Douglas Wilson (1919–1980) was an amateur filmmaker whose films are a snapshot of Australia in the 1950s to 1960s. Douglas’s home movies captured aspects of life in Australia’s major cities as well as in regional areas, often with a focus on public areas, transport or infrastructure projects. A collection of his films has been donated to ACMI by a member of Douglas’s family.
This film captures some of the highlights of Sydney in 1962 – the harbour and bridge, memorials, gardens, building sites and streets and historic houses, as well as people working, fishing, playing bowls, sailing and catching ferries. There is a focus on traffic and cars around the inner Sydney area such as a wonderful scene of a double decker bus and taxis of the era.
Originally made using 16mm film.
Selected highlights list:
00:00:10:00 title ‘Sydney 1962’
00:00:14:00 a man is wandering around the Sydney University campus
00:01:00:00 views of Sydney whilst driving through traffic
00:01:34:00 Lennox Bridge at Parramatta.
00:01:44:00 a sign for Windsor followed by footage of historic houses
00:03:22:00 Sydney Harbour Bridge and ferry
00:06:31:00 Sydney Anzac Memorial
00:06:46:00 City Bowling Club
00:07:09:00 Sydney ‘El Alamein Memorial Fountain’
00:07:20:00 scenes at ‘Vaucluse House’
00:07:54:00 yachts sailing around the harbour
00:08:38:00 an Ansett seaplane at a pier
00:08:48:00 people fishing of a small pier
00:08:56:00 Sydney double decker bus and taxis
00:10:30:00 Rural Bank of NSW building
00:11:20:00 large excavation at a building site leaving a narrow house standing to the side
00:12:05:00 ferry ‘Kooleen’ followed by scenes shot from a boat or ferry of the harbouside
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How to watch
This work has been digitised and can be viewed in the display above.
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B2003332
Language
No spoken word
Subject categories
Amateur & Student Films → Amateur films
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → New South Wales - Description and travel
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → New South Wales - Social life and customs
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Sydney (N.S.W.) - Decription and travel
Armed Forces, Military, War & Weapons → War memorials - Australia
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Automobiles - History
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Ferries
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Seaplanes
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Shipping
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Transportation - Australia
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Transportation, Automotive
Crafts & Visual Arts → Public art
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Housing - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Transportation - Social aspects
History → Historic buildings - Australia
History → New South Wales - History
History → Sydney (N.S.W.) - History
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Bowling on the green
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Fishing
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Fishing - Australia
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Sailing
Places → Sydney Harbour (N.S.W.)
Sound/audio
Silent
Colour
Colour
Holdings
Standard 8mm film; Master
MOV file H264; ACMI Digital Access Copy - presentation
MPEG-4 Digital File; ACMI Digital Access Copy - overscan
MOV file ProRes4444; Digital Preservation Master - overscan
MPEG-4 Digital File; ACMI External Digital Access Copy