There’s never been any explosions at the Truganina Explosives Reserve in Altona, but accidents, well that’s another story. As a child, Alan Dyall’s father worked at the reserve in Melbourne’s west. One of his many jobs involved ‘laying out in the lighters’, a lighter being a boat that carried explosives from Williamstown to the steamship. If the steamship hadn’t yet arrived, it was his job to sleep on board until it did. This is a childhood of tales lovingly recalled and the amazing story of his father’s near fatal accident.
Content notification
Our collection comprises over 40,000 moving image works, acquired and catalogued between the 1940s and early 2000s. As a result, some items may reflect outdated, offensive and possibly harmful views and opinions. ACMI is working to identify and redress such usages.
Learn more about our collection and our collection policy here. If you come across harmful content on our website that you would like to report, let us know.
How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Previously on display
22 April 2019
ACMI Viewing Booths
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B2002001
Audience classification
Mediatheque - all ages (ACMI classified)
Subject categories
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Explosives - Safety measures
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Explosives - Storage
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Work environment
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Work ethic
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Work practice
Animation → Animated films - Australia
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → National parks and reserves - Victoria
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Victoria
Climate, Environment, Natural Resources & Disasters → National parks and reserves - Victoria
Communications, Infrastructure, & Transport → Public works - Victoria
Documentary → Documentary films - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Victoria - Economic conditions
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Work ethic
Food, Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, Psychology & Safety → Explosives - Safety measures
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
MOV file H264; ACMI Digital Access Copy - presentation