Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Postwar Sydney
The postwar baby boom was
accompanied by mass immigration
and the suburban sprawl. The
hippie movement gave youth an
extrovert voice that imbued the
1960s with an air of flamboyance.
Australian involvement in the Vietnam War led to polit-
ical unrest in the early 1970s, relieved for one seminal
moment by the 1973 opening of the Sydney Opera House
(see pp74-7) . In the 1980s, vast sums were spent on sky-
scrapers and glossy redevelopments like Darling Harbour,
and on bicentennial celebrations. The city's potential was
recognized in 1993 with the announcement that Sydney
would host the year 2000 Olympics.
1950s Holden sedan
GROWTH OF THE CITY
Today
1966
Drag queens pose in
their Hollywood-style
sequined finery or
lampoon public figures
of the day.
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Australia's most prestigious and treacherous
yacht race runs over 1,167 km (725 miles).
Each Boxing Day since 1945, spectators have
watched yachts jostle at the starting line.
Elaborate floats
and costumes
can take a year to
make, with prizes
given to the best.
Bicentenary
The re-enactment
of the First Fleet's
journey ended in
Sydney Harbour
on Australia Day,
1988. A chaotic
flotilla greeted the
“tall ships”.
NEW MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL
What began as a protest march involving 1,000
people in 1978 is now a multi-million dollar
boost for Australian tourism. While the parade
lasts for one rude and riotous night only (see
p49) , the surrounding international festival offers
a month of art, sporting and community events.
TIMELINE
1965
Conscription
re-introduced;
first regular
army battalion
sent to Vietnam
1958 Qantas
Airlines embarks
on its first round-
the-world flights
1950 Petrol,
butter and tea
rationing ends
1973 Official
opening of
the Sydney
Opera House
1976 Nude
sunbathing
allowed on
two Sydney
beaches
1979 Sydney's
Eastern
Suburbs
Railway opens
Johnny
O'Keefe
1950
1960
1970
1980
1954 Elizabeth
II is the first
reigning
monarch to
visit Australia
1956 TV
launched in
Sydney. By the
1960s, the most
popular show
is The Mickey
Mouse Club
1973 Patrick
White wins
the Nobel
Prize for
Literature
1978 Brett
Whiteley wins
Archibald Prize,
Wynne Prize
and Sulman
Prize for three
works of art
Patrick
White
1959
Population
of Australia
reaches
10 million
1964 Rocker
Johnny O'Keefe,
“The Wild One”,
continues to top
the music charts
 
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