Page 83 - Demo

81When Australians sat down to watch Skippy play the drums, use the CB radio or place a bet on the Melbourne Cup in 1969, they were most likely viewing it on a television set designed and made in Australia. The P4Z portable television was highly regarded at the time and was the latest in a line of TVs that AWA had been manufacturing locally since the early 1950s.Designed by former Holden designer William Moody, the portable black-and-white 17-inch unit came with all the features of the day, including an in-built aerial, a volume dial, an on/o%u00a0 switch and a carry handle. The handle was retractable, and the unit had a concealed speaker, which was revealed when the TV was switched on. The dial to change channels was located on top of the unit, which made it di%u00a0 icult for children to see. Many grew up thinking their TV only had one station: the ABC!Although old mate Skippy was seen in colour all over the world, Australia had to wait until 1975 to see all her wonderful adventures as intended. Around this time, tari%u00a0 s for imported electrical goods were also reduced, making local manufacturing more challenging. AWA teamed up with the English brand Thorn to import and%u00a0adapt their models for local use until 1979, when they outsourced all production to Mitsubishi in Japan.YEAR 1969DESIGNER William MoodyMANUFACTURER AWAThe dial to change channels was located on top of the unit, which made it difficult for children to see. Many grew up thinking their TV only had one station: the ABC!The P4Z won the Sebel Design Merit Award in%u00a0 1969, and today this charming piece of Australian design is a prized museum item.