Movies: Australian Commonwealth Film Unit

Take in Sydney from the rooftops in this gently surreal, wordless short. With a cheeky animated interlude and sweeping harbour views, this is 1970s city life with a twist....

A series of Public Information Films eventually compiled and released as a single feature....

An anthology of Australian short films by directors Brian Hannant ("Judy"), Oliver Howes ("Toula") and Peter Weir ("Michael"), each presenting a young Australian at a moment of decision about their future....

Made by The National Film Board 1947. Directed by Catherine Duncan. Christmas in Australia is a mid summer festival, with temperatures rising high. Over the years many of the traditional northern hemisphere Christmas customs have been modified to f...

This short film documents Australian composer Richard Meale’s homage to the young French poet, Arthur Rimbaud. Meale composed a music piece for woodwind, percussion and strings which he titled “Incredible Floridas”....

Part 1 of the History of Australian Cinema series. Australian cinema from the very beginning, from the newsreels, ethnographic and actuality films, to the controversy of "The Story of the Kelly Gang" and the success of "The Sentimental Bloke"....

A road safety lesson using puppets and animation kindergarten age children....

This film showcases an idealised version of life in the Victorian regional city of Geelong — complete with stable jobs, family homes, bustling shops, and thriving sporting and cultural life....

Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the Western Australian regional town of Geraldton in the mid 1960s....

A small city in the tropical north of Queensland, Cairns boasts a life that is leisurely and comfortable. The tempo quickens, however, at cane-cutting time when the sugar is harvested, and in winter when tourists come north to escape the cold. The Li...

Two Aboriginal families live like their ancestors have for centuries in this anthropological documentary. The gathering of food is the main focus as women harvest grass seeds to make a primitive flour for bread. Grubs, lizards, and fruit are also on ...

Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the South Australian regional town of Mount Gambier in the mid 1960s....

Industries in Northern Queensland....

Canberra, the National Capital of Australia, is a city which has been planned; a place where modern living is enriched by a lovely setting. But the hustling young city of today is expanding and developing, and there is emerging the pattern of the pro...

Made by the Department of Immigration to entice immigrants from Great Britain, this film shows an idyllic picture of life in the New South Wales regional town of Wagga Wagga in the mid 1960s....

George Reynolds, recently discharged from the army, tells his father of his plans to marry and relax. Reynolds Snr tells his son that if Australia is to avoid another postwar Depression, its citizens need to work hard towards a better future....

A road safety film for pedestrians in city traffic. Demonstrates typical unsafe practices....

The way of life for people living along the tropic of Capricorn in Queensland 1965. Farming and mining are the main industries in this area of Australia and the only way to get around is by road train, train or plane. The hard way of life for these p...

A working day at the open cut coal mine and power station at Yallourn, Victoria, as experienced by four employees. A dredge operator, a train driver, a fireman and a turbine attendant....

A documentary about industrial design....