COME TO COLOUR

In celebration of the arrival of colour television in Australia on 1 March 1975, the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) created a series of animated film clips to play between programs.

Colourful, fun and a little off-beat, the clips range from 8 seconds to over a minute long, showing different creatures and characters enjoying colour television.

These animations were most likely drawn by illustrator Allan Stomann, known for his wonderful ABC Let's Sing school songbook drawings from the 1970s and 80s.

The original film is now at the National Archives of Australia in the ABC's archival collection. It was rediscovered for use in the National Archives' first audiovisual exhibition Tuning In in 2015.

The film's condition has deteriorated somewhat over time. Its original full colour vibrancy is now principally a red-pink palette.

Two of the three colour dye layers (cyan and yellow) have faded, leaving magenta the prominent hue. The film has now been preserved digitally, to prevent further damage.

The National Archives' audiovisual preservation team continues to preserve and protect the largest audiovisual collection in Australia.

We hope you enjoy this animated blast from the past and can imagine the excitement when colour television arrived in 1975!

Keep scrolling for for more clips!