Whatever Happened to Green Valley?

1974, 53 Minutes

A documentary filmed by the residents of Green Valley - a housing commission estate in western Sydney - about their daily lives.

Green Valley was a housing commission estate in western Sydney, much maligned by the media of the day. The residents were hurt by the criticism, but lacked access to the media to respond. Supplied with equipment by Film Australia, they used this film to present a different image of themselves and their daily lives. In so doing, they answered the question "Whatever happened to Green Valley?"

The core of this film is the work of half a dozen residents, coordinated by acclaimed Australian filmmaker Peter Weir in one of his earliest film projects. Weir also acts as the moderator at a public forum, attended by the media and the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, which is also included in the film.

A Film Australia Production. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.