Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

The Origin of Oil (c.1923)

play Please note: this clip is silent
clip Petrol for the cities education content clip 1

This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

A fleet of Shell oil trucks carrying tankers of oil arrive in Melbourne. As the convoy arrives, the bustle of the city – its transport, people and buildings – form the backdrop. Small boats are docked in the harbour and refuel from the petrol dispensers on the piers.

Curator’s notes

From the opening scenes that show oil being extracted from the earth to these concluding scenes in the cities, this documentary clearly illustrates where the oil ends up and how petroleum makes its way to the consumer.