From primary school, all Australian school children learn about the sacrifice of the first Anzacs at Gallipoli. However, it's sometimes surprising to learn that Australians have served in battles and wars in every corner of the globe for over 200 years, participating in some very unexpected conflicts. From the tale of Sub-Lieutenant Dick Pirrie, the first Australian killed during the D-Day Allied assault on the Normandy beaches of France, to the story of Pilot Officer Frank Mathers from Pagewood...
Apr 22, 2023•22 min
There are two great theatre districts of the world – The West End in London and Broadway in New York. It can be argued strongly over which is the more dominant or important, but in popular culture Broadway shines brightest. So iconic did the lights of Broadway become that when they were dimmed during World War I, public demand forced the federal government to increase the city’s coal ration so that the lights could be restored. In this episode, professional actor Peter Eyers joins us to discuss ...
Mar 18, 2023•33 min
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) is one of the most significant figures of the Ancient World, whose legacy is both far reaching and profound. His 13-year reign as the king of Macedonia forged one of the largest empires in history and is said to be the start of the Hellenistic period. Mythologised as a classical hero and considered a military genius by many, there are now quite divergent opinions on his rule and its lasting legacy. Archaeologist Dr John Tidmarsh joins us to discuss the life, conq...
Feb 25, 2023•34 min
At is heart, Vienna is city of palaces and gardens, museums, music and tradition. For more than 400 years it was the jewel in the glittering imperial crown of the Habsburgs. However, there is also another side to Vienna - one that is less well-known and less visited. The Wiener Moderne refers to a short cultural era around the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries that saw an astonishing period of creativity in Vienna's art, design, architecture and other fields, bringing forth such na...
Jan 28, 2023•23 min
Straddling the fabled Silk Road, Uzbekistan has undergone enormous transformations throughout its long history. The most recent has been the emergence of a thriving independent republic coming out from under Soviet rule. To tell us about this fascinating land, and how it fits into the story of Central Asia, Chris Bradley joins us in this podcast. We journey along the now famous Silk Road to the five 'stans of Central Asia as Chris highlights the exotic ambiance, vivid histories, impressive archi...
Dec 17, 2022•37 min
Morocco is a country that has fascinated travellers for centuries, and just its name conjures up impressive kasbahs, exquisitely decorated medersas and bustling medinas, waiting to be explored. At a crossroads of the African and European continents, the Kingdom of Morocco has been, for centuries, a meeting point for the Arabo-Islamic culture and civilisation. In this episode, archaeologist Ben Churcher takes us to Morocco’s four imperial cities - Marrakesh, Fes, Meknes and Rabat - to uncover the...
Nov 19, 2022•40 min
The President is no doubt the most powerful political figure in the United States, but make no mistake: the First Lady is just as influential in her own right. In addition to the many appearances she makes and the causes she champions, she is also one of the most-followed people in the country, especially when it comes to her fashion choices. What they wore was not only a reflection of their husbands' politics, but their sartorial choices also had the ability to capture the public's attention, u...
Oct 15, 2022•41 min
A diminutive country tucked into the south west corner of the Iberian peninsula, Portugal is somewhat of an anomaly, almost forgotten in comparison with its cousin Spain. However, Portugal is one of the most innovative and diverse countries in Europe. In this episode, Dr Jeni Ryde takes us through Portugal's impressive history and culture, from remnants of the past with dinosaurs, standing stones and rock paintings, to the legacy of the Knights Templar during the reconquest and the establishment...
Sep 17, 2022•34 min
When we think of Ancient Rome, we automatically think of the strong male characters – figures such as Caesar, Pompey or Augustus – but what about the women of Ancient Rome? Recent study is emphasising the agency that Roman women enjoyed. To help us understand what this newly researched area examines, we are joined on our latest podcast by Dr Kathryn Welch. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from inter...
Aug 06, 2022•33 min
For the past week (March 6, 2022), the world has looked on in shock and anguish for the people of Ukraine. Has Vladimir Putin gone mad? Or is there some rational explanation for this catastrophe? In this timely episode, we asked our resident Russia expert Dr Matthew Dal Santo for his views on this unfolding tragedy, to explain the possible thinking behind Russia's invasion, and what might be the outcome. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel...
Mar 05, 2022•38 min
This year's Canberra International Music Festival features the premiere of a new work by Melbourne-based composer Katy Abbott. As part of its partnership with CIMF, we interviewed Katy about her work Hidden Thoughts: Do I matter. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, ...
May 02, 2021•18 min
Very little was known about the fate of the small number of Anzac's taken prisoner during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 until Dr Jennifer Lawless uncovered their story. Undertaking a ten year study for her PHD, Jennifer trekked over 8,000kms across Turkey to locate Australian Prisoner of War camps. She also poured over Turkish manuscripts, which had never been translated into English before, and in the process found a vast divergence from the then accepted version of their internment by Ottoman...
Apr 21, 2021•22 min
The National Gallery of Australia is currently hosting a blockbuster exhibition from the National Gallery in London. Titled Botticelli to Van Gogh the exhibition surveys 500 years of European art, from the Renaissance to the early 20th century. Academy Travel has hosted several groups at the exhibition. Here is our expert review from one of our tour leaders, Dr Kathleen Olive. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions...
Apr 20, 2021•26 min
As part of Academy Travel's partnership with the Canberra International Music Festival, the Festival's 2021 composer-in-residence Brian Howard discusses the Festival's theme, 'the idea of Vienna', and his works which are being premiered at the Festival. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a stro...
Mar 19, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 25
The Medici family rose to prominence in 14th-century Florence, making a humble beginning as moneychangers but eventually becoming one of Europe’s most powerful dynasties and renowned arts patrons. Dr Kathleen Olive joins us today to discuss the rise and fall of the Medici dynasty – a 300-year history coloured by strategic powerplay, bitter rivalries and bloody intrigues. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and l...
Dec 03, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 24
In 2017, a painting of the Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci sold for a record-breaking $450 million USD at Christie’s auction house in New York. What drives art prices to such astronomical levels? Dr Nick Gordon discusses why the art market is so attractive to investors, the role played by auction houses, and how this is affecting artists. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally ren...
Nov 12, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Tucked away in the far eastern Himalaya, Bhutan is arguably the last bastion of the Tibetan Buddhist culture and religion in its truest form. Despite opening up to tourism in the late 70s, it has managed to minimise the effect of outside influences and the country remains virtually untouched. Judy Tenzing joins us today to discuss what she describes as “a modern Shangri-la”. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions a...
Oct 29, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Palladio was the most influential architect of the Italian Renaissance, and his buildings were perfectly proportioned, intelligent and gracious yet unpretentious and practical. In our latest episode, Dr Nick Gordon explores Palladio’s life and career, and explains why his books and buildings continue to influence architects today. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned expert...
Oct 16, 2020•19 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Mayflower, the ship that carried the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in September 1620. More than 30 million Americans can now trace their ancestry to the 102 passengers on that ship. On the 400th anniversary of that iconic voyage, Dr Matthew Laing explores the story of the Pilgrims and explains why the Mayflower looms so large in the history of the United States. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded compa...
Sep 24, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Royna McNamara joins us today to trace the footsteps of Giacomo Puccini and Maria Callas, and discuss the events that helped shape their musical lives. We begin on the picturesque shores of Lake Massaciuccoli in Torre Del Lago, where Puccini lived and composed for 30 years, before heading to the magnificent Arena di Verona. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like...
Sep 11, 2020•23 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Three months out from the American election, the polls have Joe Biden ahead of Donald Trump in every State. But can we believe the polls? Is Trump in trouble? Have COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement changed the dynamics of American politics? Will Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris for Vice President have a big impact? What will it mean for America – and the world – if Trump is re-elected in November? And is it the end of America’s world dominance whoever wins? Dr Matthew Laing is here to ...
Aug 27, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 18
It’s known as the Guggenheim Effect – the extraordinary impact that the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao had in revitalizing the Basque city into an international arts destination. Initially, the idea for the museum generated so much controversy and opposition that it nearly didn’t happen. Dr Jeni Ryde joins us today to explain why Bilbao, as she puts it, is a phoenix rising from the ashes. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded comp...
Aug 13, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In the 1920s, a cultural movement emerged in uptown New York. For the first time in history, African Americans were living in large urban areas, economically independent, and becoming producers and patrons of the arts. Dr Matthew Laing joins us today to trace the rise and fall of the Harlem Renaissance, and explain its importance in the development of black identity in the United States. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded...
Jul 30, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Dr Estelle Lazer joins us today to discuss Sir Douglas Mawson’s colossus legacy in Antarctic exploration. Estelle was the first archaeologist to work at the site associated with Mawson's Australian Antarctic Expedition at Cape Denison on the Antarctic mainland. She has travelled to Antarctica seven times, including four summers camping and working on the ice at Cape Denison. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions a...
Jul 16, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Lake Mungo, in outback NSW, is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Australia. One of the Willandra Lakes, listed by UNESCO as a place of world heritage, it has been described as “the land frozen in time”. Rich in Aboriginal heritage, Dr Chris Carter joins us today to discuss the history and importance of Lake Mungo and the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions a...
Jul 01, 2020•19 min•Season 1Ep. 14
When we talk about the Italian Old Masters we immediately think of Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto and Caravaggio. All men. But there were more women painters than you might imagine during the Italian Renaissance. Dr Kathleen Olive introduces us to some of them and explains how their work is now being revisited, restored and re-evaluated. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from international...
Jun 18, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Tenzing Norgay Sherpa is a household name to many. In 1953, he and Edmund Hillary became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest. It was Tenzing’s lifelong dream and his seventh attempt. Historian Judy Tenzing joins us today to discuss the story of the illiterate, humble yak herder who rose to make his mark in history. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned expe...
Jun 04, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Known as the greatest American architect of all time, Wright’s iconic structures continue to attract visitors from around the world. From his beginnings in Chicago to his masterpiece in New York, Wright’s work changed the way we build and live. Social historian Stuart Barrie discusses Wright’s colourful career and the lasting legacy of this genius American architect. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn...
May 21, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Although he spent much of his career in Italy, Jeffrey Smart is one of Australia’s most significant artists, famous for his depictions of stark urban landscapes, often entirely devoid of figures. In this episode, art historian Dr Nick Gordon discusses Smart’s life, work and prodigious career. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are desi...
May 07, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Garden design is an important Japanese art form which has been evolving for over 1000 years. Literary and cultural historian Dr Kathleen Olive tells us about the history of the Japanese garden, what makes it so different from Western gardens, and how to make the most of a garden visit. Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to...
Apr 23, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 9
