PODCAST · history
Weird Crap in Australia
by The Modern Meltdown
Welcome to Weird Crap in Australia, a podcast hosted by Holly and Matthew Soall, a husband-and-wife team digging into the strange, fascinating and occasionally downright bizarre history of Australia. Holly is a social historian, and Matthew is a pop-culture obsessive. Together, they explore the stories Australians have been telling about themselves for generations — from ghosts, monsters, UFOs and true crime to disasters, animals, places, technology, censorship, popular culture and the weird corners of everyday Australian life. But Weird Crap in Australia isn't just about the weird bit. Every strange story has a history behind it, and Holly uses each episode to dig into the social history surrounding it: what Australians believed, how we lived, what frightened us, what entertained us, who was being left out of the story, and how the Australia we recognise today was shaped by the people who came before us. Matthew brings the pop-culture perspe
Episodes
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Episode 430 - Fred McDermott: Murderer without a Corpse Part 2
In 1936, a man disappeared from the small New South Wales town of Grenfell. More than a decade later, a travelling shearer named Fred McDermott found himself at the centre of a murder investigation that would change his life forever. Join Holly & Matthew as they explore the disappearance of Harry...
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Episode 429 - Fred McDermott: Murderer without a Corpse Part 1
In 1936, a man disappeared from the small New South Wales town of Grenfell. More than a decade later, a travelling shearer named Fred McDermott found himself at the centre of a murder investigation that would change his life forever. Join Holly & Matthew as they explore the disappearance of Harry...
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Episode 428 - The Life and Controversies of Fred Hollows Part 2
Fred Hollows was a surgeon who believed that eyesight shouldn't be determined by where you were born or how much money you had. His work took him from Australia to some of the world's poorest communities, where he helped establish eye-care programs and trained local medical staff to continue the...
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Episode 427 - The Life and Controversies of Fred Hollows Part 1
Fred Hollows was a surgeon who believed that eyesight shouldn't be determined by where you were born or how much money you had. His work took him from Australia to some of the world's poorest communities, where he helped establish eye-care programs and trained local medical staff to continue the...
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Movie Commentary 6 - Looking for Alibrandi (2000)
What happens when you take one of Australia's most beloved coming-of-age stories and put Holly & Matthew in a room with it?You're about to find out. Join us as we watch Looking for Alibrandi (2000), the Australian film adaptation of Melina Marchetta's much-loved novel. Along the way, we talk…
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Episode 426 - The Henley-on-Todd Regatta
What do you get when a bunch of Australians decide to hold a boat race in the middle of the desert, where there isn't actually any water? The Henley-on-Todd Regatta. Join Holly & Matthew as they head to Alice Springs to explore one of Australia's strangest sporting traditions, where competitors...
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Episode 425 - The Deadly Beef Wellington Part 2
For decades, death cap mushrooms were regarded as a rare but deadly hazard, claiming lives through tragic mistakes and misidentification. But in recent years, two Australian cases thrust these lethal fungi into the national spotlight for very different reasons. Join Holly and Matthew as they...
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Episode 424 - The Deadly Beef Wellington Part 1
For decades, death cap mushrooms were regarded as a rare but deadly hazard, claiming lives through tragic mistakes and misidentification. But in recent years, two Australian cases thrust these lethal fungi into the national spotlight for very different reasons. Join Holly and Matthew as they...
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Episode 423 - Death Cap Mushrooms
For decades, death cap mushrooms were regarded as a rare but deadly hazard, claiming lives through tragic mistakes and misidentification. But in recent years, two Australian cases thrust these lethal fungi into the national spotlight for very different reasons. Join Holly and Matthew as they...
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Episode 422 - The Case of Mr Stinky
In 1966, teenagers Garry Heywood and Abina Madill disappeared after leaving a dance in Shepparton. Weeks later, their bodies were discovered in bushland, launching one of Victoria's longest-running murder investigations. Detectives had fingerprints from the crime scene, but no name to match them,...
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Episode 421 - Fred Nile: Australia's Moral Crusader Part 3
For more than four decades, Fred Nile was one of the most recognisable and controversial figures in Australian politics. As the founder of the Call to Australia Party, later the Christian Democratic Party, he built a career campaigning on conservative Christian values, influencing legislation in...
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Episode 420 - Fred Nile: Australia's Moral Crusader Part 2
For more than four decades, Fred Nile was one of the most recognisable and controversial figures in Australian politics. As the founder of the Call to Australia Party, later the Christian Democratic Party, he built a career campaigning on conservative Christian values, influencing legislation in...
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Episode 419 - Fred Nile: Australia's Moral Crusader Part 1
For more than four decades, Fred Nile was one of the most recognisable and controversial figures in Australian politics. As the founder of the Call to Australia Party, later the Christian Democratic Party, he built a career campaigning on conservative Christian values, influencing legislation in...
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Episode 418 - Ted Noffs and Life Education Part 2
For generations of Australian schoolchildren, a visit from Healthy Harold was a highlight of the school year. Whether it arrived in a brightly coloured caravan or at a dedicated education centre, Life Education taught millions of children about nutrition, personal safety, drugs, relationships…
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Episode 417 - Ted Noffs and Life Education Part 1
For generations of Australian schoolchildren, a visit from Healthy Harold was a highlight of the school year. Whether it arrived in a brightly coloured caravan or at a dedicated education centre, Life Education taught millions of children about nutrition, personal safety, drugs, relationships…
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Episode 416 - The Murder of Jaidyn Leskie Part 2
In June 1997, the disappearance of 13-month-old Jaidyn Leskie from the small Victorian town of Moe captured the attention of the nation. What began as a frantic search for a missing toddler soon became one of Australia’s most heartbreaking and controversial criminal investigations. As police…
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Episode 415 - The Murder of Jaidyn Leskie Part 1
In June 1997, the disappearance of 13-month-old Jaidyn Leskie from the small Victorian town of Moe captured the attention of the nation. What began as a frantic search for a missing toddler soon became one of Australia’s most heartbreaking and controversial criminal investigations. As police…
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Episode 414 - The Guyra Geist (1921)
In 1921, the quiet New South Wales town of Guyra became the centre of one of Australia’s strangest paranormal cases. Rocks rained from empty rooms, objects moved on their own, furniture overturned, and terrified witnesses claimed unseen forces were haunting a local farmhouse. What began as a…
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Episode 413 - The 1971 Prosh Day Stunt
In 1971, Adelaide woke to a bizarre sight: an FJ Holden hanging from a pedestrian footbridge above North Terrace outside the University of Adelaide. The stunt became an instant legend, baffling authorities and sparking a mystery that lingered for decades. Part prank, part engineering feat, and...
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Episode 412 - The Rise and Fall of Rolf Harris Part 3
In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris through the early days of television,...
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Episode 411 - The Rise and Fall of Rolf Harris Part 2
In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris through the early days of television,...
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Episode 410 - The Rise and Fall of Rolf Harris
Welcome to the start of Year 9!!!!! In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of Rolf Harris — from his beginnings in Perth during the Great Depression to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in Britain and across the Commonwealth. Join Holly and Matthew as they follow Harris...
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Episode 409 - The Meckering Earthquake
On the morning of October 14, 1968, the small Western Australian town of Meckering was torn apart by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Australia. Roads split open, railway lines twisted, buildings collapsed, and a fault line ripped visibly through the landscape — leaving…
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Episode 408 - The Gympie Pyramid
Hidden in the hills near Gympie, Queensland, sits a structure that has sparked decades of debate: the Gympie Pyramid. To some, it’s evidence of an ancient civilisation or Egyptian contact with Australia. To others, it’s nothing more than a terraced hillside built by early European settlers. In…
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Episode 407 - Cathy Freeman Part 2
In September 2000, on a warm night in Sydney, Cathy Freeman stepped onto the track carrying the weight of expectation — and delivered one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. But her story didn’t begin there. In this episode, Holly and Matthew trace Freeman’s journey from a...
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Episode 406 - Cathy Freeman Part 1
In September 2000, on a warm night in Sydney, Cathy Freeman stepped onto the track carrying the weight of expectation — and delivered one of the most iconic moments in Australian sporting history. But her story didn’t begin there. In this episode, Holly and Matthew trace Freeman’s journey from a...
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Episode 405 - They're Bats... Man
They’re loud, they’re messy, and they’ve become one of Australia’s most controversial native animals — the grey-headed flying fox. Found along the east coast, these large fruit bats play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal, yet their presence in urban areas has made them the centre of...
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Episode 404 - The 1973 Fuel Crisis
In 1973, a global oil shock reached Australian shores and changed everyday life almost overnight. Fuel shortages, price spikes, and uncertainty rippled through the country, forcing governments and communities to rethink how they used energy. In this episode, Holly and Matthew explore how the oil...
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Episode 403 - The Wieambilla Shootings Part 4
In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this...
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Episode 402 - The Wieambilla Shootings Part 3
In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this...
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Episode 401 - The Wieambilla Shootings Part 2
In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this...
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Episode 400 - The Wieambilla Shootings Part 1 (+ Episode 400 Q&A!)
In December 2022, a routine missing persons check in rural Queensland turned into one of the deadliest attacks on police in recent Australian history. Two officers and a neighbouring resident were killed in a violent ambush at a remote property near the small community of Wieambilla. In this...
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Episode 399 - Haunted Hills, VIC
Between Morwell and Traralgon in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley lies a stretch of road with a reputation that refuses to fade. Known locally as Haunted Hills, this unassuming patch of bushland has generated decades of whispered stories — strange lights drifting through the trees, shadowy figures on…
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Episode 398 - The History of Australian Video Game Censorship Part 4
For decades, Australia treated video games differently. Titles were banned. Content was refused classification. Games were edited, delayed, or never released at all. For years, we didn’t even have an R18+ category for games — meaning adult players were restricted by a system built for something...
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Episode 397 - The History of Australian Film Censorship Part 3
For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring…
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Episode 396 - The History of Australian Film Censorship Part 2
For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring…
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Episode 395 - The History of Australian Film Censorship Part 1
For decades, Australian audiences were told what they could and couldn’t watch — often with scissors, black ink, and outright bans. From silent films and imported reels to grindhouse classics and modern cinema, Australia developed a reputation as one of the most restrictive film-censoring…
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Weird Crap Movie Commentary 5 - Wolf Creek (2005)
Yes… we’re doing it again. Holly & Matthew return to Wolf Creek for a full watch-along commentary, folding in everything they learned while researching Episode 272 — the trivia, the controversies, the odd little production quirks, and the lingering weirdness that’s cropped up since. If you’ve…
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Episode 394 - The Truro Murders Part 2
In the late 1970s, a string of disappearances around Adelaide quietly escalated into one of South Australia’s most disturbing serial crime cases. Young women vanished after accepting lifts, their movements barely noticed until the pattern became impossible to ignore. What followed would expose a...
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Episode 393 - The Truro Murders Part 1
In the late 1970s, a string of disappearances around Adelaide quietly escalated into one of South Australia’s most disturbing serial crime cases. Young women vanished after accepting lifts, their movements barely noticed until the pattern became impossible to ignore. What followed would expose a...
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Episode 392 - Dot and the Kangaroo
Long before the animated adaptation unsettled generations of children, Dot and the Kangaroo began life as an 1898 children’s book by Ethel C. Pedley — a purely Australian story that reflects how we once taught our youngest readers about nature, danger, and survival Down Under. Join Holly &…
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Episode 391 - The Ben Hall Gang Part 2
In the mid-1860s, the goldfields and bush tracks of New South Wales were ruled by one of Australia’s most notorious outlaw groups: the Ben Hall Gang. Led by the charismatic and deeply divisive Ben Hall, the gang carried out a daring string of robberies that humiliated police, terrified settlers,...
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Weird Crap Movie Commentary 4 - Around the World with Dot (1981)
This week, we sit down with Around the World with Dot — the animated adventure that whisked an Australian bush child across continents in a strange blend of live-action backdrops, talking animals, and Cold War-era messaging. From the peculiar pacing to the international diplomacy-through-cartoon...
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Episode 390 - The Ben Hall Gang Part 1
In the mid-1860s, the goldfields and bush tracks of New South Wales were ruled by one of Australia’s most notorious outlaw groups: the Ben Hall Gang. Led by the charismatic and deeply divisive Ben Hall, the gang carried out a daring string of robberies that humiliated police, terrified settlers,...
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Episode 389 - Australia's Flying Terror
Australia has produced many formidable creatures: sharks, snakes, drop bears… but none strike fear into the national heart quite like the humble magpie. We’re diving beak-first into the legend of Australia’s Flying Terror — from swooping season strategies and infamous attack hotspots to the…
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Episode 388 - The Weightman Murders (2000)
In January 2000, a car was found at the bottom of an embankment in Heathcote National Park. Inside were Bill and Pam Weightman — a respectable south-west Sydney couple, seemingly the victims of a tragic late-night accident. Police found no skid marks. No witnesses. No sign of another vehicle....
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Weird Crap Movie Commentary 3 - Gallipoli (1981)
What happens when you blend mateship, mud, and the gut-punch of history with a film that refuses to let you stay emotionally upright? You get Gallipoli (1981) — a classic that still knocks the wind out of us every single time we watch it Join Holly and Matthew as they revisit one of Australia’s...
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Episode 387 - The Rats of Tobruk Part 3
In 1941, amid the blistering sands of North Africa, a band of Australian soldiers earned one of the most enduring nicknames in military history — The Rats of Tobruk. Besieged by German and Italian forces, these men held the Libyan port town of Tobruk for eight gruelling months, defying the odds,...
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Episode 386 - The Rats of Tobruk Part 2
In 1941, amid the blistering sands of North Africa, a band of Australian soldiers earned one of the most enduring nicknames in military history — The Rats of Tobruk. Besieged by German and Italian forces, these men held the Libyan port town of Tobruk for eight gruelling months, defying the odds,...
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Episode 385 - The Rats of Tobruk Part 1
In 1941, amid the blistering sands of North Africa, a band of Australian soldiers earned one of the most enduring nicknames in military history — The Rats of Tobruk. Besieged by German and Italian forces, these men held the Libyan port town of Tobruk for eight gruelling months, defying the odds,...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Weird Crap in Australia, a podcast hosted by Holly and Matthew Soall, a husband-and-wife team digging into the strange, fascinating and occasionally downright bizarre history of Australia.
Holly is a social historian, and Matthew is a pop-culture obsessive. Together, they explore the stories Australians have been telling about themselves for generations — from ghosts, monsters, UFOs and true crime to disasters, animals, places, technology, censorship, popular culture and the weird corners of everyday Australian life.
But Weird Crap in Australia isn't just about the weird bit.
Every strange story has a history behind it, and Holly uses each episode to dig into the social history surrounding it: what Australians believed, how we lived, what frightened us, what entertained us, who was being left out of the story, and how the Australia we recognise today was shaped by the people who came before us.
Matthew brings the pop-culture perspe
HOSTED BY
The Modern Meltdown
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Weird Crap in Australia have?
Weird Crap in Australia currently has 441 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Weird Crap in Australia about?
Welcome to Weird Crap in Australia, a podcast hosted by Holly and Matthew Soall, a husband-and-wife team digging into the strange, fascinating and occasionally downright bizarre history of Australia. Holly is a social historian, and Matthew is a pop-culture obsessive. Together, they explore the...
How often does Weird Crap in Australia release new episodes?
Weird Crap in Australia publishes regularly with 441 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Weird Crap in Australia?
You can listen to Weird Crap in Australia on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Weird Crap in Australia?
Weird Crap in Australia is created and hosted by The Modern Meltdown.
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