A little-known historical fact: When the First Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour on the 26th of January 1788, to establish a new British colony, they were shocked to find that someone had already built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A few experts have put this down to the work … [Read more...] about Imagine their surprise! [1st April 2025]
IAC article
The melancholic nature of Barcroft Boake
[Editor: This article, regarding Barcroft Boake, was written for the Institute of Australian Culture.] The melancholic nature of Barcroft Boake The 26th of March is the anniversary of the birth of Barcroft Boake (1866-1892). It is therefore appropriate that we take a new … [Read more...] about The melancholic nature of Barcroft Boake
Works of John Shaw Neilson
[Editor: This list contains various works by John Shaw Neilson (1865-1933); for biographical information click here.] Books and booklets by John Shaw Neilson: (Books published during his lifetime, arranged by year) [1915]: Old Granny Sullivan, Sydney: The Bookfellow [as … [Read more...] about Works of John Shaw Neilson
John Shaw Neilson: A biography
John Shaw Neilson (1872-1942) was a major Australian poet. Neilson’s poetry appeared in a range of magazines and newspapers, including The Australasian, The Bookfellow, The Bulletin, The Weekly Times, and The Worker. During his lifetime, five books of his poetry were published. … [Read more...] about John Shaw Neilson: A biography
The White Australia Policy: The end of the White Australia Policy
[Editor: This chapter is part of The White Australia Policy: The Rise and Fall of Australia’s Racial Ideology (2025).] The end of the White Australia Policy In 1958, Alick Downer (the Liberal Party’s Minister for Immigration, 1958-1963) introduced into the Australian … [Read more...] about The White Australia Policy: The end of the White Australia Policy
Types of language
Elsewhere on this site is a list of Australian terminology, being a collection of slang, idioms, and colloquialisms used in Australia. The defining of colloquial language, slang, idioms, jargon, and dialects can be fraught with difficulty; the separation of words, phrases, and … [Read more...] about Types of language
Drop Bears
Drop Bears are a native Australian mammal, which can be found in bushland areas, especially in those habitats with a dense distribution of trees and a high level of canopy cover. The vernacular name for these animals can be somewhat deceptive, in terms of their taxonomic … [Read more...] about Drop Bears
Christmas in Australia
As a day commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas Day (25 December) is very important to those of the Christian faith. However, the day encompasses more than Christianity, with many non-Christians partaking in celebrations on Christmas Day and during the Christmas … [Read more...] about Christmas in Australia
1905 postal regulations for postcards (divided and undivided backs)
Prior to 1905, Australian postal regulations stated that the address side of postcards should only contain the address of the addressee, with no message or other writing on that side. This meant that people sending picture postcards had to write on the pictorial side of the card, … [Read more...] about 1905 postal regulations for postcards (divided and undivided backs)
Grammar: It’s and Its
Matters of grammar can become an issue on any website which deals with large amounts of text. It seems that this is especially the case when the historical usage of certain terms differ from the modern usage. The spelling of it’s/its, as used in a possessive sense, is one of … [Read more...] about Grammar: It’s and Its
NightCafé AI art
NightCafé Studio is an Australian company which provides people with the tools to create lots of AI-generated images. NightCafé is one of the best AI art sites in the world. And it’s free to join and use! Australian content There are many Australians on the NightCafé site, so … [Read more...] about NightCafé AI art
Gold Licenses (Victoria)
The widespread public awareness of the discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 led to a series of gold rushes, with many hopeful people dashing to areas where gold was known to be found. Every one of them hoped to “strike it rich” by obtaining enough of the yellow metal on the … [Read more...] about Gold Licenses (Victoria)
Mother’s Day [including a list of articles]
Mother’s Day is celebrated in Australia on the second Sunday in May. It is a special opportunity, and perhaps a reminder, to connect with, to remember, and to honour one’s mother. The occasion has been publicly celebrated in the Land Down Under since 1909 (with it becoming … [Read more...] about Mother’s Day [including a list of articles]
Wages in Australia
Listed below are various reported weekly wages, earned by Australian workers in the country’s early history, in a variety of occupations. This list was created to give some context to amounts of money which are mentioned in various articles; it includes wages from the 1850s to … [Read more...] about Wages in Australia
Saint Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is celebrated each year on the 14th of February. The day is also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Valentine; it was originally a Christian feast day to honor Saint Valentine, who was a 3rd Century Christian priest who was imprisoned, tortured, … [Read more...] about Saint Valentine’s Day
The Kangaroo and Map stamps (1913)
The first national postage stamps to be produced by the Commonwealth of Australia were the “Kangaroo and Map” stamps (also known as the “Kangaroo” stamps, “Roo and Map” stamps, or “Roo” stamps). Although it was intended that the Commonwealth should have its own postage stamps, … [Read more...] about The Kangaroo and Map stamps (1913)
The dog on the tucker box (Gundagai)
[This IAC article gives some historical information regarding the Dog on the Tucker Box poem and the associated famous statue (five miles from Gundagai). See the IAC list “The dog on the tucker box” for various articles regarding the subject, as well as some postcards with photos … [Read more...] about The dog on the tucker box (Gundagai)
The Burke and Wills expedition (1860-1861)
The Burke and Wills expedition was created with the aim of exploring the Australian interior and finding a suitable path for the Australian Overland Telegraph Line (which would connect Australia with the rest of the world, in terms of fast communication, by linking up with the … [Read more...] about The Burke and Wills expedition (1860-1861)
The charge of the Australian Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba
There has been much debate regarding the famous photograph of the charge of the Australian Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba (1917). This photograph has been variously described as being one taken of: 1) The Beersheba charge on 31 October 1917 2) Some Light Horsemen … [Read more...] about The charge of the Australian Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba
The Battle of Beersheba (1917)
The Battle of Beersheba was a military action fought between Allied forces against troops of the Ottoman Empire (assisted by German and Austrian officers) in the area in and around the town of Beersheba (now a city), in Palestine. The battle took place on 31 October 1917, during … [Read more...] about The Battle of Beersheba (1917)
The Ode of Remembrance
The “Ode of Remembrance”, also known as simply “The Ode”, is commonly recited at remembrance services in Australia, on Anzac Day (25 April) and on Remembrance Day (11 November). Although this work was created by an English poet with no direct relationship to Australia, it has … [Read more...] about The Ode of Remembrance
A comparison of the Backblock Ballads books by C.J. Dennis
C.J. Dennis published Backblock Ballads and Other Verses in 1913, but it did not sell very well. However, twenty-one of the poems from the 1913 book were included in his later book, Backblock Ballads and Later Verses, along with an additional sixteen poems. His new book, … [Read more...] about A comparison of the Backblock Ballads books by C.J. Dennis
Australian Rules Football
Australian Rules Football is the most popular sport in Australia, with thousands of amateur teams playing in local competitions, along with professional-level teams competing nationally. The game is usually referred to as “Aussie Rules”, “AFL”, “footy”, or “football” (room for … [Read more...] about Australian Rules Football
The Ashes [cricket, Australia vs. England]
The Ashes is a cricket competition played between Australia and England. It has been an ongoing event since 1882, the year in which a visiting Australian team won a game of cricket in England. The origin of “the Ashes” as a term comes from a humorous “obituary”, regarding the … [Read more...] about The Ashes [cricket, Australia vs. England]