PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK COLLECTION

Acknowledgement of Country

The NFSA acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waterways across Australia. 

We pay respect to their Elders, past and present. 

What we see and what we seem are but a dream, a dream within a dream

Miranda

NAVIGATING THE EXHIBITION

You can navigate through this exhibition using the dots and chapter headings left of screen.

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We hope you enjoy this exhibition! 

Miranda

When asked to name five Australian films, from any time, many people list Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock. A critical and popular success, it helped establish Australia’s place in world cinema.

At the heart of the film is Miranda, the schoolgirl who vanishes during the picnic on St Valentine's Day, 1900. As played by Anne Lambert, Miranda lingers in the viewer’s imagination long after she disappears from the film.

'A Botticelli angel'

Miranda is dressed in a delicate white muslin frock at the picnic, her appearance an allusion to Botticelli’s painting 'The Birth of Venus’ (c1485).
According to Lambert, who donated the dress to the NFSA: 'The daisy pattern in the lace trim of the dress was Miranda’s favourite flower. The butterfly-buckle was selected because like her, their lives are beautiful and brief.’

Anne Louise Lambert (Miranda)

'I've lived in a very friendly world'

Picnic at Hanging Rock - Anne Louise Lambert Q&A

Mademoiselle

Helen Morse played Mademoiselle Dianne de Poitiers, the French and Dancing mistress at Appleyard College. She is devastated by the students' disappearance.

Helen Morse was nominated for Best Actress at the 1976 Australian Film Institute Awards for Picnic and Caddie, and won for the latter role. 

French chic

Mlle Dianne de Poitiers (Helen Morse) wears a high-throated Edwardian gown of cream silk, with a modest train. The bodice is decorated with lace, and the dress is perfectly matched at the picnic with parasol, straw boater and shoes.

The Picnic costume designer was Judith Dorsman, working with Wendy Stiles and Mandy Smith.

Oral History with actress Helen Morse, 2015

'He wanted me to play Sara'

At the Rock

Filming began on 3 February 1975 at Hanging Rock, a rare volcanic formation over 6,000,000 years old which has a long association with Indigenous Australians.

The production moved to South Australia on 14 February, St Valentine’s Day. Martindale Hall (built 1877) in Mintaro became Appleyard College and Albyn Terrace in Strathalbyn became the main street of Woodend.

Interview with executive producer Patricia Lovell, 1993

'There was no other place to shoot it'

Filming locations

Miranda, Marion and Irma on Hanging Rock in a still from Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Miranda (Anne Lambert), Marion (Jane Vallis) and Irma (Karen Robson) at Hanging Rock.

A carriage full of schoolgirls drives through Woodend in a still from Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Mr Hussey drives the schoolgirls to Hanging Rock, passing through the main street of Woodend, Victoria. The actual location is Albyn Terrace, Strathalbyn, South Australia.

Production sketches for set dressing of the town of Woodend in Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Sketches for props to turn Strathalbyn, South Australia in 1975 into Woodend, Victoria in 1900.

Michael (Dominic Guard) looks at Appleyard College from a distance

Michael (Dominic Guard) is drawn to Appleyard College (filmed at Martindale Hall in South Australia) because of its association with Miranda

Sara (Margaret Nelson) seated in the gardens of Appleyard College (actually Martindale Hall in South Australia).

Miranda looking through a magnifying glass under an umbrella with other students around at the picnic

Miranda (Anne Lambert, centre) and other students at the Hanging Rock picnic grounds.

Oral History with scriptwriter Cliff Green, 2007

'I climbed the Rock on my own and I got lost'

Original ending

Peter Weir shot these unused scenes for the original ending of the film. Mrs Appleyard (Rachel Roberts) retraces the steps of the missing schoolgirls and sees a vision of orphan Sara Waybourne (Margaret Nelson, left).

These are excerpts from reels of 35mm silent colour outtakes acquired from Martin Sharp, who was credited as 'Artistic Advisor to the Director’. 

Scenes shot for original ending

Picnic at Hanging Rock outtakes - Mrs Appleyard at the Rock

Outtakes from Picnic at Hanging Rock. Please note: this clip is silent. NFSA title: 1395795

More outtakes

These scenes cut from Picnic include Miranda collecting flowers; shots of schoolgirls inspired by photographer David Hamilton; a melancholy Rosamund (Ingrid Mason) playing the piano; and Sara in the college grounds.

Other scenes from the 1975 version of Picnic were later removed from Peter Weir's 1998 Director’s Cut (see photo gallery).

Appleyard College outtakes

Silent outtakes from Picnic at Hanging Rock part 1

Scenes removed from the film

Sara in a white nightgown looks down from a crevice at Hanging Rock in a scene cut from Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Sara (Margaret Nelson) haunts Mrs Appleyard at Hanging Rock, part of the film's original ending.

Miranda (Anne Lambert) holding flowers next to a statue in the grounds of the College

Miranda (Anne Lambert) collects flowers in the gardens of Appleyard College, on St Valentine's Day.

The four schoolgirls walk in a circle around a rock

Irma Leopold (Karen Robson), Marion Quade (Jane Vallis), Miranda (Anne Lambert) and Edith Horton (Christine Schuler) at Hanging Rock.

Minnie the maid helps the French mistress search Miranda's room in a scene cut from Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Mademoiselle Dianne de Poitiers (Helen Morse) and Minnie (Jacki Weaver) investigate Sara's room after her sudden departure from the college.

Karen Robson as Irma meets John Jarratt as Albert in a still from the original release of Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Irma (Karen Robson) meets her rescuer, Albert Crundall (John Jarratt), in a scene from the original release removed from the later Director's Cut. 

Michael takes Irma punting on a lake in a scene from the original release of Picnic at Hanging Rock

Detail from an Australian lobby card showing Irma (Karen Robson) and Michael Fitzhubert (Dominic Guard) in a punt. Peter Weir removed this scene from his 1998 Director's Cut. 

Making Picnic

Rachel Roberts (Mrs Appleyard) was a last-minute replacement for Vivien Merchant, who contracted pneumonia. Peter Weir briefly cast Ingrid Mason as Miranda, before returning to his initial choice of Lambert. 

The picnic scenes (left) took a week to shoot with filming only occurring at lunchtime. Cinematographer Russell Boyd placed dyed wedding veil across the lens to achieve the diffuse lighting effect.

Making Picnic

Peter Weir directs night filming of a group of actors on the steps of Appleyard College in the movie Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Night shoot on the steps of Martindale Hall (location for Appleyard College). Director Peter Weir stands to the right of the camera.

Prop of Picnic at Hanging Rock 'Missing' poster on noticeboard

Prop 'Missing' poster on noticeboard, used in film.

'Missing' poster on the noticeboard at the entrance to Hanging Rock picnic grounds, in a still from Picnic at Hanging Rock.

'Missing' poster on the noticeboard at the entrance to Hanging Rock picnic grounds, as seen in the film. 

Architectural sketches for glasshouse set for the movie Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Architectural sketch for Appleyard College glasshouse, in which Sara's body is found.

1974 telegram with Harold Pinter’s reaction to the script

A 1974 telegram with casting details and noting Harold Pinter’s reaction to the script.

Printed card announcing that shooting of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' has commenced

Printed card announcing that shooting of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' has commenced, 1975.

Interview with cinematographer Russell Boyd, 1978

'We softened every shot'

Picnic posters

Polish film poster for 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' showing a drawing of Miranda's face

Polish quad poster.

Cover of publicity kit for Cannes Film Festival 1976 Miranda (Anne Louise Lambert)

Publicity kit Cannes Film Festival, 1976 - cover. 

Australian poster for 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'

Australian one-sheet poster, 1975.

Picnic at Hanging Rock Polish film poster showing drawing of girl's face with eyes closed

Polish one-sheet poster, 1978.

Japanese promotional poster for 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'

Japanese one-sheet poster.

Poster for German re-release of 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' in 1990

One-sheet poster for German re-release, 1990. 

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Trivia

1
While making Picnic, Pat Lovell found a monument marking the disappearance of three children near Hanging Rock in 1867.
2
Jane Vallis (Marion) and Jenny Lovell (Blanche) exchanged Valentine’s Day cards every year after making Picnic until Jane died in 1993.
3
Picnic was the third highest-grossing film of 1975 in Australia behind Jaws and The Towering Inferno.

Everything begins and ends at exactly the right time and place

Miranda

Acknowledgements

With special thanks to Ingrid Weir and Peter Weir, without whom this exhibition would not have been possible. Thanks also to Helen Morse, John Jarratt, Cliff Green, Russell Boyd, Bruce Smeaton and Jenny Lovell for permission to reproduce interviews; and David Critchley, for his research into Picnic outtakes and photographs.

  • Exhibition producer: Stephen Groenewegen
  • Curatorial: Belinda Hunt, Jenny Gall, Jennifer Coombes
  • Document and artefact photography : Darren Weinert, Tony Rowley, Kerrie Ruth
  • Conservation: Shingo Ishikawa
  • Video: Patrick O’Connor, Craig Dingwall, Terry Stuetz
  • Audio: Karen Hewitt, Danny Roberts
  • Oral History: Bronwyn Murphy