Wait... They Did What!? podcast artwork
Kids & Family

Wait... They Did What!?

by ABC Australia

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Latest episodes

  • Wait... women weren't allowed to work?

    October 25, 2026 · 9 min

    Oh hai, husband! what do you mean I have to quit my job?  Women had to leave their jobs if they got married... and when they did work, they got paid less than men.  This episode will answer questions like:  What was the Marriage Bar?What…

  • Wait... playgrounds were danger zones?

    October 11, 2026 · 7 min

    Playgrounds used to be made from splintery wood and hot, rusty metal... and the ground surfaces were asphalt or concrete – ouch!  This episode will answer questions like:  What did playgrounds look like in the 1970s?Why did they take away…

  • Wait... they banned books?

    October 4, 2026 · 8 min

    Harry Potter, Andy Griffiths and Batman were all banned... by Australia’s ruthless book police. This episode will answer questions like:  Why were books banned? What books were banned in Australia? Who bans books? When were books banned in…

  • Wait... Indigenous kids weren't allowed to swim at the pool?

    September 27, 2026 · 8 min

    Imagine being banned from your local swimming pool because of the colour of your skin… that's what happened to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids in the 1960s. This episode will answer questions like: What is racial segregation?How…

  • Wait... schools taught girls how to be posh?

    September 20, 2026 · 8 min

    Dahhhhling! In the 1960s girls went to deportment schools to learn how to be ‘ladylike’... and women were also taught how to be ‘good wives.’  This episode will answer questions like:  What is deportment school?What do you learn at…

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  • Wait... computers were the size of entire rooms?

    September 18, 2026 · 7 min

    Before we could carry computers they cost around a million dollars... and were as heavy as about six African elephants.  This episode will answer questions like:  Who invented the first computer? How big were the first computers? What did…

  • Wait... bike helmets weren’t compulsory?

    September 13, 2026 · 7 min

    You were allowed to ride your bike without a helmet until the 1990s... and lots of cyclists kicked up a stink when the law changed.  This episode will answer questions like:  When did helmets become law in Australia? Why did cyclists…

  • Wait... people only travelled overseas by boat?

    September 6, 2026 · 7 min

    If you wanted to travel overseas in the olden days, it took the whole school holidays... because you had to go by boat.  This episode will answer questions like:  When did planes replace ships? How long did it take to travel overseas by…

  • Wait... discos were run by the police?

    August 30, 2026 · 6 min

    Buddies, bangers and... hold on, police? Blue Light Discos were a vibe in the 80s and 90s.  This episode will answer questions like:  What is a Blue Light Disco? What did kids do at Blue Light Discos? Were Blue Light Discos cool? Find more…

  • Wait... they burnt their rubbish?

    August 23, 2026 · 7 min

    Burn, baby, burn... garbage inferno! Before wheelie bins, Aussies used to burn all their rubbish... in their own backyards.   This episode will answer questions like:  How common were backyard incinerators? When were incinerators banned in…

  • Wait... they ate rabbits?

    August 16, 2026 · 7 min

    We all think bunnies are cute, but most Australians also used to think they were super tasty... until they became infected with a deadly disease. EWW!  This episode will answer questions like:  What is myxomatosis?Are rabbits a pest?Why…

  • Wait... they didn't pay Indigenous workers and they stole their land?

    August 9, 2026 · 10 min

    Indigenous workers were often paid less than white people... if they were paid at all.   Hundreds of Indigenous workers went on strike in the 1960s because they weren’t being paid fairly... and it led to the government returning some of…

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About the show

Wait... They Did What?! is the question you’ll be asking after travelling back through modern history with comedian Tilly Oddy-Black. Perfect for kids aged 8 and over, Wait…They Did What?! unearths the weird, wild and outright scandalous common practices of people in the olden days... like letting kids buy fireworks, banning bikinis on the beach, putting blood-sucking leeches on sick people, and riding in cars without seatbelts. Credits: Host: Tilly Oddy-Black Producers: Samantha Turnbull and Soumia Bella Sound engineer: Que Nguyen Archive researchers: Michael Osmond and Carolyn Cage Composer: David McDonald Executive producers: Veronica Milsom and Alex Lollback