Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) holds the negatives of approximately 2500 official photographs taken during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. These graphic images are a valuable pictorial record of key Olympic events. They illustrate the relaxed nature of the Games which became known as the 'Friendly Games'.

The various Press photographers at the Games agreed beforehand to pool the images that they captured. These have passed into the care of PROV. The captions are from the original photographers' notes.

You can browse selected highlights below or search the full collection.

Download education material for Victorian schools (in Adobe .pdf format - 36 KB)

Day one: 22 November 1956 - the Opening Ceremony
A31: The Australian team marches out.	A41: The teams assembling during the opening ceremony.	A50: Released doves take flight.
A58: Ron Clarke carries the Olympic torch into the stadium.	A73: The cauldron is lit.	A blank ticket to the stadium for the media.
More images | Jump to: Home Days two and three Days four and five Days six and seven Days eight and nine Days ten and eleven Days twelve and thirteen Days fourteen and fifteen

Back to top