Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 24 December 1975, page 32


LOVELY OLD TOWN IN

FILM &TAR MAKE-UP

AUSTRALIA

This is Carcoar, remote, oldfashioned, tucked in a dip of the hills south-west of Bathurst, NSW. Such a neat, clean little town . . . with 800 tons of dirt spread over the asphalt of its main street (centre background of the picture).

The dirt was part of Carcoar's 1917 make-up for "Let the Balloon Go," Film Australia's first feature movie, based on Ivan Southall's book for children.

"We gave each household a doormat. That was the least we could do," said producer Richard Mason. Most of the townsfolk joined in as extras.

The story is about a handicapped boy, played by 13-year-old Robert Bettles, who fights his disability and wins. Robert played the lead in the Walt Disney production "Ride a Wild Horse." "I fell off in that," he said, cheerfully. "This time I have to fall off a tree, lt's 80ft high."

The film is expected to be released in time for the May school holidays. Staff photographer Neville Waller took the picture.