Foretold: Australia's Whiskey Au Go Go Fire

About this episode

This episode explores the 1973 firebombing of the Whisky Au Go Go nightclub in Brisbane, examining prior warnings from a career criminal and the tragic events that unfolded.

Episode 114 In March 1973, a firebomb ripped through Brisbane's Whisky Au Go Go nightclub, killing 15 people and injuring many more in one of Australia's deadliest nightclub fires. But according to one man, the tragedy wasn't a surprise. Months before the fire, career criminal John Stuart had been warning police, reporters, and nightclub owners that organized crime was planning a series of nightclub firebombings. First an empty club. Then a crowded one. Most dismissed the warnings as the paranoid ramblings of a convicted criminal. Then an empty nightclub called the Torinos was firebombed. Less than two weeks later, the Whisky Au Go Go burned. In Part 1 of this series, we examine the Brisbane nightclub scene of the early 1970s, the layout and fire safety issues inside the Whisky Au Go Go, the events of the March 8, 1973 fire, and the disturbing warnings that suddenly made investigators ask one question: How did John Stuart know? Sources for this episode include Geoff Plunkett's excellent book, The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century, along with contemporary reporting and historical records. If you'd like a much deeper dive into the case, we highly…

People in this episode

Host: lilpyrogirl

Topics covered

• true crime
• firebombing
• Australia
• nightclub tragedy
• organized crime
• 1970s history

Keywords

• Whisky Au Go Go
• firebombing
• John Stuart
• Brisbane
• 1973
• nightclub fire
• true crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Whisky Au Go Go, Torinos

Books & works: The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century

Places: Brisbane

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