AUSTRALIAN
DECADE
1960’S
“A TURBULENT DECADE”
THE RISE OF A COUNTER
CULTURE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJYE4
HUtwBE&feature=related
ROWAN CAHILL
 “The
period seeded the future
with movements and ideas that
challenged and changed
Australian society and culture as
women, aborigines, gays, lesbians
and environmentalists variously
articulated, demanded, claimed,
struggled and gained attention
and rights previously denied.”
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN- THE RISE OF
A YOUTH CULTURE




Popular mythology argues that in Australia the 60’s
was “ a once in a lifetime celebration of youthful
rebellion. The Beatles Tour was central to this social
transformation.”
Keith Moore
“One of the most interesting aspects of revolt within
the more advanced capitalist states since the war has
been the emergence, one after the other, of groupings
of disaffected youth. Youth revolt is not necessarily a
panacea; neither is it necessarily the precursor of
social revolution; rather a grim-humored reaction to
the frustration implicit in this society and this
manner of living”
Charles Radcliffe The Seeds of Destruction 1966
MENZIES-HOLT-GORTON THE
CONSERVATIVE LIBERAL BRIGADE
'Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who
share its luck.” Donald Horne 1964
HAROLD HOLT BELIEVED DEAD
A DECADE OF CHANGE;
REFERENDUMS AND FREEDOM RIDES
1963 ST GEORGE DEFEATS WESTS 8-3
6 O’CLOCK ROCK AND BANDSTAND
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=2KP3BS23PNE
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=G5PVPIV
Z5YQ
NAT YOUNG MIDGET FARRELLY AND THE
SHORT BOARD REVOLUTION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1FaflUn4Co&feat
ure=related
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WGECK
J9LSH4
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=UGAUT
ADN47U
MUSIC OF A GENERATION
THE BEATLES, JEAN
SHRIMPTON AND
CARNABY STREET
FASHIONS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMwZsFK
IXa8&feature=related
RAY EVANS; ROCK AND ROLL CULTURE

Rock and Roll music had shocked conservative
Australia in the 1950’s. The lyrics, the
performers gestures and the behaviour of the
fans had challenged “the primacy of nuclear
family values, clean living and British restraint.”
HAIR THE MUSICAL
3 SECONDS OF FULL FRONTAL NUDITY
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=RRGLF4J33VU&FEATURE=RELATED
HAIR was the era-defining musical of the 60s, capturing the
atmosphere of politically active, long-haired, dope-smoking
Hippies.
THE SOUND OF MOTOWN AND THE ROLLING STONES
HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=5GISSW
2TSGQ
AMERICANISATION OF POPULAR
CULTURE
DECIMAL CURRENCY; END OF THE
POUND STERLING
BOUFFANT BABES AND SWINGIN
CHICKS
BY THE END OF 1961 THE OLD LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, ORDINANCE NO. 52 WAS
ABANDONED AND A NEW ORDINANCE INTRODUCED WHICH SIMPLY REQUIRED BATHERS BE
‘CLAD IN A PROPER AND ADEQUATE BATHING COSTUME’ - WITHOUT DEFINING EXACTLY
WHAT THIS WAS. THE BIKINI ‘WAR’ HAD BEEN WON – BY THE BIKINI WEARERS!
CHANGE IN FASHION- CLOTHING
AS A MEANS OF SELF EXPRESSION
The mini, midi,
pantyhose, wide ties,
paisley shirts, bellbottom pants, op art
dresses, Lurex, paisley,
peace and Prue Acton
are all words that
symbolise the '60s
TIE DYE, FLORALS AND FLAIRS; A
FASHION MUST
 The ‘Rock n Roll’ youth lifestyle starts to be
recognised as a huge market (the Beatles tour in
1964 had a huge influence) and is increasingly
appropriated into business, advertising and media
cultures. Business begins to appropriate ‘youth
rebellion’ to make money and ‘look cool’
HISTORICALLY, ASPECTS OF YOUTH CULTURE HAVE INCLUDED
LANGUAGE, MUSIC AND DRESS IN VARYING
COMBINATIONS SO AS TO ESTABLISH IDENTITY. THE TENDENCY TO
HIGHJACK WORDS AND CREATE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
LANGUAGE HAS OFTEN BEEN SEEN AS A NEGATIVE OR EXCLUSIONARY
TRAIT OF YOUTH
Right On!
Cool Man!
Groovy?
Smell the flowers
Make love not war
Right on
Tripping
Psychedelic
Peace
Sit ins
Funky
Love ins
ROWAN CAHILL- THE FINAL WORD
Perhaps
its greatest legacy
was in striking an almighty
blow for the legitimisation of
protest in this country,
"enlarging the space for
democratic action".
AMERICANIZATION AND PROTEST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeCxJmcAo&feature=related
SEX DRUGS AND ROCK AND ROLL
Richard
Neville
OZ
Magazine
OZ MAGAZINE DISSENT AND IRREVERENCE
WOODSTOCK AMERICAN
INFLUENCE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvs4j4IniA
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQDakdp5WZ0
&feature=related
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q69HfzWpZac
