A day in the life of Geelong, incluidng a visit to the local school workshop, child care centre, and even a toy store! The Ford factory in Geelong, which operated from 1925 to October 2016, is prominently featured in this film.

Now released in stunning 4K, Life in Australia: Geelong is part of the Life in Australia series produced by the Commonwealth Film Unit for the Department of Immigration in 1966.

Directed by Antonio Colacino, this short film was designed to showcase an idealised version of life in the Victorian regional city of Geelong – complete with stable jobs, family homes, bustling shops, and thriving sporting and cultural life. But Geelong is very much a film of its time. Made in the final years of the White Australia policy, this government-funded series was created to appeal to (mostly British) migrants, presenting a carefully curated image of Australia as a land of opportunity and prosperity.

What’s missing tells us just as much as what’s included – there are no First Nations people, no visible cultural diversity, and women are portrayed in traditional domestic and clerical roles. Viewed today, these films offer a fascinating glimpse into the mid-20th century Australian self-image: aspirational, orderly, and framed like a TV sitcom of the era. While they don’t reflect the full complexity or diversity of Australian society – especially during a decade marked by protest, reform, and transformation – they remain compelling time capsules of a nation in the midst of change.

Find out more about the Life In Australia series.