George Vardas films

Series 1: Films ([1950-1960])

Series number
1
Series title
Films
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

A collection of home movies showing footage of Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, family holidays in Queensland and New South Wales. 

Digital copies available for selected items.

Digitised with support of donors through the Queensland Library Foundation Reel Rescue campaign.

Author / Creator
Vardas, George
Description
13 film reels
Additional format
Digital copies available for selected items
Locate
OMFILM
Access restrictions
Unrestricted access
Conditions of use
You are free to use for personal research and study. For other uses see https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/understanding-copyright

Items in this series:

Brisbane Royal Show (1955)

Unit ID
32433/1
Item title
Brisbane Royal Show
Date
1955
Scope and content

Film shows scenes of Brisbane city, King George Square and Fortitude Valley showing shops, main streets, traffic and people; Anzac Square on Anzac Day, the Botanic Gardens zoo, footage of the Brisbane River, bridges, ferries and other boats on the river and the Olympic torch relay; several jet planes and passengers at the airport. Much of the film contains footage from the Brisbane Royal Show (Ekka) including crowds, rides, ring events and fireworks.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent, 30 min., 24 secs.)
8mm
Additional format
Digital copies available
Locate
OMFILM

Gold Coast ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/2
Item title
Gold Coast
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage from a family holiday on the Gold Coast. Includes the outdoor areas and swimming pools of several hotels and accommodation venues including Lennons Broadbeach Hotel, neon signs advertising several locations in Surfers Paradise, views of Burleigh Heads, family members relaxing in various locations, people surfing, dolphins at a marine park, a Surf Lifesaving competition, a bird sanctuary and a 'Sun Girl Quest' beauty pageant. The footage shows street scenes including cars and people wearing the fashions of the 1950s. 

 

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 33 mins., 44 secs.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Sports parade ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/3
Item title
Sports parade
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie showing camping, shooting, Doomben 10,000, rugby and soccer.

The film opens with crowds/families enjoying the day out and watching a local clay-shooting competition; the scene changes to the 'Doomben 10,000' horse racing with views of the crowd, ladies fashion of the day, horse parades and races being run; scene changes to the river with teams of rowers racing and practicing, speed boats racing and practicing. The film finishes with scenes of a local football and soccer game.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 19 min., 4 sec.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM0CSU Trolley 2, Shelf A

City of Toowoomba, Carnival of Flowers (1958)

Unit ID
32433/4
Item title
City of Toowoomba, Carnival of Flowers
Date
1958
Scope and content

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 1958 event: 

Amateur film of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers 1958 event: The film starts with the street parade through Toowoomba with pipe bands, marching girls from the various Schools of the district, a selection of parade floats from local producers (such as Spreadwell), the Dept. of Education, Carnival Queen, floral floats, vintage cars and replica stage coach with passengers in period clothes.  The parade continues into the show grounds and does a circuit as the official party arrives.  The marching girls make way for floral displays, trees in full bloom, children playing in the flowers.  One of the floats gives the year as 1958.
 

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 16 min., 4 sec.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Road trip to New South Wales ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/5
Item title
Road trip to New South Wales
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage of a trip by car through New South Wales. Includes Brunswick Heads, Harwood, Clarence River, Newcastle, Sydney, Manly, Canberra and footage of camping and picnics.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; approximately 15 min.)
8 mm
Locate
OMFILM

Hunting ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/6
Item title
Hunting
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage of hunting scenes.

The film opens with a group of men that have been hunting, they are carrying rifles and the carcase of a deer and dead bush turkeys, there is vision of how to butcher them.  A signpost appears labelled 'McIntyre River and Goondiwindi' the scenes that follow are all of camping families enjoying meals, rowing in rowboats, swimming, washing and fishing, a man shows how to gut, fillet and cook a fish. Scene changes to a car stopped at Glen Innes where the family sees a herd of sheep with their dog eating grass in the town,  The film finishes with a day of hunting with men preparing their rifles and dogs and coming back to their truck with dead birds (possibly pigeons).  The film ends in darkness after their successful hunt.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 14 min., 57 sec. )
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Carne Westley film ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/7
Item title
Carne Westley film
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage from north Queensland including scenes in Cairns, Babinda, tourists on Green Island, a lawn bowls game, sugar cane fields, cane train and Paronella Park.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 17 min., 34 sec.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

North Queensland and Sydney ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/8
Item title
North Queensland and Sydney
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage including plane travel, scenes in Sydney, north Queensland, Tobruk Memorial Baths in Townsville, family groups at the beach, spear fishing from rocks, tourist boats and scenes of Charters Towers. 

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 15 min.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Movie 9 ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/9
Item title
Movie 9
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

From film can: Mickey's Service Station, Playful Pluto, includes views of a sign 'Apex welcomes you to NSW'.

Includes footage of a wedding and an interstate road trip.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; approximately 4 min.)
8mm
Locate
OMFILM

Movie 10 ([1955-1958])

Unit ID
32433/10
Item title
Movie 10
Date
[1955-1958]
Scope and content

Home movie beginning with footage of a band performing at a dance in a hall. The band is The Rockettes, described as Brisbane’s first rock ‘n’ roll band. The Rockettes existed between 1955 and 1958 before evolving into The Blue Jays. Band members Chuck Supplice (on guitar), Ronnie Carroll (on piano), Ozzie Mengel (on rhythm guitar) and Kenny McKerchner (on vocals) are all pictured. The concert venue is possibly Morningside RSL, where the band organised their own concerts during the mid 1950s.

The footage continues showing a beauty pageant, synchronized swimming, trapeze artists, Brophy’s Circus, boxing and wrestling at Brisbane Stadium (Festival Hall) and a candy bar. The wrestling footage includes an extended segment of a bout featuring Canadian wrestler Sky Hi Lee (Ski-Hi Lee). His opponent is possibly American wrester Ricky Waldo.

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 8 min., 24 sec.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Fishing and hunting, Cundywendi ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/11
Item title
Fishing and hunting, Cundywendi
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footing of hunting, camping and fishing. Shows several boat and road trips to fish and shoot, also eating watermelon and cooking sea food on an open fire. 

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; 8 min.)
8 mm
Additional format
Digital copy available
Locate
OMFILM

Rio to Lefkas, Carnival, Easter ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/12
Item title
Rio to Lefkas, Carnival, Easter
Date
[1950-1960]
Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; approximately 15 min.)
8mm
Locate
OMFILM5CS Trolley 37, Shelf B

Trip to Greece ([1950-1960])

Unit ID
32433/13
Item title
Trip to Greece
Date
[1950-1960]
Scope and content

Home movie footage of a trip to Greece. 

Description
1 film reel (Colour, silent ; approx. 30 min.)
8 mm
Locate
OMFILM
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(9 digital)