With Melbourne in lockdown during the pandemic and most of my public speaking engagements cancelled I turned my historical eye to things closer to home. It gave me the opportunity to delve into the history of a local stormwater drain. It was a historical journey that not only gave me the opportunity to explore more of my local area but also opened my eyes to just how close to the surface our pre-colonial landscape really is and how this landscape has shaped the streetscapes we walk today. The outcome was a short blogpost and then, with the encouragement of the Melbourne History Workshop, my first podcast, published as part of the My Marvellous Melbourne podcast series.