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Four Corners: Aquarius counterculture descends upon Nimbin, 1973

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Four Corners: Aquarius counterculture descends upon Nimbin, 1973

SUBJECTS:  History

YEARS:  9–10


What would you do to save your home town?

By the early 1970s, the northern NSW town of Nimbin was in serious decline. Somewhat hesitantly, local residents agreed to allow the huge Aquarius Festival to come to town, bringing alternative music, lifestyles and values. And money. And people who stayed.

Discover how Nimbin locals responded to the changes in their town.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Have you heard of Nimbin, a town in the eastern foothills of the Great Dividing Range in northern NSW? What do you associate it with? Can you imagine how the local residents of this farming region would react when thousands of counter-culture 'hippies' descended in 1973 to hold the Aquarius Festival? Would the town change for the better?
  2. 2.Why was Nimbin chosen as the site for the Aquarius Festival? What terms does the reporter use for members of the 'Aquarius movement' (there are plenty of them)? Why might local residents welcome the festival and the people it attracts? What are their objections?
  3. 3.This report seems to fluctuate between respect and contempt for the alternative society being established in Nimbin and its surrounds. Which of the reporter's terms indicate his attitude, both positive and negative? Do you regard this clip as being a reliable source of information about the influx of the Aquarius culture on the Nimbin community? Why or why not?
  4. 4.The Aquarius Festival was held at Nimbin in 1973 and was designed to celebrate alternative thinking and sustainable lifestyles. Using the internet or other sources, investigate more about the festival. Then decide which of the festival's ideals have been embraced, and which have been rejected, by mainstream Australian society in the years since? What does this suggest about our society today?



Date of broadcast: 12 May 1973


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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