FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

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Under the Nullarbor

Describes the origin and formation of the vast underground caves of the Nullarbor Plains.

Series : Australia Today | Episode : 8 | Year : 1962 | Total Duration : 27 Minutes | Producer : Eric Thompson
Director : Ian Dunlop |

WS blue sea and pan to limestone cliffs of Great Australian Bight. CU map of Nullarbor Plains with zoom out to whole of Australia. VS mallee trees in landscapes and WS flat treeless plain. Pans of plains and tilt up from dry cracked earth to saltbush, sandfire and bluebush vegetation. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132062 | 1 min 58 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

WS Trans-Continental Railway tracks disappearing into distance. WS Eyre Highway disappearing over plain. LS to trucks in distance seen across from plain. Car pulling into homestead and MS Guerney family. VS flock of sheep being herded over dustbowl to trough to drink. Tilt up from waterhole fed by underground lake in cave to dry flat plain. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132063 | 44 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

CUs and tilts of sinkhole and down Nullarbor caves. Mr J. N. Jennings, cave specialist at desk surrounded by books, wall charts and magnifying glasses. MS Jennings at desk writing then addressing camera and explaining geological aspects of the Nullarbor Plain tracing its formation with CUs of wall charts and CUs of examples of fossils found. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132064 | 2 mins 24 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

WS limestone cliffs and sea with wide pan across flat scrubby landscape. WS sand dunes between cliffs and sea. GS dunes. MS J.N. Jennings addressing camera and explaining creation of Nullarbor caves and existence of prehistoric animals. CU image of Diprotodon and lion-like marsupial. CUs wall charts showing formation of underground rivers and caves from rain water. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132065 | 3 mins 39 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

WS sinkhole with pan across flat Nullarbor Plain. MS J.N. Jennings speaking about discovery of Diprose caves and CU of original map. WS flatbed truck over Nullarbour Plain carrying cavers who sit on top of supplies on back of truck to join other explorers on caving expedition. WS man walking to edge of huge sinkhole and VS descending into Koonalda Cave. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132066 | 1 min 53 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

Dark interior view of chamber in Koonalda Cave. WS with caver rounding corner in cave shining light on rock walls. VS scientists in cave chamber excavating and examining Aboriginal sites when tools would have been fashioned from limestone walls of cave. CUs flint. VS discoveries of flint tool sites and men documenting finds. VS discovery of fire places. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132081 | 4 mins 25 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

VS man chiselling in chamber in Koonalda Cave. CUs shell fossil and animals remains lined up in cave. CU scientist collecting samples of live insect in cave. VS activites outside caves. Remains of cave owl being passed up out of cave. Female archaeologist entering cave entrance and CU Aboriginal rock art of hand silhouette. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132082 | 1 min 38 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

VS man clambering over rocks looking for birds. CU kestral nesting in rocky side of cave sinkhole. VS willy-wagtail over dried shrub and down to cup nest. CU feeding pair of chicks in nest. VS pair of hairy-nosed wombats grazing over plains in daylight. WS caving expedition preparing to leave plains and GS setting up camp in mallee belt. WS across sinkhole near camp. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132083 | 1 min 51 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

VS caver preparing to descend into sinkhole. LS caver descening long rope ladder and GS joining others at mouth of cave. VS group of four cavers heading towards cave and WS of cavers at large cave entrance. VS cavers clambering over boulders on cave floor. VS ladder being lowered into cave and cavers on belay line climbing down ladder. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132084 | 3 mins 28 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

CU caver's feet walking over boulders on cave floor and CU caver loosing grip, slipping and climbing back onto rock. Cavers reaching underground lake and VS two stripped down cavers paddling on lake in raft further exploring cave. VS diver preparing to dive into underground lake and VS exploring lake. VS looking through water at diver over limestone rocks with aqualung on back and CU caver belaying him. Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132085 | 3 mins 3 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

CU caver's face and VS helping diver out of underground lake. WS flat plain and late afternoon sky with strip of cloud turning pink. WS cavers walking in silhouette across scene. MS J.N. Jennings taking to camera about caves (sound out of synch). Quicktime clip available.

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Access No. 132086 | 1 min 51 secs | 1960s | Nullarbor Plain, SA, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |

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