Aliens in the Dandenongs
In August 1993, Kelly Cahill was driving home on the outskirts of Melbourne when she experienced an hour of missing time. Later, she said she was attacked by aliens. UNSOLVED …
Melbourne’s Weird Awesome Public Art
Melbourne is an artistic city. One of the ways we show this is by erecting a lot of weird, wild, sometimes awesome, public art. Here, are a few… ALL OF …
The Tied Election
In the Victorian State election in 1985, something straight out of a bad Hollywood movie went down. This is… the tied election. THE LOCAL FILES John Cain comes from the …
An Artist Named Turbo
From the riverbank in Mildura, to the streets of Melbourne, to the world’s most prestigious art galleries. This is the story of Trevor ‘Turbo’ Brown. ENIGMATIC CHARACTERS ALL OF THE …
When Houdini Jumped in the Yarra
At the start of the 20th century, Harry Houdini was the world’s most popular entertainer, and one of its most famous celebrities. In 1910, he came to Melbourne. THE LOCAL …
The Strange Origins of 8 Common Phrases
The English language is littered with common catchphrases. Here are 8 with an unlikely origin story. WEIRD, WILD and MISC AS HAPPY AS LARRY If you’re happy as Larry, …
The Secret History of MDMA
German scientists, CIA experiments, avant-garde therapy; the back story of THE party drug of my generation is suitably wild. WEIRD, WILD and MISC Anton Kollisch is an unlikely figure to …
Kitten Overboard
Henry Fielding is a literary legend; the 18th century author of the classic ‘Tom Jones’. In 1754, he witnessed a kitten go overboard. WEIRD, WILD and MISC Henry Fielding was …
Impossible Objects
They cannot be constructed, they serve no practical purpose; why would anyone make an Impossible Object? Well… why does anyone, do anything? ALL of the ARTS The term ‘Impossible Object’ …
The First ‘House’ Music
House music is one of the defining sounds of my life time. It was started by one DJ, at one night club, in Chicago’s West Loop district. FIRSTS and LASTS …