This home movie was originally captured on colour 16mm film and is part of the Rita F. Snowden (1907 - 1999) collection. It is understood that the Alexander Turnbull Library holds a collection of Rita’s diaries written around the same time as she made the travel films in this collection. Rita had a career with the Methodist Church and was also a published writer.
Opening title: “SUNLIT JOURNEY”
Intertitle; “We cross the Tasman”. Ocean waves. Australian flag. Steam boats near Sydney harbour bridge. Views of Sydney harbour. Street views. Roadside fruit stall and flower stall. Stained glass window. Brick building exterior. Church man and people in robes exit building.
Various people socialise on the lawn grounds outside of large brick building. Women with tennis rackets smile for the camera. Men in sports coats pose with cricket bats. A woman with a black [cocker spaniel].
Intertitle: “Up into the Blue Mountains”. Elevated views of landscapes. Beach. People boarding tour bus. Small [marina]. Kookaburras.
Intertitle; “Sydney to Brisbane”. Airport. People boarding chrome Australian National Airways [Douglas] aeroplane. Aerial views from plane. Cityscapes. Tree with red foliage. Street scenes. Plants and building exteriors. Stained glass windows (from inside church).
Intertitle; “A breath of sea air”. Views of beach, two women in red dresses take in views of coastline (Gold Coast). Toddlers paddle on the beach.
Intertitle; “Colourful and curious”. a [shingleback lizard], pelicans, hibiscus flowers, women holding young koala, red kangaroo, wallabies, [blue-tounge skink], puppies, caged dingo, [bearded dragon] being held by its tail then climbing away up a tree.
Intertitle; “Out into the hills”. Automobiles parked on gravel roadside. Group of children eating sandwiches. Herd of cattle. Young man on pony. Hilly landscapes. Couple horse riding. Cattle being herded by horse riders. Cattle yards.
Intertitle; “A homestead garden”. Various parrot species in large aviary. A child looks in to a goldfish pond. Colourful blooming flower garden.
Intertitle; “Home from school”. Children wearing school clothes and school bags and riding ponies.
Intertitles; “Life finds the Church” “In town and country” [Priest] stands beside road sign. Wooden church. Children sitting on fence. Boy in pedal car. Motor car driving up road. Couple with baby outside of house being built. Church event with seating outside and decorative bunting.
Intertitle; “Caring for the children”. Exterior of ‘Graham House’, people walking along flower garden path. School children on grounds and paying games.
Intertitle; “Homes for the aged”. [Tudor] style residential village, people walking about grounds and playing lawn bowls. Congregation outside of Nundah Methodist Church. Community event, people wearing hats.
Intertitles; “Strangers become friends” “Good bye, Queensland”. Cloudy sunset.