State Library and Tasmanian Archives Blog

New films: 1950s Southwest Tasmania and other expeditions

Tasmania’s remote and rugged Southwest is a place only a lucky few will ever visit. Robert Tanner is one of those who was fortunate enough to visit the wide sandy beach of Lake Pedder prior to flooding. He also traversed across the Southwest and many other wild parts of our island state during the 1950s and 1960s. Thankfully, Robert had his video camera rolling. His five wilderness films have just been digitised and provide an insight into bushwalking in Tasmania 70 years ago.

At around the same time the majestic wilderness of Southwest Tasmania was being captured by pioneering photographer, Olegas Truchanas, Tasmanian Archives volunteer and retired teacher, Robert Tanner, was also exploring Tasmania’s wilderness. With a super 8 camera in hand, he captured footage of expeditions undertaken between 1952 and c.1965. Robert generously donated his original 8mm films to the Tasmanian Archives earlier this year, along with hand drawn maps and a diary of his 1949 canoe trip down the Macquarie and South Esk Rivers. Read more about Robert in the accompanying blog post ‘Narrow escape from a crushing fate’.

These films have recently been digitised and made available to view online. This footage gives a fascinating insight into bushwalking in the 1950s and 1960s, where heavy tinned food, canvas tents, and ‘burn, bash and bury’ was the challenging reality – quite a contrast to today’s ultralight equipment, dehydrated food, and ‘leave no trace’ approach.

An oral history interview was recorded earlier this year. Author, photographer and Southwest guide, Peter Marmion interviewed Robert Tanner about what sparked his interest in bushwalking and about his many expeditions (NS7845/1/1). The footage of this interview is now online and available to view, along with Robert’s five 8mm films:

Port Davey and Lake Pedder (January 1956)

This silent film captures an expedition undertaken by Robert Tanner, Louis Skoda, Ken Nichols (CSIRO Soil Scientist) and Derry Scott. In January 1956, they fly in two planes (piloted by Lloyd Jones and Hans (surname not known)) to Port Davey. The aerial footage shows the Huon Valley, Huon River, Arthur Range and Federation Peak and Cox Bight beach where the planes land. On arrival in Melaleuca they undertake a bit of manual labour to assist Deny King, inspect Deny’s tin mining works and collect soil samples for Ken. The film includes footage of the King’s home, Deny taking weather observations for the Bureau of Meteorology and the King family (Janet, Mary, Deny and Margaret) leaving their home by boat. Footage from their boat captures Bathurst Harbour, Mt Rugby, Celerytop Islands and Breaksea Islands before they come ashore at Whaler’s Point for a crayfish dinner.

The party then walks up and over the peninsula, climb Davey Head, and walk down to Kelly Basin. Clyde Clayton takes the group by boat from Kelly Basin to Settlement Point. The group wades through a flooded Crossing River with the aid of a rope before travelling along the Davey Track. Camp at Lake Pedder shows the group enjoying the contents of a food drop. An Auster plane lands on Lake Pedder beach to collect the group and they return to Hobart.

Bathurst Harbour and Old River (December 1953 – January 1954)

A particularly ambitious expedition to Southwest Tasmania is captured in this 10-minute silent film. The footage shows Paul Connolly, Robert Tanner and Mark Smith camped at The Aero Club of Southern Tasmania at Cambridge. They wait for the weather to clear before the group fly southwest for an expedition that includes a planned climb of Federation Peak. Aerial footage shows Hobart including the Railway Roundabout (with railway platforms still there), the Floating Bridge, Cascade Brewery, the lakes and rugged terrain as the plane flies towards Melaleuca.

A shot of a food container is followed by a yellow-throated honeyeater eating from a sugar bowl in Deny Kings’ house. The camera pans across Mt Rugby, Bathurst Channel and Bathurst Harbour. We see a green rosella in flight, a furry, well-insulated echidna and some bush bashing. Federation Peak is visible in the distance. The group swims across the North River with the assistance of a rope. Paul (wearing a striped beanie) looks up the Old River Valley. Paul and Mark both gaze over the river and then consult a map to work out where to go next. Close-up shots show the beautiful red and yellow blandfordia in flower amongst the heath. There is a “U” bend in Old River where the group crosses again to retrieve an air drop of food in battered tins. The group carry the food back across the river and enjoy Christmas lunch, plum pudding and cream! The group then has a day’s rest and does some laundry.

Mark shows his very swollen face after getting a leech bite in his eye. With a couple of injuries, the group decides to head back to Bathurst Harbour, crossing back over the river before staggering along the beach and being ‘rescued’ by Deny King.

Frenchman’s Cap (1955)

The next expedition captured by Robert, is summiting the distinctive quartzite peak of Frenchman’s Cap during the summer of 1955. The footage commences in Hobart in January with preparations before departure. Dereham Lloyd Scott, known as ‘Derry’, and Peter Smith load gear into Peter’s car (Derry and Peter are from the Chemistry Department, University of Tasmania). The group stops at King William Saddle, before visiting old mining works at Zeehan and camp at Queenstown where Derry and Peter can be seen with billies by the tent. The camera pans over the bare hills and mountains around Queenstown. They cross the King River bridge before leaving the road behind to set out on the track. They cross the Franklin River in a suspended box with a pulley system. They look down at Lake Tahune before they reach the summit of Frenchman’s Cap via The North Col. Lakes Gertrude and Cecily are admired as the group surveys the expansive views.

Forth Falls – a Sunday outing from Devonport (1955)

This silent film by Robert J. Tanner captures a pleasant walk to Forth Falls. A dapper man negotiates steep tracks and a ladder in a crisp suit whilst smoking. Robert does not recall the name of the man in the suit, but he was an announcer at radio 7AD in Devonport. He and Robert both boarded with Mrs. Enid Stronach.

The Overland Track (c.1965)

This silent film records an expedition of the Overland Track made by Robert Tanner, Inez Bolger, Peter and Tony (surnames unknown).

The footage begins with all the food and equipment needed for one walker, including maps, laid out and ready to pack. The walkers can be seen outside Waldheim chalet. A few shots feature Mrs Enid Stronach and her son Timothy. Clips also include Tim and a friend at Pencil Pine Falls; Cradle Mountain from Dove Lake; boiling the billy with Enid Stronach; eating lunch; rowing on and walking around the Dove Lake.

The Overland Track footage features: the slopes of Cradle Mountain; Mount Pelion East; Waterfall Valley Hut; Pelion Huts sign; Tasmanian waratah (Telopea truncata) out in flower; Pelion Chalet; orchids; pandani or giant grass tree (Richea pandanifolia); Mount Ossa with snow; Du Cane Hut; Falling Mountain; Celery Top pine (Phyllocladus aspeniifolius); deciduous beech (Nothofagus gunnii); Fergusson Falls on the Mersey River; Narcissus Hut and River; The Acropolis and Mount Geryon; Lake St Clair and the Traveller Range; a Bennett’s wallaby and the ‘Acacia Hut’ accommodation at Cynthia Bay.

Can you add to the records of bushwalking and expeditions in Tasmania?

The Tasmanian Archives welcomes offers of additional material such as photographs, diaries, letters, maps, audio recordings, films and letters that document the history of bushwalking and other expeditions in Tasmania. If you believe you have material that could be added to our collections then please get in touch.

References

Personal communication with Robert Tanner, 2025