Discover the unlikely, and at times almost unbelievable story behind a horse saddle on display in the Shrine's Galleries of Remembrance. Former Warrant Officer Leon Dimmack joins us to uncover the tale and how the saddle went from almost being thrown in the trash to an invaluable treasure. 

Uncover the world of camouflage with author and academic Professor Ann Elias. Explore the artists, creatives, and naturalists who shaped camouflage techniques during conflict, the challenges they faced, and how their creative contributions influenced the Australian military.

From face paint to full scale deception, you’ll discover there’s more to camouflage than meets they eye. 

These detailed, intricate shoes may look beautiful, but they have a horrific history. 

In this episode of Shrine Stories, join Exhibitions Coordinator Katrina Nicolson as she uncovers the story behind a pair of Lotus shoes on display in our galleries, and their unlikely link to stories of service. 

WARNING: This episode contains themes that may be distressing for some audience. Listener discretion is advised. 

If you've been to a service at the Shrine, you will have seen our Shrine Guard dressed in their distinct uniform. And this year marks 90 years of their service to the Shrine. 

In this episode you'll uncover how the Shrine Guard were formed, what their role looks like today, and importantly, how long it takes to shine their shoes with Senior Protective Services Officer David Rose'Meyer. 

The saying goes, ‘an army marches on its stomach’, but in theory what does this actually look like? How is food prepared in a makeshift kitchen during deployment? Who coordinates getting fresh food to these kitchens? And how are military chefs trained to withstand such a high-pressure environment in the face of conflict?

Discover all this and more with Major Ruth Hayes OAM and Captain Brett Williams (Retd), who between them, have decades of experiences in the world of military catering. 

Ration packs are perhaps one of first things that spring to mind when we think of food in the military. But have you ever stopped to consider how they're developed? From their weight to their ability to be dropped from high altitutudes and withstand boiling and freezing climates, the science behind ration packs is incredibly complex.

Ross Coad spent more than three decades working at the Defence Science and Technology Group in Scottsdale, Tasmania. This involved research on food packaging, food processing, the nutritional requirements of military personnel and, of course, ration packs.

Listen as he uncovers the best (and worse) ration pack items, and how they were trialled in the field. 

What did you have for dinner last night? Imagine if we took your dinner plans, put it 100 metres below sea level, multiplied the mouths to feed to about 60 and took out any fresh fruit or vegetables. This was a daily reality for Commander John Goss during his career as a cook in the Navy.

John’s story is one of many shared in the Shrine’s special exhibition Taste of Combat: The Evolution of Military Food, which uncovers often-invisible service of catering for the military and the challenges, research and innovation involved in feeding the forces.

Listen as John unpacks his career and how he managed to cook in such an extreme environment.

Images of the Shrine of Remembrance today are abundant, but depictions of its construction are rare treasures.

In this episode of Shrine Stories, Collections Coordinator Toby Miller delves into Alexander Colquhoun’s painting of the Shrine being built, uncovering its artistic significance and the personal grief woven into its story.

Have you ever wondered how mail was received by soldiers on the front line? In this festive edition of Shrine Stories, Exhibitions Coordinator Katrina Nicolson uncovers a unique Christmas message and unpacks just how complex it was to coordinate wartime post. 

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating history of the Shrine's Ray of Light. This feature was meticulously calculated so at 11am on November 11, a beam of sunlight would shine through a hole in the Shrine's roof and illuminate the word 'love' etched into the Stone of Remembrance. However, the introduction of daylight savings in 1971 threw a spanner in the works, causing the light to hit the stone an hour late.

Join us as we explore how Frank Johnston, a surveyor and RMIT lecturer, worked on a solution to this problem and has continued to keep the light shining 50 years on.