23 MAY 2026
Car insurance premiums racing upwards
My comprehensive car insurance premium recently rose by 17 per cent, pushing it to $1025 for a vehicle valued at $13,000. This increase came even after I used a broker and ...
Read article →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
23 MAY 2026
Maternal DNA reveals Viking heritage
According to a maternal DNA test (mtDNA), I'm descended from a Viking woman. My haplogroup is J1c3f, who lived 4600 years ago. A haplogroup is a genetic cohort of people ...
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22 MAY 2026
Alfred Deakin: Australia's second Prime Minister
Alfred Deakin was Australia's second Prime Minister after Federation and he could have been our greatest if his life hadn't been cut short. In writing this, my thanks go ...
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21 MAY 2026
Building a custom CMS: The journey to Gorey Things
There is a distinct satisfaction in moving away from one-size-fits-all platforms to build your own space on the internet. For years, WordPress has been the default engine fo...
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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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21 MAY 2026
The rise and fall of Tom Wills
Tom Wills (standing at back wearing a cap) with his aboriginal cricket team in 1866 outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Greg de Moore’s book on Tom Wills: His Spectac...
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19 MAY 2026
Angustown School
My grandfather, Michael Gorey, attended the Angustown School in the 1890s. After moving frequently about the Corop and Echuca districts early in their marriage, his parents...
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5 MAY 2026
Slow cooker lamb and lentil soup
Slow cooker lamb and lentil soup is a tasty winter warmer dish that’s easy to prepare and delicious to eat. The great thing about soup is that you can toss almost anything ...
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22 FEB 2026
Thylacine: Bringing the past to life
It's truly remarkable that scientists are poised to resurrect the extinct thylacine. Scientific efforts to resurrect the extinct thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, are re...
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3 FEB 2026
Colour blind casting
Colour-blind casting in the British film industry compromises the integrity of fact-based drama when it’s applied unfaithfully against the historical record. I didn’t know ...
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