Australianarama

In 1940, a plane travelling into Canberra quickly and mysteriously crashed. Key members of the Menzies government were on the plane, leading to huge repercussions in parliament. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: The ABC, Wikipedia, National Archives of Australia, Monument Australia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not a metaphor or anything, this episode is literally about the use of koalas for international diplomacy. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: Wikipedia, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Conversation, Atlas Obscura, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Expo 1988: Leisure in the Age of Technology. Brisbane promised to ‘show the world’ and what the world saw was a wildly 80s good time. A monorail above Southbank, countries from around the world and alfresco dining up the wazoo- Expo 88 was a pivotal time in reshaping the face of Brisbane. See ya Joh, hello Stefan. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @austfralianarama SOURCES: Celebrate 88, Wikipedia, World Expo 88 Official Souvenir Program, World Expo 88 Brisbane - Australia, ABC, The Cane Toad Times, BIE Paris, Maddie Nixon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wild tale of a plucky 9 year old boy and his beloved pony on a 1000km journey to see the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: Trove, Westprint, Sydney Living Museums, The Sydney Moring Herald, The ABC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maddie steps through some of the most cracked gaffes, declarations and kidnapping in Australian elections. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: News.com, The Guardian, QI, Sunshine Coast Daily, Wikipedia, The ABC Jess’s show at Sydney Comedy Festival https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/event/jessica-adie-righto-darl/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We watched Babe and now we’re emotionally compromised and considering vegetarianism. That’ll do pig, that’ll do. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama See Jess at the Sydney Comedy Festival May 11th & 13th https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/event/jessica-adie-righto-darl/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is 90 years old! Jess tells Maddie a bunch of fun facts about the most famous coat hanger in Australia. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: The ABC, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, National Museum of Australia, Wikipedia. Come to Jess’s show at the Sydney Comedy Festival! https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/event/jessica-adie-righto-darl/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did y’all know that Bond was once played by an Australian actor? Only once. Enter George Lazenby. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: George Lazenby Website, Channel 10, Wikipedia, 007 Magazine, James Bond WikiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours. Or do they? After 37 years classic Aussie soap Neighbours is being cancelled, so for this episode Jess had to watch it for the first time, and we chat to a former cast member (not Kylie Minogue). Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: Network 10, Pedestrian, The ABC, The Guardian, Wikipedia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1770, Captain Cook famously landed in Botany Bay, Sydney. He less famously died in Hawaii on February 14th, 1779. Happy Valentines Day! SOURCES: The Guardian, National Archives UK, Article by Noelani Arista - Associate Professor of Hawaiian and American History at the University of Hawai'i-Mānoa (British Library), ABC, Wikipedia, History Skills.com Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianaramaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever looked at a $20 note and thought “who on earth is this stern lady wearing a bonnet?”, then this is the episode for you. Jess goes through a who’s who of all the people on Australian banknotes. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: Reserve Bank of Australia, Royal Australian Mint, NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, Wikipedia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cast your mind back to 2003. Trucker hats, mini skirts and the mighty ugg boot reigned supreme. The Ugg has come a long way form its humble start in Australia, to an international legal battle of David and Goliath proportions. Follow us on INSTAGRAM @australianarama SOURCES: The ABC, The National Law Review, The New York Times, Wikipedia, CNN Style, Grazia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a big year, so we thought we’d end our first season with a festive film review, and what better film is there than Wiggly Wiggly Christmas, released on VHS by The Wiggles in 1997. Join Maddie and Jess for a very, very silly episode. We’re taking a break over Christmas/New Years, Australianarama Season 2 will return in January! Until then you can follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: Wiggly Wiggly Christmas (1997), Wikipedia.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dinosaurs are very cool. And in Australia (or Gondwana) we have LOADS of ‘em. Maddie lists some of her favourite big lizards and the tales of their discovery. SOURCES: Natural History Museum, Australian Museum, The Conversation, Wikipedia, Sci-news, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum. Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianaramaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mei Quong Tart was one of the most famous and well-loved people in 19th-century Sydney. Known for his tea rooms, philanthropy, social influence, entertaining personality and bagpipe skills, he was a fascinating man ahead of his time. Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: State Library of NSW, Museum of Chinese Australian History, The Sydney Morning Herald, South China Morning Post, Off Campus, Wikipedia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Min Min Lights are a mysterious light phenomenon, following travellers across the roads of Channel Country in the Queensland Outback. Maddie shares sightings, theories and the history behind the legend. Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: ABC News, Min Min Experience Boulia, Boulia Shire Council, The Grey Nomads at Boulia Caravan Park, Wikipedia, Australian Georgraphic- Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Boulia Camel Races.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess reads out quotes from a mixed bag of Aussie politicians. Maddie has to guess who said them, and what they’re on about. Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: SBS, ABC, Sydney Morning Herald, Junkee, Museum of Australian Democracy, The Guardian.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strictly Ballroom (1992) started as a project among theatre students at NIDA and ended up becoming one of Australia’s most successful films ever. Baz Luhrmann, sequins, competitive dancing and the old Bogo Pogo - what else could you want!?! Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: IMDB, Strictly Ballroom (1992), The Guardian, The NFSA and SBS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1976 a group of stockmen entered into a contract to purchase a cattle station in Far North Queensland. The sale was blocked by the Queensland Government because the men were Aboriginal. The subsequent court case was one of the first tests of the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975, and the beginning of a 40 year land rights battle. Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: ABC, SBS Living Black, Anti-Discrimination Commission QLD, QLD Department of Environment & Science.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fall of Joh Bjelke-Petersen and The Fitzgerald Inquiry changed the face of politics and the law in Australia forever. She’s a juicy one! Follow us on INSTAGRAM & TWITTER @australianarama SOURCES: Crime and Corruption Commission Qld, The Conversation, Wikipedia, ABC, News.com and Sunrise Channel 7.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.