Why do Aussies know past criminals and not of those like Francis Birtles

[mr smith]

Chatting at work during the week and we were discussing adventuring around OZ. I bought up Francis Birtles and no one had heard of him! WTF! It amazes me as a country we have come to know and some even admire criminals like Ned Kelly, Squizzy Taylor, Chopper Reid etc. but no one has heard of the real heroes of our past. Makes me sad.
Do a Google search, get some books, either way it will inspire.

[302 XC]

Human nature ............
Many remember the bad things that people do morso than the good things they do ....
Think of past friends,and why we no longer speak,its the bad things they done,we remember always over all the good times had ....

[Tickford Rebel]

Also Tv shows and movies totally glorify these scum crims and gangsters. Would be nice for networks to start airing some stories about our genuine hero's for a change.

[XP6]

Francis Birtles story would make an excellent doco or even a recreation mini series!

[Road_Warrior]

Never heard of him

[H.G]

never heard of him.. glad I now have.. thanks.

[LG17]

To answer the OPs question, we know all the "baddies" because that is our history.
We are founded on thieves, rascals, scoundrels and other kindred criminals.

[H.G]

and secretly we all wish we were badasses haha....

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by LG17

To answer the OPs question, we know all the "baddies" because that is our history.
We are founded on thieves, rascals, scoundrels and other kindred criminals.

Oh yes, the "Australia was a Penal colony" myth.

[Matty4]

Warren Brown, the cartoonist from the Daily Telegraph and from the 1st season of Top Gear Australia has written a book about him.
I also remember him presenting a documentary about Francis Birtles on one of the Foxtel channels quite a few months ago, was a fascinating story.

[pottery beige]

Len Beadell..

[mik]

dunno about you peeps but about the only history i recall being taught about in school was ned kellly, i believe the reason we know bugger all about our own country's history is a lack of decent school education.

[LG17]

When I went we learned about all the explorers who helped open up this land, bushrangers, Governors, the States and Territories, major milestones, the early settlement story including the near misses, the river systems, artesian bores, deserts, climate...
Should I keep going?

[Papa Smurf]

I had heard a little of him and his drive from Darwin to Melbourne but that was all.

The reason we have little history is I think manifold, 1. We have only been here since 1788, 2. The Pommies ran the place and only their history got taught, 3. Today it isn't politically correct because whites are invaders and learning Aussie history may upset someone?

A lot of kids today know more about Yank history than about our own.

[2011G6E]

I've always wondered why we idolise and have TV shows about and put tattoos on our bodies and such about criminals, instead of the true heroes and explorers of our past.

Look at Ned Kelly...to be blunt, he was a savage cop killing horse thief who got what he deserved, and the only reason he's remembered is because he tried to (unsuccessfully) cover himself in old bits of metal to stop police bullets. Why is he a "hero"...?

Look at the TV series...Underbelly, the upcoming Squizzy Taylor one...why do we idolise criminals and ignore the true leading lights that made our country what it is today?

How about a TV mini series about Gelegnite Jack...? Now that would be a "blast"...

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by Papa Smurf

A lot of kids today know more about Yank history than about our own.

You mean like when Nixon got elected the 30th President of earth and defeated the space Nazi's? EVERYBODY knows that!

Honesty, we got Burke and Wills, our forefathers who settled the colonies and how they raped, pillaged and plundered, as well as jolly ol' ned... that was it.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by mik

dunno about you peeps but about the only history i recall being taught about in school was ned kellly, i believe the reason we know bugger all about our own country's history is a lack of decent school education.

This is very true. The problem is many schools have 'fixed' programs with little scope for individualism.

I taught year 6 last year and one of the first things they asked was about my Africa trip in the holidays. It was soon obvious they had little knowledge of countries / continents etc so I integrated a weekly homework task where they fish out a country / independant state out of a box (some 220 of them!) and they needed to fill in a 2 page report.

Took them almost 3 tearms to finish the box but they very much enjoyed it.

I now teach at the high school and the teacher who teaches geography commented that they have the most general knowledge of countries and continents of any year 7 class she has ever had.

Couldn't wipe the smile off my face ;)

If I have another upper primary class I know what my next homework research task will be ;)

[grandpa_spec_F6]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

This is very true. The problem is many schools have 'fixed' programs with little scope for individualism.

I taught year 6 last year and one of the first things they asked was about my Africa trip in the holidays. It was soon obvious they had little knowledge of countries / continents etc so I integrated a weekly homework task where they fish out a country / independant state out of a box (some 220 of them!) and they needed to fill in a 2 page report.

Took them almost 3 tearms to finish the box but they very much enjoyed it.

I wish we had a school with relaxed policies like this.

Our teacher for social history got scowled for engaging us to the point we got interested and asked our parents and teachers questions.

She openly told the class a week later she was not allowed to teach outside of the curriculum, that she will NEVER tell us her opinion or point of view on a subject as this was deemed 'misleading' and 'coercive'.

So to get around it, she would direct us to material outside of the curriculum, but it would never see the classroom. She just suggested places it might be found.

A very engaged and happy class went back to being quite mundane.

[Trevor 57]

I just finished reading Darcy Dugan's book (only released last year), very intereting bloke and times

[Riksta]

Originally Posted by grandpa_spec_F6

we got Burke and Wills

Quality media personalities those ones.

[RJ94]

Originally Posted by riksta

image

image

quality media personalities those ones.

lmfao!