Rural life
The following clips have teachers’ notes related to this topic:
Coming out to the family
This is a searingly honest moment in which Adam’s parents truthfully tell how they felt when Adam told them he was gay.
They had anticipated the continuance of the family name and a mess …
The little town of Katherine
Charles and Elsa Chauvel have come through the dry outback to camp on a riverbed just outside the little town of Katherine. Elsa gives the viewer a tour through voice-over commenting on shots of the …
History of the TPO service
This clip uses stills from Australia Post’s extensive photographic collection to trace the early history of cooperation between the postal and rail services. Using New South Wales as the example, it goes on to …
The AIM nursing hostel, Birdsville
At the Australian Inland Mission nursing hostel in Birdsville, the AIM sisters alternate between nursing and domestic duties. One of the sisters treats a young girl who has an injured finger. She …
A Cinderella station
When the Forshaw family bought their small station of just 200 square miles, they could only find enough money to buy the property without stock. Over the last decade, Elton and his boys have worked …
The long paddock
Jack must keep moving this mob of sheep over the ‘long paddock’, as the open road is called, because the owner of the flock is still waiting for rain that refuses to come. The long …
In the old days
Frank Bourke’s old-time dance band is probably the last of its kind in Australia. He has a loyal following of country folk who are following a tradition passed down ever since their ancestors settled …
The Black Sunday bushfires
This clip opens with a title setting the context of the ‘Black Sunday’ bushfires and announces it has been produced for use in connection with the bushfire relief fund. Smoke and fire can be seen …
The floral parade
Thousands of onlookers welcome the carnival queen float which leads the carnival procession down Toowoomba’s main street. The float is followed by the RSL float. An occasional voice-over commentary and lively …
North to South
Adventurer Denis Bartell is walking south to Adelaide. After two weeks he has knee trouble as he arrives in Camoweal. He talks to the townsfolk and transfers his backpack to a cart. Bartell continues his …
Vocational training for returned soldiers
In 1919 returned First World War soldiers, accompanied by their wives, inspect various forms of vocational training such as building construction, making Sunshine harvesters, assembling cars and bricklaying.
The clip begins with the three returned …
Farming classes at Dookie Agricultural College
This clip from a brief documentary shows an observational look at returned First World War servicemen in 1919 as they train to be farmers at Dookie Agricultural College and commence work at Merbein, Victoria. It …
A tribute to Tamworth
Townsfolk and visitors to the Tamworth Country Music Festival pay tribute to the town.
How to be a country music star
Music professionals give advice about succeeding as a country music star.
Agricultural implement factory
Various parts of the implement factory are shown: workers carry out their tasks in the sheet metal department; a hammering machine shapes steel into shape; a man dips a large wheel-shaped piece of farming equipment …
Benefits of mechanical harvesting
A man manually harvests wheat with a scythe while women bundle up what’s left behind. This system is then contrasted with harvesting using horse-drawn Australian made machinery which is pulled through the field with …
‘Mission of mercy’
In a dramatic re-enactment, set on a remote homestead in Australia’s outback, a station worker is suffering an attack of acute appendicitis. A member of the homestead radios for help to a hospital hundreds …
Alcohol and self-respect
Susan Bradley is a justice of the peace in Kununurra in far north Western Australia. She presides over minor cases like public drunkenness. She comments that the lack of regular work opportunities in a rural …
‘You have cheesemaker’s hands’
Tucked away in a beautiful valley in north-east Tasmania, is the tiny town of Pyengana where John Healy and his family have been raising dairy cattle and making cheddar cheese for over 100 years.
A town is dying
A lingering and lyrical moment of a town in decay where the real tragedy is the complete lack of a future on the land for Coonamble’s young people.
Trans-Australian Railway
A stationary train sits on the tracks while workers carry out maintenance. Intertitles and a map show the route across the Nullarbor, followed by shots of sparsely occupied landscape. From on board the train, Alma …
Never Never Country
From 1936 Tom Kruse delivered mail and stores to outback properties along the remote Birdsville Track. In 1998, after 10 years of restoration of a Leyland Badger, Tom made one last run. Dave Burge, the …
The rabbit plague
Farmers employ various methods to control the rabbit population that is a threat to the available feed for the sheep.
‘The Lettes of Willow Glen’
Using still photographs, personal narration, quoted correspondence and music, the early 20th century history of the maternal side of the filmmaker’s family is detailed.
‘The Butchers of Invermay’
Using still photographs, personal narration, quoted correspondence and music, the mid-20th century history of the maternal side of the filmmaker’s family is detailed.
The muddy aftermath
In the aftermath of the floods, the water levels recede to reveal the muddy debris left behind. The extent of structural damage to the town is shown in the scenes of collapsed houses and bridges.
‘A stripling, on a small and weedy beast’
Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) has joined the crack horsemen in pursuit of the wild brumbies, but the men baulk at following the mob down a precipitous decline. As Harrison (Kirk Douglas) declares the mob has …
Fighting a fire
The whole family joins a desperate battle to save the fencing around the crops, to no avail. Youngest son Joe (Arthur Wilson) thinks the fire is a splendid sight. Dad (Percy Walshe) sees it as …
Dave in love
Dave (Tal Ordell) dances with glee after he receives a letter from his new sweetheart Lily White (Carmen Coleman). Joe, the youngest Rudd (Arthur Wilson) thinks he’s gone mad. The Rudd women crowd around …
Once a thriving river port
Peach strolls around banks of the Darling River in Bourke with local historian Alan Barton, telling of the time when the town was a thriving port. As Peach explains, Bourke, in the central west of …
Riding on the sheep’s back
Bill Peach takes us inside the great shearing shed at Dunlop Station where we talk to the owner, Barney Murray. The clip shows the old sheds and rusted farming machinery, as well as the site …
‘Damned yankee’
Mr Pym (John Meillon) sees an unexpected and unwanted visitor as he struggles with a bogged wagon – his former protégé Pete Palmer (Rod Taylor), now his chief rival. Disgruntled piano player Lou (Garry McDonald) decides …
Men of many talents
Pym (John Meillon) entertains a small-town audience with his hilarious version of a song-and-dance man. Larry (Harold Hopkins) lights a lime pellet that will produce 'limelight’ for projection. Freddie (John Ewart) accompanies the images with …
Band rejected
In the butcher shop, two butchers practice their brass instruments then discuss the disappointing news that The Longreach Town Band is deemed not good enough for Her Majesty. A professional band is to be flown …
Fighting fit
Marion (Margaret Dare) fumes with indignation about being told she’s useless by Dick Drake, her father’s overseer (Victor Jory). Her Aunt Abbie (Rita Pauncefort), aware of the smouldering attraction between the two, suggests …
On the road
Buster (Rebecca Smart) the city kid has been kitted out for her new life in the bush and her father (Bryan Brown) is setting a cracking pace as they walk to his next farm job …
A new multicultural home
In this 1957 clip, TE Carpenter (Pat Tingwell – younger brother of Bud), the boring contractor from Boorandarra, has taken a job on the Snowy Mountains Scheme and has been settled in the new township of …
An old town dies, a new one born
The new Adaminaby takes shape as, one by one, buildings from the old town are transported to the new location.
Shearing and plotting
As the shearing reaches full speed at Waratah Station, the overseer Fletcher (Les Warton) tells Clive Sherrington (John Warwick) to deliver a package from the car when he goes to see Morgan. He jokes that …
‘Don’t cut ’em to pieces’
Foley (Jack Thompson) discovers he has competition from an unknown, Arthur Black (Peter Cummins). Shearing contractor Tim King (Max Cullen) gives Jim the learner (Graham Smith) a second chance.
The welcoming committee
After months of work, broke and hung over, the union shearers make their feelings plain as strikebreakers arrive to work for reduced wages.
Modes of transport and Victoria Downs
Donkey teams in the North are shown pulling large wagons of supplies along dusty tracks. The camel team of an Indian hawker near Wave Hill brings supplies to people of the outback to whom ‘shops …
The Boys’ and Girls’ Travelling Library
Children from a school in Arcadia gather around the back of the red-and-white boys’ and girls’ travelling library truck. Some of the children are shown climbing in to the back and emerging with books in …
Cat hat
John Wamsley describes how he was able to get major press coverage for his cause by wearing a hat made of feral cat skins. He says that if you want to attract attention you need …
