It’s the boy spouting wisdom on a bus. The argument overheard at last night’s game. The stranger with the look or one-liner that perfectly captures a memorable moment in a particular place.

The New York Times has been collecting these kinds of vignettes from its readers since 1976 with a feature called Metropolitan Diary — a beloved crowdsourced collection that reveals the character of one specific place: New York City.

But why stop there?

Now that we’ve opened a bureau here in Australia, we’re asking readers in this country to share their own little revealing moments with us, and each other.

We’ll be sharing a batch of entries each week through at least the end of the Australian summer — and we’d love to hear from you.