Down the Yarra Podcast

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.

BGM_The Wild Birrarung

Before it was tame, straightened, and controlled, the Birrarung (Yarra River)-was a wild and unpredictable force of nature. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we strip back the concrete banks as well as the flood barriers to uncover the river’s true, untamed past.
We explore how the Birrarung once flowed freely, creating vast wetlands and billabongs, sustaining the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people for tens of thousands of years. We also dive into how colonists saw the river as a problem to be solved-draining swamps, straightened its course, and ultimately changing its very nature entirely. But what have we lost in the process? And can we bring any of it back again?
Plus, in our next episode, we look at the Birrarung’s individual past-from a life-giving waterway to a toxic dumping ground.
Trigger warning: The episode contains discussion on flooding, environmental destruction, and colonial interventions that some listeners may find distressing.

BGM_St James’ Old Cathedral: A survivor of Old Melbourne

Before Naarm (Melbourne) had its grand Cathedral, there was St James-a humble yet resilient church that has stood the rest of time, witnessing nearly two centuries of history. Built in the late 1830s, this Georgian-style cathedral was Naarm (Melbourne)’s first Anglican Church and originally stood near the corner of King and Collins streets in the heart of the young settlement. But here’s the twist-it’s not actually in the same location anymore. In a remarkable feet of preservation, the entire cathedral was moved, brick by brick, stone by stone to save from destruction.
In this episode of Down the Yarra, we dive into the story of St James’ Old Cathedral, its role in early Naarm (Melbourne), and how it survived the city’s relentless expansion. From its days as the spiritual heart of the fledgling settlement to its incredible relocation just west of Fladstaff Hill and Gardens, this Cathedral certainly has stories to tell.
Plus, stick around for a teaser on our next episode, where we take a step even further back in time to uncover the raw, and untamed history of Naarm (Melbourne) before it became what we know it as today.
Tune in now and take a walk through history with Down the Yarra.

BGM_Melbourne Uni-More than just a campus

From world-changing research to the dystopian movie sets, the University of Melbourne is far more more than a place to study. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we uncover the university’s fascinating history, its role at the heart of Parkville’s world-class medical and research precinct, and its hidden underground car park that became an iconic Mad Max filming location. Plus, with Parkville station set to shake up the city’s transport network, we look at how this area is evolving.
And stick around-because next time, we’re heading beyond the campus to explore Melbourne General Cemetery, the final resting place of some of the city’s most famous figures… and a few lingering mysteries.