Central Queensland University, Bundaberg campus recently offered locals the chance to celebrate the 2002 Year of the Outback with a special free presentation as part of the Sydney Travelling Film Festival.

Billed as a special highlight of the festival, film historian Graham Shirley presented “The Outback”. Mr Shirley is a Sydney based documentary filmmaker who has researched and written about Australia’s film history.

CQU Bundaberg Head of Campus Professor Alex Grady said the presentation sparked discussion and brought back memories for the audience.

“It is great that we can host such events here in Bundaberg and the University was happy to support the Sydney Travelling Film Festival as it made it’s way through the Wide Bay. “The presence of film historian Graham Shirley was an added bonus and the audience was taken on a journey back through the last century as he examined the outback and it’s role in our history,” he said.

“The Outback” used extracts from features, documentaries and television, as Mr Shirley revealed the way in which film and television directors have portrayed the Australian Outback throughout the last century.