This Week in 1966 – Part Three: Mr Stinky, a Rogue Cop and the Beaumont Children

·35 min·3 clips

In 1966, three children vanished from Glenelg Beach, sparking a national mystery that remains unsolved 60 years later.

The episode is the third part of a miniseries focusing on a single week in 1966. It begins with Australia's transition to decimal currency, detailing public reactions, new banknote designs, and price comparisons with today. The host then shifts to the broader, under-discussed societal move toward a cashless economy, noting surveillance and fee concerns. Political context is provided through figures like new Prime Minister Harold Holt and Opposition Deputy Leader Gough Whitlam, who challenged the White Australia policy. The episode's core revolves around two criminal cases. The first is the disappearance of the Beaumont children, which sparked national horror and media exploitation, notably by former detective Ray Kelly, who was hired by The Sun newspaper for a sensationalized investigation. The second is the Shepparton murders of Gary Heywood and Abina Medill, solved nearly 20 years later when Raymond Edmonds, known as 'Mr Stinky', was convicted after a fingerprint arrest for indecent exposure. The episode also touches on the Rolling Stones' 1966 Australian tour, including Keith Richards' vaccination issue and Brian Jones' later drowning. Throughout, the host weaves in cultural details, such as public gripes about new coins and the era's social dynamics, to paint a comprehensive picture of the week.

As heard by us

A strange week of Australian history links political violence, the Beaumont case and Keith Richards.

Forgotten Australia sets the Beaumont children's disappearance inside a strange week in 1966, then broadens into Peter Cocan's point-blank attempted shooting of Arthur Caldwell and the political aftermath around it.

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Why you'd press play

You get a vanished-children mystery, a point-blank attack on Arthur Caldwell, and Keith Richards running into Sydney's smallpox vaccination rules.

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