Changing...perceptions of development and power in the Australian inner city

Spring Hill, an inner-city area of Brisbane, Queensland, is the city’s oldest residential suburb and is today (1979) under threat. The film looks at two major processes of urban change: the encroachment of commercial development, which results in wide-scale demolition of housing; and the influx of new residents, the affluent middle class, who have a stake in restoring the older housing and retaining the residential character of the neighbourhood. Spring Hill’s traditional residents, those who once worked on the nearby wharves and those drifting in from the bush in search of cheap accommodation, are caught between these two processes. Drawn into the conflict are outsiders: politicians, planners, social workers, even film crews. The film assesses their impact on the community and raises important questions about power, class and social change. Suitable for upper secondary and tertiary levels.