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....

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 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....

This film takes the form of a psychiatric session, using the metaphor as a way to explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef....

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....

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 picture of life in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in the mid 1960s, social, commercial and recreational....

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”....

A picture of life in the Tasmanian town of Launceston in the mid 1960s....

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"....

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....

A picture of life in the West Australian capital of Perth in the mid 1960s. The social, business, sporting and other activities of an average Australian family in Perth are told through the eyes of the local newspapers....

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

Life in Australia: Hobart shows scenes illustrating daily life, industry, recreation and the tourist features of Hobart, Tasmania....

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...

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....

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...

Bored during the summer holidays and escaping the heat, a group of kids (and their joey!) from Cook, on the Nullarbor Plain, discover a limestone cave with a huge underground lake. Meanwhile in town, a detective is called in from Port Augusta to inve...

A short documentary film by Peter Weir featuring the music of Wendy Saddington and Teardrop, the Indelible Murtceps and The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band....

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...