Tony Armstrong unpacks the surprising, strange, and sometimes dark history behind our most iconic stuff in this fascinating four-part series.
The Logie Award-winner and ABC News Breakfast sports presenter discovers some surprising histories – from cakes to casks, meat pies and Chicko Rolls, Speedos and Stubbies.
Great Australian Stuff features some of our most famous and loved products, inventions, food and fashion and it examines Australian history through the lens of some old favourites – Vegemite, Hills Hoist, the Boomerang, the Victa lawn mower, One Day Cricket and Sherrin footballs.
Each episode looks at a particular aspect of Australian life, and the first is all about some of our favourite food.
This premiere episode unpacks great Aussie classics like the meat pie – from its origins to the endless variety of fillings we know today; the Macadamia nut – one of Australia’s oldest and delicious foods – and one that almost got away from us; and how marketing played its part in promoting the Granny Smith apple, the Chiko Roll, and the one and only: Vegemite.
But perhaps the most curious story of all is how a little chocolate frog became the catalyst for some of our most iconic adventures across the skies and seas.
Production credit:
Joining Tony to share stories about their stuff are Benjamin Law, Nazeem Hussain, Jenny Kee, Nornie Bero, Kevin Kropinyeri, Richard Glover and Jean Kittson to name a few. Tony digs deep into the ABC archives to uncover what makes some stuff “great”, what’s our most loved – and loathed stuff – and what stuff we should celebrate.
PRODUCTION CREDITS Wildbear Entertainment Production for ABC. Financed with support from the ABC, Screen Canberra, National Museum of Australia and in partnership with National Archives of Australia and ANU Australian Studies Institute. Series Producer Mike Bluett, Executive Producer Alan Erson. ABC Executive Producer Kalita Corrigan
