The Mysteries of Mystery Island — Part One

The Mysteries of Mystery Island — Part One

In 2018 I found and reunited with my biological family, discovering that my people go back to 1842 on Lord Howe Island. On my first visit that Christmas, I became fascinated by the mystery surrounding the early talkie Mystery Island, which was shot on Lord Howe in 1936. Why did its leading man Brian Abbot — who had everything to live for — try to sail to Sydney across the treacherous Tasman Sea in a tiny motor launch? Was he mad, like they said, or was there something else at play?


In the past few months, my investigations have unearthed dozens of startling stranger-than-fiction stories that each shine a different light on this question. So, strap in for an eight-part epic series. You're going to meet Hollywood hopefuls, surf rescuers, plucky canoeists, turf tricksters, war heroes, daredevil aviators, shipwreck survivors and a handful of accused killers. Then there’s one chap who wrestled an octopus, rode sharks, hunted a humpback whale in Sydney Harbour, tried to reel in an Olympic swimming champion and led an expedition to catch a mysterious sea serpent — twice. Underlying all of these dramatic, tragic and comic tales is a haunting question: what role does “the element of luck” play in who lives and who dies?


In Part One, we meet young George Rikard-Bell, who rejected his privileged upbringing to become an adventurer and a conman in the Great Depression — before reinventing himself as the actor Brian Abbot. Part Two will be released on Thursday. Instalments will be out on Mondays after that. But you can binge all eight parts now by becoming a Forgotten Australia supporter for just a few bucks per month — go to: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia

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'Young Ned Kelly' – The Boy Bushranger of 1922 – Part One

'Young Ned Kelly' – The Boy Bushranger of 1922 – Part One

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Kathleen Butler — Mother Of The Sydney Harbour Bridge: Part Two

Kathleen Butler — Mother Of The Sydney Harbour Bridge: Part Two

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Kathleen Butler — Mother Of The Sydney Harbour Bridge: Part One

Kathleen Butler — Mother Of The Sydney Harbour Bridge: Part One

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Shark Attack Of The Century — Part Two: The War On Sharks

Shark Attack Of The Century — Part Two: The War On Sharks

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Shark Attack Of The Century — Part One: Into The Jaws Of Death

Shark Attack Of The Century — Part One: Into The Jaws Of Death

100 years ago today — 4 February 1922 — Australia's attitude to sharks changed when the first known fatal shark attack on a Sydney ocean beach happened in front of thousands of people as a surf carniv...

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The Plague Returns — Part Three: The Great Fire

The Plague Returns — Part Three: The Great Fire

In March 1902 — as the Bubonic Plague tightens its grip — Sydney awakes to a disastrous fire at Her Majesty's Theatre. Next the city's Zoo falls victim to the disease that will make encore appearances...

17 Jan 202237min

The Plague Returns — Part Two: Bigger Than Ben Hur

The Plague Returns — Part Two: Bigger Than Ben Hur

With Bubonic Plague spreading in Sydney, the highest-profile "victim" is Ben Hur at Her Majesty's Theatre, despite producers putting pressure on the Premier to circumvent health orders to get the show...

16 Jan 202239min

The Plague Returns — Part One: The Bays Of Blood

The Plague Returns — Part One: The Bays Of Blood

120 years ago today, Sydney faced an epidemic. And it also had a rat problem — but in this case it was there was too many of them.January 1902 saw the second wave of the Bubonic Plague and — despite t...

16 Jan 202256min

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