Titles tagged with ‘country towns’
39 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year
1910s
The Man from Kangaroo feature film – 1919
John Harland, a bush parson, is dismissed from his job for teaching children how to box. Harland moves to another town, where he combats ruffians and rescues his girlfriend from a forced marriage.
1920s
An AIM Patrol documentary – 1927
This film documented outback life in the 1920s and may have been made to accompany a written report.
Hoyts and Studebaker Cinema Advertisement: Touring Talkie Show advertisement – c1929
This advertisement positions the joint Hoyts, Shell and Studebaker venture as a service which audiences in country areas both need and deserve.
1930s
Along the Road to Gundagai music – 1931
This is a famous recording of one of Australia’s most popular songs.
1940s
Theme From ‘Blue Hills’ radio – 1949
This is the theme from the long-running ABC radio serial Blue Hills (1949–76).
1950s
Smiley feature film – 1956
A mischievous boy in a small town tries to reform himself, in order to earn a bicycle.
Smiley Gets a Gun feature film – 1958
A nine-year-old country boy tries to give up mischief in order to win a much-desired rifle.
A Town To Be Drowned television program – 1958
This ABC program was one of the first homemade documentaries on a contemporary local subject to be seen on Australian television, and previously thought to have been lost.
1960s
Snowy Hydro – The Jindabyne Story sponsored film – c1965
Although the film talks about the potential loss of the history of the region, the prevailing sense is that the new town of Jindabyne will do very well.
1970s
Bellbird television program – 1970
Australia’s first successful national weekly serial, dealing with the lives and loves of ordinary people in a small country town.
Historic Beechworth home movie – 1971
This colour home movie gives us a glimpse into Beechworth, showing us the local scenery and architecture and people panning for gold.
Matlock Police – Episode 1, Twenty-six Hours television program – 1971
From an opening sequence strongly reminiscent of Easy Rider (1969) to a rollicking country car chase at its climax, this is a bumper first episode.
The Picture Show Man feature film – 1977
The comic performances from John Meillon and John Ewart as the last of the itinerant vaudevillians are superb.
Summer City feature film – 1977
Best known as Mel Gibson’s first movie, Summer City is a laid-back road movie that emerges as more than just a throwaway, thanks to strong performances.
A Big Country – The White Rose television program – 1979
Widely known as 'the King of the Dance Hall’, Frank Bourke founded The White Rose Orchestra in 1936 and toured rural areas for more than 40 years.
Ride On Stranger television program – 1979
Bookworm Shannon Jones heads for the Harbour City to learn about life, love and politics in the 1930s.
Young Ramsay – Natural Selection television program – 1979
Young Ramsay is perfect family viewing from a time when there was usually only one television in the house and families sat down to watch it together.
1980s
A Town Like Alice television program – 1980
This mini-series, based on the novel by Nevil Shute, tells an epic love story that begins in Malaya during the Japanese occupation of 1941–45.
Four Corners – We’ll All Be Rooned television program – 1982
A lack of envirommental perspective somewhat dates a tragic record of the death of a country town. The wheat belt of Coonamble is now entering its fourth year of drought.
Next of Kin feature film – 1982
On her mother’s death, Linda Stevens inherits an isolated retirement home. Strange events occur, leading Linda to believe an evil force dwells in the house.
Mail Order Bride television program – 1984
A hard-hitting drama about racism, sexism and xenophobia in a small country town.
The Coca-Cola Kid feature film – 1985
The Coca–Cola company sends its top trouble shooter to boost sales in Australia. He plans to win customers away from a much loved, old-style soft-drink maker.
The Flying Doctors – Public Property television program – 1986
The Flying Doctors is a drama series set in the fictional town of Coopers Crossing and based on the work and lives of the men and women of the outback medical service.
The Fringe Dwellers feature film – 1986
This film has an Aboriginal ensemble cast, but a narrative based on a Western woman’s experience of an Aboriginal community.
Shame feature film – 1987
Perth lawyer Asta Cadell uncovers a series of sex crimes and dark secrets in a small town in Western Australia.
1990s
The Daylight Moon: A Portrait of the Poet Les Murray documentary – 1991
World-renowned Australian poet Les Murray reflects on his life and work.
Blue Heelers – A Woman’s Place television program – 1993
This first episode of Blue Heelers combines police drama with soap elements and introduces us to the show’s key country locations and the central 'family’ of contrasting characters.
Cenotaph documentary – 1993
The documentary looks at the effect of the First World War on the New South Wales country town of Hay. Fourteen men and seven women revisit the Western Front after 70 years.
My Life as I Live It documentary – 1993
In this follow-up to My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978), also set in the Brewarrina Aboriginal community, 'Bush Queen’ Essie Coffey has nominated for the local council elections.
Rebels With a Cause documentary – 1994
Cecil Waters rules the family with a ‘rod of iron’, and is training his sons to be champion boxers.
Doesn’t Everybody Want a Golden Guitar documentary – 1995
A theme of this foot-tapping documentary, set in Tamworth, is that country music fans are also down-to-earth like country people.
Road to Nhill feature film – 1997
Four lady bowlers roll their car outside a country town. Amid chaos and panicking menfolk, they save themselves.
2000s
Message Stick – Tent Boxers television program – 2001
A tribute to the Aboriginal men who travelled around Australia in the 1950s and ‘60s with tent-boxing troupes.
Flat short film – 2002
A short drama about the day in a life of a young teenager. Marnie lives in a housing commission estate and captures Alice Springs through a video camera given to her by her mostly absent father.
Outback Opera, La Boheme Tour documentary – 2002
Opera Australia’s OzOpera Tour took La Boheme to country Victoria and South Australia. The camera follows the 22-stop tour.
Shifting Shelter 3 documentary – 2005
Shot over a ten-year period, and reminiscent of the British 7 Up series, Shifting Shelter follows four Indigenous teens into young adulthood.
We Can Be Heroes – Episode 3 television program – 2005
Chris Lilley’s mockumentary follows five very different nominees for the Australian of the Year award in the lead-up to the event.
Modern Love feature film – 2006
Like Wake in Fright, Modern Love plays upon the threatening nature of the Australian outback as an ordinary man undergoes an extraordinary personality change.
Bourke Boy short film – 2009
A father attempts to reaffirm his relationship with his adopted son as the son seeks to reconnect with his natural mother, culture and country.
