, please sign and share these petitions:Government petition (sign by 22 February) - https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4747Change.org - https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-trove?redirect=false Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the weeks after Shirley Butler's murder, newspaper reports hinted that police weren't divulging everything they knew. Then, in June 1953, nearly six months after her death, detectives announced a stunning breakthrough. But the arrest of their suspect would pale in comparisons with the revelations to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christmas Day 1952 saw three tragedies result in eight sudden deaths in Sydney. But the most haunting of these was the vicious murder of Shirley Butler, a 21-year-old woman whose body was found just a stone’s throw from her home in Waverton on the lower North Shore. Who had killed her and why? An army of detectives would scour the city for clues – and even authorise a world-first radio re-enactment of Shirley’s last tram journey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Fred Jones's betrayal, with Hayati branded an 'enemy alien', the showman and the performer go head to head in a series of court cases that make headlines all around Australia.You can see a photo gallery from this story free at Patreon - no need to sign up or pay.If you do want to support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaYou can read an excerpt from my book Hanging Ned Kelly at: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/You can also buy the book there at 26% off the RRP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who was Frederick Hooper Jones, the man who tried to ruin Hayati Hassid? In this instalment, we look at Fred's life and career as a showman and as a pioneering aviator.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaRead a free sample of Hanging Ned Kelly here – and buy the book with a 26% discount on the recommended retail price of $35.https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having conquered Australia with Tiny Town, Hayati Hassid goes out on his own and falls into the orbit of Frederick Hooper Jones. To heat parts 3 & 4 right now ad-free, become an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter.For a three-day free trial, Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaFor Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaYou can read a free sample of Hanging Ned Kelly and get 26% off the RRP here:https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a digitised formerly secret Australian military intelligence file comes one of Forgotten Australia’s strangest stories. In 1911-1912, from Sydney to Brisbane, Perth to Melbourne, and all points in between, Australia was enthralled by the little people entertainment troupe known as Tiny Town.Everyone was especially fond its undisputed star, 'The Mayor of Tiny Town', aka 'The Turkish Tom Thumb', the incomparable small-man performer Hayati Hassid. Yet how did this beloved celebrity - who also acted as editor of 'The Tiny Town Times' - become designated an enemy alien after the Great War broke out? What did this dark twist have to do with showman and self-professed father of Australian aviation Frederick Hooper Jones? And just where do genocidal Turkish sultan Abdul The Damned, legendary escapologist Harry Houdini and Aussie rock band The Angels fit into this picture? Join me for a four-part deep dive that takes us from the harems of the dying Ottoman Empire to the roller-skating-mad London vaudeville scene, from a forgotten antipodean box office blockbuster to the controversial very earliest days of Australia aviation. You won't believe your ears.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaMy new book Hanging Ned Kelly is out now and will make a cracker of a Christmas present.You can read a free excerpt here - and get 26% off the RRP: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the accused murderer of Holly Murphy and Kathleen Brown set to go to trial in April 1946, there's a series of shocking secret developments, including a bombshell letter that makes disturbing claims against Queensland's boys in blue. Via the original police murder file - and from information from a descendant of one of the men involved - we explore what might've really happened.To hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446To read an excerpt of Hanging Ned Kelly - https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Detective Senior-Sergeant Frank Bischof in Cairns, Bob Davis soon identifies the murderer. But how far can Bob be trusted? And what is Bischof offering?Part 3 will be available later this week via regular podcast platforms. But as an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter, you can hear it right now ad-free.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a hot night in January 1946, two women were cold-bloodedly murdered with a grenade in the centre of Cairns. In this three-part special episode - based on the original police murder file - we take a deep dive into this callous crime, whose solution was frustrated not only by the underworld’s code of silence but also by the conduct of Queensland’s most infamously corrupt cop.Parts Two & Three will be available next week via regular podcast platforms. But as an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter, you can hear them right now ad-free.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446To read an excerpt of Hanging Ned Kelly - https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Note: This episode - like all old and new regular episodes - is free for everyone to listen to. I'm very pleased to present an exclusive audio version of the first 20 pages of my new book Hanging Ned Kelly, which is published this week by Affirm Press. Here's what it's about:HANGING NED KELLYWhen it came time to hang Ned Kelly, the deed fell to the nightman-turned-quack-doctor-turned-drunken-chicken-thief Elijah Upjohn. Such is life indeed.Upjohn was the latest in a long line of 19th century flogging hangmen who were allowed to run amok because they did the dirty work of the establishment that allowed officials to keep their hands clean. Despite being duly appointed ‘finishers of the law’, Upjohn and his fellow boozing bunglers were so hated they were often hunted by angry mobs.In Hanging Ned Kelly, the tale of Elijah Upjohn becomes the rusty scalpel that slices open the underbelly of colonial Victoria – an underworld seething with serial killers, clueless cops, larrikin vigilantes, renegade reporters, racist settlers, furious fallen women and cunning waxwork showmen. Looming over them all: the depraved hangmen... and Australia's most infamous outlaw.Hanging Ned Kelly is available on 27 September at all good bookstores and online retailers.To support Forgotten Australia and access early ad-free and bonus episodes:Apple: http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While 1950s eccentrics Bea Miles and Rosaleen Norton are well remembered, Luba Shishova was twice as wild yet she's all but forgotten. Dubbed a ‘one-woman Russian Revolution’, this chaotic beauty cut a swathe through Kings Cross, earning adoring fans among the city’s reporters and outraging the cops and the judges. Now, for the first time, Luba’s story is told in detail – from her background in a war zone and her bikini court sensation to her flesh-ripping assaults and stints in jail and psych hospitals.To support Forgotten Australia, subscribe via Forgotten Australia +Plus at Apple Podcasts or via Patreon at patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaMy book, Hanging Ned Kelly, is out on 27 September. You can read an except for free at the link below. https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/Buy Hanging Ned Kelly via this very same link – or at any good bookstore or online retailer.Back catalogue Forgotten Australia +Plus bonus episodes will be released in the coming weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this day in 1922, Henry Lawson died at the age of 55. In this episode, we revisit his death and the pomp, circumstance and furore of his funeral, while also weighing the claim the Aussie bard of the bush was actually the world’s first screenwriter.Bonus episodes available as soon as you support the show via patreon.com/forgottenaustralia* The Mad Bomber of Boulder: in February 1942 the goldfields of WA were rocked by one of the worst mass murders in modern Australian history.* Sydney, Spanish Flu and Covid-19: a live talk at MEDfest, held at the State Library of NSW in July 2022.* Hanging Ned Kelly: an audio preview of my upcoming book, comprising the prologue, author’s note and first chapter. Note: this will be released on regular platforms in late September. You can pre-order Hanging Ned Kelly and read a chapter sampler for free here: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/* All Hail, Megaethon: the bizarre story of Australia’s first road trips - in the mid-1850s!* Last of the Bushrangers: an addition to the regular episode Young Ned Kelly, this tells the story of another young outlaw in country Victoria in 1922.* The Rats Must Die: a live talk about Bubonic Plague, delivered at the Sydney Festival in January 2022.* Black Thursday: the tale of the 1851 bushfires that burned out one-quarter of Victoria.* To Sir, With Hate: who murdered a teacher in 1928 in the tiny town of Wolumla on the NSW south coast?* The Body in the Barwon: in 1953, Australia was shocked by the discovery of a headless body, with the crime committed by a truly bizarre crook.* Revolvers & Razors: a three-part episode about a grisly 1927 murder in the Blue Mountains that had links to the infamous razor gangs.* The Wreck of the Errol: an addition to the Mysteries of Mystery Island episode, this is the tale of a 1909 shipwreck and the horrors that followed.* Detective McRae vs the Lady in Grey: a two-part real-life noir that pits Sydney’s top homicide cop against a drop-dead gorgeous femme fatale.* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Spiritualist Tour Down Under: the creator of Sherlock Holmes came to Australia in 1920-21 to chase ghosts. Best heard in tandem with The Guyra Ghost.* The Bones & The Beast: the case that made Det-Sgt McRae a homicide investigation hero… and the ghastly case that confronted his sometime partner in crime-solving, Det-Sgt Joe Ramus, who were met in The Human Glove Mystery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.