Ten extraordinary audio recordings illustrating Australia’s cultural and political life and environment have been added to the National Film & Sound Archive’s unique Sounds of Australia collection.
The 2024 additions include the first Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian to use recorded sound to document Aboriginal culture, hip hop, speeches, a theme tune, the launch of what is now SBS Audio, an advertising jingle for an iconic Australian beer, and the last known recording of a now-extinct species.
Established in 2007, Sounds of Australia is the NFSA’s annual collection of sound recordings with cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance, which inform or reflect life in Australia. Nominations from the public, of recordings that are at least 10 years old, are voted on by a panel of industry and NFSA sound experts.
“These new additions to the NFSA’s Sounds of Australia capsule, ranging from landmark speeches to iconic theme music, from enduring pop to the sad, final call of a now-extinct species, are collectively a testament to the power of audio,” said Meagan Loader, NFSA Chief Curator.
“It’s very meaningful to be able to preserve this diversity of content so that future generations will be able to understand and appreciate the sounds and their stories that resonated with Australians in 2024.”
The 2024 Sounds of Australia, in chronological order, are:
- Women’s status in the United Nations Charter: an address to the first meeting of the Women’s International Radio League, Jessie Street – 1945
- Speaking clock, Gordon Gow (Postmaster General’s Department) – 1954
- Doctor Who theme music, Ron Grainer (composer), Delia Derbyshire (musician) – 1963
- Victoria Bitter ad, John Meillon (voice), George Patterson (agency), for Carlton & United Breweries – 1968
- Jimmie Barker Collections, Jimmie Barker – 1972
- The earliest 2EA (now SBS Audio) broadcast recordings in language – 1975
- Kickin’ to the Undersound, Sound Unlimited – 1992
- Chains, Tina Arena – 1994
- Last call of the Christmas Island Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi) – 2009
- Nova Peris’ inaugural speech to Australian Parliament – 2013
The National Film and Sound Archive collects sound recordings for inclusion in Australia’s audiovisual archive year-round, creating a continuous record of Australian culture. The national audio collection contains more than 300,000 items. The NFSA’s work to preserve fragile audio has led to the digitisation of more than 100,000 at-risk pieces.
For more information about Sounds of Australia and to view the complete list (1896-2013), visit: www.nfsa.gov.au for details.
Image: The Speaking Clock (supplied)