Prohibition | Podcast on Podbay

Prohibition

Dubbo Regional Council

In the 1830s, Australians were drinking 13.6 litres of pure alcohol, per person, per year. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you think about it, a standard bottle of vodka is 500mL. That works out to be a bit over half a bottle of vodka PER WEEK that the average Aussie was drinking in the 1830s.Australia clearly has a long and tortured history with alcohol. In fact, the control of alcohol was reportedly involved in the only military coup in Australian history – the 1808 Rum Rebellion. Prohibition is a podcast produced by Old Dubbo Gaol and Dubbo Regional Council, where we delve into the world of Shanty Towns, The Temperance Movement, and examine what the very first Lockout Laws were like in the early 1900s. We’ll examine the ins-and-outs of the illegal trading of alcohol in 19th and 20th centuries, and more specifically, characters tied to the Old Dubbo Gaol. At the end of the mini-series, you’ll be invited to our very own Prohibition at the Yard, held at the Old Dubbo Gaol in February this year. You’ll have to find the secret bars and hideaways within The Gaol, as you’re taken back in time to the roaring 20s with swing bands and speakeasy bars.

Episode 3 - Shanty Towns & Illegal Gambling

Have you heard of a Shanty Town? What about sly grog shops and sleeper cutter camps? These are all places that alcohol was illegal sold or traded. People who worked in these camps were working all day in the hot sun, and were on a pretty decent wage. So what else is there to do when you’re a cashed up worker? Spend it on grog! This is when chaos unfolds… queue informers. These people were called in the help police shutdown the selling of alcohol in these shanty towns. But there were also illegal gambling rings which were raided and shutdown.

Feb 23, 2020

38 min

Episode 2 - The Original Lockout Laws

The Temperance Movement has started to gather pace, with changes to the legal drinking age and the introduction of the six o’clock lock outs – the Original Lockout Laws. This ushered in the six o’clock swill, where some might argue things went from bad to worse. But there was another problem bubbling away in the background… Opium was regulated and found in seemingly harmless items including cordial, and sarsaparilla. Things had to be turned around, with a referendum on prohibition and repeal of the legalisation of opium.Chris Anemaat and Josh Ronan from the Old Dubbo Gaol are back for episode two – The Original Lockout Laws.

Feb 16, 2020

45 min

Episode 1 - Unions & Alliances

It’s no secret Aussies have a reputation for loving their grog, but there’s a side to the alcohol industry, where drinking was illegal, and bootlegging was the norm – and the history itself isn’t all that well-known. Although Australia didn’t exactly have its own Prohibition like it’s known in America, this series Prohibition at the Yard takes a look at the groups and practices that shaped the alcohol industry as we know it today. In our first episode, we’ll set the scene, to explain just how big of a problem drinking and alcohol was in the 1800s, with the temperance movement kick-starting things for us.

Feb 9, 2020

29 min

PILOT - Prohibition

‘Prohibition’ is about telling the stories of the Dubbo Region’s own troubled past with alcohol, gambling and opium dens. We delve into the world of Shanty Towns, The Temperance Movement, and examine what the very first lockout laws were like in the early 1900s.

Jan 29, 2020

3 min