Art Ryan describes Rick Pointon as 'Newcastle rock royalty', and Rick is perhaps best known for his work with the legendary Benny & The Jets. At their peak, Benny & The Jets performed more than 300 nights each year and have worked with some incredible Australian and international industry figures. If you grew up with Johnny O'Keefe in your ears and…

Glamour on Glass is a stunning exhibition curated by University of Newcastle history student and Vera Deacon Scholar, Isabel Whittle, focusing on the portrayal of women and fashion in the Newcastle Sun. Featuring photographic prints of fashion models in structured daywear and glamorous evening wear, the exhibition explores the impact of the Great D…

In June 2018, Ross Balderson shared a photo in the Lost Newcastle Facebook Group of a scale model scene of Newcastle 1899 that he was building. Not only did people not mind Ross sharing a photo of his incredible model work, the photos and conversations have continued ever since. Ross says he was inspired to build the scale model after seeing a Ralp…

Ruth Cotton is well known to many in Newcastle for her huge body of local history work on the multicultural hub of Hamilton. Her Hidden Hamilton blog began as a way for her to find out more about the suburb she was moving to from northern NSW! Hundreds of stories and two books later, Ruth is still just as passionate about her adoptive home. But Rut…

Dr Roland Bannister lived his early life in Waratah. After training as a carpenter, Roland because a music teacher and studied at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music. Moving further inland in NSW for many years, Roland taught at Glen Innes High School and for 32 years as a music academic at Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga Campus. Roland's …

It's often rumoured that Little Richard - considered the founding father of rock music - suddenly found God while on tour in Australia in 1957 and threw his jewellery into Newcastle's Hunter River. But is it true? It is known that Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman, came from a deeply evangelical background in Macon, Georgia, and that afte…

It started with a brick and has led to a community of nearly 70,000 people connecting over a love of history and mystery. This is Lost Newcastle. A corner of the internet where you can have nice things! ABC Newcastle's Kia Handley spoke to founder Carol Duncan.Par Carol Duncan

Carol Duncan music feature interview with Joe Camilleri (Jo Jo Zep, Black Sorrows) - July 2014Par Carol Duncan

The Victoria Theatre is the oldest theatre still standing in NSW. Opened in 1876, it was rebuilt in 1890/91 and added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999. Nancy Tapp performed at the Victoria Theatre in the 1950s and in this podcast, reminisces about the theatre and the shows she danced in.Par Carol Duncan

After 194 years, a previously unknown album of drawings from 1818, including landscapes and portraits of Aboriginal people from the Newcastle region, returned to Newcastle for a brief exhibition by the State Library of NSW. In this episode, Carol Duncan speaks with Aunty Nola Hawken, descendant of 'Queen' Margaret and Ned of Swansea; and the Direct…

How often have you stopped for a rest on one of the low stone retaining walls at Blackbutt Reserve? Chances are, you’re sitting on the remains of the early headstones from Newcastle’s first European burial ground at Christ Church Cathedral. Find out more at lostnewcastle.com.auPar Carol Duncan

The Wallis Album After 194 years, a previously unknown album of drawings from 1818, including landscapes and portraits of Aboriginal people from the Newcastle region, returned to Newcastle for a brief exhibition by the State Library of NSW. In this episode, Carol Duncan speaks with Dr Alex Byrne, the NSW State Librarian and Chief Executive, about t…

It was my birthday. What would you do? Mark Tinson, Pete de Jong, Mac, John Paul Young, Russell Morris, Ty Penshorn,Par Carol Duncan

Friday Music Show with Bella, and Grant Walmsley on Malcolm Young AC/DC.Par Carol Duncan

In which Mark Tinson joins me to discuss terror alerts & Jimi Hendrix, Pat calls in to brag about having burgers with Led Zeppelin during their Australian tour, local artists Adam Miller and Jason Lowe.Par Carol Duncan

Don Walker - 2014Par Carol Duncan

Alex is a Newcastle kid! In this 2013 interview, he talks about the effect of their record company collapsing at the height of their career.Par Carol Duncan

In 2009, I had the chance to interview the legendary Stevie Wright - lead singer of The Easybeats in the 1960s and trouble rockstar ever after. I was warned in advance that I should pre-record the interview as Stevie was 'a bit slow' after years of serious drug and alcohol abuse. Happily, I didn't find him at all difficult to chat with. Indeed, Ste…

Tony Robinson talks about how to encourage a community to care about its history.Tony Robinson is perhaps best known to an older generation of television viewer as Baldrick from Blackadder, but to younger generations he's known as the guy leading archaeological digs on Time Team or the poor unfortunate host up to his knees in a tank of urine in Wor…

Silverchair have been one of Australia's most successful bands for the last 20 years. Drummer Ben Gillies joined Carol Duncan in the studio for a chat about his solo project - Bento, and why he continues to call Newcastle home. Daniel Johns, Chris Joannou and Ben Gillies were just kids doing work experience at a Newcastle radio station when I first…

Jeff Martin and band – The Armada Social media makes the world smaller. And it makes my life richer. Because I have conversations (sometimes only in 140 characters!) with people from around the world who are generous, warm people who share the stories of their lives – the happy, the sad, the fabulous, the rare, the raunchy – you name it. Ordinary p…

Malcolm Turnbull has been in Newcastle to deliver the annual Barton Lecture at the University of Newcastle. 1233's Carol Duncan spoke with him at length about the National Broadband Network, Tony Abbott, same-sex marriage and leadership.​Malcolm Turnbull and Carol Duncan in the 1233 studios. If you want to know why Malcolm is holding a pomegranate,…

In this conversation with Carol Duncan, Catherine Britt talks about the pressures of growing up under the spotlight, life in the country music capital of the world, and 'growing up on 1233 ABC Newcastle'. After being plucked from obscurity as a 17-year-old by Sir Elton John, which led to a duet and a record deal in the United States, Catherine Brit…

In 2008, Australian composer Nigel Westlake's son, Eli, was killed in a tragic road rage incident. With the support of his family, and his son's friends, Nigel used his love for his son to establish a music and film program to support young indigenous Australians. In an interview in 2011, Nigel reflected that after the death of his son, "I really t…

2013 has given Australian music icon, Russell Morris, an unexpected hit record some 44 years after his first national number one smash with pop-psychedelic smash, The Real Thing. I produced this music feature with Russell in 2014, although I first met him in about 1992 when I interviewed him in Hobart. He's smart, funny, brilliant and has always be…

Despite his incredible success as an actor and comedian, Hugh Laurie now calls himself 'musician'. His leap of faith to pursue his life-long love of blues music is proving to be a great decision - both for Hugh, and for music lovers.I was thrilled to be able to chat with Hugh in 2014. Hugh Laurie has loved the blues since he was seven years old. (:…

Rob Hirst - The Sun Becomes The Sea album release feature 2014First published ABC Radio Australia18 November, 2014 12:07PM AEDTRob Hirst - a new solo album and the Midnight Oil 'anti-plan'By Carol DuncanRob Hirst has a new solo album out - released under his own name instead of one of the innumerable musical units that he's part of. The Midnight Oi…

James Reyne - Friday Music Show feature interview 2014James Reyne has an enviable career in the Australian music industry - first appearing on ABC TV's Countdown in 1979 with both of his arms in plaster after being hit by a car in Melbourne.Australian Crawl held court around Australia's pub rock scene for just seven years, but the sound of the band…

Kate Miller-Heidke is one of Australia's most outstanding musical talents with a career exploding in all directions from pop to theatre and international opera. I spoke with Kate about her incredibly successful decision to crowdfund her latest album, O Vertigo, and the increasing demand for her to work in different genres.As a classically-trained s…

Iva Davies is one of Australia's most accomplished musicians and composers with a career spanning over 30 years with his band Icehouse, and as a composer for film and theatre. I produced this feature music show with him in 2014. The number one song on the Australian pop music charts in 1980 was The Buggles 'Video Killed The Radio Star', accompanied…

Commissioned by Greenpeace Canada in 2015 for their podcast. Link to original post https://soundcloud.com/greenpeace-canada/ep-29-what-to-say-climate-change-vs-global-warming-whats-at-stake-for-the-great-barrier-reefPar Carol Duncan

Unlike the huge and elaborate mosques seen in the Middle East, Newcastle Mosque is a small and humble building in Wallsend, but just as Christ Church and Sacred Heart Cathedrals are central to their respective Christian faiths in Newcastle, so is the mosque to Muslims. This interview from Carol Duncan's Local Treasures program in 2014.…

One of Newcastle's living Local Treasures would have to be lifeguard Warren Smith who is retiring after nearly 40 years of keeping a safe eye on the waves. ABC Newcastle's Carol Duncan dropped in to Nobbys Beach to chat with Warren before he hangs up his wetsuit.Par Carol Duncan

The French barque Adolphe is just one of many shipwrecks that litter the entrance to Newcastle Harbour, yet 110 years after the disaster, this vessel is still one of the most visible. Carol Duncan spoke with Deb Mastello of the Newcastle Maritime Centre.Par Carol Duncan

The Birdwood Flag is considered to be one of the most significant Australian artifacts from WWI. Now in thousands of pieces, it's hoped that the flag will be restored. (The Birdwood Flag has now been restored.)Par Carol Duncan

The Chapel of St Michael, or 'The Warrior's Chapel', at Newcastle's Christ Church Cathedral was created as a local sacred place where people could go to mourn loved ones lost to World War One - The Great War.Par Carol Duncan

Newcastle has a long maritime history, but sadly part of that history includes a coastline that is now littered with numerous shipwrecks that cost many lives. But sometimes, the hardworking lifeboat crews and rocket brigades were able to save the lives of passengers and crew of ships wrecked on our coast.…

Artist Julie Squires was commissioned to build the Muster Point sculpture for the closure of Newcastle's BHP Steelworks in 1999. The sculpture reflects on the experiences of the tens of thousands of people who worked at the plant over the 84 years of operation. Interview with Aubrey Brooks - former BHP employee and member of the Newcastle Industria…

One of Newcastle's many hidden places, not open to the public, is a remnant of the Shepherds Hill defence group. A tunnel underneath Memorial Drive enabled power to be supplied to the WWII No 1 Searchlight which was situated on the face of the cliff below Strzelecki Lookout. [2013 - Carol Duncan speaks with Newcastle City Council Heritage Strategis…

Newcastle's City Hall is a sister building to the Civic Theatre. Built in 1928-1929, the building marks the civic centre of Newcastle and remains a building that bustles with events and activities.Par Carol Duncan

Built in 1877, Carrington Pump House once provided the hydraulic pressure required to drive loading cranes in the port of Newcastle.Par Carol Duncan

Newcastle offers surfers plenty of world-class surf breaks, as recognised by the city's annual Surfest competition and the declaration of Merewether Beach as a National Surfing Reserve in 2009. But a lot of these breaks are known only by way of 'surf vernacular'. So what, and where, are these secret locations? Here's a guide.…

Newcastle's original flagstaff represented both the existence of the early colony and communications between the colony and vessels off the coast.Par Carol Duncan

Newcastle East Public School is the oldest continuously operating school in Australia having started in 1816.Par Carol Duncan

The Obelisk in Newcastle stands on the site of the first windmill in the town which was built in 1820 to grind flour. The windmill itself became an important early navigational aid.Par Carol Duncan

Newcastle's former Central Methodist Mission in King Street has been home to one of Newcastle's fine dining establishments - Bacchus Restaurant - and now to a new generation of bar and restaurant. It is beautifully ironic that the building that was once gave comfort to the Primitive Methodists of Newcastle has been renamed after the Greek god of th…

How often have you stopped for a rest on one of the low stone retaining walls at Blackbutt Reserve? Chances are, you're sitting on the remains of the early headstones from Newcastle's first European burial ground at Christ Church Cathedral.Par Carol Duncan

The heritage-listed Regent Theatre, formerly Herbert's Theatre, was built in 1928 and is considered one of the few remaining 1920's 'picture palaces' remaining in Australia. Considered rare as there has been little adaption of the building's interior or exterior and it remains recognisable as a theatre.…

Newcastle has its very own castle turret on top of The Hill in the form of the Leading Light Tower, or Beacon Tower. It was one of two built to assist captains in bringing their ships safely into the port. The coast around Newcastle is littered with hundreds of shipwrecks and the pair of towers built in 1865/1866 helped to increase the safety of ve…

Built in the 1870's, the Victoria Theatre on Perkins Street in Newcastle is the oldest theatre still standing in NSW. It's also home to the largest and earliest surviving fly tower in Australia. Now closed to the public, what remains is an extraordinarily intact theatre - just waiting for its next life.…