I am Vietnamese and was born in 1994 but somehow watching this makes me feel so nostalgic LOL. In 1994, my family still lived in a straw-and-dirt house while Brisbane in 1954 already had so many significant buildings. Just wow

I was born in 1959, just celebrated my 60th year. Watching this amazing video brought back all my memories as a young child going to town with my mum to pay bills and take care of other things. I easily remember the wharves and the old Victoria bridge as well as the streets in front of the City Hall. Also I remember that the city hall tower was the tallest structure in Brisbane then. The trams, the gaslights around city hall, the enormous hanging baskets of ferns hanging from the street lights. I don't have a problem with progress, but way too much of the historical value of Brisbane has been destroyed and it is a shame that while other cities in Australia and around the world are working to preserve their heritage it seems that Brisbane is in a hurry to do away with its. Thank you for the wonderful memories you have stirred in me while taking in the sights of this production. I'm going to Subscribe to your channel so I can see what else you have for me. Cheers.

Australia's true hidden gem. Queenslander homes are also very unique and this is what separates Brisbane from the other capital cities in Australia.

i always marvel at the old footage of the city hall. It looked so good before. They've really messed it up. Its almost like when someone has an addiction to plastic surgery

61 years later, Brisbane is still beautiful. I've been around the world a few times, and I hold the opinion that Brisbane is one of the best cities there is. Great place to cycle around, too.

What stood out to me in this period piece, was the lack of diversity in people. The whimsy music added to the creepy feeling for me.

At least comments haven't been shut off on this one, unlike Life In Australia: Brisbane, something that should never happen on an NFSA video.

The Bjelke Joe years ripped up the heritage of Brisbane and built a freeway by the river. It’s still a backwater however. The most parochial government too.

Wow! The Brisbane river looked good back then. Pity about its current state. Ruined!

I'm so so glad these films have been made easily available to everyone! Thank you so much to those who have made it possible.

That City Hall shot just blew my mind knowing what it looks like today all paved over

As a young adult living in Brisbane now, it's really fascinating to look at how things have changed. I had no idea that City Hall looked like that, or that waiters could be that fancy! I love my city with all my heart, but it's nice to look back at what people have captured of the past. (It shows I haven't been outside in a while when I can't remember if we still have palm trees)

Unrecognizable today. This was truly the peak of Australia. Today wandering around Brisbane there's nothing unique about it. Could be a city in SE Asia, could be in the Middle East, who'd know.

These old videos are really beautiful!

Fantastic! Great memories … great people who built our great city! Thank you!

Of course nostalgia is a great thing when we tend to remember only the better things. Brisbane was more like a big country town back then rather than a more sophisticated city as it is now but that was no bad thing in many ways. One of the best places on earth to grow up in, serious crime almost unheard of and far less Govt. control though that goes for most places these days. Trams a civilized form of public transport and Queen st. developed with some beautiful buildings, torn down in the 70's and 80's to be replaced mainly by banality. Overall it's better now but it would be so much better if it's heritage had been more appreciated in those bad decades.

Thanks for your comments. We appreciate the feedback. More old Brisbane coming up this week.

It looked so quiet and elegant and peaceful then.

I'm glad you can leave comments on this one. I remember visiting The Oasis swimming & garden centre when I was a small child on holidays with my family from N.S.W. I SO loved it; I don't think the film does it justice. I felt like I was in paradise! I don't think it's there anymore.

Look how clean the river was