Event Description

Be bedazzled by this electrifying blend of history, music and illusion.

Frank Weston, the self-proclaimed Doctor and Wizard Oil Prince, was a charismatic American showman who captivated audiences across Australia and New Zealand from the 1860s to the 1880s. Known for his bold Yankee wit, Weston toured with his two-hour extravaganza of jokes, songs, and comic tales, weaving in relentless plugs for his 'miracle' cures, including Wizard Oil, Magic Pills, and Mexican Mustang Liniment.

Join historian Dr David Waldron and magician Dr Jo Clyne as they bring Weston’s curious world back to life in an electrifying fusion of history and illusion. With local band, Drongo and The Crow, performing the original music from Weston’s travelling medicine show, this one-of-a-kind event will reveal the charms and deceptions behind the 19th-century craze for magical cures and quackery.

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When

1:00PM - 3:00PM
Saturday 10 May 2025
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Contact

9747 5300

Where

Melton Library & Learning Hub
31 McKenzie Street
Melton VIC
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Event Partner

The Melton City Libraries Heritage Festival is on from 3 to 17 May. Visit melton.vic.gov.au/library to learn more.

Bookings

Please log in with your library credentials to reserve your place at this event. You may also book by phone, email or at your nearest library.

Events in Heritage Festival Series

EVENT NAME Date LOCATION
Historical Games 03-05-2025 at 11:00AM Caroline Springs Library And Learning Hub
Their Life in a Suitcase 03-05-2025 at 1:30PM Caroline Springs Library And Learning Hub
Curious About Culture: Pakistan Community Profile 06-05-2025 at 10:30AM Melton Library & Learning Hub
Sketching at the Willows Historical Park 07-05-2025 at 2:00PM Willows Historic Park
Diggers Rest – A history from 1835 08-05-2025 at 6:00PM Former Diggers Rest School
Growing up Indian in Australia 08-05-2025 at 6:30PM Melton Library & Learning Hub
Diggers Rest – A history from 1835 08-05-2025 at 7:00PM Former Diggers Rest School
Woodblock Carving Workshop 09-05-2025 at 10:00AM Melton Library & Learning Hub
Woodblock Carving Workshop 09-05-2025 at 2:00PM Caroline Springs Library And Learning Hub
Historical Games 09-05-2025 at 4:00PM Melton Library & Learning Hub
Diggers Rest – A history from 1835 10-05-2025 at 1:00PM Former Diggers Rest School
Diggers Rest – A history from 1835 10-05-2025 at 2:00PM Former Diggers Rest School
Diggers Rest – A history from 1835 10-05-2025 at 3:00PM Former Diggers Rest School
Exhibition tour: 'Healthy Country, Healthy People' 11-05-2025 at 1:30PM Caroline Springs Library And Learning Hub
Retro Movie Time: King Kong (1933) 12-05-2025 at 2:00PM Melton Library & Learning Hub

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