Opening of 1982 Commonwealth Games Brisbane (Australia) Part 2

Extract of the XII Commonwealth Games opening ceremony as broadcast by ABC Television back in 1982. A tribute to we 6074 Brisbane school kids who put on a sensational display for the world. A tribute also to Ric Birch who directed the ceremony.

All the colour of the Games unfolded at QEII on a fine but extremely windy Thursday 30 September 1982, as more than 60,000 spectators, athletes and school children joined in Brisbane's greatest sporting spectacle.

With Australia as host, forty-six nations joined the XII Commonwealth Games.

The Games formed the platform for Brisbane to grow into a outward-looking international city which, six years later, hosted the highly successful World Expo '88.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• commonwealth games
• brisbane
• 1982
• tv
• abctv
• australia
• sport
• opening ceremony
• norman may
• rolf harris
• matilda

[gordontx33]

That was cool man i havent seen that before and i was the fFIRSTJOEY out of MATILDA that day.

[pugsley2005]

good stuff - you would have great memories of that day - cheers.....

[Bundynelle]

Thankyou for posting this! I was one of those 6000+ school kids in this ceremony! AND I still remember to this day Rolf Harris fluffing his song! Of course he blamed audio :0)

[michaeljefferies909]

lol 2:00 qantas song and 2:50 no tasmania lol

[FGalaxie]

They acknowledged multiculturalism back then? amazing.

usually at these things its all blonde bogans.

[kuttsywood]

In April 2018, the Commonwealth Games returns to Queensland, this time on the Gold Coast: I just hope, that they decide to get Ric Birch again for the ceremonies, along with developing some sort of connection, for the Opening Ceremony at Cararra, with the 1982 opening, whether Matilda, or even the joeys grown up, with their own "little Matilda's" bouncing on trampolines...

[StrahaoftheRace]

Cultural cringe........

[Aussiemarco]

Ah, the infamous lack of Tasmania! I remember poor little Tassie practically succeeded from the Commonwealth because of this. How could they have forgotten the poor possums? And I prefer The Chaser's version of 'I Still Call Australia Home.'

A great memory revisited ... thanks!

[prismaticmarcus]

cool. so how does something like this (with thousands of people) get learnt and rehearsed?

[AffableLass]

Like Bundynelle, I was one of the school students. I was number 1008. =)

[EvanC0912]

that's i still call australia home, qantas used it in advert.

[FoundationExpo88]

That's just great... I was one of the school kids holding the blue placards... The music and visuals bring back such memories....