Down the Yarra Podcast

BGM_Coins, Culture and Courts-The Royal Mint and Hellenic Museum

From the gold rush riches to cultural treasures, this episode of Down the Yarra takes you inside historic the Royal Mint-once the heart of Naarm (Melbourne)’s currency production-and its transformation into the Hellenic Museum, a hub of Greek history and heritage. Discover how this grand old building evolved from striking gold sovereigns to preserving ancient artefacts, and hear the stories of power, money, and art that shaped its past and present.
Plus, stay tuned for the teaser. On Naarm (Melbourne)’s halls of justice-the Victorian County Court, the Magistrates Court, and Supreme Court-where history and law collide.
New Episodes drop every Tuesday fortnight (2 weeks)-forgot follow now and explore Naarm (Melbourne)’s past, present, and future with Down the Yarra.

BGM_Docklands-From a Swamp to Skyline

Once a swampy wetland, then an industrial powerhouse, and now a glittering wasteland precinct-Docklands has undergone one of Melbourne’s most dramatic transformations. But has it lived up to its promise?
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we explore the past, present, and future of Docklands. From the early days as the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung land to the industrial boom of the 19th century, to its modern identity as a high-rise business and entertainment hub, Docklands has always been a place in flux. Has it finally found its soul, or is it still struggling to become a true part of Naarm (Melbourne)?
And stick around-at the end of the episode, we’ll give you a teaser for our next deep dive into Batman’s Hill, the lost landmark buried beneath Southern Cross Station.
Join us as we unravel the history of Docklands-where it’s been, where it is currently, and where it’s going next.

BGM_The Secrets of Mmomba: Naarm - Melbourne’s festival of fun

Moomba - Melbourne’s beloved, bizarre and sometimes controversial festival. From the Birman Rally to the secret meaning behind the name, Moomba has a history full of surprises. In this special episode of Down the Yarr, we uncover the festival’s origins, the legends behind the Moomba Monarchs, and the wildest moments that nearly shut it all down permanently.
Did Naarm - Melbourne really name its festival “Up the Bum”? Why did Muhammad Ali refuse to be Moomba King? And what’s the deal with throwing themselves into the Birrarung (Yarra River)?
Join us as we dive into the hidden stories and scandals behind Australia’s biggest free festival. But fair warning-this episode includes a trigger warning for discussions on colonial history and the controversies surrounding Moomba’s past.
Hit Follow and listen now-because no one does Moomba like Naarm - Melbourne.

BGM_The Industrial past of the Birrarung

The Birrarung-better known as the Yarra-was once a pristine, life-giving force for the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. But with colonisation as well as Melbourne’s rapid industrial growth, it became something else entirely, a river of industry, pollution, and destruction.
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we uncover how factories, tanneries, and abattoirs turned the Birrarung into an industrial sewer, why it’s waters ran brown and toxic for over a century, and how efforts to clean as well as restore it continue today.
Plus, a teaser for our next episode, where we explore the deeper history of the Birrarung-its ancient formation, cultural significance, and future.
Trigger warning: This episode discusses environmental destruction and the displacement of First Nations people.

BGM_Bridges of the Birrarung: Spanning Time and Tide

Bridges are more than just crossings-they’re landmarks of history, progress, and sometimes loss. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we journey across some of Naarm (Melbourne)’s and South Central Victoria’s most historic bridges, from the loss Yarra Falls crossing used by the Wurundjeri for thousands of years to the bluestone grandeur of Princes Bridge, the tragic collapse of the West Gate in 197, and the hidden bridges most people never notice, Plus, we tease an upcoming dive into Naarm’s hidden waterways-forgotten rivers, still flowing beneath the city’s streets.
Trigger Warning: This episode discusses historical events including colonial destruction of natural landmarks and industrial accidents resulting in loss of life. Some listeners may find these topics distressing. So please do take care while listening, thanks.

BGM_The Early Explorers of Naarm and South Central Victoria

Before Melbourne became the city that we all know and love, European explorers ventured into the lands of the Kulin Nation, mapping the coasts, crossing rivers, and trekking through dense bushland in search of new territory. But they weren’t the first to walk these paths-in fact, far from it.
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we dive into the journeys of early European explorers like Matthew Flinders, John Murray, Hume and Howell, and Major Thomas Mitchel. We’ll explore their encounters, their miscalculations, and the impact of their expedition on the future of Victoria. Plus, we’ll unpack the infamous controversial “treaty”of John Batman and how it set the stage for the rapid colonisation.
And stick around-because at the end, we tease our next episode on the Wild Birrarung, the untamed Yacht River before it was reshaped to fit a growing city.
So hit follow now and join us as we uncover the stories beneath Melbourne’s streets and river.

BGM_The Birrarung1Past, Present and Future

Long before the city of Melbourne or any of its suburbs ever existed, the Birrarung also known as the Yarra River-flowed through a vastly different landscape. At one point, Port Phillip was dry land, a massive plain stretching to Tasmania, connected by a land bridge before rising sea levels cut it off. The river was once the lifeblood for the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, a vital part of their culture and way of life. But with colonisation came destruction-the Yarra Falls were blasted away, wetlands drained, and pollution turned the river into a dumping ground.
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we trace the Birrarung’s journey from ancient times to its industrialisation and the ongoing efforts to revive it. Can we really swim in it again by 2030? And what does the future hold for the sacred waterway? Plus, a teaser for our next episode on the historic bridges of Naarm and South Central Victoria-because the story of the river is also the story of the structures that cross it.
Trigger Warning: This episode discusses the cultural and environmental impacts of colonisation on the Birrarung and surrounding landscapes, which may be distressing for some listeners.

BGM_Beneath the Streets: Naarm’s Hidden Tunnels

Melbourne isn’t just built on history-it’s been built over it. Beneath the streets of Naarm lies a hidden world of lost tunnels, abandoned railway tunnels, World War II and Cold War Bunkers, and whispered legends. Some of these underground spaces are well-documented, like the old bluestone drains and the forgotten tracks stations. Others, however? Well, they’re the stuff of urban myths-secret strugglers’ tunnels, escape routes for politicians and criminals alike, and the passageways which lead to nowhere.
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we explore the city’s underground secrets, from the rumoured tunnels of Parliament House and Chinatown to the wartime bunkers still hidden beneath our feet today. Could they really be lost pathways connecting Flinders Street Station, the Hotel Windor, and the old Pentridge Prison? And what stories do the Stromboli drains of Southbank and Little Lonsdale Street still hold?
Plus, stick around for a teaser on Batman’s Swamp and the eerie remnants of Dudley Flat-where history has quite literally been buried.
Follow now and join us Down the Yarra.

BGM_The Early History of Naarm (Melbourne)

Long before it was called Melbourne, Nasrm was a thriving landscape shaped by the First Nations Peoples of the Kulin nation-the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung, Taungurung, DjaDjawurrung, and the Wathaurong. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we explore the deep history of the land before colonisation, the sophisticated land management practices of its traditional custodians, and the first European encounters that truly changed everything. From the Birrarung’s lost waterfalls to the infamous Batman’s Treaty, we uncover the foundations of Melbourne’s past-truths often buried beneath the city’s streets.
Trigger warning: This episode discussed the impact of colonisation and disorientation on First Nations people.
Next time, we journey into the lives of the early European explorers who venture into Naarm and South Central Victoria-what they saw, what they sought, and the legacy they left behind.
Tune in now to Down the Yarra-because history is right under your feet.

BGM_Naarm’s Underground Waterways: The Hidden Rivers Beneath Melbourne

Beneath the bustling streetscape of Naarm (Melbourne), lays a hidden world that flows in secrets. Long before the skyscrapers and laneways, the land was crisscrossed with rivers, creeks, and wetlands-many of which have been burned, redirected, or have been entirely hidden beneath concrete and asphalt. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we uncover the lost waterways of Basrm (Melbourne), from the ghastly flow of Williams Creek beneath Elizabeth Street in the CBD to the forgotten streams of Little Lonsdale, and the concrete-lined Moonee Ponds Creek.
What happened to these rivers? Where do they still flow? And how do they shape the city today? Join us as we dive deep into Naarm (Melbourne)’s underground waterways and explore the liquid history running beneath our feet. Plus, stick around for the teaser on our next episode-where we venture into Melbourne’s hidden tunnels, abandoned passages, and some urban legends buried beneath the city.