Open Your Eyes to Australia with Jim Low

This episode looks at the lives of two Aboriginal people, King Tommy and Polly Flood. They lived in the northern New South Wales town of Angledool . Their lives were uniquely documented by local poet and writer Jim Harper. Harper, a friend of both, knew only too well how the spread of European settlement impacted on their lives. More information about Jim and the podcast can be found at his website at http://jimlow.net

The image of the swaggie, that itinerant soul who walked the roads and tracks of the land in search of work, features prominently in Australia’s stories, songs and poetry. But the swaggies we mainly read and sing about are men. In this episode I introduce you to Charcoal Annie and Syrian Mary, two women who experienced the life of the swaggie. Although very little is known about them, I share the information I have gathered over the years. Included are songs I've written about each of these extraordinary ladies. More information about Jim and the podcast can be found at his website at http://jimlow.net

In this episode Jim remembers some 50th anniversary celebrations and discusses Dr Frank Cash, who took thousands of photographs during the Bridge construction. He considers the changes to North Sydney resulting from the building of the Bridge and later the Warringah Expressway. North Sydney was the suburb where Jim lived as a child. Two songs, one a birthday song, are included in this episode. More information about Jim and the podcast can be found at his website at http://jimlow.net

Jim looks at the 1928 Pacific Ocean Crossing led by Charles Kingsford-Smith in the Southern Cross aeroplane. He looks at some of the difficulties faced, some personal memories of his late father and sings a song, From Oakland to Brisbane, which tells of the successful trans-Pacific flight. More information about Jim and the podcast can be found at his website at http://jimlow.net

Jim pieces together some of the life of William Murphy who, early last century, lived in an isolated part of the Blue Mountains of Australia. Information is gathered from a variety of sources including an oral history recording, a newspaper cutting, photographs and a death certificate. The podcast also features an original song about this fascinating man. More information about Jim and the podcast can be found at his website at http://jimlow.net