Valley of the Hunter (1960) - Better Version

This is a newly digitised copy of two 16mm film reels that form the complete copy of the Valley of the Hunter (1960).
The film reels were donated to the University of Newcastle's Cultural Collection by Robert Harbourne. They were given to him by a painter, who rescued them from a garbage bin while working on a site at Newcastle.
Both reels were digitised in July 2014 for the University of Newcastle's Cultural Collections (Auchmuty Library) Australia.
Title: Valley of the Hunter River
Script and Production by Fred Whatham
Commentary by Roger Climpson
Australia : Cine-Austral, 1960.
Description: 2 film reels (38 min.) : sd., bw. ; 16 mm.
Notes: Distributor: F. W. P. Whatham.
Summary: The geography and geology of the Hunter River Valley showing the river system, the dams and the activities of the area such as coal mining, race horse breeding, dairying, fat lamb raising, lumbering, wine making and vegetable growing.
Subject: Hunter Valley (N.S.W.)
Other Author: Whatham, Fred.

[@garylawless3608]

The UoNCC should put together an update showing the Hunter Valley and Newcastle as it is today. Our heavy industries have all but disappeared, the once abundant cattle breeding properties and dairy farms are almost a memory, and even the coal mining industries are a shadow of their former glory. The Valley has certainly changed, and in my opinion, not in a good way. However, progress never sleeps I guess.

[@ellecrawford7815]

This would be a great topic for the local children of the Hunter to investigate/summarise while homeschooling! A bit of local history never hurt anyone, no matter the commentator.

[@gordonpeden6234]

Brilliant Thanks!

[@wazza33racer]

Hilarious how the narrator called Tom-a-go as too-may-go LoL

[@tambakorgbendek7472]

Very educative

[@diannewhite3326]

We need to send this to Gladys for her information and edification - this is what we are capable of here in the Hunter !

[@naomijeffries7]

Z can

[@neilforbes416]

The narration on this film should've been done by a duty announcer from either Station 2HD or Station 2KO. A good choice would've been Pat Barton. He was a home-grown announcer who, at various times before his passing, worked at both stations and knew the correct pronunciation of ALL townships in and around the Hunter Region.

[@top40researcher31]

i think this is part of the national film archive I wouldn't say by a local but anyway this is 1961

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 Actually the video clip dates from 1960. But again, either 2K or 2HD should've offered one of their duty announcers fo the job of narrating the film.

[@top40researcher31]

@@neilforbes416 you say they should but they havent its too late now

[@top40researcher31]

@Neil Forbes you know your commenting on past tense here

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 Well don't get to *tense* about it!

[@travelingman5762]

Newcastle hasn't changed in sixty-five years

[@travelingman5762]

tomago sounds like a dish LOL

[@neilforbes416]

Yes, I gave this a Thumbs-Down because they used an *outsider* instead of a local to do the narration. They got Roger Climpson, a newsreader for Station ATN-Sydney with his lah-de-dah pommie-sounding accent instead of someone like Pat Barton, a long-time breakfast presenter for Station 2KO-Newcastle, who had *LOCAL KNOWLEDGE* which is *CRUCIAL* for a film like this.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@neilforbes416 The Southern Cross Radio Network always gives Newcastle a flogging. on their breakfast and drive programs.

[@neilforbes416]

@@Mediawatcher2023 That's because they're *ignorant* Sydneysiders. Newcastle cops a lot of *UNDESERVED* bagging but this city has contributed far more to the wealth of NSW than Sydney has ever done. Newcastle has been taken for granted for far too long.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 Newcastle Region is famous for its wines but it is the world's biggest coal exporter.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 Southern Cross Radio the station that brought us Living in the 70's great show i won a compact disc from them.

[@Mediawatcher2023]

@@neilforbes416 When you loog a Geelong just like Newcastle the second largest city in the state Melbourne praises that city

[@neilforbes416]

I give this a thumbs-down for poor narration from an outsider when the job of narration should've been given to a local radio announcer(this clip predates Station NBN-Newcastle by roughly 2 years).

[@top40researcher31]

@Neil Forbes oh my did we sound like that in 1960 LOL

[@top40researcher31]

how can you give this a thumbs down if it was from 1960 LOL

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 I explained that. The video should've been narrated by a duty announcer from either 2KO or 2HD.

[@top40researcher31]

@@neilforbes416 it’s not really a big deal

[@neilforbes416]

@@top40researcher31 Maybe not to anyone who doesn't live in the region. but when you're a local, you want people with *local knowledge* to narrate a film presentation such as this.