history and culture Archives

The people on Australia’s banknotes

From royalty to poets and preachers – here are the stories behind the familiar faces that grace our banknotes.

GALLERY: Inside Section 400

Maralinga, South Australia, was blasted and battered by nuclear tests in the 1950s and ’60s. Officially known as Section 400, this 3300sq.km site was chosen as a permanent base to develop and explode atomic bombs. In 2009, the land was given back to its traditional owners, who have opened the gates to paying visitors. Explore Maralinga through Thomas Wielecki’s photography, and read more about this odd tourist attraction in Bruce Newton’s feature in #AG133.

History & Culture

GALLERY: Pedal Prix 2015, SA

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.

News

First Australian map to be restored in Melbourne

A priceless, 353-year-old map of New Holland – on which all subsequent mapping of Australia is based – has arrived in Melbourne for restoration.

History & Culture

OPINION: Can we be Australian without eating indigenous food?

How overcoming ‘food racism’ and eating native produce could be a powerful act of culinary reconciliation.

History & Culture

Speaking up

Hundreds of languages were once spoken in Australia. Many have slipped from use, but an incredible revival is now awakening sleeping tongues across the nation.

History & Culture

VIDEO: Defeating death

Scientists are working against the clock to discover how we can live longer healthier lives. Here are a couple of Aussies have made some headway on their own.

History & Culture

The largest language spoken exclusively in Australia

Linguists estimate that up to 20,000 people speak Kriol across swathes of northern Australia.

History & Culture

GALLERY: Native wisdom

As Australian industries grow increasingly concerned with conservation, scientists, government agencies, and companies are turning to Aboriginal Australians for their ancient knowledge of living on and with the land. Drawing on ancient traditions, Indigenous communities are providing innovative solutions in farming, healthcare, land management, and conservation. Read more about Australia’s Indigenous innovators in AG#132, out now.