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Brendan’s Odyssey is a Perth-based YouTube channel about Western Australian history, places and people—from old transport routes and buildings to abandoned attractions and overlooked local stories. Creator Brendan Meharry says his aim is to tell stories he feels can be overlooked beyond Perth; the channel’s companion website adds research material and years of photography.
What is Brendan’s Odyssey?
Brendan’s Odyssey is a documentary-style YouTube project focused on Western Australia. Its subjects range from transport history and town histories to heritage buildings, industrial sites, lost attractions and local characters. The channel’s official companion website provides research materials not available elsewhere on the channel, alongside photography, much of it from urban exploration.
In a PerthNow profile published on 10 June 2025, Morgan de Smidt described the channel as exploring Western Australia’s “surprising, quirky and forgotten history.” Meharry told PerthNow: “I want to tell the stories, I feel like Perth gets forgotten a bit in the scheme of Australia, you know, we’re pretty isolated from everyone else.” The quotation reflects his stated motivation, rather than an independent assessment of how often Perth is covered.
What kinds of stories does the channel cover?
The video index includes subjects that make local history tangible: railway lines, buildings, former attractions, industrial remains and places outside Perth. The topics vary, but the focus is on investigating the history attached to a specific site, route or community rather than presenting a general survey of Western Australian history.
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PerthNow reported that Meharry started the account two years before its 2025 profile and that a video about the Perth Entertainment Centre helped grow the audience. That particular video had passed 120,000 views since its release in 2024, according to the article; this is a dated figure for one video, not a current channel-wide audience total.
How does Meharry find and research stories?
Meharry says ideas come from online reading, familiarity with roads around the metropolitan area, observing places, browsing maps and suggestions from viewers. In PerthNow, he described the potential for stories to remain hard to find in conventional formats: “There’s a lot of untold (WA) stories out there, which a lot of them are only in text form,”
The channel’s official FAQ names several resources Meharry uses. These are his descriptions of his own research process, not a guarantee that every resource contains relevant material for every topic:
- State Library of Western Australia: Meharry describes it as a central resource and says membership is free. He notes that some materials require an in-person visit.
- Trove: Used to look for historical newspapers and periodicals.
- Landgate Map Viewer Plus: Meharry says it offers historical aerial photography dating back to the 1940s.
- Retro Maps: He uses it to consult early Perth sewer-network feature surveys.
- inHerit: A source he names for heritage listings.
- Rail Heritage WA and Open Railway Map: Resources he uses when investigating railway subjects.
- State Records Office of Western Australia: Another named source for documentary records.
Because service features and access arrangements can change, check each provider’s current information before planning research or a visit.
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How are the videos made?
Meharry says a video can take weeks from start to finish, alongside full-time work. PerthNow reported that he spends weekends researching, exploring sites, filming and editing. That workload helps explain why the channel’s subjects are presented as individual investigations rather than quick summaries.
His official FAQ describes a varied, creator-reported setup, not an independent gear review:
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- Primary camera: Sony Alpha 7C mirrorless camera; he also keeps an older Sony 6300 as a secondary camera.
- Movement-heavy filming and vlogging: DJI Osmo Action 4, paired with a DJI Mic Mini.
- Urban filming: Phones, including a Pixel 5, Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 and iPhone 15 Pro.
- Other audio equipment: Rode Wireless ME and Blue Yeti microphones.
- Editing and production: Premiere Pro and Photoshop, as well as Audacity, Blender and OBS.
For people interested in making their own videos, Meharry’s most practical advice is: “use what you have already instead of immediately spending a bunch of money.” His setup describes what he uses; it does not establish that a particular camera or software is necessary for local-history filmmaking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What recognition has Brendan’s Odyssey received?
The Government of Western Australia’s 2026 Margaret Medcalf Award shortlist included Brendan Meharry’s 2025 contributions: “Brendan’s Odyssey – Barracks Arch, the Pemberton to Northcliffe Railway, the Big Bell Hotel, the Brisbane and Wunderlich display parks and the Jokers Tunnel (YouTube Channel and Website – 2025 contributions).” This is evidence of shortlist recognition; it is not evidence that the channel won the award.
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Where can viewers find more?
Viewers can watch the videos on Brendan’s Odyssey on YouTube and browse the companion website for research material and photography. The official FAQ says YouTube membership offers bonus behind-the-scenes videos. It also says channel income helps cover costs including transport, accommodation, equipment and software subscriptions; the FAQ does not state a current membership price.
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