Do It Ourselves Culture

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Do It Ourselves Culture This page came into being after a documentary I made in 2016. This page champions slices of Do It Ourselves Culture (DOIC) in Sydney and beyond .

The last Reclaim the Lanes in Sydney in February 2013 and last two decades of Sydney people getting together and organising amazing conscious events that transcend the mundane have inspired me to make this documentary film. There will be a premier of the 1-1.5 hour work at Tortuga studios around September 2014 before the film is released on youtube and entered into some documentary film festivals. I'm also considering it a pilot project to attract funding and interest for further documentaries looking into Australia's colourful history of music and protest. This film is about grassroots community groupings choosing and assembling their own event culture rather than blindly following a culture imposed, Reclaim the lanes demonstrated this uncommercial motivation as it exploded out of the artistic and creative underground of Newtown. Underground, overground and wombling free, the events presented themselves in the lanes and streets and the local community met itself. The last lane reclaiming fiesta with its parade of renegade randomness made its way through the lanes of Newtown and made it's way to Sydney Park, Sydney's birthplace of free party culture. Reclaim the lanes is a powerful 'do it ourselves' cultural echo of 'Reclaim The Streets' that helped define the protest carnival experience in Sydney from the mid 90s with almost 20 memorable street reclaiming actions spanning over a decade. People were speaking out on top of an iron pulse rhythm of home made techno and hip hop against the mainstream on issues from public transport and indigenous rights to the nuclear industry and saving our dwindling forests and the war in the Middle East. Reclaim the streets was a landslide of community energy in the urban canyons of Sydney. When ambassadors of the RTS UK crew came to Australia to sow the seeds of these events in the early 90's they came across a free party scene that was bubbling at a high point of motivation and organisation. When the early doof and protest culture joined forces it seemed like anything was possible, amazing times were had from unstoppable inner city bush Doof and street party uprisings to Australia wide anti nuclear sound system convoys with Lab Rats, Ohms not Bombs, Mutoid Waste co and Earthdream. Peace bus outreach projects with the inner city mural covered Graffiti Hall of Fame helped build party bridges between alternative youth subculture and indigenous Australia. People were building their collective future with direct action and using parties to bring more people together. In the naughties Channel party Rave-o-lutions drew thousands to abandoned warehouses,
Do It Ourself culture spurned on by the quantum shift of the internet and social networking took on a new momentum. I felt like this culture and how to make it happen needed to be documented to inspire future generations to keep it going with a bit of business as unusual and fun and randomness. Do It Ourselves Culture is about 85% complete but theres a few holes in the story, I'll be calling out for photo’s and footage over the next couple of months.

The one and only Sunday Dub Club, skanking up a spooky storm at Trick n Trike this Halloween
21/10/2026

The one and only Sunday Dub Club, skanking up a spooky storm at Trick n Trike this Halloween

OHMS NOT BOMBS — TURN UP THE SOUND. RECLAIM THE FUTURE.Calling ravers, freaks, geeks and party animals old and new: this...
18/10/2026

OHMS NOT BOMBS — TURN UP THE SOUND. RECLAIM THE FUTURE.

Calling ravers, freaks, geeks and party animals old and new: this event is a nod to Sydney’s rave history but also an invitation to co-create its next chapter together.

This Halloween, Ohms Not Bombs brings all generations together for music, connection and collaboration, rekindling the DIY spirit that’s kept this city’s party and sound system culture alive since the late 80s.

As another election cycle looms, let’s get together, get loud and get organised. In our streets and venues, we celebrate our diversity, reject bigotry and challenge a future shaped by corporate control of energy, technology and AI while the gap between rich and poor keeps growing.

When the veil between the spirit world and this physical realm is thin, let’s imagine another world and start building it on the dance floor.

Gather. Dance. Activate. Organise.
Heavy bass-Many hands production-A less scary future for all.
Tickets selling fast
Get yours now

Something wicked is rolling your way… An inner-city warehouse. Saturday 31 October. A fright-trike spooky spectacular.

What a truly amazing picture by Wendy Macdougal , mid to late 90s protest scene with Tony Spanos of Graffiti Hall of Fam...
15/10/2026

What a truly amazing picture by Wendy Macdougal , mid to late 90s protest scene with Tony Spanos of Graffiti Hall of Fame at the front of the crowd, most probably doing his police liaison jester routine in defence of whatever street occupation this was. This photo has an almost Middle Ages painting vibe, interesting the one policeman’s gaze to the camera. Any ideas of the event ?

26/09/2026

Bring your bones to this!

Way back at the birth of Doof we had Imagineer rocking all night warehouse happenings in Adelaide https://www.facebook.c...
24/09/2026

Way back at the birth of Doof we had Imagineer rocking all night warehouse happenings in Adelaide

https://www.facebook.com/share/1MZRGaBSSn/?mibextid=wwXIfr

In March 1992, during the Adelaide Fringe, a crew called Imagineer took over the Lion Arts Centre on the corner of North Terrace and Morphett Street for three Saturday nights running. They called the space Sculptribe City. Each night got its own flyer, and each flyer pushed a little harder than the....

Authorities try to smash the Technival movement in France
16/09/2026

Authorities try to smash the Technival movement in France

With tear gas, grenades and a new law, French authorities are targeting unlicensed music gatherings. Those in the rave scene explore the parallels with the UK in the 90s

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