[Wallace Clarke Home Movies: Reel 4: Part 2]

Wallace Clarke was an amateur filmmaker during the 1960s to the 1990s. Wallace was particularly keen on capturing both the Australian landscape and the people who enjoyed it. As well as Australian urban settings and some world travels, Wallace’s films focus on the many hiking and camping destinations that he visited.

Often carrying the credit, ‘A Walkabout Film’, Wallace’s movies indicate that he was part of a nature study and walking group called ‘The Walkabouters Club of Victoria Inc’. The ‘Walkabouters’ formed in 1968 as a result of a Council of Adult Education (CAE), Outback Study Tour to Central Australia. Some of the attendees decided to start the Club in order to continue educative walks particularly around Victoria. The Club encouraged their resident artists and photographers to capture their activities.

The collection of Wallace’s films was donated to ACMI by his widow Gwenda Clarke and is shot on various formats, predominantly Standard 8mm and Super 8mm film.

This film, titled ‘Orchid Isle’, is the second of two parts capturing the filmmaker’s travels in Fiji. Wallace films townships, harbours and local buildings in the thatched Fijian style. He also captures some tourist attractions such as the capital city of Fiji - Suva, Fijian performers and lush garden walks.

Originally made on Super 8mm film.

Selected highlights list:
00:00:09:00 titles ‘A Walkabout Film’, ‘Orchid Isle’, ‘A WHC Film’
00:01:23:00 boats and yachts in small harbour.
00:01:36:00 Fijian musicians wearing elaborate floral costumes performing in an outdoor setting.
00:02:10:00 Fijian style thatched houses.
00:03:01:00 turtle swimming.
00:04:55:00 tourists participating in cultural performance.
00:05:35:00 palm weaving being shown to tourists.
00:06:51:00 passengers onboard a ferry listening to local musicians.
00:09:43:00 large ship at port in Suva.
00:10:18:00 local traffic in Suva.
00:10:30:00 marching military band in Suva.