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believes six cameras were used to film the
event). These would be operated by the well
trained Limelight Department staff, assisted
by a couple of local cameramen. Three special
elevated camera platforms were built at
strategic places on the procession route to
obtain the best possible viewpoint.
A huge parade of over 10,000 people flowed
through the streets of Sydney on that first day
of the 20th Century. It must have been the
greatest spectacle ever seen by the locals.
Floats, bands, troops from every comer of the
The Biorama Staff with the Wrench movie camera Empire in their brilliantly colourful uniforms,
(centre) and two Warwick Bioscope cameras on the Police and Fire Brigades, Bicycle and Ambu-
right. The man in the foreground holds a small lance Corps, Mayors and Politicians, Horse
movie camera.
Guards with plumes and shining armour, and
The unique skills of Major Perry’s Limelight of course the king pin - Lord Hopetoun (soon
Department were recognised by the Victorian to be our first Governor-General) bringing up
Government in early 1900 when the the rear with his mounted escort protecting
Department was asked to film the departure of him from terrorist attack… no, sorry that was
Victoria’s 2nd Boer War contingent for South a different age.
Africa. The film was used to raise fighting
funds. Then the New South Wales All of this was captured by Joe Perry’s
Government requested Baker and Rouse, the cameras - well, most of it, because the filming
photographic suppliers, to make a moving had to stop after every minute to reload,
picture film of “the greatest event in though I believe in some cases they may have
Australia’s history”, the Federation used two cameras with one shooting and one
Inauguration Pageant, including the loading … seems logical.
Proclamation and signing of the Constitution
Documents in Sydney on January 1st, 1901. Perry was filming and supervising the other
Unable to cope with this huge project camera crews as well, so he used a fire cart
themselves, Baker
and Rouse
contacted the only
people who could,
The Salvation
Army. There
would, of course,
be a substantial fee paid for the production and
the Army was keen to be associated with this
great national event.
The Federation Film
Joe Perry now had two Lumiere
Cinematographs and Baker and Rouse could
supply several more off the shelf. (Chris Long
Right: Syd Cook (left) with the Warwick Bioscope
projector. Syd left the Army to become a pioneer
film-maker in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley - the
famous “Cook’s Pictures”.
8 REEL DEALS December 2024