Random views and observations from Michael Gorey in Ballarat, Australia

Gorey Things is the personal website of Michael Gorey, a writer based in Ballarat in regional Victoria, Australia. Michael writes about Australian history, politics and opinion, travel, books, food, technology and life in regional Australia. Articles cover topics including colonial history, genealogy, sport, culture and current affairs. Whether you are interested in the gold rush era, Victorian-era figures, walks and hiking trails, or simply curious opinions on life, cuisine and the world, there is something here for you.

Recent articles

27 MAY 2026

Malawi tyre doctor

I enjoyed my visit to Malawi in 1990. I booked a 10-day fly-drive holiday from Harare, flew into Lilongwe and picked up a battered old car. I stayed the first night at a goo...

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26 MAY 2026

Remember the cartridge pen

I miss many things about life in the 70s and the 80s, but the cartridge pen isn't one of them. Why they were still being given to children in 1975 is a mystery. When I was ...

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21 MAY 2026

Northern Exposure

I have recently found myself immersed in the world of Cicely, Alaska, through the SBS airing of Northern Exposure . The series, which initially follows New York City physic...

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