This episode of Tales from Rat City discusses the numerous sightings of ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ over Victoria in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the increased sense of “airmindedness” as aviation technology took off! Credits Research and script: Dr. David Waldron Production Assistant: Katrina Hill Recording, Editing & Sound Direction: Shannon Nicholls Interview snippets: Dr. Brett Holman Voices supplied by; Timothy Corrigan, Sean Inkester, Katrina Hill, Collin Van Uden, Shannon Nicholls ..read more

On the 19th of August, Tales from Rat City was invited to participate in the online event Folk-a-pa-lore-za, where folklore pod casters around the world came together to discuss their work, their research and their favourite piece of folklore. The night took the form of a competition where each podcast was asked to present their favourite example of folklore and, once all stories were told, a discussion and vote for the favourite was held. Part 1 includes an introduction, and all stories but the final one Part 2 includes the final story, the discussion, debate, and finally voting for the favou ..read more

On the 19th of August, Tales from Rat City was invited to participate in the online event Folk-a-pa-lore-za, where folklore pod casters around the world came together to discuss their work, their research and their favourite piece of folklore. The night took the form of a competition where each podcast was asked to present their favourite example of folklore and, once all stories were told, a discussion and vote for the favourite was held. Part 1 includes an introduction, and all stories but the final one Part 2 includes the final story, the discussion, debate, and finally voting for the fa ..read more

This tour was originally released in 2021, as a series of episodes to be listened to while walking the Ballarat Avenue of Honour. The episodes can be found individually at https://honouringouranzacs.com.au/page/lucas_girls#AudioTour This audio podcast series tells the stories of the men and women who served in ‘the war to end all wars’ and the lives of those on the home front who commemorated them with the planting of Ballarat’s unique Avenue of Honour and Arch of Victory.  A stretch of nearly 4000 trees with each representing a man or woman who served their country in the first world war ..read more

In collaboration with the Ballarat African Association, this episode of Tales from Rat City hopes to shed light on the oft-forgotten experiences of African immigrants during Victoria’s gold rush; especially that of John Josephs, the first man to be tried (and exonerated) for treason after the Eureka rebellion of 1854. Credits Research and script: Dr. David Waldron and Dr. Michael Akindeju “Actor Wrangling”: Katrina Hill Recording, Editing & Sound Direction: Shannon Nicholls We would like to thank Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Germa Adan, Alison Solomon, and the English Folk Dance and Song S ..read more

The final episode in our three part series on the dashing and doomed Captain Moonlight. Hear as Moonlight is hounded from charismatic reformer to reckless chaos and ruin. Our cast of talented actors bring the Siege of Wantabadgery to vivid, bloody life. Credits Research by David Waldron Written by Thomas Hodgson “Actor Wrangling” Katrina Hill Recording, Editing & Sound Direction Shannon Nicholls Title Music Maggie Littlejohn Cast Andrew Scott/Captain Moonlite: Emil Freund James Nesbitt: Timothy Corrigan Thomas Rogan, Witness, Warden: Shannon Nicholls Thomas Williams, Lindon, Constable Rowe ..read more

Tales from Rat City presents the second instalment in the story of notorious Australian bushranger; Captain Moonlight. Join us, as our actors bring to life the tale of his escape from the Ballarat Gaol, his second trial for the Egerton bank robbery, and the beginning of his famous relationship with James Nesbitt. Research by David Waldron Script by Thomas Hodgson “Actor Wrangling” by Katrina Hill Editing/Sound Direction by Shannon Nicholls Intro music by Maggie Littlejohn, Voice Credits;Emil Freund: Captain Moonlight Timothy Corrigan: James Nesbitt/Various Rohan Waldron: Young Boy Collin Van U ..read more

Tales from Rat City presents a three-part dramatisation of the bizarre life of the notorious Australia bushranger Captain Moonlight. Hear our actors bring every twist of his weird story to life, and decide for youself what really happened on that stormy night in the rough mining town of Egerton ..read more

Matilda Cutler escapes Ararat Asylum with a terrible story she is desperate to share. Can one woman change the system? Join David and Tom as they explore the grim history of the Ararat Asylum. N.B. this episode contains direct examples of abuse in care occurring across the last 100 years in Victoria. Listeners may find this material distressing. The language used in the period covered to describe people with disability is now highly offensive. Direct quotes retain the use of these terms because they are revealing of past attitudes and understandings of intellectual disability ..read more

Join Tom, David and their guest, historic reenactor Chase Day, as they uncover the story of Jac Jorgenson, and discuss the rich tradition of women in the military. See below for our gallery of remarkable female fighters, courtesy of Chase’s Facebook group Bob the Reenactor. John ‘Jac’ Jorgenson (or Jorgensen) moved to country Victoria in the 1800s, worked as a farmhand and joined the local mounted rifles. But not everything in their life was as it seemed and upon their death their carefully constructed life story came unraveled. Listen to the episode here, or on most major podcasting services ..read more