North south road footage
 

Discussions have been had on here regarding particular individual vehicles or units used on the Australian North-South road, that is the wartime overland route from Alice Springs to Darwin.

The NSW state government department Roads and Maritime have recently uploaded to You-Tube some old footage of of Department of Main Roads (DMR) equipment and staff being shipped from Sydney to Darwin in 1940 to upgrade the road. The equipment and vehicles look very shiny and new in Sydney! Some interesting scenes are the Qantas empire flying boats in Darwin Harbour and the Darwin to Birdum Railway.

1940: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieX9...E76681&index=6

By 1943, the tourists have done a bit, and their equipment now looks a bit battered, but they have been joined by the Allied Works Council and the Army. (Note the vehicle at 5:06, Wayne!)

1943: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjdF0hnhT1k

The finished road, isn't she a beaut? :thup: Not particularly relevant to this forum, but you might find the other films uploaded of interest, too.

To Darwin aboard the Huddart Parker Line's 6,683 ton 'Zealandia'.

Zealandia had in interesting career as a wartime transport which came to an abrupt end on 19 February 1942 in the same Darwin harbour visible in the scenes at the end of the voyage. It was sunk by Japanese bombs in 60 feet of water with the loss of 3 crew.

Other merchant ships lost that day were British Motorist (2 crew lost), Mauna Loa (5 crew lost), Neptuna (45 crew lost), and the US Army transport Meigs (2 crew lost).

Nice footage, some interesting bits of kit.Thanks, Tony.

Mike

Interesting films
 

Good find Tony - love the 1940 colour!

Sydney
 

A cab 12 in front of the bus .............looks like a extended chassis 4x2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hHWLVFzLeM

I saw it
 

Not a Ford, definitely a Chev, not blowing enough smoke and it was moving :D

still in camo too!

Thanks Tony.

Always holding up buses (!), what is the vehicle at 5:03? A Chev MCP?

And now the Queensland war effort.

The Queensland State Government published a 100 page booklet on the contribution to the war effort by the Queensland Main Roads Commission. Many roads, airfields and bridges were constructed and upgraded by the Qld MRC on behalf of the Allied Works Commission, and the story has now been digitised to download in various formats. A good read to kill some time. Lots of pics of vehicles and equipment.

History Of The Queensland Main Roads Commission During World War II.

Nice find Tony, and a copy downloaded and added to the reference library, thank you!

Mike :salute: