Damned if you do

Damned if you do

During the nineteenth century, European explorers searched in vain for Australia’s mythical inland sea. They never found it.  What they discovered were vast deserts covering 70% of the landmass. To this day, Australia is officially classified as the driest continent...
Would you turn down The Beatles?

Would you turn down The Beatles?

On 1 January 1962, The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records in London. Decca turned down The Beatles without offering them a recording contract. The label’s head of Artists and Repertoire (A&R), Dick Rowe, is even reported to have told The...
Sea, sand, and uncertainty

Sea, sand, and uncertainty

When COVID arrived in early 2020, tourism was one of the hardest-hit economic sectors. Customers disappeared overnight, dramatically impacting trade for thousands of hotels and restaurants. However, just as suddenly, as restrictions eased, many Australian holiday...
Push and pull

Push and pull

Outside of elections, few political events garner as much attention as budget night. The annual federal budget offers up a delicious entrée, main and dessert of speculation, delivery, and reaction. The budget is news because we are all impacted. Will our taxes go up...
Not perfect, just better

Not perfect, just better

Outside of war, spaceflight is one of the most dangerous human endeavours. At take-off, astronauts sit atop rockets loaded with hundreds of tonnes of highly flammable fuel; once outside of earth’s atmosphere, pressurised suits and oxygen are essential for survival;...
False starts

False starts

In 1911 Australia’s parliament passed an act creating the Northern Territory. That same act mandated the building of a north-south railway. The line would run thousands of kilometres between Darwin and Adelaide and, in doing so, connect the top and bottom of Australia...