🏟️ “Empire Games — Sydney Calls You”
Vintage Sports & Travel Poster by Charles Meere (1938)

Dynamic, optimistic, and unmistakably Australian, this celebrated poster was created for the 1938 Empire Games, held in Sydney during Australia’s 150th anniversary year. A powerful athlete launches across the skyline, the Sydney Harbour Bridge stretching beneath him—an image that fuses sporting excellence, modern engineering, and national confidence at a pivotal moment in Australian history.

Athletic. Aspirational. Unapologetically bold.

🏃 Iconic Imagery from Australia’s Sporting Golden Age

• Striding athlete in full motion, symbolising strength and vitality

• Sydney Harbour Bridge anchoring the scene as a modern national icon

• Bold typography announcing the Empire Games and anniversary celebrations

• Vivid colour palette typical of late-1930s Australian modernism

• Designed by Charles Meere, one of Australia’s most influential poster artists

📐 Size Options

Original proportions are preserved. Custom sizing is available on request.

🎨 Premium Format Options

• Paper (170 gsm heavyweight) — Ideal for framing under glass; crisp, gallery-style presentation.

• Laminated (True encapsulation) — 2 × 80-micron gloss laminate; durable, wipe-clean, and tear-resistant.

• Laminated + Wooden Hang Rails — Natural timber rails with fitted hanging cord; ready to hang.

• Canvas (395 gsm HP Professional Matte) — Printed using pigment-based, fade-resistant inks for long-term colour stability.

• Canvas + Wooden Hang Rails — A premium, gallery-ready finish with natural timber rails.

Please allow up to 10 working days for hang-railed finishes, as these are professionally fitted by our framer.

🎁 Ideal For

• Collectors of vintage sports and Olympic-era posters

• Australian history and design enthusiasts

• Offices, studies, gyms, and clubrooms

• Meaningful gifts celebrating Australian achievement

🏟️ A Poster That Marks a Moment

The 1938 Empire Games placed Sydney on the world stage, coinciding with Australia’s sesquicentenary celebrations. Meere’s design captures the ambition of a young nation—modern, athletic, and looking outward—making this poster both a sporting milestone and a powerful piece of cultural history.

🖼️ Display with Energy and Authority

Whether framed traditionally, laminated for durability, or presented on canvas with timber hang rails, this poster commands attention and tells a story of confidence, movement, and national pride.

Powerful. Historic. Unmistakably Sydney.