Take a Ride (1978) | Australia’s Public Transport Future Through 1970s Eyes

As Australia's cities expanded and traffic congestion intensified during the 1970s, governments across the country searched for new ways to move people more efficiently. Take a Ride explores ambitious transport projects, emerging public transport strategies and urban planning initiatives designed to reduce dependence on private cars and prepare Australia's capital cities for the future. Produced by Film Australia for the Commonwealth Department of Transport, this fascinating documentary visits Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, examining major developments including rail electrification, new train fleets, bus interchanges, bikeway networks, ferry upgrades, transit lanes and the Melbourne Underground Loop. Many of the projects featured were expected to shape Australian cities well into the twenty-first century. Viewed today, Take a Ride offers a remarkable snapshot of how transport planners imagined Australia's future, revealing which predictions succeeded, which challenges remain, and how debates about congestion, sustainability and public transport investment continue to influence urban life. Whether you're interested in Australian history, trains, trams, buses, infrastructure, urban planning or transport policy, this film provides a unique record of a pivotal period in the development of Australia's cities. 👉 Subscribe for more restored Australian documentaries, rare archive films and untold screen history:    / @nfsafilmaustralia   Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The Transport Challenge 01:43 Congestion and Australia's Growing Cities 02:32 Brisbane's Public Transport Strategy 03:47 Rail Electrification and New Trains 05:51 Perth's Bus-Based Transport Network 08:05 Park and Ride and Future Transit Options 09:11 Adelaide's Bikeways and Public Transport 10:49 The Christie Downs Railway Success 12:43 Sydney's Complex Transport Future 13:29 The Eastern Suburbs Railway 14:27 Transit Lanes and Traffic Management 16:04 Modernising Sydney's Rail Network 17:31 Ferries Return to Sydney Harbour 18:05 Melbourne's Trams and Rail Vision 19:15 The Melbourne Underground Loop 21:15 Technology Tackles Traffic Congestion 22:45 Why Not Take a Ride? 23:04 Transport Futures and Predictions From the Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Title: Take A Ride Year: 1978 NFSA ID: SEK25M4H Catalogue ID: 50963 Credits: Production Company: Commonwealth Department of Transport Producer: Don Murray Commentary: Tim Elliot #AustralianHistory #PublicTransport #UrbanPlanning #FilmAustralia #NFSA #TransportHistory #SydneyTrains #MelbourneTrams #AustralianDocumentary