Author Archive for Peter Cox

Mystery Beatles object

2012/50/1 Shop display, mechanical, The Beatles, wood / metal, maker unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1963-1964. Collection: Powerhouse Museum.

2012/50/1 Shop display, mechanical, The Beatles, wood / metal, maker unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1963-1964. Collection: Powerhouse Museum.

The Museum has started to develop a new exhibition about the Beatles’ 1964 tour of Australia. We recently acquired an unusual object from around that time. Does anybody know where it originated?
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Celebrating 80 years of the ABC with Bellbird

Bellbird poster

Bellbird poster. Gift of Jennie Small. 2003. Collection: Powerhouse Museum.

Next in our series of posts marking the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s 80th anniversary, here is another object relating to Australia’s national broadcaster, from the Powerhouse Museum’s collection.

It is a colour poster promoting the much-loved ABC television serial Bellbird. The show looked at the daily lives of the inhabitants of a rural community around a small country town.

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Celebrating 80 years of the ABC with Lucky Starr on Six O’Clock Rock

Lucky Starr on Six O'Clock Rock. Gift of Pamela M. Lindus, 2008.

Lucky Starr on Six O’Clock Rock. Gift of Pamela M. Lindus, 2008.

We are marking the 80th anniversary of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation by highlighting some related objects and images in the Powerhouse Museum’s collection.

This photograph was taken by Bob Eaton, while working as part of the technical crew at ABC television studios at Sydney’s Gore Hill, in 1960 or 1961. It shows Lucky Starr performing on the ABC’s first rock ’n’ roll television show, Six O’Clock Rock.

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Celebrating 80 years of the ABC with Adventure Island

Adventure Island book.

Adventure Island book. Gift of Tim Klingender, 2005. Collection: Powerhouse Museum.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is celebrating 80 years of service. The Powerhouse Museum’s collection includes some great objects relating to the history of Australia’s national broadcaster.

One of my favourites is this old-fashioned style hard cover book, with a crimson leather cover. The narrator of the much-loved children’s TV program Adventure Island introduced each episode by opening this very special book. For a mere television prop, it is a potent symbol of a world of fairy tales and fantasy.

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