While the series focuses on a mosaic of perspectives of the nation's iconic events, the podcast focuses on one person's story, in gripping intimate detail. Hear what it was like to be a police sniper at the Port Arthur massacre; caught directly in the wave at the Boxing Day tsunami; a teenager seeing The Beatles during their record-breaking Adelaide visit; a direct action protestor breaking out refugees in Woomera; or a miner trapped 1km underground for 14 days in a Tasmanian gold mine.

What was it like to lie quietly on the floor of a tourist cafe while a mass murderer shot everyone around you? In this opening episode of I Was Actually There, we go deep inside the experience and hear from the tourists who ran for their lives, the local doctor first on the scene, the journalist that spoke to the gunman on the phone and the sniper that had him in his sights, to understand what it was like to live it. Read about it

The show's unique concept and powerful storytelling have been lauded by critics. The Sydney Morning Herald:
"Elegant in its simplicity and brilliantly effective, I Was Actually There is original and inventive, cleverly constructed and quietly powerful. The concept is so smart and the production so well executed that it makes you wonder why no one has thought of it before, which is always a telling measure of a great idea." Read here

We premiered an early excerpt of I Was Actually There at the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) in Melbourne. You could feel the air suck out of the room as our interviewees described the very personal experience of being at the Port Arthur massacre. See the excerpt here

Over the last six weeks, Docker Media has interviewed incredible people from all walks of life who were actually there during major events in Australia's recent history. Some of the well-known names include Nicky Winmar, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, 97 yo Bob Rogers, and Bob Katter. But, as I Was Actually There will reveal, every person's perspective is equally fascinating if they witnessed it live. In this series, it doesn’t matter who you are — a main player or one on the periphery — we want your take.

I Was Actually There is a six-episode documentary series, each episode focusing on a significant Australian historical moment. Cut from the same cloth as You Can’t Ask That, each episode will feature a variety of voices with first-hand experience, intercut, to show the multiple truths that exist for any moment. Over the shoot period, Docker Media will travel the country, interviewing upwards of 60 people and uncovering new takes on iconic Australian events.

Were you there when Australian history happened? Cathy Freeman winning gold or Corey Worthington’s infamous party? The Boxing Day tsunami or the Cronulla Riots? Click here to let us know what you witnessed live or an event we should cover in Season 1 of our ABC series, I Was Actually There.

Docker Media is delighted to announce ABC's commissioning of our new six-episode documentary series, I Was Actually There. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a fly on the wall when Australia’s most iconic or defining moments happened? This series will interview those who witnessed them live — whether it’s the Port Arthur massacre or the Beatles visiting Adelaide in 1964. It will ask them what they saw, how they reacted and how it changed them. For more updates, watch this space!