Camera Woman: Television News Pioneer

From Fire Footage to Film Pioneer: The Remarkable Life of Pat Walter

Adelaide born Patricia Walter began her career as a television news cinematographer in the 1960s almost by accident. The 38-year-old widowed mother of three young children chased a fire crew with a borrowed film camera which she had previously used to film her family. This time she filmed a fire in the Adelaide Hills and it was shown on the ABC television news that night.

During her 22 years as a news cinematographer, Pat filmed some of the most historically significant events in South Australia and the Northern Territory in the second half of the 20th century, including Cyclone Tracy and the Ash Wednesday bushfires, as well as the Beatles visit to Australia and Royal tours.

Pat received numerous accolades and public speaking invitations, and was included in the Who's Who of Australia Women. Pat was made a life member of the Australian Cinematographers Society, honoured with a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' and was inducted into the 'Hall of Fame'. This book details the life of a spirited pioneer who was orphaned at an early age and grew up in orphanages to become a gold medal psychiatric nurse before embarking on her news-filming career.