EPISODE · Mar 17, 2026 · 51 MIN
Encore: Tony Birch — op shop fever and old Fitzroy
from Conversations · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Writer Tony Birch with tales of his Fitzroy childhood including his grandmother Alma's 'op shop fever', his love for pine cones and blankets, and the macabre holiday he lived through when he was 5 years old (R).Tony grew up in inner city Melbourne in the 1950s and '60s.His grandmother taught him to waste nothing. So Tony and his siblings would scour the streets for bottles, lead and copper to sell, and for wood from demolished houses to use for firewood.His grandmother even ran a sly grog shop on Sundays to make extra money.One day, however, Tony was sent to spend Christmas with a nice middle-class family in a leafy suburb.When they insisted he stay on with them, he began plotting his escape.Tony's short story collection, Dark As Last Night was published in 2021 by UQP.Tony's other books include Women and Children, published in 2023, and his latest book Pictures of You.This episode of Conversations explores Australian life, Melbourne, Thrift Shops, Saving, grandparents, frugal living, social history, social life in Australia, families, origin stories, books, writing, Australian literature, short stories, penny pinching.
What this episode covers
Writer Tony Birch with tales of his Fitzroy childhood including his grandmother Alma's 'op shop fever', his love for pine cones and blankets, and the macabre holiday he lived through when he was 5 years old (R). Tony grew up in inner city Melbourne in the 1950s and '60s. His grandmother taught him to waste nothing. So Tony and his siblings would scour the streets for bottles, lead and copper to sell, and for wood from demolished houses to use for firewood. His grandmother even ran a sly grog shop on Sundays to make extra money. One day, however, Tony was sent to spend Christmas with a nice middle-class family in a leafy suburb. When they insisted he stay on with them, he began plotting his escape. Tony's short story collection, Dark As Last Night was published in 2021 by UQP. Tony's other books include Women and Children, published in 2023, and his latest book Pictures of You. This episode of Conversations explores Australian life, Melbourne, Thrift Shops, Saving, grandparents, frugal living, social history, social life in Australia, families, origin stories, books, writing, Australian literature, short stories, penny pinching.
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Encore: Tony Birch — op shop fever and old Fitzroy
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