WHEN future generations want to find out about our way of life and significant events from a past era they will owe a huge vote of thanks to the tireless efforts of Lithgow television cameraman and reporter Brian Hustwayte.

Brian has devoted many years to a cause that would have deterred many researchers — unearthing then recording and cataloguing old film and audio news archives.

He has also found time to produce two excellent promotional documentaries for local tourism promotion.

This week Brian presented to Lithgow Library the DVDs and CDs representing his latest efforts, and a fascinating collection it is.

They have been obtained by arrangement with the National Film and Sound Archives and are in addition to a collection supplied to the library some time ago.

The latest newsreels include Lithgow Olympic athlete Dennis Tipping in action in the 1960s; the visit to Lithgow in 1962 by Prime Minister Menzies for the 50th anniversary of the Small Arms Factory; a Movietone feature of the Lithgow district made in 1936; Marjorie Jackson winning dual gold at the Helsinki Olympics followed by her Lithgow homecoming in 1952; the AIF route march from Ingleburn to Bathurst in 1940; a pilot documentary on Glen Davis and Newnes produced in 1975; the Australian tour by the Prince of Wales in 1920; and the State funeral of pioneering aviators Sir Ross Smith and Lieutenant JM Bennett in 1914.

There is also an audio of the reminiscences of Sir Joseph Cook, the Lithgow miner who became Prime Minister.

The items in the collection are not available for borrowing but can be viewed by arrangement in the historical archives room at the Library.