Beschrijving
In this beautifully preserved instalment of Australian Colour Diary from 1959, we travels 78 miles from Melbourne to the Eildon bulb farm, where spring unveils a breathtaking spectacle of golden daffodils.
Echoing the words of William Wordsworth, a true host of golden daffodils stretches across the landscape, transforming the fields into a vivid carpet of green and gold. These hardy flowers thrive in the region’s moist, well‑drained soil, producing remarkable seasonal abundance.
Run by brothers Roy and Bill Alers, the farm is a hive of activity during peak bloom. Each day, truckloads of freshly cut daffodils are carefully transported to a nearby packing shed before being sent to markets across Victoria and interstate. With up to 700,000 blooms harvested in a single season, demand consistently outpaces supply.
More than just a farming story, this film captures a fleeting moment of natural beauty. Come spring, few sights rival the sweeping fields of gold that define this corner of Victoria.
The Australian Diary Series (1947–1970) records aspects of everyday life, industry and production in mid‑20th‑century Australia. To watch more Australian Diary films visit:
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Chapters
00:00 Opening shots of Eildon countryside
00:30 Arrival at the daffodil farm
00:44 Fields of golden blooms in full colour
00:57 Growing conditions and hardy flowers
01:04 Meet the Alers brothers
01:11 Harvesting and daily operations
01:19 Packing and distribution process
01:26 Scale of production and demand
01:39 Springtime beauty and closing vistas
From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Title: Australian Diary No. 009
NFSA ID: J2ARPVSF
Catalogue ID: 1400
Year: 1959
Credits:
Production Company: Australian News And Information Bureau. Film Division
Producer: Australia. Dept of the Interior
Director: Jack S. Allan
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