The National Archives of Australia (NAA) and RHSV are proud to co-present this event with eminent historian, Professor Graeme Davison.

Professor Davison, in response to the NAA’s current exhibition, Reception this way: motels – a sentimental journey with Tim Ross | naa.gov.au , will discuss the motel which was the most popular of a suite of American-inspired innovations that transformed Australia’s towns and suburbs in the 1950s and 60s: the drive-in cinema, the service station, the drive-in bottle shop and hotel, the carport and the drive-in shopping centre. In his book, The Australian Ugliness, architect Robin Boyd decried the excesses of what he dubbed ‘Austerica’ but also hoped to civilise the form. Meanwhile ordinary Australians simply enjoyed the new possibilities of travel, leisure and convenience that the car and the drive-in world offered.

If you cannot get to the Victorian Archives Centre, you could visit the on-line curator’s tour: Curator-talk – Reception this way | naa.gov.au This is based on the exhibition when it was in the NAA’s Canberra office. The touring version of the exhibition in Melbourne is a slightly smaller version due to the size of the gallery.

Photo caption: ‘The California Motel, Hawthorn c. 1964. NAA: B942, HOTELS – MOTELS & RESTAURANTS [3] [id: 30766249]’

Housekeeping

This is a Zoom only event however you are more than welcome to visit the exhibition at the Victorian Archives Centre, 99 Shiel St, North Melbourne (home to both the NAA and PROV). The exhibition can be accessed Monday to Friday 10am to 4:30pm.

The ZOOM log-in details will be sent to all attendees 24hrs before the event.

An automatically generated confirmation of booking email is sent on booking – please check your Trash or Spam folders if this email does not turn up in your In-Box.

This is a History Month event (click here for the full program)