Nine weeks on the road and the Murray finally slips behind them, but Bendigo still doesn’t feel real.  We pick up our 1852 overland trek right where the party crosses into Victoria, a colony gripped by Australian gold rush fever, and we tr...

A river in flood can be a teacher and a judge.  We open on the Murray–Darling Basin’s split personality—winter-and-snowmelt-fed Murray versus summer-storm-fed Darling—to explain why our 1852 trek met a swollen Murray while the Darling ran ...

A newborn in a spring cart, a flood-swollen river, and a punt that won’t run on Sundays—our 1852 trek along the Murray is a study in grit, chance, and consequence.  We read the original diaries aloud and sit with what they reveal: Regent p...

A flooded river, a stubborn pony, and a crooked border set the stage for a journey that refuses to fit neat lines on a map.  We follow our hardy party from Lake Bonney through sand and scrub toward Lake Victoria, rebuilding their path from...

A river can be a map, a memory, and a meeting place all at once.  We follow the Murray’s sweep from Charles Sturt’s gruelling 1830 voyage and the collapse of the inland sea myth, to Joseph Hawdon’s cattle drive that carved the overland sto...

A desert boundary, a flooded creek, and forty bullocks that won’t stop heading home—this is the uneasy start of a family’s 1852 push from Kooramoora to the Bendigo goldfields. We open with the puzzle of Goyder’s Line, the fenceless border where...

Bankruptcy to gold fever—William Henry Neale's remarkable journey captures the essence of Australia's 1850s transformation.  After two financial collapses, including a £6,000 debt in England (equivalent to $1.8 million today), Neale found ...

The deadly journey to Australia wasn't just about surviving treacherous seas—it was about escaping invisible killers that stalked passengers in the cramped confines of sailing ships.  Dr. George Mayo's diary from his second voyage records ...

Deadly epidemics swept through 19th-century cities with terrifying regularity, leaving medical practitioners like Drs. Watts and Mayo powerless against invisible killers they couldn't understand. What made these diseases so devasta...

In the unforgiving landscape of 1840s South Australia, economic disaster struck with devastating consequences. This deeply researched episode unveils the human story behind colonial financial collapse through the experiences of 22-...

A young man's rejection of medical destiny leads to an epic sea journey and colonial adventure in this fascinating exploration of early South Australian settlement.When John Watts turned away from following his surgeon father's footstep...

Dr George Mayo's private diary from 1839 opens a rare window into the social world of a migrant ship bound for Australia. As ship surgeon aboard the Asia, Mayo moved freely between social classes—something no other passenger could ...

Embark on a journey back to 1839 as we unravel the remarkable tale of Dr. George Mayo aboard the migrant ship Asia. This episode reveals a gripping narrative filled with adventure, health struggles, and even threats of piracy durin...

Curious about your family's past? Discover the fascinating story of the Watts family crest, featuring a greyhound and a golden arrow—a symbol born from a dramatic saga involving survival and colonial legacy.  This episode dives...

What if the legacy of a kind-hearted village doctor could inspire generations and spark dreams of adventure across continents?  Join us as we explore the captivating story of the Watts family, where Thomas Watts defied t...

Unearth the captivating story of John Barton Hack, a pioneering figure whose journey from England to South Australia was fuelled by ambition and adventure. What if your investments could shape a new world?  Discover how Hack's...

What if the founding of a colony was more than just a historical event, but a dramatic saga filled with excitement, tension, and tragedy? Join us as we uncover the thrilling story of South Australia's establishment, starting with t...

Could more accurate early reports have changed the fate of South Australia? Join us as we unravel the chaotic beginnings of this unique colony, influenced by misconceptions and missteps, starting with the ill-fated decision to sett...

Could internal conflicts lead to tragedy, or is there something more sinister lurking in the mysteries of Kangaroo Island?  As we navigate the puzzling disappearance of trekkers, Slater and Osborne, we uncover the heated exchan...

Embark on a remarkable journey with us as we navigate little-known events in early South Australian history.  Picture young Charles Nantes, in early 1830’s England, a man pursuing a fresh start away from the shadows of his father's scandal...

Join us as we explore the fascinating life of Heinrich Wilhelm Nantez.  A man whose journey from Bremen, Germany to London illustrates both the opportunities and pitfalls of 18th century Europe.  Embracing a new English identi...

What if you were tasked with establishing a new colony, facing the unknown and battling both the elements and human conflict?   Join us as we uncover the incredible journey of the first fleet to South Australia, starting with the courageou...

What if you found out that the city of Adelaide was meticulously designed by a visionary figure amidst a backdrop of poor strategic planning and unexpected challenges?  Our latest episode of Today's Stories from Our Past reveals the intric...

Discover the surprising irony behind South Australia's convict-free reputation as we unravel the story of how the colony was conceptualized by a convict whose radical ideas shaped its foundation. Explore the grim reality of early 1800s England,...