Sigrid Thornton launches NT Access Centre

The National Film and Sound Archive’s Darwin Access Centre, in partnership with the Northern Territory Library, has been officially launched by special guest Sigrid Thornton. The NFSA’s Access Centre service provides research access to items from the collection and this final addition to the NFSA’s Access Centres means there is now an Access Centre in every capital city.

Visitors to the Access Centre at the Northern Territory Library will be able to view and listen to locally-held items from the NFSA’s collection, as well as order collection material from the NFSA’s Canberra headquarters.

The launch was threatened by an ash cloud that closed airports around Australia, but in the end only slightly delayed the arrival of Thornton, who was cheered by guests, including dignitaries, filmmakers, historians and Indigenous broadcasters.

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The Honorable Gerry McCarthy MLA, Minister for Arts and Museums, Diana Richards, Assistant Director Northern Territory Library Research and Collections, and Bronwyn Coupe from the NFSA welcomed everyone. 

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Thornton spoke of the importance of preserving Australia’s audiovisual culture and of Australians, now and in the future, having access to their history through moving images and sound. She officially opened the Access Centre with the screening of a special compilation of works from the NFSA collection. The audience enjoyed viewing early scenes of Darwin, including the bombing of Darwin during the Second World War and voices from the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy. Clips of The Aunty Jack Show and Skippy got a laugh and the sweeping cinematography of the red centre from The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert made some draw breath.

Visit the Darwin Access Centre at Northern Territory Library or find out more about where your local Access Centre is.