EPISODE · Feb 2, 2026 · 18 MIN
Australia's secret indigenous circus royalty
from Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation
When the Colleano circus family came to town, it was a big deal. Their acrobatic skills took them from Lightning Ridge, to New York and London in the 1920s and 30s. Circus life, kept the Colleano’s relatively safe. The family outmanoeuvred punitive and racist Australian laws to travel the world, concealing their Indigenous heritage. Part creativity, part survival. Pauline Clague calls herself the " Black Nancy Drew". She's made a documentary about the family, called The Colleano Heart.Guest: Director and filmmaker, Pauline ClagueProducer: Ali Benton Check out SBS on Demand or the Antenna Documentary Film Festival to watch The Colleano Heart
What this episode covers
When the Colleano circus family came to town, it was a big deal. Their acrobatic skills took them from Lightning Ridge, to New York and London in the 1920s and 30s. Circus life, kept the Colleano’s relatively safe. The family outmanoeuvred punitive and racist Australian laws to travel the world, concealing their Indigenous heritage. Part creativity, part survival. Pauline Clague calls herself the " Black Nancy Drew". She's made a documentary about the family, called The Colleano Heart. Guest: Director and filmmaker, Pauline Clague Producer: Ali Benton Check out SBS on Demand or the Antenna Documentary Film Festival to watch The Colleano Heart
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Australia's secret indigenous circus royalty
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