Australia: An Unofficial History uncovers 1970s Australia on film

Australia: An Unofficial History is a new 3-part series on SBS investigating the social and political upheaval in 1970s by cracking open a forgotten vault of Australian government films, stored in the National Film and Sound Archive.

In the early 1970s, these films presented an official and singular vision of what it means to be Australian to the broader population, and the world. However, these government filmmakers began recording the diverse range of Australian voices and movements that erupted over the decade. These filmmakers documented the reimagining of Australia as an idea and its evolution into the modern nation we know today.

Dr. Michelle Arrow is a historian and professor at Macquarie University, specialising in cultural history, the history of popular culture, and the history of the women’s movement, and features in the 3-part documentary.

Dr. Arrow joined Bobby Fletcher on Artbeat to discuss the series, and the cultural and historical significance of audiovisual archives. 

The first two episodes of Australia: An Unofficial History are currently available on SBS On Demand.