Manly Art Gallery and Museum (MAGAM) and Council’s Library Services are delighted to present an exhibition of 80 fascinating photographic images ranging from the 1950s to the 1990s previously lost from the Sydney Morning Herald archives.

The images surfaced in a bank vault in the US in 2015 and Council’s Library Services recently purchased more than 3,500 of the documentary photographs related to the Northern Beaches.

MAGAM and Council library staff together with volunteers selected around 80 of the most captivating images, which provide glimpses of our culture, environment and community in the last half of the 20th century.

Mayor Michael Regan said the collection held major historical significance.

“Each one of the images provides a fascinating snapshot of our past.

“From the rooftop pool of the former Surfrider Motel overlooking Dee Why Lagoon, to people queuing at the hydrofoil booth on Manly Wharf, to the Modernist architect-designed homes of Palm Beach, this exhibition is sure to capture the interest of anyone interested in our recent past.”

The Local Studies Unit at Manly, Dee Why and Mona Vale Libraries holds a vast collection of historical material relating to the Northern Beaches.

This includes photographs, maps and plans, posters and tourist information, oral histories, films, newspapers and council minutes, all accessible to the public for viewing.

Exhibition dates: 25 October - 1 December 2019

Exhibition opening: Friday 25 October, 6 -8pm by Northern Beaches Council Mayor Michael Regan.

Local studies talk: Sunday 3 November, 11am – 12noon. Hear the stories behind ten key photographs in the exhibition then take the opportunity to learn from Local Studies staff about the significance of the Northern Beaches Council Local Studies collection.

Media Enquiries: media@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au 9942 2678