Scenes of surf, sun and swimming at Coogee Beach, Sydney, played upon the sea as a place of recreation in stark contrast to the suffering at Gallipoli and on the Western Front.

This brief clip from around 1914 is one of few surviving film records of Australian beach scenes from this period.

From beach inspectors on the lookout for danger to the ice cream vendors helping people cool down, Surf Beach pays tribute to an Australian icon: the beach.

As the first day of the Australian summer looms, this 1948 clip from Australian Diary looks at a day trip to Manly Beach.

Surf Patrol shows the work of volunteer life-savers in the 1950s, patrolling Australia's dangerous surf beaches.

A simple film about Australia which concentrates on the Australians' love of the surf and the beach.

 Excerpt from a documentary about Australians’ love affair with the beach, narrated by David Wenham.

This home movie was filmed in spring 1941.

Australasian Gazette newsreel segment from February 1929 featuring Victoria's then best known swimming instructor, Frenchman Alex Sauter, seen here at St Kilda beach with local ballerinas.

A city family spends a day at a beach; they fish, swim and play in the rock pools. The part played by lifesavers in keeping the beaches safe is also included in the story.