Alick Wickham and His Amazing World Record Dive
by March, 1918: Alick Wickham, AKA: ‘Prince Wikyama’, completes a world record high dive in Yarra Bend Park in front of 60 000 people.
Category: The Melbourne Files
Australia’s First Movie Screening
Australia’s first movie screening came courtesy of a vagabond English magician, and a local promoter looking for a get rich quick scheme.
The Keith Haring Mural in Collingwood
The Keith Haring mural in Collingwood is the remarkable legacy of the artist’s visit to Melbourne in 1984. It has faded, been restored, part of it was even stolen.
Who Was Saint Kilda?
Just south of the city, St Kilda is one of Melbourne’s most popular suburbs. The origin of its name is a mystery. Who was ‘Saint’ Kilda?
Melbourne’s Pink Lake
Sitting directly below the Westgate Bridge, in the middle of Westgate Park, in Melbourne’s industrial heartland, is something totally unexpected; a vibrant, electric pink lake. …
Before Federation Square
Federation Square is one of Melbourne’s most significant landmarks. Built in the 1990’s, the site has a colourful history, stretching back to the city’s earliest days.
When a Picasso Was Stolen from the NGV
In 1986, a Picasso was stolen from the National Gallery Victoria; the thieves have never been identified.
The Westall UFO
April 1966: the ‘Westall UFO’ suddenly appears in the sky over the suburbs of Melbourne. Was it a weather balloon, an experimental plane, or… something else?