BGM_Batman’s Swamp and the secrets of Dudley Flats

Long before Naarm (Melbourne)’s skyline stretched westward, there was Batman’s Swamp- a vast wetland teeming with life, and then later drained as well as buried beneath the city’s rapid expansion. But just beyond its former edges lay one of Naarm (Melbourne)‘’s most forgotten places: Dudley Flats, a makeshift shantytown whose residents lived off the city’s refuse during the Great Depression. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we uncover the lost history of these two site-the environmental destruction of Batman’s Swamp, the resilience of Dudley Flats’ residents, and the secrets buried beneath Melbourne’s Docklands and West Melbourne. From scavengers like Jack Peacock the ‘King of Dudley Flats’ as well as Elise Williams who built homes out of rubbish, to the forgotten struggles of of the 1930s, we explore the stories the city tried to erase. Plus, we tease our next episode on Docklands, its past, present and what remains of its history beneath the glass towers as well as its waterfront promenades. Trigger warning: This episode discusses themes of displacement, poverty, and environmental destruction.