• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Institute of Australian Culture

Heritage, history, and heroes; literature, legends, and larrikins

  • Home
  • Articles
  • Biographies
  • Books
  • Ephemera
  • Poetry & songs
    • Recommended poetry
    • Poetry and songs, 1786-1900
    • Poetry and songs, 1901-1954
    • Rock music and pop music [videos]
    • Early music [videos]
  • Slang
  • Timeline
    • Timeline of Australian history and culture
    • Calendar of Australian history and culture
    • Significant events and commemorative dates
  • Topics

humorous anecdotes

The old Breakwater Pier lighthouse-keeper [humorous anecdote, 17 June 1893]

3 June 2024 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This untitled article was published in the “Society” section of The Bulletin (Sydney, NSW), 17 June 1893.] [The old Breakwater Pier lighthouse-keeper] It is an old story about a certain grim, taciturn keeper of the old Breakwater Pier lighthouse at Williamstown … [Read more...] about The old Breakwater Pier lighthouse-keeper [humorous anecdote, 17 June 1893]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: 500x500, humorous anecdotes, publication The Bulletin (Sydney NSW), SourceTrove, year1893

Literary notes [re Charles Lever, 27 April 1935]

17 January 2024 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This article, regarding Charles Lever (1806-1872) and his prank on Italians regarding Cook’s Tours (regarding convicts supposedly rejected by the Australian colonies), is an extract from the “Literary notes” section published in The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.), 27 … [Read more...] about Literary notes [re Charles Lever, 27 April 1935]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: 500x500, Charles Lever (1806-1872) (subject), humorous anecdotes, publication The Australasian (Melbourne Vic.), SourceTrove, year1935

He was a very green emigrant [19 December 1912]

22 September 2022 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This brief untitled anecdote was published in The Western Champion and Parkes & Forbes Representative (Parkes, NSW), 19 December 1912.] [He was a very green emigrant] He was a very green emigrant and had just arrived in Parkes. He watched the Council’s men hard … [Read more...] about He was a very green emigrant [19 December 1912]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: 500x500, humorous anecdotes, SourceTrove, year1912

[I notice that in a town] [anecdote, 4 November 1937]

14 July 2022 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This untitled anecdote is an extract from the “Gossip” section published in the Gundagai Independent (Gundagai, NSW), 4 November 1937.] [I notice that in a town] I notice that in a town not so very far from Gundagai, a novel competition was held at a recent … [Read more...] about [I notice that in a town] [anecdote, 4 November 1937]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: 500x500, dancing, humorous anecdotes, SourceTrove, year1937

Australiana [15 January 1936]

1 November 2020 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: These items are from the “Australiana” column published in The World’s News (Sydney, NSW), 15 January 1936.] Australiana The hairless horse Whenever I try to tell the truth about the hairless horse of Queensland the audience walks away without a word — politely, … [Read more...] about Australiana [15 January 1936]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: anecdotes, crime law and punishment, humorous anecdotes, Louisa Lawson (1848-1920) (subject), SourceTrove, year1936

Humorosities of the week [22 March 1929]

24 October 2020 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This article was published in The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.), 22 September 1920.] Humorosities of the week. The official luncheon on St. Patrick’s Day did not pass without the perpetration of the customary “Irish Bull.” One speaker announced that there was no … [Read more...] about Humorosities of the week [22 March 1929]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humorous anecdotes, SourceTrove, year1929

Courtroom anecdote [15 March 1893]

20 June 2020 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This untitled anecdote is an extract from the “Humula” column, published in The Shearers’ and General Laborers’ Record (Newport, Vic.), 15 March 1893.] [Courtroom anecdote] “John Smith, alias Jones, alias Armstrong,” yelled the Sergeant in a back-block police … [Read more...] about Courtroom anecdote [15 March 1893]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: humorous anecdotes, publication The Shearers’ and General Laborers’ Record, SourceQldUni, year1893

[A dusty old dryblower from the Fields] [28 April 1901]

22 December 2015 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: An anecdote (possibly by “Dryblower” Murphy) published in the “Variety Vamps and Sunday Satires” column in The West Australian Sunday Times, 28 April 1901.] [A dusty old dryblower from the Fields] A dusty old dryblower from the Fields recently arrived in … [Read more...] about [A dusty old dryblower from the Fields] [28 April 1901]

Filed Under: short stories and anecdotes Tagged With: anecdotes, Dryblower Murphy (1866-1939) (likely author), humorous anecdotes, poem, SourceTrove, year1901

Primary Sidebar

The Institute of Australian Culture
Heritage, history, and heroes. Writers, workers, and wages. Literature, legends, and larrikins. Stories, songs, and sages.

Search this site

Featured books

The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, by Banjo Paterson A Book for Kids, by C. J. Dennis  The Bulletin Reciter: A Collection of Verses for Recitation from The Bulletin The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, by C. J. Dennis The Complete Inner History of the Kelly Gang and Their Pursuers, by J. J. Kenneally The Foundations of Culture in Australia, by P. R. Stephensen The Australian Crisis, by C. H. Kirmess Such Is Life, by Joseph Furphy
More books (full text)

Featured lists

Timeline of Australian history and culture
Significant events and commemorative dates
A list of significant Australiana
Australian slang
Books (full text)
Australian explorers
Australian literature
Recommended poetry
Poetry and songs, 1786-1900
Poetry and songs, 1901-1954
Rock music and pop music (videos)
Folk music and bush music (videos)
Early music (videos)
Topics
Links

Featured posts

Advance Australia Fair: How the song became the Australian national anthem
Brian Cadd [music videos and biography]
Ned Kelly: Australian bushranger
Under the Southern Cross I Stand [the Australian cricket team’s victory song]

Some Australian authors

Barcroft Boake
E. J. Brady
John Le Gay Brereton
C. J. Dennis
Mary Hannay Foott
Joseph Furphy
Mary Gilmore
Charles Harpur
Grant Hervey
Lucy Everett Homfray
Rex Ingamells
Henry Kendall
“Kookaburra”
Henry Lawson
Jack Moses
“Dryblower” Murphy
John Shaw Neilson
John O’Brien (Patrick Joseph Hartigan)
“Banjo” Paterson
Marie E. J. Pitt
A. G. Stephens
P. R. Stephensen
Agnes L. Storrie (Agnes L. Kettlewell)

Recent Posts

  • Danger in the Bush [poem re drop bears, 17 September 1891]
  • Armistice [by G. J. Hill, 1 December 1930]
  • Gold in possession: Beaufort man involved: City court convicts: Notice of appeal [20 April 1916]
  • Died on Active Service / Heroes of the Empire [Australian military personnel (WW1, WW2), 24 April 1943]
  • Flooded house on Villiers Street, Grafton (NSW) [postcard, circa 1950]

Top Posts & Pages

  • Australian slang, words, and phrases
  • The Man from Snowy River [poem by Banjo Paterson]
  • The Man from Ironbark [poem by Banjo Paterson]
  • Rommel’s comments on Australian soldiers [1941-1942]
  • The Bard and the Lizard [poem by John Shaw Neilson]

Archives

Categories

Posts of note

The Bastard from the Bush [poem, circa 1900]
A Book for Kids [by C. J. Dennis, 1921]
Click Go the Shears [traditional Australian song, 1890s]
Core of My Heart [“My Country”, poem by Dorothea Mackellar, 24 October 1908]
Freedom on the Wallaby [poem by Henry Lawson, 16 May 1891]
The Man from Ironbark [poem by Banjo Paterson]
Nationality [poem by Mary Gilmore, 12 May 1942]
The Newcastle song [music video, sung by Bob Hudson]
No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest [poem by Mary Gilmore, 29 June 1940]
Our pipes [short story by Henry Lawson]
Rommel’s comments on Australian soldiers [1941-1942]
Shooting the moon [short story by Henry Lawson]

Recent Comments

  • Nick on The Sliprails and the Spur [poem by Henry Lawson]
  • Hayden Giles on Drop Bears
  • chris levett on [A Very Charming Gentleman] [poem by C. J. Dennis]
  • WARREN DAVID SHARDLOW on Flash Jack from Gundagai [song, 1905]
  • Brendan Kelly on Unfurl the Flag [song, 16 December 1882]

For Australia

Copyright © 2026 · Log in