FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

Tape 1 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about her childhood growing up with her family in Coffs Harbour. She describes their move to Lithgow, her memories of World War II, her mother's illness and how she juggled household duties, school, athletics training and missing out on selection for the 1948 Olympics held in London.

Tape 2 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about training in Lithgow and financial hardships. She reminisces about racing against 1948 Olympics gold medal winner Fanny Blanker-Koen in London. Jackson-Nelson discusses the competition between herself and Fanny and the controversy it caused when she beat her. She speaks about being selected for the Empire Games in Auckland she won four gold medals and set a new world record in the 220 yards race. Community support and fund raising in Lithgow provided a cinder track for training and helped get the team to the next Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952.

Tape 3 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about her journey to London for the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952. Marjorie describes being the first Australian female track runner to win an Olympic gold in the 100 metre race and the first gold won for Australia since 1896. Jackson-Nelson discusses winning the 200 metres and braking the world record held by a Polish runner Stella Walinski. She remembers the celebrations on her return to Australia and meeting her future husband Olympic cyclist Peter Nelson. She recalls going to Buckingham Palace to be presented to the Queen.

Tape 4 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about her reluctance to compete in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954. After marrying Peter Nelson she moved to Adelaide for Peter's training and worked as a sports journalist. At the Vancouver Games she broke the world record in the 200 metre race, won gold in the 100 metres and relay races. Jackson-Nelson discusses retirement after these Games, starting a small sporting business in Unley and family life until her husband died in 1977 when she established the Peter Nelson Leukemia Foundation.

Tape 5 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about life after her husband's death and her reconnection with religion in the grieving process. She discusses being supported by the Rotary Club where she raised money for leukemia research. Jackson-Nelson discusses her voluntary work in the Olympic Games between 1982 and 1994 and campaigning in 1998 for Adelaide to host the Commonwealth Games. Jackson-Nelson reflects on the differences between Athletics of her time compared to today.

Tape 6 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about her position on the board of Sydney Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) in 1998. Jackson-Nelson lists the many awards and honorary tributes she received over time and her appointment by Premier Olsen as the South Australian Governor. She outlines her role and responsibilities, included hosting the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visit. Marjorie describes her schedule, her beliefs on the importance of State Governors, the culture and value of sport in Australia and the wider world and her future plans to cut back work.

Tape 7 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about the health benefits of sports, the original Olympic philosophical ideals, being a role model and how fame impacted upon her life. She discusses the changing role of women in sport and their improved representation in high profile positions within the workforce of both sports organisation and in society. Jackson-Nelson talks about the generational differences in regard to education, values and the opportunities for women. She explains her racing strategies and sport injuries during her sports career.

Tape 8 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about her early childhood life in Lithgow, the South Sydney Club and the Lithgow athletics club. She describes her breakthrough success racing against Fanny Blankers-Koen and how it brought about the ambition to compete in the Olympic Games. Jackson-Nelson talks of how racing was the only way for her to travel overseas. She describes the enormous support the people of Lithgow gave her, the role of her coach Jim Monaghan, the different sporting champions that came out of Lithgow, her indifferent view of politics and strong belief in religion.

Tape 9 - Interview with Marjorie Jackson-Nelson about the life lessons tragedy brought to her after the death of her husband Peter Nelson, her encounter with God, the healing process of helping others in similar situations and raising funds for research. She discusses her thoughts on her own death, her views of Australia from being a mostly Anglo- Saxon nation to becoming a multicultural country and her hopes and dreams for the future of Australia.

Tape 14 - Marjorie Jackson-Nelson meets and greets guests at South Australian Government House for a reception awarding young Workskill Achievers. Includes archival black and white film of an athletics oval in an unknown location.

Tape 15 - Various photographs and newspaper articles of Marjorie Jackson-Nelson's family, childhood, career and Lithgow.

Tape 16 - Various photographs and newspaper articles of Marjorie Jackson-Nelson's family, career and training.