After a diving tragedy shocks London, Professor Charles Peart rises to fame with his daring and dizzying head-first pool stunts.

When Australian circus owners come looking for acts to take Down Under, they believe they’ve found a star performer.

Hear Death-Defying Death Divers parts 3 and 4 now early and ad-free as a Forgotten Australia supporter.

You can use a free trial that's easy to cancel. If you decide to continue supporting, it'll cost the same as a cup of coffee per month.

Supporters help me to keep making Forgotten Australia as an independent Australian-produced show.

As a thank you, supporters get every episode early and ad-free, along with exclusive bonus episodes and a show shout-out.

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Lifeline

13 11 14

0477 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Want more original Australian true crime and history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Season 10! There are a lot of wild stranger-than-fiction episodes and miniseries coming your way in 2026. To start the New Year, let's splashback 130 years...

In 1895, Australians were astounded by Charles Peart, whose claim to fame was diving head-first from 100 feet into water just six feet deep. How did he do it? How long could he do it?

In this four-part miniseries, we plunge into the strange world of striving divers, conniving showmen and sensationalist reporters who brought dizzying and often deadly thrills to audiences in England, the United States, Australia and New Zealand from the 1880s. Join these diving ‘Professors’ as they try to defy death with stunts from the highest of pool platforms – and the even-higher reaches of the world’s most famous new bridges in London, New York and, eventually, Sydney.

*All four episodes of Death-Defying Death Divers are available now ad-free for supporters.*

Use a free trial to hear them. Cancel before it expires and you won't be charged

Apple users – click Forgotten Australia Plus – Subscribe – or go to www.apple.com/forgottenaustralia

For Patreon – www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

The epilogue episodes, Death-Defying Destiny Deciders will be available soon for supporters and go on general release late in the month.

Need help?

Lifeline

13 11 14

0477 13 11 14

https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Want more original Australian true crime and history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1881, plucky Mary Stoddard won the Great Australian Christmas Card Competition and launched her long and brilliant career in the Sydney art scene. While colonial gentlemen usually didn’t take ‘lady artists’ terribly seriously, Mary’s mastery of the pen and brush, particularly when doing portraits of powerful men, commanded respect, praise and plenty more prizes. She was a true pioneer.

To hear the bonus episode 'The Day Australian Art Changed Forever', and get access to other exclusive shows, and get all episodes early and ad-free, become an Patreon or Apple supporter. Click here for a free trial that's easy to cancel if it's not for you:

Patreon: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

Apple: apple.co/forgottenaustralia

ABC Radio National Link to the interview about Federation:

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/nightlife-history/106188548

To see Mary Stoddard and Catherine Devine’s postage stamp designs:

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamps-postal-history/here_s-how-to-classify-the-1888-centenary-stamps-of-new-south-wa.html

To see Mary Stoddard’s design for the Melbourne Exhibition Certificate

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/253965

To see Mary Stoddard’s still life From Earth and Ocean

https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/5951/

To see Mary Stoddard’s portrait of Sir Henry Parkes:

https://education.parliament.nsw.gov.au/history-article/portraits/

To see the National Archives of Australia collection mentioned:

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/AdvSearchSeries.aspx

Then:

In the field ‘Series number’ type A1861.

On the next page, you’ll see 'Items in this series on Record Search - 9448'

Click 9448 – and on the next page order by ‘Digitised Item’.

Then click on whichever description takes your fancy.

Email: forgottenaustraliapodcast@gmail.com

Want more original Australian true crime and history? Check out my books!

They’ll Never Hold Me:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/they-ll-never-hold-me-michael-adams/book/9781923046474.html

The Murder Squad:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-murder-squad-michael-adams/book/9781923046504.html

Hanging Ned Kelly:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922992185.html

Australia’s Sweetheart:

https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-s-sweetheart-michael-adams/book/9780733640292.html

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.