The earliest motion pictures filmed in Australia

Listed below are motion pictures taken in the last years of the 19th century (i.e. before 1 January 1901) in any of the Australian colonies – New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland.

Edison's kinetoscopes were exhibited in the country from the end of November 1894 (and continued to be on show even after projected motion pictures were intro­duced in August 1896), but no taking of motion pictures is known to have occurred until after the arrival of the Lumière representative, Marius Sestier, on 16 September 1896.

With current knowledge, the first motion picture successfully shot and produced in Australia was Passengers leaving s.s. Brighton at Manly, Sydney on Sunday afternoon, filmed by Sestier (probably) on 4 October 1896. However, there is good reason to think that his Patineur grotesque was shot (though not developed and printed) even earlier, but (as yet) there is only inconclusive evidence to support this.

For what came next see Australian films of the first decade of the 20th century.

Australian-made motion pictures of 1896 – 1900

N.B.: some of the information below is provisional, and requires further research.

Film title or description [* = a copy of the film exists]	Date of filming	Camera operator	First public showing in Australia
Patineur grotesque *	1896-09 or 1896-10	Marius Sestier	1897-06
Passengers leaving s.s. Brighton at Manly, Sydney on Sunday afternoon	1896-10	Marius Sestier	1896-10-27
NSW Horse Artillery at drill, Victoria Barracks, Sydney [1]	1896-10 ?	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
NSW Horse Artillery at drill, Victoria Barracks, Sydney [2]	1896-10 ?	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Derby Day (the Betting Ring)	1896-10-31	Marius Sestier
Lady Brassey placing the Blue Ribbon on "Newhaven"	1896-10-31	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Arrival of train, Hill platform *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
The Lawn near the Band Stand *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
[On the lawn,] near the Grand Stand	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Arrival of H.E. Lord Brassey and suite *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-19
The saddling paddock *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Finish of Hurdle Race, Cup Day	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Weighing-out for the Cup [Almost certainly confused with "Weighing-in for the Cup"]	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Start of the Melbourne Cup Race [Most likely no film of this]	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier
Finish of the Melbourne Cup Race *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Weighing-in for the Cup *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier
Afternoon tea under the awning	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
"Newhaven," his trainer, W. Hickenbotham, and jockey, Gardiner, after the race *	1896-11-03	Marius Sestier	1896-11-24
Sea and breakers, Coogee Bay, Sydney			1897-06-05
[General] Post Office, Sydney from George Street		Marius Sestier
Operations at the Great Boulder mine, Kalgoorlie	1897-03-10	Marius Sestier ?
The Block, Collins Street, Melbourne [eastwards from Elizabeth St]	c. 1897-03-10	Ernest J. Thwaites
Prince's Bridge, Melbourne	c. 1897-03-10
The traffic on Prince's Bridge, Melbourne	1897		< 1897-07-14
Landing passengers from the steamer Gem at Port Melbourne [or Williamstown]	c. 1897-03-10
Musical ride of the Rupertswood Battery of Victorian Horse Artillery	1897-03-12		< 1897-07-14
New South Wales Lancers leaving Government House grounds, Sydney	1897-04-12	Henry J. Maguire ?
Buckjumping contest at Rockhampton, Queensland	1897-05-06	G. W. Heller
[3 films shot by Baker & Rouse, at Sydney]	1897-05-13
Ada Delroy's Cobra de capello dance	1897-05 ?
Fitzroy v. Essendon football match at Fitzroy, Melbourne	1897-05-29	Ernest J. Thwaites ?	< 1897-07-15
[Films shot in Australia]	1897	Auguste Plane and Charles Lomet
Butchers' annual procession, Melbourne	1897-06-02		< 1897-07-15
Sculling race at Prince's Bridge, Melbourne	< 1897-06-12
Queen Victoria's jubilee celebrations in Melbourne	1897-06-22
Lord Brassey inspecting troops and military review at Albert Park, Melbourne	1897-06-22		< 1897-07-15
Chinese procession at Jubilee celebrations in Ballarat, Victoria	1897-06-22	Colonel Lumare ?	Failed?
Street scene during Jubilee celebrations in Ballarat, Victoria	1897-06-22	Colonel Lumare ?	Failed?
Polka quadrille by 8 little girls, at Government House	< 1897-06-26
Buckjumper at Bairnsdale or Warrnambool	1897		< 1897-07-14
The steamer Hygeia leaving Port Melbourne for Sorrento	1897		< 1897-07-14
Corroboree of Murrumbidgee aboriginals	1897		< 1897-07-15
Traffic on principal Melbourne streets	1897		< 1897-07-15
[Melbourne?] zoological gardens	1897		< 1897-07-15
Jubilee bicycle races	1897-07-03		< 1897-07-15
Wood-chopping at the Metropole [Melbourne]		Joseph H. Perry
Richard earning his breakfast in the morning		Joseph H. Perry
Salvation Army social work activities		Joseph H. Perry
Salvation Army Congress March [Melbourne]		Joseph H. Perry
Waltz at ball at Bathurst, New South Wales	1897-07-14	Georges Boivin	Bogus?
Corner of Queen and Edward Streets, Brisbane	1897-08-25	Georges Boivin	Failed?
Arrival of the Miowera	1897-08-31	Mark Blow	1897-09-13
Queen Street, Brisbane	1897-09-07	Georges Boivin	Failed?
Fairfield [horse] jumping at Albury show [NSW]	1897-09-09
Bourke and Swanston Streets, Melbourne	1897-09	Ernest J. Thwaites	1897-09-15
Maypole dance, Public Schools' sports carnival, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney	1897-09-18	Mark Blow	1897-09-25
[Naughty] Boy and cockatoo	1897	Ernest J. Thwaites ?	1897-10-02
Burning weeds at Auburn, Melbourne	1897	Ernest J. Thwaites ?	1897-10-02
Arrival of race train at Caulfield station	1897-10-16	Plane and Lomet ?	≤ 1897-11-01
Start of the Caulfield Cup	1897-10-16	Plane and Lomet ?	≤ 1897-11-01
Finish of the Caulfield Cup	1897-10-16	Plane and Lomet ?	≤ 1897-11-01
The crowd on the lawn, Caulfield	1897-10-16	Plane and Lomet ?	≤ 1897-11-01
The principal streets of Melbourne	1897	Plane and Lomet ?
Finish of the Caulfield Cup	1897-10-16	Harvie & Thwaites	1897-10-16
Finish of the VRC Derby *	1897-10-30	Harvie & Thwaites	1897-10-30
Mrs Freeman Thomas and "Amberite" with the Derby blue ribbon *	1897-10-30	Albert J. Perier ?
Finish of the Melbourne Cup	1897-11-02	Harvie & Thwaites	1897-11-02
The Melbourne Cup	1897-11-02	Albert J. Perier
The Melbourne Cup [Possibly 2 versions]	1897-11-02	Mark Blow	1897-11-03
Arrival of special train at Flemington	1897-11-02	Mark Blow
The Sydney Wheel Race	1897-11-06	Mark Blow	1897-11-06
The English cricket team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground	1897-11-09	"Lafayette"
Prince Ranjitsinhji practising batting at the nets *	1897-11	"Lafayette"
Prince Ranjitsinhji and Hayward batting at the wickets	1897-11-16	"Lafayette"
English cricket team leaving the field	1897-11	"Lafayette"
New South Wales cricket team leaving the field	1897-11	"Lafayette"
Breakers at Bondi or Bogey Hole, Coogee, Sydney	1897-12-10	Mark Blow	1897-12-11
S.s. Ophir leaving for England	1897-12-13	Mark Blow	1898-02-04
The Australians leaving the field at the first Test Match, Sydney	1897-12-17	Mark Blow	1898-01-24
Harry Trott and Archie Maclaren tossing the coin	1898-01-01
Harry Trott batting	1898-01-01
Hobart Regatta	1898-01-26	Colonel Lumare	Advertising ploy?
Children leaving Fort Street School, Church Hill, Sydney	1898-02	Mark Blow	1898-02-08
Down the side of [R.M.S.] Ormuz in mid-ocean	1898	Mark Blow	1898-02-19
North Shore ferry landing passengers at Milson's Point, Sydney	1898-02-18	Mark Blow	1898-02-19
George Street at Redfern [now Central] railway station, Sydney	1898-02	Mark Blow	1898-02
Governor Brassey crossing Prince's Bridge, Melbourne	1898	Mark Blow
George Street in front of the New Markets, Sydney	1898	Mark Blow
Launceston Regatta	1898-02-23	Colonel Lumare	Advertising ploy?
Arrival of the Northern Mail [train] at Strathfield, Sydney	1898-02	Mark Blow	1898-02-24
Bent Street tram terminus, Sydney	1898-02	Mark Blow	1898-02-24
Employees leaving Government Printing Office, Sydney	1898-02-24	Mark Blow	1898-02-25
Passengers leaving Redfern [now Central] railway station, Sydney	1898-02-25	Mark Blow	1898-02-26
English cricket team leaving the field, 5th test match [Might be earlier film (above)]	1898-02		1898-03-15
East Sydney Rowing Club	1898-03-05	Mark Blow	1898-03-08
Mort's Dock [Sydney] employees going to the pay box	1898-03-19	Mark Blow	1898-03-22
Platelayers at work on tram-line, Elizabeth Street, Sydney	1898-03	Mark Blow	1898-03-26
The Divers [at Farmer's Baths, Sydney]	1898-04	Mark Blow	1898-04-21
Wreck of the Hereward, Maroubra Bay, Sydney	1898-05-06	Mark Blow	1898-05-09
Club swinging by Mr. Renshaw and pupils	1898-05	Mark Blow	1898-05
NSW troops marching past the Governor, Queen's Birthday	1898-05-24	Mark Blow	1898-05-25
The Governor driving to the opening of the NSW Parliament, Sydney	1898-06-21	Mark Blow	1898-06-23
Salvation Army work at Pakenham [Victoria] girls' reformatory	1898	Joseph H. Perry
Grand National Hurdle Race, Flemington racecourse, Melbourne	1898-07-09	Harvie & Thwaites	1898-07-09
Grand National Steeplechase, Flemington racecourse, Melbourne	1898-07-16	Harvie & Thwaites ?	1898-07-16
Essendon v Melbourne football match at Melbourne Cricket Ground	1898-07-30	Stephen Bond ?
"Ditto" winning the Caulfield Grand National Steeplechase, Melbourne	1898-08-13		1898-08-17
Essendon v Geelong football match at East Melbourne Cricket Ground	1898-08-13	Stephen Bond ?	1898-08-18
Murray Island: Fire Making *	1898-09-05	Alfred C. Haddon
Malu-Bomai Ceremony at Kiam, Torres Strait *	c. 1898-09-06	Alfred C. Haddon
Murray Island: Islanders Dancing in Dari Headdress [1] *	c. 1898-09-06	Alfred C. Haddon
Murray Island: Islanders Dancing in Dari Headdress [2] *	c. 1898-09-06	Alfred C. Haddon
Murray Island: Australian Aboriginals Dancing "Shake-a-Leg" on Beach *	c. 1898-09-06	Alfred C. Haddon
2 films of the Public Schools' Carnival, Sydney	1898-09-16	Mark Blow	1898-09-17
Sydney Metropolitan Fire Brigade practice: a general turnout	1898-09-21	Mark Blow	1898-09-21
Sydney Metropolitan Fire Brigade practice: the gallop past	1898-09-21	Mark Blow	1898-09-21
Sydney Metropolitan Fire Brigade practice: arrival of the NSW Governor and suite	1898-09-21	Mark Blow	1898-09-22
Children playing on the sands at Manly [Beach], Sydney	1898-09	Mark Blow	1898-09-29
Arrival of the s.s. Manly at Manly	1898-09	Mark Blow	1898-09-29
Collins St, Melbourne from the front of a tram	1898-10		1898-11-03
The Lawn at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day	1898-11-01		1898-11
"The Grafter" winning the Melbourne Cup	1898-11-01
Ferry passengers disembarking at Milson's Point, Sydney *	1899-03	Frederick C. Wills1
Petersham railway station and arrival at Newtown, Sydney *	1899-03	Frederick C. Wills
North Shore horse ferry, Sydney	1899-03	Frederick C. Wills
Redfern [now Central] railway station, Sydney [1]	1899-03	Frederick C. Wills
Redfern [now Central] railway station, Sydney [2]	1899-03	Frederick C. Wills
General Booth boarding the R.M.S. Arcadia	1899-05-12	Joseph H. Perry
The R.M.S. Arcadia departing from Adelaide with General Booth and company	1899-05-12	Joseph H. Perry
Arrival of Lord Lamington for opening of Queensland Parliament *	1899-05-17	Frederick C. Wills
View in Queen St, Brisbane *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Roma Street station [Brisbane] *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Channel Rock lightship, North Queensland *	1899-07	Henry W. Mobsby1
Marray islanders' reception to Hon. J. F. G. Foxton *	1899-07	Henry W. Mobsby
Cairns railway *	1899-08-05	Henry W. Mobsby
Barron Falls [near Cairns] *	1899-08-05	Henry W. Mobsby
View from rear of train [Out-take]	1899	Henry W. Mobsby
Cattle at Queensland Government College [at Gatton] *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Building construction *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
View of scrub taken from train *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Dipping sheep *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Tallying sheep *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Cutting sugar cane *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Sugar mill Nambour showing cane arriving *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
S.s. Katoomba unloading *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Threshing wheat at Allora [1] *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Threshing wheat at Allora [2] *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Carting wheat from field *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Reaper and binder at work *	1899	Frederick C. Wills
Horses being harnessed	1899	Frederick C. Wills or Henry W. Mobsby
Government party on board s.s. Lucinda, Brisbane River *	1899-10-14	Frederick C. Wills
Stack building [at Hermitage State Farm near Warwick, Queensland] *	1899-10-19	Frederick C. Wills
Queensland Transvaal contingent marching in Queen St, Brisbane *	1899-10-28	Frederick C. Wills
Queensland Transvaal contingent in Domain, Brisbane *	1899-10-28	Frederick C. Wills
Loading horses at Pinkenba [Brisbane, onto the s.s Cornwall] *	1899-10-31	Frederick C. Wills
Timber and mining industries, etc in Western Australia	1899
Passion Films	1899	Joseph H. Perry
Victoria's Second Contingent crossing Prince's Bridge, Melbourne	1900-01-13		1900-01-23
Victorian Bushmen and Cameron's Scouts marching along St. Kilda Road, Melbourne	1900-03-10
Soldiers of the Cross	1900-06 - 1900-08	Joseph H. Perry	1900-09-13
Naval contingent leaving Melbourne for China	1900-07-31	Joseph H. Perry

Motion pictures that (almost certainly) were not made in Australia

Film "title"	What it (probably) was	When advertised
Breaking down a wall in Sydney	Lumière's Demolition of a wall	1897-06-08
Cyclists and equestrians, Macquarie-street, Sydney	Lumière's Cyclists and equestrians, Hyde Park, London	1897-07-15
Unloading Robertson's J.B.D. Whisky, in Sydney	Lumière film?	1897-07-15
Tigers in Adelaide zoo	Lumière film	1897-07-15
Employees Leaving Dixon's Tobacco Factory in Sydney	Lumière's Employees leaving Lumière's factory, Lyon	1897-07-15
On the swings in Melbourne	Lumière's Swings	1897-07-15
Daylight Robbery in Sydney	Lumière film	1897-07-15
Breaking down a shed in Sydney	Lumière's Demolition of a wall	1897-08-05
Boxing contest in Melbourne	Lumière film	1897-08-05
A game of bowls in Sydney	Lumière film	1897-09-30

And what of Surprise party, Glebe Point, Sydney, advertised by Georges Boivin on 1897-07-16? As Boivin stayed in Glebe [Point] Road when in Sydney, did he really shoot a film there, or was this another retitled Lumière film?