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Forgotten Australia — History
Forgotten Australia

Bloody crimes, unsolved mysteries, eccentric celebrities, dark events and bizarre happenings: it’s all here – the stuff you wish they’d taught you in school!

Dive into our strange-but-true history via never-before-told stories, author interviews, weekly flashbacks and the weekly trivia quiz.

Forgotten Australia is created and hosted by Michael Adams, author of the acclaimed true crime books The Murder Squad, Hanging Ned Kelly and They’ll Never Hold Me.

He’s also a regular history and true crime commentator on ABC Nightlife and the podcast Australian True Crime.

Support Forgotten Australia for a few bucks per month to get ad-free early episodes, exclusive bonus episodes, a show shout-out and the chance to win prizes in the special edition trivia quiz episodes.

Get a week’s free trial here:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest Episodes:

Death-Defying Destiny Deciders – Part Three: Diving & Dicing With Death Mar 15, 2026

Show notes

In July 1898, my great-grandfather Peter Murtough competes for the title of best diver in the world. But seeking more than the thrills of the life aquatic, he ratchets up the risks to himself – and future me – by enlisting to fight the Boer in South Africa.

*All episodes will be available early & ad-free to Patreon and Apple supporters*

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access. Follow these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Death-Defying Destiny Deciders – Part Two: From Waterloo to the Waters of Life Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

Having fought the French and beaten the odds, Bernard Murtough’s family goes on to prominence in peacetime, establishing themselves and their mineral water business in Portsea. While raised a child of privilege, restless youngster Peter Murtough strikes out for London, set on high adventure as a high diver.

*All episodes will be available early & ad-free to Patreon and Apple supporters*

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access. Use these links to get started:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New miniseries: Death-Defying Destiny Deciders – Part One: War, Peace & Plague Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

I recently discovered that my great-grandfather was a champion diver who was active in the very same London scene as the doomed stuntmen who featured in my recent miniseries Death-Defying Death Divers!

With this as my, um, jumping off point, I’m taking a plunge into my family history, tracing the men and women of the Murtough family, from the Battle of Waterloo, the Boer War and the Western Front, to the wilds of Western Australia and the remote paradise of Lord Howe Island. We’ll also take a look at the birth of tabloid sensationalism and the early days of the London Blitz.

Along the way, I'll share a few tips and tricks you can use to make your family history writing come alive.

In this episode, we meet Peter Murtough, celebrated swimmer and diver, who owed his existence to his grandfather surviving one of the most horrific and pestilent battlefields of history. And that was just the start of his military adventures...

*All episodes will be available early & ad-free to Patreon and Apple supporters*

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access. Follow these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Short – Maestro! (feat. Goering + Hitchcock) Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

From a run-in with the future Nazi villain, to working with the master of movie suspense, Aussie musical genius Arthur Benjamin lived a big life, even if he’s these days overshadowed in our cultural history by the scandalous Percy Grainger and Eugene Goosens.

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Short – Australia's First Typewriter Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

A century and a half ago, the age of the typewriter dawned in Australia.

Who was the first to import these new American gizmos? Would they cause the extinction of handwriting?

Would typewriters increase efficiency or simply empower people to churn out rubbish?

How many parallels are there to the modern push for AI?

To read Robert Messenger’s typewriter histories, check out:

https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Short – The Strange Story of the Australian Flag Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Australian flag being raised for the first time – the winning design selected from a competition that attracted over 32,000 entries.

Who sponsored the contest and why?

How many winning designers were there?

How did one chap so successfully claim sole credit over the next half century that two Australian prime ministers felt it necessary to officially try to set the record straight?

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in 1966 – Part Three: Mr Stinky, a Rogue Cop and the Beaumont Children Feb 15, 2026

Show notes

Having just retired from the NSW police, infamously bent Sydney detective Ray Kelly injects himself into the Beaumont case in what is one of Australia’s most cynical newspaper stunts. At the same time, the disappearance of two teens in Victoria marks the sad start to another haunting murder mystery. Plus: Aussie dollars and cents finally drop, Gough Whitlam vs Arthur Calwell, and the Rolling Stones roll into town… with Keith Richards getting into an odd bit of bother with the border cops.

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in 1966 – Part Two: H-Bomb Horror & All the Way With LBJ Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

In Spain, a B-52 accident has left a nuke lost at sea – while on land a fallout cover-up is in full swing. In Australia, even as more Diggers than ever are dying on the battlefield, and our Americans allies are freezing us out of planning, new Prime Minister Harold Hold doubles down on our commitment to the war in Vietnam. Plus: the BBC bans an unsparing atomic war documentary because it’s too realistic, Australia’s Nazi leader raises his ugly voice to silence a war hero turned peace activist, and the world worries about an impending overpopulation apocalypse.

Bill Coolburra’s story:

https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/bill-coolburra-stories-service

Black Swans:

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/if-youre-listening/black-swans-the-population-bomb/106156642

*Hear Part 3 now early and ad-free as a supporter*

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: http://patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: http://apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in 1966 – Part One: The Dawn of the Decimals Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

In the second week of February 1966, Australians are preparing for ‘Changeover Day’, when we’ll say 'G’bye' to pounds, shillings and pence and say 'G’day' to dollars and cents. But would we have been better off with a currency called the ‘Roo’, the ‘Dinkum’ or the… ‘Nostril’? Plus: Sir Robert Menzies retires in the dark, Harold Holt is immortalised in wax, and the Russians land on the moon.

*Hear Part 2 and Part 3 now ad-free as a supporter*

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: http://patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: http://apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week in 1986 – Part Three: The Murders of Anita Cobby, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp and Megan Kalajzich Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

Australia is shocked by three Sydney murders – even as a spate of brutal attacks on sex workers goes ignored by the police and tabloid media. Plus: Lindy Chamberlain freed as the newspapers dodge accountability, and David Brett’s strange tale gets lost; DNA set to revolutionise crime fighting, while science explains how you don’t get AIDS; Paul Hogan's peak year gathers pace; and cult leaders L. Ron Hubbard and Charles Manson return the the headlines.

It’s easy to get a free trial that will give you access to ad-free, early and bonus episodes. Hit either of these links:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

Want more original Australian history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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