Cinema of Australia
Australian cinema began with the world's first feature film in 1906.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The story of Australian cinema starts in 1906 with *The Story of the Kelly Gang*, which many consider the world’s first feature-length film. Since then, the country’s film industry has produced numerous movies, some earning global acclaim. Many internationally famous actors and directors began their careers in Australia before moving to larger production hubs like the United States and the United Kingdom. Well-known commercial hits include *Crocodile Dundee*, *The Castle*, George Miller’s five *Mad Max* films, Baz Luhrmann’s *Moulin Rouge!*, and Chris Noonan’s *Babe*. Award-winning titles include *Picnic at Hanging Rock*, *Gallipoli*, *The Tracker*, *Shine*, and *Ten Canoes*.
Film critic David Stratton described Australian cinema’s history as one of “boom and bust,” with long periods where few films were made and short bursts of heavy production.
The first public film screenings in Australia happened in October 1896, less than a year after the Lumière brothers’ debut in Paris. On 22 August 1896, magician Carl Hertz showed films to a paying audience at Harry Rickards’ Melbourne Opera House as part of a variety show. Similar projection tours followed. Australia’s first dedicated cinema, the Salon Lumière in Sydney, opened in October 1896 and screened the country’s first locally made short film on 27 October 1896. The first successful local program was a series of eleven one-minute reels of the Victoria Derby (31 October 1896) and the Melbourne Cup (3 November 1896), both won by the horse Newhaven. Directed by Henry Walter Barnett and shot by cinematographer Marius Sestier for the Lumière brothers, these were shown at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre on 19 November 1896 and later at Sydney’s Criterion Theatre on 24 November 1896; three reels survive. Melbourne’s Athenaeum Hall, originally a dance hall, showed its first movie in October 1896. It later hosted *Life in Our Navy*, a 60,000-foot film of HMS Jupiter, on 26 January 1901, presented by G. H. Snazelle. In 1897, films of the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup were shot for W. C. Baxter, developed the same day by photographer Robert William Harvie and inventor Ernest J. Thwaites, and screened at the Melbourne Opera House that evening. Between 1900 and 1903, anthropologists Baldwin Spencer and F. J. Gillen filmed Aboriginal dancers in Central Australia, pioneering sound recording on wax cylinders under difficult
- first_feature_film
- The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906)
- first_public_screening_in_Australia
- 22 August 1896
- first_Australian_cinema
- Salon Lumière, Sydney (October 1896)
- first_Australian-produced_short_film_scr
- 27 October 1896
- peak_production_years
- 1910–1912 (almost 90 narrative features)
- dominant_foreign_market_share_by_1923
- 94% American films
Lore & Background
The first public screenings of films in Australia took place in October 1896, within a year of the world's first screening in Paris by Lumière brothers. On 22 August 1896, the first films projected to a paying audience in Australia were at Harry Rickards' Melbourne Opera House. Australia's first cinema, the Salon Lumière at 237 Pitt Street, Sydney, was operating in October 1896, and showed the first Australian-produced short film on 27 October 1896. The first locally produced and successfully screened cinema program was a series of eleven one-minute film reels taken from the Victoria Derby on 31 October 1896 and the Melbourne Cup on 3 November 1896, both won by the same horse, Newhaven. Directed by Henry Walter Barnett, the Lumiere Brothers film was photographed by Marius Sestier. The earliest feature-length narrative film in the world was the Australian-produced The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), shown at the Athenaeum. Melbourne also hosted one of the world's first film studios, the Limelight Department, operated by the Salvation Army between 1897 and 1910, which produced about 300 films and is described by some as having produced the first feature-length film ever, Soldiers of the Cross.
Reader's Guide
The history of Australian cinema, as characterized by critic David Stratton, is one of 'boom and bust'. The 1910s were a boom period, with Australia one of the most prolific film-producing countries at the time, making almost 90 narrative features between 1910 and 1912. However, by 1923 American films dominated the Australian market, with 94% of all exhibited films coming from the United States. The industry saw revivals in the 1930s with Efftee Studios and Cinesound Productions, though both ceased feature film production by the early 1940s. Despite these cycles, Australian cinema has produced internationally recognized films and launched careers of actors and filmmakers who found success in the US and UK. The legacy includes commercially successful films such as Crocodile Dundee and the Mad Max series, as well as award-winning productions like Picnic at Hanging Rock and Shine.
Did You Know?
- The first films projected to a paying audience in Australia were at Harry Rickards' Melbourne Opera House on 22 August 1896.
- Australia's first cinema, the Salon Lumière in Sydney, showed the first Australian-produced short film on 27 October 1896.
- The earliest feature-length narrative film in the world was the Australian-produced The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906).
- The Limelight Department, operated by the Salvation Army, produced about 300 films between 1897 and 1910, making it the largest film-producer of its time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cinema of Australia?
Australian cinema refers to the nation's film industry and artistic output, tracing back to the first public screening in Sydney in August 1896 and the world's first feature-length film in 1906. It spans everything from early bushland narratives to globally celebrated commercial and arthouse works.
What is the first feature film in Australian cinema history?
The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906), directed by Charles Tait, is widely recognized as the earliest known feature-length film anywhere in the world. It dramatized the exploits of outlaw Ned Kelly and his gang across the Australian bush.
Why is Cinema of Australia important to global film history?
Beyond producing the first feature film, Australia has long served as a talent pipeline, launching internationally renowned actors and directors who went on to shape Hollywood and British cinema. Distinctive genre works like George Miller's Mad Max saga and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! have left a lasting imprint on world filmmaking.
What are some of Australia's most iconic films?
Fan favorites include Crocodile Dundee, The Castle, Babe, and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, alongside George Miller's five Mad Max entries. These titles blend Australian humor, landscape, and storytelling sensibility in ways that resonated far beyond the country's borders.
How did the early Australian film industry evolve before foreign films took over?
The years 1910 to 1912 saw a remarkable production boom, with nearly 90 narrative features made in a short span. By 1923, however, American films had captured roughly 94% of the domestic market, effectively sidelining local production for decades.
More in Film History & Movements 1-21
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record