Summary
Told by legendary Wonthaggi miner and unionist Eddie Harmer, this 10 minute short documentary recounts the historical origins of the Victorian seaside hamlet of Harmers Haven, which is named after Eddie Harmer. The audio was recorded in 1988 without picture during the very early stages of production for Black Gold, Kindred Spirits (1996). Eddie Harmer played a role in the formation of the Wonthaggi Workers’ Unemployed Union and was later President of the Wonthaggi branch of the Miners Federation.
Consisting of audio recordings and historical and contemporary photographs, the documentary seeks to document the founding of Harmers Haven as a first hand account of the establishment of this locality. The film is an example of the working class phenomenon of the unplanned establishment of coastal retreats in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. The historical photographs used in the documentary were provided by the Harmer family and were mostly unpublished. The contemporary photographs were taken by Victorian photographer Jarl Line.
Special Notes/Achievements
This bonus material was created from sound recorded during production of Black Gold, Kindred Spirits. It was released in 2012 as bonus material on the Black Gold, Kindred Spirits DVD.
Author: J Bird, 2023