Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
What was Newcastle like in 1945?
This remarkable documentary from the Film Australia Collection takes viewers inside Australia's great industrial city, revealing the coal mines, steelworks, shipyards and communities that helped power the nation in the years following the Second World War.
Produced by The National Film Board in 1945, Story of a City captures Newcastle, New South Wales, at a pivotal moment in its history. From the bustling harbour and BHP steelworks to the coalfields of the Hunter, the film documents the industries that fuelled Australia's post-war growth.
But this is more than a film about industry. It also offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life, exploring Newcastle's schools, suburbs, beaches and family life, revealing the people behind one of Australia's most important working cities.
Today, Story of a City remains a valuable historical record of Newcastle, Australia's coal and steel industries, and the communities that helped shape the nation. It also offers insight into the values, aspirations and perspectives of Australia in the mid-twentieth century.
👉 Subscribe for more restored Australian documentaries, rare archive films and untold screen history: youtube.com/@NFSAFilmAustralia?sub_confirmation=1
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Newcastle, City of Coal
00:30 The Harbour and Industrial City
02:21 Trade Unions, Industry and Growth
03:01 Shipyards, BHP and Steel Production
06:54 Life in the Northern Coalfields
09:58 Coal Powering the Nation
12:09 Beyond Industry: The People of Newcastle
14:32 Lake Macquarie and Leisure Time
15:51 Beaches, Housing and Community Life
18:23 Building Newcastle's Future
From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Title: Story of a City
Year: 1946
NFSA ID: V56HK0E0
Catalogue ID: 1369112
Credits:
Production Company: Australia. Department of Information
Director: Shan Benson
Producer: Maslyn Williams
#Newcastle #AustralianHistory #FilmAustralia #NFSA #CoalMining #SteelIndustry #RegionalAustralia
What was Newcastle like in 1945?
This remarkable documentary from the Film Australia Collection takes viewers inside Australia's great industrial city, revealing the coal mines, steelworks, shipyards and communities that helped power the nation in the years following the Second World War.
Produced by The National Film Board in 1945, Story of a City captures Newcastle, New South Wales, at a pivotal moment in its history. From the bustling harbour and BHP steelworks to the coalfields of the Hunter, the film documents the industries that fuelled Australia's post-war growth.
But this is more than a film about industry. It also offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday life, exploring Newcastle's schools, suburbs, beaches and family life, revealing the people behind one of Australia's most important working cities.
Today, Story of a City remains a valuable historical record of Newcastle, Australia's coal and steel industries, and the communities that helped shape the nation. It also offers insight into the values, aspirations and perspectives of Australia in the mid-twentieth century.
👉 Subscribe for more restored Australian documentaries, rare archive films and untold screen history: youtube.com/@NFSAFilmAustralia?sub_confirmation=1
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Newcastle, City of Coal
00:30 The Harbour and Industrial City
02:21 Trade Unions, Industry and Growth
03:01 Shipyards, BHP and Steel Production
06:54 Life in the Northern Coalfields
09:58 Coal Powering the Nation
12:09 Beyond Industry: The People of Newcastle
14:32 Lake Macquarie and Leisure Time
15:51 Beaches, Housing and Community Life
18:23 Building Newcastle's Future
From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Title: Story of a City
Year: 1946
NFSA ID: V56HK0E0
Catalogue ID: 1369112
Credits:
Production Company: Australia. Department of Information
Director: Shan Benson
Producer: Maslyn Williams
#Newcastle #AustralianHistory #FilmAustralia #NFSA #CoalMining #SteelIndustry #RegionalAustralia
