[Maurie Fields and Val Jellay Home Movies: Reel 18]

This film is a vignette of family life played out in the suburbs and on holiday in the Narrabeen Lakes, New South Wales. The title on the film reel indicates that some of the footage is filmed around Christmas time and at Narrabeen Lakes.

The film opens with scenes of a primary school playground. Children line up outside for roll call and morning announcements. Teachers organise the formation of groups and lead their charges into the school building.

In a suburban backyard we see a young swashbuckling pyjama-clad pirate, possibly showing off his recent Christmas presents. With a passionfruit vine for an audience, he demonstrates his swordsmanship and fancy footwork around the Hills Hoist clothes line.

Maurie blows up an inflatable wading pool which is filled with water for the children to play in.

The adults imbibe in convivial Christmas drinks, with one of the cohort entering into the spirit of the pirate theme, brandishing a dagger and wearing a pirate hat in a jaunty fashion.

A family road trip takes us across a bridge to what could be the Narrabeen lakes area, Sydney’s Northern Beaches largest estuary system.

On and beside the lake we see some water ski action, water ski hire facilities, and an EJ Holden parked on the side of the road.

A cliff top walk reveals ocean views and an Austin Cambridge car (c. 1965) parked beside a view point.

Originally made on 8mm film.