Thousands of people travel through Sydney’s Central Station every day, but how many know what once lay beneath it? This nine-part series will take you on a journey back to 19th century Sydney, to rediscover a place you thought you knew.

TRAILER: The Burial Files

In 1918–19 an influenza pandemic took an estimated 15,000 Australian lives, and millions more around the world. One hundred years on, as we grapple with COVID-19, this five-part series rakes through the archives of the State Library of NSW with historians, public health experts and scientists to trace the path of the 1918-19 pandemic. An eerily familiar story of loss, resilience and discovery in a world turned upside down.

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Documentary

The First World War is still raging in Europe when a mysterious disease begins killing soldiers on the Western Front. Long-practised quarantine measures ensure that when it first arrives in Sydney, it’s immediately identified and contained. But will these defences hold?

Featuring medical historian Dr Peter Hobbins.

MUSIC: Rise and Shine-Piano Duet: Hannes Hofkind, Cellofan: Eracilon, Charcoal: Chad Crouch, Cellomane: Eracilon, Melancholy: ANBR Adrián Berenguer, Perpetuum II: Ad Libitum, Sad Piano: DDmyzik, Désaccords: Eracilon, Ad Libitum: Color Blue, Au fil de la nuit: Eracilon, Rising Tides 3: ANW2538_68. (All tracks amended)

Episode 1:  War, Peace and a Pandemic

An influenza outbreak seems inevitable and Australia prepares. As vaccination is rolled out, thousands of service men and women begin returning home at the end of the First World War. But how do you reunite with loved ones when death is following you home?

Featuring medical historian Dr Peter Hobbins.

MUSIC: Molène: Eracilon, Seung Gong: Dylan Tinlun Chan, Tour de manège-version piano: Real Rice, Train: Sergey Kovchik, Fuguencelle: Eracilon, Promencelle: Eracilon, Balancelle: Eracilon, Sur le fil: Eracilon, The End in your Eyes: Aufklarung, Anxiety: Shymonmusic, sun s smile: Alexander Klein, Cylinder Five: Chris Zabriskie, Anxiety: Hafizzhais, The Last Post: courtesy of the Band of the Royal Military College. (All tracks amended)

Episode 2: Preparing for the Worst

The influenza pandemic spreads and a lockdown is immediately imposed. As Sydney shuts down and masks up, will the restrictions be enough to keep the virus in check?

Featuring public health expert Professor Peter Curson and medical historian Dr Peter Hobbins.

MUSIC: Anxiety: ashot danielyan, Schubert F.6 Moments Musicaux D 780 Op.94-No.3 in F Minor Allegro Moderato: On Classical, Au fil de la nuit: Eracilon, Sad Piano: DDmyzik, The End in your Eyes: Aufklarung, Satie: Christian DALMONT, Promencelle: Eracilon, Entre les cordes: Eracilon, Live: Ludovico Gonzales, Anxiety: Hafizzhais, Anxiety: Shymonmusic. (All tracks amended)

Episode 3: Holding the Line

A second wave of influenza sweeps through New South Wales. The death rate climbs and hospitals are overwhelmed. Why are some groups of people dying at much higher rates than others?

Featuring public health expert Professor Peter Curson, virologist Dr Kirsty Short, Worimi man and historian Professor John Maynard and medical historian Dr Peter Hobbins.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin’s New Rag 1912: OnClassical, Cinematic: Moff, Cylinder Four: Chris Zabriskie, Belle Reve Lost: Simon Bowman, Fuguencelle: Eracilon, Sad Piano: DDmyzik, Le client: Grégoire Lourme, Funeral: Serge Quadrado, Mirage: Ad Libitum, Anxiety: Shymonmusic. (All tracks amended)

TRAILER: The Burial Files

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