Annabel Crabb Lifts Lid on HISTORY OR HOARDING? Podcast

Why It Matters

The podcast spotlights the role of cultural institutions as custodians of collective memory, while expanding ABC’s audio reach into heritage storytelling.

Key Takeaways

• ABC launches "History Or Hoarding?" podcast with Annabel Crabb.
• Series explores State Library of NSW's hidden collections across eight episodes.
• Library holds six million items; only two million are books.
• Episodes reveal odd artifacts like Flinders’ hat, bridge ribbon, human hair.
• Podcast highlights cultural institutions as society’s memory palace.

Pulse Analysis

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is expanding its digital audio portfolio with the launch of “History Or Hoarding?”, a weekly podcast fronted by journalist Annabel Crabb. Known for her incisive political commentary and storytelling, Crabb brings a personable yet investigative tone to the series, positioning the ABC as a curator of cultural narratives beyond traditional news. By pairing her profile with the ABC Listen platform, the broadcaster taps into the growing appetite for on‑demand audio, while reinforcing its public‑service mandate to illuminate Australian heritage for a broad audience.

The State Library of New South Wales, celebrating its bicentennial, opens its ‘secret stacks’ to listeners, revealing a trove of six million items—only a third of which are books. From Matthew Flinders’ hat to a ribbon from the 1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge opening, and even collections of fruit stickers and human hair, the archive underscores how preservation choices reflect societal values. The podcast’s behind‑the‑scenes access demystifies archival work, showcasing the meticulous cataloguing, conservation techniques, and the human stories that give each object relevance.

Beyond entertainment, the series serves as a case study in how audio storytelling can deepen public engagement with cultural institutions. By translating dusty inventories into vivid narratives, the podcast encourages listeners to consider what is saved and what is omitted from collective memory. This model may inspire other libraries and museums to adopt similar formats, leveraging podcasts to reach younger, digitally native audiences. As the ABC rolls out new episodes each Wednesday, the partnership signals a broader shift toward immersive, accessible heritage content in the media landscape.