The Sandy Point skeleton: Solving a decades-old enigma

01/07/25 • 42 min

Unravel the enigma of the 'Sandy Point Man'. Discover how advanced forensic techniques combined with historical detective work put a name to a skeleton discovered off the coast of Victoria in 2017. With Victorian forensic experts Dr. Dadna Hartman and Dr. Runa Daniel leading the charge, hear how they applied complex methods like bomb pulse dating and forensic genetic genealogy to give the body a name and reveal what happened the day he disappeared.

This podcast is produced by Public Record Office Victoria the archive of the state government of Victoria. To view the podcast homepage and all episodes, and to view records related to this episode go to https://prov.vic.gov.au/look-history-eye-podcast

Previous Episode

Travelling to Tomorrow: Australian women of 1920s America

Join us as we journey into the profound stories of Australian women who ventured to the United States during the 1920s and 1930s, leaving their mark on the art world, sport, politics, and society. With historian Dr. Yves Rees as our guide, we uncover research into pioneering artist Mary Cecil Allen, Judge May Lahey, surfer and teacher Isabel Letham and social economist Persia Campbell, whose remarkable achievements built bridges across the Pacific before the second world war tied the knot. A lecture by Dr Rees following the publication of their book Travelling To Tomorrow.

Look History in the Eye, Melbourne - The Sandy Point skeleton: Solving a decades-old enigma

Transcript

Fiona Leahy Guest

00:00

There are quite a number of bodies in Waratah Bay. So, as you will know, Bass Strait was and still is a major shipping route, and in the 19th century, Waratah Bay actually provided shelter to a number of the vessels that were travelling between Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney, and also New Zealand, and the stormy weather would force the boats into the bay where they would seek shelter until there was calmer waters. Now, unfortunately, many of t