Stories From Sydney

Coming Up in Season 3

To celebrate both boys recording from Sydney for the first time ever, we've included some bonus material about Manly in our introductory episode to Season Three - a "vignette from Sydney" as Jed likes to call it! Plus, find out about the exciting new episode format set to feature this season, and hear about the topics that we have prepared for you (or in some cases soon will be preparing).

The Macleays and Their Collection

Despite their household name being all but forgotten, the Macleay family were a force to be reckoned with in Colonial Sydney society. They owned vast swaths of NSW as it was carved up in the 19th century, they represented much more of the colony in parliament, they built a most impressive sandstone mansion at Elizabeth Bay House and after 3 generations of collection famously bequeathed one of the world's vastest natural history collections to the University of Sydney. Join us this episode as we discuss one of the most important but oft overlooked colonial Sydney families; the Macleays.

A Tale of Obelisks and Sewers

Tracing the history of sewerage infrastructure in Sydney provides a wild ride through the origins of democracy in NSW, the popularity of Egyptian obelisks in the nineteenth century, and the unsavoury prospect of surfing in the city’s muck. Join us on this week's episode of Stories from Sydney as we discuss the fractious history of the city’s waste disposal projects, and the monumental architecture that still exists right under our noses (or rather, above them!)

Camp Extravaganzas

Until more recent years Sydney's large and visible queer community was generally ill considered by wider society, in large part due to the negative light the police and mainsteam media portrayed them in. Despite, or perhaps because of, this, a secret world of partially hidden dance parties was occurring across the city on an epic scale. This episode tracks the history of Sydney's gay bashes (the good kind) over the last 100 years, always present, but just out of sight - except of those who knew where to look.

A Stroke is Born at Bronte Baths

We discuss the swimming scene in Sydney at the turn of the century, some iconic locations, our first Olympic champion, and the stroke that changed everything.

The Town Where the Bell Meets the Macquarie

This episode we head West from Sydney to a town that has long shared connections with the Harbour City. From Ancient Caves to Pistol Duels and Unfinished Roads, through 3 short stories (and a generous introduction) we learn a little bit about a little town called Wellington.

The Tiger Shark and the Tattooed Arm

On a quiet autumn day in 1935, a recently captured Tiger Shark on display in the swimming pool at the Coogee Palace suddenly regurgitated an entire human arm. How did the arm get there, and what does this murder mystery reveal about Sydney society during the Great Depression?

The Six O'Clock Swill

In the 1890s the temperance movement took off across Australia. At first laughed out of the room, the coming of World War One dramatically changed public attitudes and saw the cultural centre of towns and suburbs move away from the public bar. A new, arguably less civilised, drinking culture took hold across the land and Sydneysiders had to grapple with the tension between their disposition towards authoritarianism and their love of a hard and fast drink.

The Old Commodore of Blue's Point

Despite arriving as a convict in the very early years of the colony, Billy Blue went on to achieve considerable success as a ferryman and harbour master and gave his name to many locations on Sydney's North Shore. Tune it to find out more about this colourful figure and the little-known history of African-American convicts in Sydney.

Coming Up in Season 2

Tune in to this week's short trailer to get yourself geared up for another season of Stories from Sydney, find out what's changed (not much) and to hear our first episode's all important clue!