Postcard from Perth (1954) | Rare Colour Film of Western Australia’s Capital
Step back into Perth in the 1950s, when Western Australia’s capital was known as the “City on the Swan.”
This rare colour documentary, Postcard from Perth (1954), captures the city’s transformation from a quiet clearinghouse of wheat, wool, gold, and cattle into a modern centre of industry, trade, and leisure. From the Swan River and the sweeping views of Kings Park, to the construction of the Kwinana oil refinery and new power stations, Perth is shown at the moment it began shifting from pastoral hub to industrial city. The film also celebrates the region’s unique identity — from Black Swans gliding along waterways and wildflowers like the Kangaroo Paw shining through the bush, to the relaxed weekend lifestyle that gave Perth its reputation as an “easy, gracious city.”
Made by the National Film Board in 1954, and directed by Shan Benson, the film is part of the Film Australia Collection preserved by the NFSA.
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From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Title: Postcard From Perth
NFSA ID: 16795
Year: 1954
Credits:
Australian National Film Board
Director: Shan Benson
Producer: Eric Thompson, Department of the Interior
Cinematographer: Edward Cranstone
Composer: Keith Holt
For reuse and licensing enquiries, please contact: [email protected]
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