Australian Histories Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep 37 Lady Jane Franklin - Explorer: Australian History Jun 01, 2020

Show notes

Lady Jane Franklin was an unusual woman. In the late 1830s, as the wife of Van Diemen's Land Governor Sir John Franklin, she took the opportunity to explore the new settlements and wilds of Tasmania, undertook an overland trek from Melbourne to Sydney, astounding the public with her drive & resilience. One source suggested, her “unfeminine curiosity” lead her to investigate many places where European women had not previously ventured.

She was instrumental in setting up scientific societies and publications, and promoted the development of Hobart as the cultural hub of the colonies, at a time when it was previously only associated with it's convict history.

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Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

Ep 36 Jandamarra: the Bunuba Warrior Pt 2: Australian History Apr 27, 2020

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PART 2: Jandamarra was a Bunuba man, from the Kimberly region in Western Australia, who has been called both an outlaw and a hero. It’s a story of conflict between the indigenous peoples, and the new comers to Australia; a chapter in what we more lately call the Frontier Wars.

In the late 1880s Jandamarra lead his people in resisting the takeover of their lands, at a time when stockholders wished to bring sheep & cattle into the Kimberly. It is a confronting story, but one very important for both original and newer Australians to understand and consider.

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Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

Ep 35 Jandamarra: the Bunuba Warrior Pt 1: Australian History Apr 27, 2020

Show notes

Jandamarra was a Bunuba man, from the Kimberly region in Western Australia, who has been called both an outlaw and a hero. It’s a story of conflict between the indigenous peoples, and the new comers to Australia; a chapter in what we more lately call the Frontier Wars.

Note that this Episode is has been offered as 2 parts

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Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

Ep 34 The Great Emu War: Australian History Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

In the early 1930s the post WW1 Soldier Settlers in Western Australia were doing it hard, trying to make a living growing wheat in a tough economic climate.

When the native Emus descended on their crops on mass, they called on the Commonwealth Minister of Defense to come to their rescue. And so began the Emu War in the west.....

(45 mins)

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Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

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Ep 33 Eureka Pt5: Eureka Trials: Australian History Feb 28, 2020

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With the rebellion at the Eureka Stockade ended, the authorities moved the main players to Melbourne to be tried for treason.

In the days immediately following, the people of Victoria were at first apprehensive that there may be further outbreaks of violence and rioting, but as more information about exactly what happened at Ballarat was known, they became more unhappy about the lead up to and the actions that took place on December 3rd, 1854.

In this final episode in the Eureka series, we talk about the trials, and the actions of the government in the aftermath. We also learn a little about the Southern Cross flag.

(60 mins)

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Ep 32 Eureka Pt4: Eureka Stockade: Australian History Jan 31, 2020

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With no positive response to their delegations, pleading & petitions, the Ballarat miners determined they must boycott the corrupt system all together and physically resist when the troopers came to arrest them.

Under the leadership of Peter Lalor, the men swore under their Southern Cross flag, to stand together united in their resistance, and to protect each other from the authorities, with physical force if required.

To that end they began building a defensive Stockade. and began to organise and gather weapons for a confrontation with the Government Camp.

The Government saw this as the beginning of revolutionary rebellion, and were determined to crush the uprising.

(60 mins)

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Ep 31 Eureka Pt3: Ballarat Reform League: Australian History Dec 31, 2019

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Relations between the authorities and the diggers on the Ballarat goldfield continued to deteriorate, and despite the reports of corruption and violent behaviour being reported to the senior government officials, no action was being taken.

Following a murder on the goldfield, the miners meeting protesting the corrupt investigation that took place afterwards, escalated into a riot, and the Eureka Hotel was burnt to the ground.

A number of influential men on the diggings formed the Ballarat Reform League, to represent and advocate for the Ballarat diggers and their families, and to make representations to the government about the causes of the riot. But with no satisfactory discussions taking place, the miners lost all patience and resolved that the only course of action open to them, was armed resistance. A flag was raised, oaths sworn and the men set about organising a defensive stockade.

(40 mins)

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Ep 30 Eureka Pt2: Ballarat goldfield: Australian History Dec 30, 2019

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We turn our attention to the Ballarat Goldfield. The road to the Eureka Rebellion here was actually quite long, and contained a myriad of grievances & triggers, which finally came to an unhappy clash on December 3rd 1854 at the Eureka Stockade. But we are not quite there yet. This episode we look at the early days under La Trobe, and the frustration & aggravation that grew after Hotham became Governor.

The initial catalysts for the uprising started with unfair gold licensing arrangements, but the behaviour of the officials on the Ballarat goldfields caused much disquiet, and with corruption rife and no reasonable response from the government, we can see the seeds of the confrontation forming.

(43 mins)

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Ep 29 Eureka Pt1: Gold: Australian History Nov 29, 2019

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Gold miners built the Eureka Stockade at the Ballarat goldfields in December 1854, but trouble between the miners and the authorities had started pretty much with the gold rush in 1851. Before we start looking at the Eureka uprising itself, Ep 29 will begin with some background to the story.

The discovery of gold and the chance to dig & make ones fortune, transformed the colonies. We'll look at gold discovery in Australia, the influence of the Californian gold rush, the Government’s response, and how the home-grown rush started in New South Wales, before the lucrative Victorian fields were discovered.

(46 mins)

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Ep 28 The Dingo Fence: Australian History Oct 25, 2019

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Australia has a number of massive continuous barrier fences, built by farmers and pastorlists from the late 1800's, to try and control the movement of native and introduced pests that were threatening their land and stock.

We’re going to look at the development & operation of the massive Dingo Fence, the longest wild dog exclusion barrier, now running as a continuous line across 3 states, over more than 5400 kilometres (3350 miles). (52 mins)

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Brilliant stories from Australia’s past!

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