Was there anything particularly special for it to get such a large audience?
Probably just their star power. An estimated 200,000 people attended the Myer Music Bowl in 1967.
Would have to still be a record surely.
Exactly. They were just huge at the time. And I think this special was their first big TV appearance here after touring overseas. Being from Melbourne would have also drawn viewers, as it looks like the special rated well in Sydney (40 still huge) but nowhere near as much as in their home town.
High TV ratings thanks to be a big overseas success, just returned to Australia, popular with young and old. Plus at a time when TV was just than 10 years old and able to command such big audiences.
That Seekers Down Under Special wasnât even their highest ranked special. There was another The World of The Seekers that was shown in cinemas then on Channel 9 during 1968 and it is ranked as the 7th highest rating program of the 20th century. The Down Under special is about 28th (depending on how things are counted).
First Judith Durham and now Olivia Newton-John, what a double whammy 
My heart is just a little broken this morning. But what a life, what a legend.
RIP Dame Olivia Newton-John. 
What a huge shock. It reminds me of the week that Shane Warne and Rod Marsh died. Now two giants of Australian music with Judith Durham and ONJ. Olivia would be one of Australiaâs biggest music stars ever. I probably didnât realise at the time how popular she was in the US in particular.
Ahh man. What a sad time this is.
Extremely sad. First, Rod Marsh, then Shane Warne, Andrew Symonds, Judith Durham and ONJ.
Donât forget Johnny Famechon. All six of them were Australian icons.
Except I donât know Johnny Famechon.
Are you the arbiter of who gets icon status?
He was before my time and I donât follow boxing at all, but even I knew who he was.