[Nixon Family Home Movies: Reel 4]

In the Nixon Family Home Movie Collection, married film enthusiasts Les and Dorothy Nixon have captured their family life from when their children are very young to when they are young adults, at home in Geelong, during wonderful beach holidays at Point Roadknight on the Victorian coast, and when going about their everyday activities, from the 1960s to the 1980s.

The films show life in regional and suburban Victoria at the time: playing in the backyard and bike riding down the street (no helmets of course), lots of tennis, lots of beach and swimming, lots of family visits, birthday parties and family barbeques or picnic gatherings. Along the way, the films also record the distinctive fashion (often handmade) and hairstyles of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, through Dorothy Nixon being so stylish a dresser herself, and at the many family weddings across the extended family.

The films are made on Standard 8mm and then Super 8mm film, and are in reasonable condition though a little shaky or damaged at times.

This film is about family life in Geelong in the 1970s. Children Karen and Stuart have a ride on a motorbike, visits to the beach, to the ‘Bell Brae’ farm and to the snow, Karen’s 9th birthday party (filmed inside so quite dark), preparing for school, sports days and an extended family wedding. There are some great examples of 1970s fashion, particularly of the home made style.

Selected highlights list:
00:00:10:00 giving the children a ride on a motorcycle
00:00:20:00 family gathering sitting on the sand at the beach, eating ice creams
00:03:43:00 children surfing the waves
00:05:37:00 Karen’s nineth birthday party celebrations
00:05:55:00 the children riding their bikes around the house and the street, confident Karen waves to the camera
00:07:20:00 mother and daughter in the garden, Karen wearing ‘hotpants’ which were very popular in the 1970s
00:07:23:00 Karen poses for the camera in her ‘Brownies’ uniform
00:08:04:00 the grandparents of the family
00:08:58:00 Karen and Stuart ready for school
00:09:03:00 fishing off a pier
00:09:55:00 spectacular early 1970s hairstyles in preparation for one of the many family weddings
00:11:54:00 a family wedding in 1970s style
00:12:15:00 an extended family gathering
00:15:17:00 a visit to play in what might be sudden fall of snow
00:16:36:00 dad is wearing a 1970s ‘groovy’ outfit while posing with Karen and Stuart in the garden
00:17:07:00 Karen and companions do a ‘physical education’ display for the camera
00:17:57:00 Karen and Stuart pose with a blowup Santa in the garden
00:18:54:00 jet skiing at the beach