Frozen in time: rare colour pics show Melbourne’s spirits were high for 1956 Olympics

IT was 60 years ago today that Melbourne’s Olympics opened, taking scenes of our city around the world. These rare colour images show how we welcomed the Games.

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RARE colour photographs of Melbourne during Melbourne Olympics 60 years ago reveal a city revelling in high spirits as it welcomed the world.

Amateur photographer Albert Fowler travelled from Canberra to Melbourne to capture these amazing images of Melbourne during the 1956 Olympic Games.

The closing ceremony for the 1956 Olympics at the MCG. Picture: Albert Fowler

Athletes marching together, not in their teams, at the 1956 Olympic Games closing ceremony at the MCG. Picture: Albert Fowler

Athletes march on to the MCG. Picture: Albert Fowler

Stands at the MCG were jam packed for Olympics events in 1956. Picture: Albert Fowler

An Olympic hockey match at the MCG. Picture: Albert Fowler

They reveal stands at the MCG packed with sports lovers farewelling the games at the closing ceremony, an Olympic soccer match at the MCG, a glimpse of the Olympic village in Heidelberg West and city streets decorated gaily both for the games and for Christmas, which was just a month away.

What are your memories of the 1956 Olympic Games? Do you know anyone pictured in these images? Let us know in the comments below.

Mr Fowler’s slides were unpublished and seen only by loved ones until Mr Fowler’s granddaughter, Melissa Beowult, presented them to the Herald Sun just before the opening of the Sydney Olympics in September 2000.

They have not been published since.

The images show the spirit in which Melburnians embraced the Olympics after years of wrangling and threats from the International Olympic Committee to strip Melbourne of the event because of indecision over venues and major construction delays.

The entrance to the Olympic village in Heidelberg West. Picture: Albert Fowler

Foy’s department store at the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets during the 1956 Olympics. Picture: Albert Fowler

Melbourne’s streets bustled during the Olympic Games. Picture: Albert Fowler

Myer in Bourke Street was decorated for the Olympics. It was also the first year it decorated its windows for Christmas. Picture: Albert Fowler

Swanston Street in 1956. Picture: Albert Fowler

The boatsheds by the Yarra in 1956. Picture: Albert Fowler

The corner of Swanston and Flinders streets during the 1956 Olympics. Picture: Albert Fowler

Despite the early problems, the Melbourne Olympics went off without a major hitch and were dubbed the “friendly games”.

This was partly because of Melbourne’s warm welcome, and partly because of Melbourne schoolboy John Wing, who wrote to the International Olympic Committee suggesting that instead of athletes marching into the closing ceremony in teams, they should blend together in a gesture of unity.

SEE THE FILMS TEENAGE BRUCE BERESFORD AND MIKE LEYLAND MADE AT THE 1956 OLYMPICS

That blended march happened for the first time at the 1956 games, as photographed by Albert Fowler, and is now an Olympic tradition.

Apart from all the colour of the games, Mr Fowler also captured a giant Santa Claus on the now defunct Foy’s department store at the corner of Swanston and Bourke streets, bustling city streets and a serene stretch of the Yarra and the boatsheds from Princes Bridge..

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