Ghosts of Port Arthur (c1932)

This travelogue, made by Ken G Hall for Cinesound, is about the ‘Cinderella State of the Commonwealth’, Tasmania. It includes sections on New Norfolk, Hobart, Port Arthur, the Hobart Zoo and the Derwent River district. It contains voice-over narration by Bert Bailey and features an instrumental score.

Ghosts of Port Arthur introduces itself as a ‘novelty travel talk’, and mostly that’s what it is. Explanatory and descriptive narration accompanies scenic shots of Tasmania’s landscapes and landmarks. The credits also say that Ken G Hall ‘arranged’ the film, by which it probably means he both scripted and directed it. It is similar in style to the travelogues that Frank Hurley made for the Tasmanian tourist bureau around the same time which, like this film, highlight the region’s natural beauty and potential as a tourist destination.