The Overlanders, made in 1946, is the story of ‘one man’ – Don, played by Chips Rafferty (John William Pilbean Goffage 1909-1971) – and his small group of drovers crossing three states of Australia with more than a thousand head of cattle over 2000 miles during the Second World War. The film is set in 1943 outback Australia and is based on the true story of a cattle drive in 1942 organized by the government to vacate the land of people and supplies in the threat of a Japanese invasion. (more…)

FLINDERS FLICKS OF LONG AGO – BUT DID IT EVER GO AHEAD?

From The Advertiser, Wednesday 5 September 1906

TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE RAILWAYS COMMISSIONER’S REPORT
The financial year 1905-6 was the most prosperous in the history of the South Australian railways. Mr. Pendleton, in his annual report, states that the result of the year’s working was a record, the revenue being £76,444 higher than ever be- fore. The net revenue for the year was £85,380, equal to 4.30 per cent, on the total capital expenditure of £13,610,520 on miles open, compared with 3.95 in the previous year, which means that, after paying interest on the public debt for railways, £110,425 was carried to the credit of the general revenue. (more…)

‘The Mercury’ (Quorn) Thursday, September 15, 1950

TREES TO BE SPRAYED WITH GREEN PAINT

NOT QUITE RIGHT SHADE FOR COLOUR FILM

An American walked into a Waymouth Street, Adelaide engineering supplies firm this week and asked for a spray for spraying trees with green paint.

The sales assistant looked cautiously at the customer who went on to explain he was from the “Kangaroo” Film Unit and the trees in the Flinders Ranges near Port Augusta, the site of the new 20^th Century Fox production weren’t quite the right shade of green for shooting the film in Technicolor.

One never knows what to expect next now that film-making has really come to South Australia.

John Mack’s film footage of the World War Troop Trains was presented by John Mannion during the Film Maker in Residency 2009.

John Mack is in his nineties now,  and has been a South Australian photographer and cinematographer. As a young bloke he worked in a photographic firm in Adelaide and began working with moving images soon after that. Mack became involved in the amateur cinema movement in South Australia during the 1930s and 1950s. During the Second World War he was an army staff sergeant and was posted to the Northern Territory where he was involved with the Australian Army Education Service. It was during this time that he filmed his footage of the troop trains moving through Quorn. (more…)

Dead-shot Moran in our midst!

an interview with Rhonda and Laurie Pumpa
by local oral historian John Mannion

Rhonda and Laurie Pumpa

Former ‘Outback couple’ Rhonda (nee Gill) and Laurie Pumpa (above), were both born a few years apart at Miss Ward’s nursing home at Hawker, before the hospital was built in 1924. Now married for more than 62 years, the couple have lived in Orroroo since 1971 – following decades of living and working in the bush – mainly at Oraparinna sheep station between Blinman and Wilpena in the Flinders Ranges. The well-watered Oraparrina station was established in the 1850s, as were the Arkaba, Wilpena and Aroona runs. Oraparrina was sold in 1970 and is now the headquarters of the Flinders Ranges National Park.

After a ‘life of stock whip and shears’ Laurie Pumpa found it difficult to adapt to life in town and found work with the former Engineering and Water Supply Dept (E&WS) at Port Augusta – a job that took him “years to get used to”, but which took him to many parts of the north and east. Rhonda however found Orroroo to be “not a bad place to live” and soon “joined the golf club, bowls club, the hospital auxiliary and all these things”. Laurie is now retired and he and Rhonda are both members of the Orroroo Probus club – a club which they believe is the best thing that ever happened for the elderly people of the area. (more…)

“Quorn Mercury” Thursday December 8, 1950

FILM STARS ARRIVE IN PORT AUGUSTA

_____

NIGHT PLANE AND CAR TRIP FROM ADELAIDE

______

MINOR BANQUET PUT ON BY COOKHOUSE STAFF

At midnight on Friday two cars and a bus turned off at a dusty track a little more than a mile from Port Augusta and drove to an almost deserted settlement, known locally as Hollywood Park, a hundred yards or so further on- the journey’s end for leaders of the 20^th Century Fox Film Unit.

There were no bobby soxers there and stars Maureen O’Hara and Peter Lawford climbed out of a car without having to worry about the whims of fans. After Sydney and Adelaide they found this a welcome change.

(more…)

“Quorn Mercury” October ?, 1950

It would appear that Quorn and Port Augusta locals either did not have suitable furniture and furnishings for the 20^th Century Fox film “Kangaroo” or were not prepared to hire or sell it, if they did.

PROPERTY FOR COLOR FILM ARRIVES

______

GRANDFATHER CLOCK ABOUT 175 YEARS OLD

A pantechnicon with a full load of 30 cubic tons arrived in Port Augusta last week with furniture which will be seen in the Technicolor film, “Kangaroo”. The consignment will be the basis of the furniture for the film homestead set near Port Augusta.

It included a grandfather clock nearly 174 years old and wardrobes and dressing tables for the star, Maureen O’Hara.

Three Victorian period lounge suites and four chests, including a bow-fronted mahogany one 145 years old, bookcases, sideboards, hall tables, assorted chairs, seven mirrors and a dozen cases of miscellaneous bric-a-brac made up the load which came from Period and Art Furnishers, Waymouth Street [Adelaide].

“Quorn Mercury” 14 September, 1950

Director Who Made Lordly Clifton Webb

________

LEWIS MILESTONE EXPECTED IN PORT AUGUSTA SOON

Director Lewis Milestone, who is expected in Port Augusta in the near future to make 20^th Century Fox’s new color film, “Kangaroo”, among other achievements, unearthed that princely Clifton Webb and set him on the path to stardom.

(more…)

“Quorn Mercury”, Sept 14, 1950

Furniture Sought for Film Homestead

_______

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS WITH BUILDING

Mr Mark-Lee Kirk, art director of 20^th Century Fox Company, who had been in Port Augusta for some days making preliminary arrangements in connection with the production of the color film in the nearby Flinders Ranges, said on Tuesday that work on the 19^th century homestead at the main filming site was progressing satisfactorily.

However, difficulty was being experienced in obtaining suitable furniture and furnishings. He pointed out that the story made it necessary for the building, the home of the leading landowner of the district, to be well furnished, especially two bedrooms, kitchen, living room and halls.

His company was pleased to hear from people prepared to sell or hire furniture, oil lamps, a grandfather clock, cooking utensils and a wood burning stove of that period.

Mr Mark-Lee Kirk praised the cooperation being received from the South Australian people and said that he was able to obtain two wooden windmill wheels previously sought at Glenelg. He left Port Augusta on Wednesday for Sydney, and would like persons willing to assist with furniture, etc., to contact Mr Westonhiser, at Hotel Flinders.

“Quorn Mercury” 31 August 1950

COMPANY GOING AHEAD
IN TRUE AMERICAN STYLE
________

Colour Film Site Chosen
_______

TWENTY TEMPORARY HOUSES
TO BE BUILT IN 4 WEEKS

Final arrangements have been made for the location of the Technicolor film ‘Kangaroo’ on Mrs E, V. Farrell’s property, 12 miles east of Port Augusta at the foot of the Flinders Ranges. Messrs Saul Wertzel and Colin Hall executives of 20th Century-Fox with Mr W. R. Johnston of the SA Lands Board returned to Adelaide from Port Augusta on Thursday night.

The executives stated that Mrs Farrell had agreed to make available the 7,000 acre portion of her property on the western side of the Flinders Ranges. The homestead, Broadview, is several miles distant on the other side of the range, in the picturesque Mt Brown district.

(more…)