0:12 Dawson River Caravan Park - now the Dawson River Tourist Park -- look at the distinctive pitch on the roof www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.8936503,152.5073321,3a,75y,277.87h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suh9TcRI4wxCHbut7TFAJeA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 0:22 Manning River Bridge just outside of Tarree - www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.8939789,152.5054796,3a,75y,277.87h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swmQSg_qhzdMDcAtkvU7oHA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 0:30 Port Macquarrie Oxley Oval www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.4346961,152.9223269,3a,75y,355.69h,95.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slU71wtcnh3rTUuUL72g75w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 0:48 Port Macquarrie - corner of Pacific Drive and William St www.google.com.au/maps/@-31.4312633,152.9224525,3a,75y,14.01h,83.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sA63xdYgrSyN_AFGnRTyg6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 1:03 Wilson River - maybe the Wilsons River at Lismore? 1:15 Pretty sure that says Nambucca Heads on the Ampol pole 1:30 - probably banana plantations at Coffs Harbour 1:34 Banana Bowl Caravan park, Coffs Harbour s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/06/6b/a7/066ba7f678ea95a15d1a87038b613297--caravan-parks-australian-vintage.jpg 2:04 Coffs Harbour Panorama and Mutton Bird Island www.google.com.au/maps/place/Muttonbird+Island+Nature+Reserve/@-30.3076875,153.1398394,15.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b9c0da68bfc1fd5:0xf0609b573fe4e60!8m2!3d-30.3053949!4d153.1515706 2:41 Coffs Harbour Pet Porpoise Pool - still going strong as www.dolphinmarinemagic.com.au/ 3:21 The Vincent Tree - sadly now quite storm damaged www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/news/generations-of-coffs-coast-locals-have-marvelled-a/1893728/ 3:58 - How's the Torana! 4:20 Perhaps near MacLean? www.google.com.au/maps/place/MacLean+NSW+2463/@-29.4522772,153.1831457,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b9a4a88fe9fe821:0x50609b490441f10!8m2!3d-29.4486305!4d153.214752 4:33 Hexham Bridge NSW www.flickr.com/photos/29029178@N03/4696303572 4:43 Entrance to Ballina (Duh!) 4:53 Murwillumbah 4:55 Tumbulgum Hotel - now the Tumbulgum Tavern www.tumbulgumtavern.com.au/ 5:09 Marineland - I think this existed on the Spit at the Gold Coast - then Sea World set up next to them and bought them out?? kathytroutt.wordpress.com/tag/marineland-gold-coast/ 5:18 Most likely Currumbin Sanctuary or possibly David Fleay's? www.cws.org.au/ 5:30 Mt Tibrogargan? Glass House Mountains, Sunshine Coast 5:33 The Big Pineapple (I think...I'm not sure on this...) 6:06 House of Bottles, Tewantin www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/house-of-bottles-former-owner-lived-to-help-others/2316790/ 6:35 - no idea on this caravan park?? 6:55 - Hornibrook Bridge to Redcliffe -- how's the advertising! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornibrook_Bridge 7:30 Anyone know what this refinery or plant is? With all the shots of Ampol servos I'm thinking this guy worked for them?? 7:58 Where is this?? 8:17 Captain Cook Memorial Coolangatta www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g255335-d7890654-Reviews-Captain_Cook_Memorial_and_Lighthouse-Coolangatta_Gold_Coast_Queensland.html 8:40 Razorback Lookout Tweed Heads walkingthegoldcoast.com/gold-coast-walks/razorback-outlook 8:54 This could be anywhere in Nthn NSW or SE Qld which are both full of Jacarandas - but how beautiful is it :-) Perhaps someone recognises the bridge? 9:03 The loveliest sequence in the whole film, in my opinion - the kids riding to school in a line - what a picture of the times - and a lost age - school ports on the pack racks and how's the dragster!! 9:10 The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour www.bigbanana.com/ 9:18 - Trial Bay Gaol?? www.visitnsw.com/destinations/north-coast/kempsey-area/south-west-rocks/attractions/trial-bay-gaol 9:44 Shoal Bay, just north of Newcastle www.google.com.au/maps/place/Shoal+Bay+NSW+2315/@-32.882827,152.0288112,10.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x6b738699bf47359f:0x5017d681632f450!8m2!3d-32.7257353!4d152.175002 Much better quality on this film stock too! 10:11 - Would this be the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Gate_Bridge Scene of the tragic collapse in 1970 which killed 35 workers. If so then this footage would be taken after 1978 when it opened. There's a lot of car and camera movement here so the stabiliser really struggled. Note the shots of the refinery too 10:40 Love this shot - the badges of honour! 10:49 Bye to the old caravan! 10:52 And in with the new! 11:02 Bleeding luxury! Is that a TV in there??

Hey everyone, this is my grandparents film, I was 1 year old when they retired and went on this trip, it was great to see that some of the footage survived. The reason that the Ampol service stations were shown when they stopped is that my grandfather was a tanker driver and then an operations manager/ rep for Ampol before he retired. It is amazing how the footage was found by accident but I am glad it was and that it has brought back a lot of memories for a lot of people including myself of a simpler time when people actually took the time to enjoy life and the sights of Australia when they retired.

Thanks so much, that is so cool. Driving my dream car (HK Monaro), and towing a great old caravan. Would go back to those times in a second.

The old guy in the mustard shirt looked like my dad but it isn’t .lol. I so miss the 70’s they were good old days unlike today

9:05 love the dragster with the high sissy bar! In the mid 70s my brother and I found a dragster frame and wheels at the tip once (back when you could grab stuff), fixed it up, painted it purple, new metallic speckles in the vinyl banana seat, T-speed shifter (I reckon they never did anything), and put a lower sissy bar on so it was easier to get off. My brother ended up riding it around Tasmania with his scout troop.

Oh for the good old days miss them so much 🇦🇺

What a beautiful video and an insight into the Australia of old that we all love and cherish.

They shot a load of film, huge vote of thanks for the expense and effort entailed

I was eight in 1972 and we did almost this same trip and places before driving to Western Australia to live in a HK Holden Belmont, sadly not a Monaro like in film, I still remember these iconic spots vividly nearly 50 years later

Hoping that one day I will return to Australia 🇦🇺, we rented a camper van and drove from Brisbane around the coast to Adelaide and back to Sydney then did the whole of NZ . The Aussies were very welcoming and friendly and I didn’t mind them calling me a Pom all the time. Australia 🇦🇺 a great place to be and see. Gday from Alan and Julie from Preston Lancashire UK 🇬🇧.

Wow. I did the caravan trip with the oldies back in 74. I also visited that dolphin park and Coffs Harbour. Remember the Big Banana? Strewth! I think we must have followed this family as went to all the same places

This actually makes me sad. Made me think of my childhood and family who are no longer together. Some have passed away. Some have moved to other parts of the world. Australia in the 1970’s. Back when we were free. Young people today have no idea. We have now traded our safety for our freedom. Very sad. Wish they would build a time machine

Pure gold. So many places I know so well and how much they've changed. Those cars are worth a fortune now. Remembering the stickers you could buy of the places you'd been. Bringing back memories of perpetually sunny days and holidays that seemed to last forever. Thanks so much for sharing.

Oh my goodness. I travelled up the coast from Canberra in 1971 as 13 year old. We had an 18 ft caravan and a ZA Fairlane (Dad was a Ford man...). That trip looks like it was almost the same time as ours. We even played golf at Coffs! I have lived in Coffs for years now, and it was that trip I think that drew me back nearly 20 years after first visiting. Thanks for the video. Wow. Just wow....

As far as tracking the family down, at 10:55 the rego on the Monaro is clearly visible, AGT 784 and NSW registered, that may be a lead or take a picture of the car and send it Australian Muscle Car or Survivor Car Australia and they may post your story. Hope this helps, thanks for posting the clip. cheers.

Bloody ripper, I was born in the early 60s in SA and remember with fondness the way Australia was back in the 60s and 70s, a time I feel far more comfortable in. Thanks for uploading your memories for us to see and for those of us who were around at the time to remember what good times we had back then, G'onya mate!

What a great video. They looked like a wonderful couple. I hope they had a long and happy life.

Kentucky surfboard. I remember them. Classic video of a great era of Australian history.

Hopefully one day one of this couples kids will stumble across this.

Holdens, Fords and Take Away Food stops 😎

Great find. Well done preserving. Awsome conversion. The quality is very good

The great Southern land. Fantastic.

please take me back to 1971

Gee that brings back some memories. Cruising the Pacific Highway en route to the Gold Coast all the way from Canberra, 3 on the tree, drum brakes and narrow 2 lane highway!. Not to mention the challenging traffic especially getting stuck behind trucks for what seemed ages. Always felt that I was getting closer to the tropics (sub) at Coffs when I saw the Banana Palms.

Beautiful...your soundtrack/music compliments the visual so well...hope and sadness, nostalgia with unknown future and the realisation...we can't go back. We've gone from one track to infinite multi- track in the blink of an eye. But it's always subjective and that too is shortlived. Thanks for putting this together. It reminds me of so many young days on the road, camping and surfing and not having to look at a Black Mirror.

Loved the Golden Fleece petrol bowsers with a golden sheep on them that lit up at night

Reminds me of the many road trips we done in the 70's and early 80's. Visited many of the palaces in this footage. Thank You for sharing 😁

The jacarandas & bridge from 8:54 look like Mary Street in Grafton, NSW

Absolutely priceless footage, despite the technical problems. To view it try it at 0.5 speed as it is a little better.

HK Monaro towing Cold Chisels caravan and I bet they thought nothing of it!

Absolutely beautiful, thanks for sharing mate

We were doing the same thing at the same time in the same places We used to stay in the tweed heads van park in the film every year from mid 60,s till early 70’s

Imagine being the company that made all the souvenir tea spoons back in the 70’s - they must have been raking it in.

This is excellent footage We also did this drive . Opted between the coast road or inland road up through Armidale. Had my photo taken at Coffs porpoise pool shaking hands with a dolphin and we stayed at the Sanctuary motel just down from the windmill restaurant in Coffs. Used to stop at Taree and also Wingham where the old Air Force plane still stands in the park. Fantastic footage

Thanks for sharing! Great look back!

It was somewhat the age of carefree innocence and people were much more genuine. Morever, it was a privelege to have lived during this period. Great footage, very evicative and nostalgic.

Ahhh the memories.. my family were doing the same thing at that time.. looking back is like looking at another world... But the rose tinted glasses are great. A lovely film.....

I did a similar trip around the same time. Did the whole country and it took me 8 months in my 56 Combi. Great memories of our country when it was a lot better.

Back in the day that was the Pacific Hwy going through Taree and crossing the Dawson River. Always stopped for a bacon & egg roll breakfast from the cafe in the petrol station on surf trips north from Sydney. The following beach shots were of Crowdy Bay and Port Macquarie, before moving onto Nambucca Heads. Many a Christmas holiday at Joskie's Caravan Park next to the beach. I retired to the same area 50 yrs later, but would change it back to the 70's in a heartbeat.

Great days. Memories now thanks. Never will be the same. So natural then . I loved your van.

My family emigrated from England In 1963, we settled in mackay Queensland, I was 12, , this is the Australia I remember. Great times .

It was a great simple era , few drugs, low crime/ youth crime. No tats ,fillers . We really appreciate at the time.

Beautiful in the 70s. Now a Dive.

That style of bridge is very common for that time. Exactly the same style as the one that was blown up for the TV series Tomorrow When The War Began, but the bridge was in the Hunter Valley

Fantastic film I saw heaps of Tweed Heads in there brought me back to great times in Tweed

That was bloody fantastic it brought a ton of memories as a teenager. Has been a bloody long time since I have seen and AMPOL sign at a servo ..... they were the great times along with great cars. Looks like they had a great time .... 👀👍👍

This footage is GOLD. The trip started at the Dawson River Caravan Park in CUNDLETOWN, NSW, North of Taree, and it is still there. 0.33 is PORT MACQUARIE, taken from around Windmill Hill, not much has changed. 1.00 waiting for a ferry at the Wilson River at TELEGRAPH POINT, the bridge being built has recently been bypassed and replaced. 2.03 COFFS HARBOUR, from Beacon Hill Lookout, so much has changed since then, it's incredible. They didn't film the Big Banana, which is surprising, the second lookout they went to is accessed somewhere behind that way. 4.36 Bridge over Clarence River, new larger bridge built along side it, named Harwood Bridge, dwarfing this one. I think all the other places have been covered as they head into Qld. Ampol Service Stations used to have the Jolly Swagman Club, does anyone remember that?

Hello Mr McPhie, 9:18 is Trial Bay gaol. I was there around the time this film was shot. The two wrecked vessels were under tow to Hong Kong when they broke free in a storm. They'd been sold for scrap. The vessel on the beach was a vehicle ferry. You could explore but the other was too far out. Thankyou so much for this video

My god it's my childhood. We had the same car. The world was simpler and it will be again we just have to embrace facts again. We have to have respect and treat everyone as equals. We have to get rid of America of our news feeds. Australians looking out for each other. Doing our best for future generations like our parents and trying our best to be natural with each other. Just enjoy life like back then.

Beautiful stuff !

how cool is that. a look at old, real australia.

Great bit of history. oved the shots of the Border Caravan park. Spent Christmas in that caravan park every year as a kid. Knew it that well i could see the film makers stayed in 3rd avenue. The Border Caravan park was the best on the entire Gold Coast. It's location was brilliant.

All those caravans had a smell. If you were there you know what I mean, a sort of stale but not unpleasant odour.

I was there! You were too. We're family. Love you my brothers and sisters. Aussie, Aussie.

What a great find & really enjoyed watching, just to clear up some of the locations - the jacaranda's are in Grafton as you can see the queen st rail bridge. The Hexham bridge is actually the Harwood bridge over the Clarence river near the Yamba turn off. There's some great footage of Fingal Bay - Port Stephens from the southern end sweeping north to the spit, I can just see the top of the shark tower as it pans north as the surf club is out of shot, in another shot you can see the sand spit linking the island to the mainland which is covered in white water but can usually be crossed at low tide these day's. Also have wild memories of a nightmare holiday stay as a 10 year old with my folks at the Alex Mcdonald caravan park (Shoal Bay) The same time the infamous may 1974 mini cyclone hit when the Sygna washed ashore on Stockton beach. Which brings me to that large concrete bridge, it's Stockton bridge heading towards the old BHP steel works in Newcastle, the bridge was opened in Nov 1971 so that will give you some indication when this trip was made, I also noticed a SS HQ Holden & they didn't come into production until Aug 1972 so my guess this film was made in later part of 72. Btw - can anybody else see the Aboriginal elders face in the cliff @ 5:31 ??? Just love the old colonel Sanders coollite, not so fond memories of spending a day surfing on one of these only to have severe tummy rash mixed with sunburn & suffering for it, those were the day's ! THX for posting.

Took me a few minutes, but read "Nambucca Heads" on Ampol sign...

I Spent Most of my Late 60's-1970's Childhood Summer🏖Holidays at the Coffs Harbour, Banana🍌Bowl Caravan Park, &. The Pet🐬Porpoise Pool, Shown here in this Wonderful Film.😌

Nation building at its best, work was plentiful an entire nation of labourers, trades, construction, mining on the move in search of the Great Australian dream, home ownership adventure and a sense of security. All masked under the guise of a can do attitude, a holiday and endless miles of open roads.

Wish I had some of the cars in the clip now days.... Great to see

I'm from Vic but the nostalgia is definitely not lost on me, the cars, the vans, the people, the times, it could be just about anywhere from Brisbane to Adelaide.

Great footage the Monaro and the old wooden van up graded to viscount van fun. Simpler times. I say it was taken around 1970

I’m pretty sure that after visiting Tewantin they stayed at the old caravan ground at Mooloolaba. It closed in the last few years I think - at the least it’s much smaller than it 50 years ago.

Love it.

First part of film was Port Macquarie....I lived there when that was filmed

4:28 I’m guessing that this is a stop in Maclean, driving along the Clarence River before heading over the Harwood Bridge

Wow times has changed

Wow.the Kentucky fried chicken surf boards. I got one for xmas in the early 70,s and remember the board rash to my chest from it

Gotta like the old HK “kingswood” Monaro towing the the old van powered by a 186 six, not even the 186s option or the 307 chev V8 let alone a GTS with 307 or 327 chev options Lol

That was back in the day when the cameraman never turned the camera on himself and saying the word cameraman was ok to say. . Great footage too,BTW. There was an art in shooting 8mm home movie and my dad had the knack... legs, bums and fast panning 🤣

Great footage, 0:58 to 1:10 is definitely Telegraph Point near Port Macquarie, in this sequence you see some footage of the construction of the bridge that was opened in 1974, and a great shot of the original single lane timber bridge which was demolished after the new bridge opened. Now the joint is completely by-passed with a dual-carriageway bridge about 2km east of the 1974 bridge. I reckon this footage is 1971 or 1972. 10:10 driving up Stockton Bridge towards Newcastle from Fern Bay.

currumbin sanctuary sure has developed since then. Started off as a place to feed parakeets. Tropical fruit world likewise. This would have been the period where the Irwin family moved to Queensland to start up the crocodile farm. I think despite the nostalgia and some negativity certain things have developed for the better and a growing appreciation of the flora and fauna and preservation of the environment .

the good old days

Good times for people in the seventies, hard manual work , but lots more freedom

Cool old boy and his Monaro- running a 186S motor I reckon. They get a new caravan too!

Tweed Heads at 8:34, Hornibrook Bridge Redcliffe at 7:00

At least 1972,there is an LJ Torana in one shot.

Back in the day when we built our own cars, now it’s all vw and toyotas

How pristine, when everybody owned our shoreline, before it became them and us, the rich and the developers put up the fences and signs and forced the rest of us, to use whatever was left. Brings back memories

Hey! Wow! Amazing footage. I'm searching for stuff like this for so long. Can I use parts of this for a music video of an original song? all the best :-) Dominik

I remember the Kentucky Fried Chicken surfboard.That’s right ,Kentucky Fried Chicken not KFC.

Any chance of doing a trace on their number plate?

Another stock standard hg Monaro in the carpark at 823 next to HK in the shot of the concrete east west thingi

I had a HK Monaro that colour, Marlin Turquoise, 307 donk 2 speed auto, would do 60mph in 1st, purchased from Les Vagg pennant hills , why I sold it , I'm buggered if I know.

is that a younf Greg Norman at 3.47

Cooroy, Queensland. Near Noosa. Hi rise buildings now.

Lots of Holden and Fords, made in Australia and bullet proof.

Yeah even the old Poor Mans Monaro with a trusty 186 would be worth over Six Figures Today in good nick

The couple would've been tickled pink to know their film has been seen by 22k people on you tube

Something you don't see often nowadays, a slim older woman.

People call towing a dirty great box a holiday? Couldn’t think of anything worse.

Simpler times when you didn't need 300 gadgets to survive

Hi Scot! Was hoping to get in touch about seeing if this footage was available for use. Did you have an email I could contact you on? Thanks!

You lived in a better time.

you can certainly tell when the wife was filming

The lucky country

9:05 We need to give those kids heavy Fines for No Bicycle Helmets, and if they don't pay the fines to the Government. We'll put them in a Maximum security Jail. That's what happened to me in the 2000's It's become a Sick Tyranny nowadays.

Even though I loved the 80s its quite clear to me that was the start of major change and business ambition started ruining the country.

Strange seeing all those things made in Australia, cars ,caravans, petrol stations just amazing how we have been stuffed by governments . Mostly interested in themselves not us.

The problem with home movie makers,.whether it be 8mm film or video,...many can't grasp the concept that the subject matter does the 'moving',...NOT always the camera. Following the 'action' with the camera constantly moving in an attempt to film EVERYTHING in the quickest possible time, does nothing more than spoil the story itself and hurt the viewers eyes.

Whoever took this didn't have a clue how to use the camera - lol