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Name of classic 4WD/adventure doco???

Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 15:44

Member - Melissa

Been trying to find out the name of a classic 4WD/adventure documentary but with no luck. Maybe someone here remembers it. It was shown to students in Vic schools about 1977/78 and was about a family (mum, dad and I think 2 kids) who did a desert trip in a Landcruiser (could have been a Landrover). There might have been a second vehicle as well. I recall they interacted a bit with aboriginals and had to find water etc.

I know my info is minimal and it's a long shot but as a young kid this film made a real impression on me and I would love to try an get a copy of it.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
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AnswerID: 32500   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:19

Willie replied:

Reg Sprigg and his family did a number of trips into and through the impson Desert in the 60' and 70's. Could also have been the Leyland Brothers or it could have been Jeff Carter and his family. Thats a start anyway.
Cheers,
Willie
Never a dull moment
Reply 1 of 5
FollowupID: 23228   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:24

Member - Melissa posted:

Thanks Willie. Certain it wasn't the Leylands, probably not the Sprigg family either. Griselda Sprigg doesn't make any mention of making a film about their outback travels in her book "Dune is a Four Letter Word". I'll check out the Jeff Carter angle and see what I come up with.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowUp 1 of 4
FollowupID: 23231   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:37

Willie posted:

Then there was Malcolm Douglas, Dick Eussen, Alby Mangles, Dennis Bartell just to name a few. I see that I have a book called Jeff Carters Great Book of the Australian Outdoors published in 1976. They did do some filming along the way for docco's. There are more but they escape me just at this moment. Did a lot of desert research before we did our hardcore north/south Simspon trek in 1987.

Cheers,

WillieNever a dull moment
FollowUp 2 of 4
FollowupID: 23232   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:41

Member - Melissa posted:

Think I can rule out Malcom Douglas and Alby Mangles. Haven't heard of the other two you mention - more research. Jeff Carter sounds promising.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowUp 3 of 4
FollowupID: 23235   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 17:22

Willie posted:

Melissa,
I have just seen that Jeff Carter would have been 50 years of age in '78 so you will have to discount him. I have also had a look in his Bibliography and most of the names there that I know of have passed on.......Try Google and have a play with words.

Willie
Never a dull moment
FollowUp 4 of 4
AnswerID: 32503   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:29

equinox replied:

I remember seeing that documentary. I think it was a Landrover. I saw it with my parents in a small theatre in Katanning in about 1977. It was shown by the filmakers. The Landrover was parked out the front. Sorry I cant be much help.

Equinox (aka Alan)
Reply 2 of 5
FollowupID: 23230   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 16:31

Member - Melissa posted:

Yep, probably the same one. It was the filmmakers who showed it around the schools.

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 32510   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 17:24

lindsay replied:

Melissa, Probably not the one you are talking about however, there was a film made by Charles Chivell (spelling?) same bloke that made Jedda and 40 thousand horses/ horsemen. it is called "walkabout" it was made in the fifties for the poms T.V. It was shot on 16 mm and there were 13 , 30 min episodes. The film is about he and his wife driving from Sydney to Darwin via Port Augusta where they put their vehicles on the old ghan and rode in their vehicles on the train unloaded them somewhere around Willian Creek the drove across to Coober Pedy then up the centre to a raceday at Brunnette Downs. If you want to see some old outback footage and some political incorectness have a look at it . I bought it from the National film & sound archives on 3 tapes for about $39.00. I don't have and address as it is out on loan but I suppose that you could get it from the net.
Reply 3 of 5
AnswerID: 32525   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 19:00

Member - Luxoluk replied:

Just a long shot but you could try Film Victoria as they have a huge collection of non-mainstream films in storage. If they have it I believe they can make & sell/loan video copy.

As a younger kid I also remember a show on the ABC about an old bloke and a kid who toured around the bush in an EJ Holden ute. This got my interest seeded in desert travel but for the life of me I cannot recall its name. Can anyone remember this from the 60"s??
Reply 4 of 5
FollowupID: 23256   Submitted: Wednesday, Oct 01, 2003 at 21:43

Member - Cocka posted:

Was that "The Shiralee". Peter Finch (decd.) was the actor and I think Dana Andrews the little girl.
I like the way you call him an old bloke, he would have been about 40 when he made that film. I guess your young.

Carpe Diem
FollowUp 1 of 8
FollowupID: 23270   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 07:12

haze posted:

Remember it well, but not certain about the name-- I think it was something like "the outsiders"
FollowUp 2 of 8
FollowupID: 23288   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 11:41

Member - Wombat (Vic) posted:

Cocka, I think you'll find Bryan Brown was the lead in "The Shiralee" and Haze "The Outsiders" was a movie adapted from an S. E. Hilton novel about young boys growing up in an American gang envitonment in the 70's. One of my favourite reads!

Melissa, I vaguely recall the movie you are talking about - I've no doubt it will come to me at about 2am in the morning, as these things do!"Live today as if there may be no tomorrow"

Wombat
FollowUp 3 of 8
FollowupID: 23291   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 12:48

haze posted:

Luxoluk. Geez, the old memory hadn't deserted! It was the Outsiders, you can find all the details on http://www.memorabletv.com/episodeguides/outsiders.htm
I dont recall that film Wombat, but this was a series of episodes.
Melissa, that yahoo site may be helpful in tracking down that doco. you are after.
cheers haze
FollowUp 4 of 8
FollowupID: 23305   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 15:05

Member - Melissa posted:

Wombat/Haze,

Thanks for your responses. Haze, I've already checked the "Memorable TV" website and didn't find what I was looking for but it brought back some memories anyway. Wombat, here's hoping that your 2am membory kicks in!

:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
FollowUp 5 of 8
FollowupID: 23322   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 18:38

Member - Cocka posted:

Y'right Wombat. It was BB in Shiralee. But now I'm still trying to find the one I'm sure Peter Finch did out here in the bush, just curiosity. I Don't think it was Jedda, that was toooo long ago.
Funny thing is that Brown and Finch are not dissimilar characters.Carpe Diem
FollowUp 6 of 8
FollowupID: 23344   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 21:47

Darryn posted:

There is a movie "The Shiralee" made in the 1950's which starred Peter Finch and was on the ABC in the last 18 months. The 1987(approx) tv mini series starred Bryan Brown and this was on 7/Prime (eastern states) in the last two years.
Regd's Darryn
FollowUp 7 of 8
FollowupID: 23352   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 22:26

Member - Cocka posted:

I guess just having returned from a Kmberley trip & experienced life with the real ibndigenous people of this land, it's interesting looking at the land and now researching some of these old movies.
Thanks for the motivation Melissa.
I found some stuff on the movie Jedda which did not star Peter Finch. The white mother as Betty Suttor ?? the native boy was Robert Tudawali and the native girl - look at this - was Ngarla Kunoth. Said slowly that is Kun-oth or K'noth.
Heard that aussi-ism before ??
Pretty shameful, eh ?Carpe Diem
FollowUp 8 of 8
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AnswerID: 32603   Submitted: Thursday, Oct 02, 2003 at 15:00

Member - Luxoluk replied:

Thanks Haze, what a memory!! Your link is right on the money. Many thanks to you and the other contributors who offered suggestions. Cheers for now.
Reply 5 of 5