Big Dreamers: Screening and In Conversation

How does a small town end up building the world's biggest gumboot? 

When the sugar industry hit hard times in Tully, a local Rotarian had an idea: build the world's biggest gumboot to mark the town's record 1950 rainfall. What followed were soaring costs, rain delays and clashing personalities. Camille Hardman's documentary Big Dreamers (2007) follows the town's big-hearted and sometimes fractious push to get its boot built. Along the way it meets the people behind other Big Things across Australia, from the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour to the Big Orange in Gayndah. 

After the screening, Camille joins historian and Big Things researcher Dr Amy Clarke (University of Sunshine Coast). They'll talk about making the film, the community at its heart and why towns go to such lengths to put themselves on the map. 

This is a free event, but you'll need to RSVP. Make a day of it and visit the Big Things exhibition before or after the film. 

About our speakers:

Camille Hardman is an Emmy nominated documentary and reality TV producer and director in both her native Australia and Los Angeles. She started in TV in Sydney over 15 years ago making animal and travel documentaries before turning to human interest documentaries and film. In 2014, Camille created the popular DIY Network/ HGTV series ‘Restored’ which has spread the importance of architectural restoration around the globe. Camille has produced and directed documentaries that have screened on many networks including Discovery, Lifetime, TruTV, National Geographic, ABC, Channel 7, and her documentaries have been accepted in to acclaimed international film festivals.

Dr Amy Clarke is a historian and Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She specialises in the history and heritage of material culture, ranging from giant roadside landmarks to open-air museums, heritage diplomacy, and architectural identity politics. Amy has a PhD in Architectural History and BA (Honours) in History from the University of Queensland, as well as a Master of Sciences in Architecture from the University of Edinburgh. She was a Duke University Fellow (2018-19), is an elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland, and a Full International Member of ICOMOS. Amy appears regularly in the media as a cultural history and heritage commentator.