2022 may not have been my most adventurous year in terms of travel, but I still managed to see some interesting things on short trips in my own backyard.

In addition to feasting my eyes on the sticker and assorted street art of the Melbourne Laneways and the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania (which I can now cross off my list) I also saw –

1. A Copy of the First Bootleg Rock Record

The album that kicked off the bootleg record industry of the 1970s, Great White Wonder featured unauthorised Bob Dylan recordings obtained by “industry insiders” known as Dub and Ken.

The album was released in 1969 at a cost of $12.98 for consumers and possible legal action for retailers.

A copy can be found in the State Library of Victoria.

2. Australia’s Oldest Bridge

I know what you’re thinking:

But look at this thing:

It’s gorgeous. As are its surroundings of Richmond, Tasmania.

3. Ned Kelly’s Body Armour

Hero or villain?

Criminal or Cultural Icon?

Wild Colonial Boy or just another thug with a gun?

In Australia, opinions on Ned Kelly and his legacy are mixed, but there’s no doubt that his homemade body armour (housed in the State Library of Victoria) is iconic.

4. A Library Without Words

Unofficially dubbed The White Library, this officially untitled interactive artwork by Cuban artist Wilfredo Prieto is located in MONA, Tasmania.

Featuring 5000 totally blank white books and newspapers displayed on specially constructed shelving units or strewn on tables, The White Library was notable for being the place I felt the most calm all year.

Maybe Gloria Estefan was right, sometimes words get in the way.

5. The Best Garden Gate Ever

Spotted in Battery Point, Hobart.

I mean, what else is there to say?

What interesting things did you see in 2022?