About

In the 1830s, Australians were drinking 13.6 litres of pure alcohol, per person, per year. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you think about it, a standard bottle of vodka is 500mL. That works out to be a bit over half a bottle of vodka PER WEEK that the average Aussie was drinking in the 1830s.Australia clearly has a long and tortured history with alcohol. In fact, the control of alcohol was reportedly involved in the only military coup in Australian history – the 1808 Rum Rebellion. Prohibition is a podcast produced by Old Dubbo Gaol and Dubbo Regional Council, where we delve into the world of Shanty Towns, The Temperance Movement, and examine what the very first Lockout Laws were like in the early 1900s. We’ll examine the ins-and-outs of the illegal trading of alcohol in 19th and 20th centuries, and more specifically, characters tied to the Old Dubbo Gaol. At the end of the mini-series, you’ll be invited to our very own Prohibition at the Yard, held at the Old Dubbo Gaol in February this year. You’ll have to find the secret bars and hideaways within The Gaol, as you’re taken back in time to the roaring 20s with swing bands and speakeasy bars.