Sunday, June 29, 2014

Photo essay: A pictorial look at everyday life in Melbourne in the 1970s - Herald Sun



1970: Protesters participate in a moratorium rally in Bourke St.


1970: Protesters participate in a moratorium rally in Bourke St. Source: HeraldSun




IT is an image that looks surreal — cars and people stranded in a flooded Elizabeth St.



It happened in 1972 but it wasn’t the first time that the road — the lowest point in the CBD — was under water, Elizabeth St was built on a natural creek and several times has experienced flash flooding that divided the city in two.


The photo, from the Herald Sun archive, is among many documenting the 1970s when platform shoes and flares were in fashion.


Rock bands such as Led Zeppelin played at Kooyong Stadium, but Melbourne also attracted legendary crooner Frank Sinatra, who is seen trying to evade journalists at Festival Hall.


Later in the decade, Swedish pop sensation Abba took the city by storm, performing at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in 1977.


A snap of shoppers and workers in Bourke St in 1970 reveals a business-like city, a stark contrast to a photo of a group of sharpies in a park.



1970: Shoppers in Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1970: Shoppers in Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1970: Melbourne at night. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1970: Melbourne at night. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1970: The Westgate Bridge collapse in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1970: The Westgate Bridge collapse in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




April 1970: Brownlow medallist John Schultz explains the finer points of Aussie Rules to


April 1970: Brownlow medallist John Schultz explains the finer points of Aussie Rules to the Queen as Fitzroy took on Richmond at the MCG; Prince Charles is seated next to St Kilda captain Ross Smith and Prince Philip got some expert commentary from Melbourne’s Ross Dillon. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1971: Miss Lyn Morris in a button-through maxi of white crepe with a huge butterfly print


1971: Miss Lyn Morris in a button-through maxi of white crepe with a huge butterfly print in black on the midriff and Mr John Duff in a cream safari suit look stunning in the Flemington crowd. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1970: Mrs Richard Vereker turned heads at Flemington at the 1970 Melbourne Cup in this un


1970: Mrs Richard Vereker turned heads at Flemington at the 1970 Melbourne Cup in this unusual outfit. Source: HeraldSun




1971: Luna Park. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1971: Luna Park. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1971: Riding the roller coaster at Luna Park. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1971: Riding the roller coaster at Luna Park. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




March 1971: Anti-Vietnam protests shut down the streets around Parliament. Picture: Heral


March 1971: Anti-Vietnam protests shut down the streets around Parliament. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1971: Save Our Sons activist and mother of 10 Irene Miller, reunited with her husband aft


1971: Save Our Sons activist and mother of 10 Irene Miller, reunited with her husband after spending 11 days in Fairlea Prison protesting against conscription and participation in the war in Vietnam. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




June 1971: Moratorium march in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


June 1971: Moratorium march in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1971: Lillian Frank makes an impression at the opening night for Hair in Melbourne at the


1971: Lillian Frank makes an impression at the opening night for Hair in Melbourne at the Metro theatre in Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




February 1972: Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant pictured on stage during the group’s concert a


February 1972: Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant pictured on stage during the group’s concert at Kooyong. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1972: Record rainfall turns Elizabeth St into a river. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1972: Record rainfall turns Elizabeth St into a river. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




March 1972: Melbourne's underground railway begins to take shape. This tunnel will carry


March 1972: Melbourne's underground railway begins to take shape. This tunnel will carry the Caulfield-Sandringham line. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1972: Joe Cocker performs in Melbourne after a drug arrest and assault charges. He was gi


1972: Joe Cocker performs in Melbourne after a drug arrest and assault charges. He was given 48 hours to leave the country. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied




1973: Drummond St, Carlton. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1973: Drummond St, Carlton. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Corp Australia




1973: A group of Sharpies. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1973: A group of Sharpies. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: Supplied




1973: North Melbourne’s Denis Pagan and fiancee Cheryl Ryan. Picture: Herald Sun Image Li


1973: North Melbourne’s Denis Pagan and fiancee Cheryl Ryan. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Limited




1973: Melbourne’s Gary Hardeman takes a screamer against St Kilda at the MCG. Picture: He


1973: Melbourne’s Gary Hardeman takes a screamer against St Kilda at the MCG. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1974: Frank Sinatra tries to evade waiting journalists outside Melbourne's Festival Hall.


1974: Frank Sinatra tries to evade waiting journalists outside Melbourne's Festival Hall. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: Supplied




1974: Arnold Schwarzenegger shows off his physique on the streets of Melbourne. Picture:


1974: Arnold Schwarzenegger shows off his physique on the streets of Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1974: Kevin Murray is chaired off after his 333rd VFL match, this one against Melbourne;


1974: Kevin Murray is chaired off after his 333rd VFL match, this one against Melbourne; his career began in 1955. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1975: North Melbourne ruckman Mick Nolan pictured going off to work at the Gas and Fuel C


1975: The giant gasometer was a landmark at the Arden St footy ground where North Melbourne ruckman Mick Nolan earned the nickname the Galloping Gasometer. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Corp Australia




1975: Constable Ron Ritchie on police foot patrol in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image


1975: Constable Ron Ritchie on police foot patrol in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




November 12, 1975: The dismissal of the Whitlam government was front page news.


November 12, 1975: The dismissal of the Whitlam government was front page news. Source: HeraldSun




March 1976: This vehicle was a prototype designed by Toyota for city driving and it was p


March 1976: This vehicle was a prototype designed by Toyota for city driving and it was promoted at the Melbourne International Motor Show as “the car of the future”. It was designed to be powered by either batteries or petrol. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library. Source: News Limited




1976: Punters get drenched at the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1976: Punters get drenched at the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1976: A punter finishes off his champagne despite the flooding. Picture: Herald Sun Image


1976: A punter finishes off his champagne despite the flooding. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1977: ABBA’s Bjorn and Frida pictured during their gig at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Pic


1977: ABBA’s Bjorn and Frida pictured during their gig at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1977: Agnetha Faltskog from ABBA listens to the crowd singing in Melbourne. Picture: Hera


1977: Agnetha Faltskog from ABBA listens to the crowd singing in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1977: Sir John Kerr appeared to be drunk during his presentation speech at the Melbourne


1977: Sir John Kerr appeared to be drunk during his presentation speech at the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied




1977: South Melbourne’s Graham Teasdale shows off his 1977 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Heral


1977: South Melbourne’s Graham Teasdale shows off his 1977 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Corp Australia




1977: Dennis Lillee meets the Queen during the Centenary Test in Melbourne where he appea


1977: Dennis Lillee meets the Queen during the Centenary Test in Melbourne where he appears to ask for her autograph, but was apparently met with a Royal refusal. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited




1977: Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and wife Tamie enjoy Abba at the Sidney Myer Music Bo


1977: Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and wife Tamie enjoy Abba at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1977: The Collingwood bench watches on during the Grand Final that resulted in a draw. Pi


1977: The Collingwood bench watches on during the Grand Final that resulted in a draw. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1978: Orang-utang twins Suma and twin brother Bono at the Melbourne Zoo. Picture: Herald


1978: Orang-utang twins Suma and twin brother Bono at the Melbourne Zoo. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: News Limited




1978: The last section of the West Gate Bridge is slowly lifted into place in May 1978, f


1978: The last section of the West Gate Bridge is slowly lifted into place in May 1978, finally providing a fast road link between Melbourne and the west. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1978: The first Melbourne marathon gets underway. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1978: The first Melbourne marathon gets underway. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1979: Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1979: Bourke St. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1979: Families take a ride on Puffing Billy. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library


1979: Families take a ride on Puffing Billy. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun




1979: Batsman Greg Chappell, with strategically positioned bat, grabs a streaker during A


1979: Batsman Greg Chappell, with strategically positioned bat, grabs a streaker during Australia v West Indies one-day international at the MCG in Melbourne. Picture: Herald Sun Image Library Source: HeraldSun



LIFE IN 1970s MELBOURNE AT A GLANCE


Price of a loaf of bread: 24c


Average yearly wage for male workers: $4498.


Unemployment rate: 2 per cent until the middle of the decade, when it jumped to 4 per cent and then steadily rose.


Biggest names in sport: Denis Lillee, Margaret Court and Ken Rosewall.


Latest tech device (the tablet of its day): Casette tapes.


Medical development: In 1978 Professor Graeme Clark successfully tested the world’s first cochlear implant and went on to create the bionic ear.


Population of Melbourne: 2.6 million in 1971


Originally published as Wide lapels, big hair and 1970s Melbourne

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