“We are excited to provide a different and interesting experience for our passengers and tourists as they travel across our network,” he says.

“These podcasts showcase the rich and diverse history of Melbourne and we can’t wait to share these stories with our passengers.”

The use of geo-located podcasts along the city’s train lines is an Australian-first with the podcasts playing automatically as you approach a landmark or point of interest across Melbourne’s one-thousand-kilometre metropolitan train network.

More than 400,000 passengers pass through Flinders Street Station, every day, but most are unaware that it is Australia’s oldest station. Did you know that it was one person’s job to manually change the clocks at Flinders Street 900 times a day?

The podcast series covers a variety of themes, including local food, culture, street art, travel tips, fun facts, and interesting stories about each suburb’s history, culture and train stations.

More podcasts capturing stories from other train lines are planned in the future.

Jarrod Pickford, Storytowns’ founder, embarked on global hitchhiking trips in his 20s and 30s. His travels inspired a passion to link travellers with local communities via geo-located audio, infused with local insights. Since launching in 2019, Storytowns has offered hundreds of free geo-located podcast tours throughout Australia, transforming the way people explore and connect with their surroundings.

Jarrod says he relished the opportunity to partner with Metro for this project.

“”We believe that every suburb has a story to tell, and we’re excited to bring Melbourne’s unique character and history to life through the voices of its people,” he says.

The Storytowns app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices at www.storytowns.com.au/metro from 23 November. Users can access the podcasts for free and start their journey right away.