Foretold: Australia's Whiskey Au Go Go Fire - Part 4

Episode 117

As the weeks leading up to the Whiskey Au Go Go fire unfold, John Stuart desperately tries to convince police, journalists, and nightclub owners that a deadly protection racket is about to erupt in Brisbane. But with his stories constantly changing, his refusal to name names, and increasingly erratic behavior, detectives are left wondering whether they're dealing with a genuine informant or a deeply paranoid career criminal. When Stuart's prediction of an empty nightclub fire comes true, the warnings become harder to ignore—but by then, time is running out. In Part 4, we follow the increasingly bizarre trail of warnings, missed opportunities, and strange coincidences that culminate in the night the Whiskey Au Go Go burned.

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 recommend the book.

As always, keep your exits clear and your fire escapes free of storage.

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Listener discretion is advised.

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SOURCES:

• Plunkett, Geoff. The Whiskey Au Go Go Massacre: Murder, Arson and the Crime of the Century. Big Sky Publishing, 2018.
• Siganto, Talissa. "Whiskey Au Go Go fire bombing witness told by police to change her statement, inquest hears." ABC News Australia, June 16, 2021. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-16/qld-whiskey-au-go-go-inquest-witness-police-statement/100220474
• "Murdered Because She Knew Too Much: The Untold Story of the Whiskey Au Go Go Fire." 7NEWS Spotlight, YouTube, June 15, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH4kz5dbj8g
• Australian Associated Press. "Police were warned Brisbane's Whiskey Au Go Go would be burned down, inquest told." The Guardian, May 11, 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/11/police-were-warned-brisbanes-whiskey-au-go-go-would-be-burned-down-inquest-told
• Cavallaro, Ebony. "Whiskey Au Go Go inquest reveals new evidence into fatal nightclub fire." Nine News Australia, February 3, 2022. https://www.nine.com.au/australia-news/whiskey-au-go-go-inquest-new-evidence-in-queensland-1973-nightclub-fire-that-killed-15-people-20220203-p5yegq.html
• "From the Archives: The Deadly Whiskey Au Go Go Nightclub Fire." Brisbane Times, March 7, 2019. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/from-the-archives-the-deadly-whiskey-au-go-go-nightclub-fire-20190306-p5127e.html