Tag Archives: australian history

A brief and enchanting history of Australian milk bars

Originally the concept of the milk bar in America was also a spin-off from the ever-popular apotheke-style pharmacists who dispensed medicines and often refreshing milk-infused tinctures to waiting customers. The customers often milled around or sat on bar stools at a long galley-style counter top. Originally, the pharmacists mixed the medicine with their backs turnedContinue reading “A brief and enchanting history of Australian milk bars”

Book Review: The Memory Code by Lynne Kelly

Genre: Non-fiction, archaeology, history. Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Publisher: Pegasus Books Historian and writer Lynne Kelly has created a fascinating book with a realistic theory its heart – that ancient monuments – Stonehenge, the Ring of Brodgar and also smaller hand-held objects (Lukasa, Coolamon) are actually memory aids. She believes that these objects largeContinue reading “Book Review: The Memory Code by Lynne Kelly”

Ancient Australian Megafauna: Diprotodon optatum

Diprotodon optatum was the largest marsupial to ever roam Australia, weighing over two tonnes. We rarely find its whole skeleton preserved in caves because it’s sheer size prevented it from falling through crevices into the oblivion. Although phylogenetically Diprotodon optatum was closely related to the extant wombat and koala, in terms of its physiology in appearance itContinue reading “Ancient Australian Megafauna: Diprotodon optatum”

Book Review: Animals Make Us Human: Edited by Leah Kaminsky and Meg Keneally

Genre: Non-fiction, nature, animals Publisher: Penguin Life Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 The Christmas/New Year of 2019/2020 bush fires scorched through enormous swathes of land across the whole of Australia and killed many millions of native animals. Afterwards, there was a huge outpouring of collective grief from people not only in Australia, but throughout theContinue reading “Book Review: Animals Make Us Human: Edited by Leah Kaminsky and Meg Keneally”

Film Review: Backtrack Boys

Framing delinquent youth as hopeless cases is a common narrative ploy by a ruthless and shallow media. There’s the assumption that youths are going to gather together in gangs, commit crimes and cause havoc. Director Catherine Scott has thrown a fresh bucket of water on an old stereotype. Just as she did in her otherContinue reading “Film Review: Backtrack Boys”

Pagan Date: Beltane

Beltane is celebrated in the southern hemisphere on this date. All throughout the land everything is rich, green and verdant. The celebration of Beltane involves lighting a bonfire, dancing and performing rituals and is a boisterous and passionate day to celebrate fertility. 

Film Review – Utopia directed by John Pilger

Utopia is veteran and respected journalist John Pilger’s attempt to tell an extraordinary story, one hidden from the eyes of everyday Australians, of Australia’s first people. Pilger uses words like apartheid and hidden genocide to describe it. And the evidence he presents in this documentary is overwhelmingly convincing. It’s difficult to do justice to thisContinue reading “Film Review – Utopia directed by John Pilger”

Pagan Date: Eostara

In the southern hemisphere, today marks the date of the Spring Equinox, also know n as Eostara. This is a time to celebrate new beginnings, regeneration, growth and the conception of new ideas. The venerable Bede mentions the name in reference to Eostre, the Germanic goddess of spring. In the northern hemisphere this rite coincidesContinue reading “Pagan Date: Eostara”

Pagan Date: Imbolc

In the southern hemisphere, today in the Pagan calendar is Imbolc. It’s a Sabbat to honour the Celtic goddess Brighid. It’s a time to purify oneself, dedicate oneself to a task. The word imbolc comes from Irish Gaelic and means ‘ewe’s milk’. It’s in reference to the time when ewe’s begin suckling with their youngContinue reading “Pagan Date: Imbolc”