My Australian Mafia Road Trip: How the 'ndrangheta evolved Down Under

According to legend one hundred and two years ago, the Honoured Society made its way from Calabria to Australia. From that moment on, a series of murders, disappearances and spectacular drug busts showed how the 'ndrangheta took hold Down Under over decades. But why, and how did the 'ndrangheta, or Honoured Society, become so prevalent in Australian society? SBS Italian's Carlo Oreglia and mafia expert Dr Anna Sergi hit the road to find out.

Dr Anna Sergi and SBS Italian broadcaster Carlo Oreglia.

In search of answers about how and why 'ndrangheta emerged and evolved in Australian society Carlo Oreglia and mafia expert Dr Anna Sergi travelled over 1,500 kilometres by car.

SBS Italian broadcaster Carlo Oreglia and Essex University Professor Anna Sergi. Credit: SBS

Driving first from Melbourne toward Griffith, known as the cradle of the 'ndrangheta in the 1970s, and then west through Riverina country to Mildura, Carlo and Anna trace the complex history of the mafia's development in Australia.

Along the road they'll stop and see fields where marijuana crops once stood tall, the pub where the aspiring politician Don Mackay drank his last beer, and the final resting place of the 'boss of bosses', in one of many visits to local cemeteries.

Back in Melbourne, 'ndrangheta origin stories are woven into the fabric of the hot suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy, and Brunswick. Wedged between yoga studios and wine bars are places that bear witness to the mafia's evolution across generations.

Join Carlo Oreglia and expert travelling companion Anna Sergi on the road as they unpack the myth of the 'ndrangheta in Australia.

“My Australian Mafia Roadtrip” is an SBS Audio podcast about the history and the psychology of the ‘ndrangheta Down Under. Find it in your podcast app such as the SBS Audio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or LiSTNR.

Host: Carlo Oreglia

Special Guest: Anna Sergi

Written and Produced by: Carlo Oreglia

Commissioning Editor: Joel Supple

Sound design and Mix: Max Gosford

Tile Artwork: 50sVintageDame/illustrationroom.com.au