History & Culture
FROM VICTORIA’S GOLD RUSHES to its bushrangers, English artist William Strutt’s (1825-1915) paintings captured the state’s colonial history in vivid scenes and sketches. William arrived at Melbourne in 1850 and began work as an illustrator painting portraits of people such as explorer Robert O’Hara Burke, who’s famous expedition with William John Wills ended in their tragic deaths. William illustrated the scenes around Burke’s demise in the epic ‘The burial of Burke’ (1911). He also recorded many historical events such as Victoria becoming a separate state and the devastating Victorian bushfire on Black Thursday in 1851. His paintings depict the hardship of colonial life, exploration and the dangers of the environment.
His oil paintings, watercolours, portraits, prints and preparatory sketches will be on display at ‘Heroes and villains: Strutt’s Australia’ exhibition at the State Library of Victoria until 23 October 2016. The exhibition is the first retrospectives of William’s work in Melbourne, it includes pop-up talks of three of his well-known paintings; ‘Bushrangers’ (1887), ‘The burial of Burke’ (1911) and ‘Black Thursday’ (1864).
News
Today’s Google Doodle illustration pays respects to the Aboriginal lands rights activist.
History & Culture
The fondly remembered and frequently spoken of, from Number 96 to Summer Bay.
History & Culture
The annual 24-hour Australian International Pedal
Prix is the oldest, longest, largest and fastest human
powered vehicle (HPV) race in the world.
At Murray Bridge, riders who have gone head-to-head
in the shorter races during the UniSA Australian
HPV Super Series gather for one last, gruelling
battle. The 2015 competition attracted a staggering
225 teams – each with 8–20 riders – from almost
every corner of Australia.
Read more about the Pedal Prix in #AG133.
History & Culture
Linguists estimate that up to 20,000 people speak Kriol across swathes of northern Australia.
News
From top Aussie songs, foods and inventions, to the controversy surrounding our national day – here’s the very best of our Australiana content for Australia Day.
Destinations
Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory has a population of just 3000 people, and is found 1000km south of Darwin and 500km north of Alice Springs. This outback town is as gritty as it’s charming, and with its swag of multicultural locals and a zealous community spirit, it’s a place that’s now luring newcomers with more than just gold dust. Find the full story in the Nov/Dec issue (#129) of Australian Geographic.
Science & Environment
Everyday Australians are at the forefront of discovery, thanks to a variety of inspiring, home-grown science projects
History & Culture
Aussie food classics suggests that it’s the simpler things that take our fancy. Whether at a family Christmas feast at the height of a scorching Australian summer or barracking at a local footy match in the depths of winter, Australians enjoy foods that suit our laid-back lifestyle. Here are five sweet and five savoury Australian foods that will pluck at your Aussie heartstrings to remind you of days spent around the good old Australian backyard barbecue, lounging on the beach or simply the everyday.
History & Culture
How did “G’day mate” become the sound of home for millions of people?