| | ABBA arrived in Sydney on Thursday March 4, on the following day, Friday they held a press conference at the Sydney Hilton Hotel, which included a ceremony to present to group with gold records awarded in Australia to date.
Over the weekend they went on a cruise on Sydney Harbour, followed by a trip to Sydney’s Taronga Park Zoo .
On Monday 8 March ABBA travelled to Melbourne for an appearance on The Don Lane Show, a nationally televised talk and variety show. the show was broadcast live that night, with ABBA performing their just-released single ‘Fernando’, and chatting with host Don Lane.
On Tuesday ABBA returned to Sydney, and spent the the week filming the special BEST OF ABBA, On Friday, the final day of filming, they were joined by an audience in the studio.
During this time ABBA also filmed a performance of ‘Mamma Mia’ in the Blue suits to be shown on Bandstand the week before the special aired. A week long appearance on the game show Celebrity Squares -filmed in one day! They also filmed a special performance of their next single, ‘Dancing Queen’, filmed in secret on a closed set and not shown until the single was released later that year in August.
ABBA departed Sydney for Sweden on Saturday March 13, that night their performance of ‘Mamma Mia’ was shown on Bandstand. The following Saturday the special, titled The Best Of ABBA, was shown on Channel 9 . It was shown on regional television stations the following Saturday.  Best Of ABBA was the highest rating show ever on Australian television to date. Newspapers reporting that it had out-rated the moon landing of July 1969! It went on to be repeated many times, also to high ratings, and was followed by an edited half hour format.
In the special ABBA perform eight songs from The Best Of ABBA LP, which included all of their hits to date, plus both sides of the newest single, ‘Fernando’/‘Tropical Loveland’, which was released the first week that ABBA were in Australia. Due to Australian content requirements, ABBA are seen with three Australian backing musicians. Also country singer Lucky Starr appeared as special guest star and had two songs in the middle of the special, plus a short chat with Björn and Benny. In the overseas version of the special they are also seen having a barbecue and cruise on the Hawkesbury River, and all the introductions between songs were filmed then or at Taronga Zoo.
The special performance of ‘Dancing Queen’ was first shown on Bandstand in August 1976, after the single had been released. It was shown several times while the single was in the top 40, and was also included in the version of the special (retitled ABBA in Australia) sold to overseas television stations.
 THE PROMOTIONAL TOUR  TOUR 1976
At the Sydney press conference
ITINERARY
Thursday 4 March
Arrive at Sydney Airport
Friday 5 March
Press conference & gold record presentation, radio/TV interviews: Sydney Hilton Hotel
Interview and ‘Fernando’ clip shown on A Current Affair
Saturday 6 March/Sunday 7 March
Hawkesbury River cruise, barbecue and boomerang throwing/Sydney Harbour cruise/Taronga Zoo visit (dates to be confirmed)
Cruising on the Hawkesbury River
Monday 8 March
‘Fernando’ single released (date to be confirmed)
Travel to Melbourne
Rehearsal and appearance on The Don Lane Show - performed ‘Fernando’
Tuesday 9 March
Return to Sydney
Filming at Channel 9 Studios, Artarmon *
Wednesday 10 March/Thursday 11 March
Filming at Channel 9 Studios, Artarmon *
* filming on these days included work on the special, a performance of ‘Mamma Mia’ for Bandstand, an appearance on Celebrity Squares, and filming of a special performance of ‘Dancing Queen’ for later broadcast
Friday 12 March
Filming special at Channel 9 Studios, Artarmon with studio audience
Saturday 13 March
Depart Sydney
‘Mamma Mia’ performance shown on Bandstand in some capital cities
Sunday 14 March
Arrive in Sweden
Saturday 20 March
Special The Best Of ABBA first broadcast in capital cities; ‘Mamma Mia’ performance shown on Bandstand in some regional centers
Saturday 27 March
Special The Best Of ABBA first broadcast in regional centers
Appearance on Celebrity Squares broadcast 
‘Dancing Queen’ clip filmed in Sydney first shown on Bandstand
THE BEST OF ABBA (BANDSTAND SPECIAL)
Channel 9 Australia 1976 first broadcast Saturday 20 March 1976
Introduction to the show by host Daryl Somers
Mamma Mia
Introduction by Björn; Frida, Agnetha and Benny introduce themselves
Hasta Mañana
commercial break
Ring Ring
Introduction by Frida
Tropical Loveland
Introduction by Agnetha
Waterloo
commercial break
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
Introduction by Agnetha and Frida
Rock Me
commercial break
song by guest Lucky Starr
Interview with Lucky Starr, Björn and Benny
song by Lucky Starr
commercial break
Honey, Honey
Introduction by Frida
Fernando
commercial break
So Long
Introduction by Benny
SOS
So Long
closing credits, medley of clips from special: Mamma Mia; Ring Ring; Waterloo; I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do; Honey, Honey; Rock Me; Fernando; SOS
OTHER TELEVISION APPEARANCES
Dates shown are known broadcast dates in most capital cities. Some appearances were shown at a later date or not at all in other regions.
A Current Affair, Channel 9: interview and ‘Fernando’ clip shown, Friday March 5
The Don Lane Show, Channel 9: interview with host and performed ‘Fernando’ and 'SOS', Monday 8 March
Bandstand, Channel 9: interview with host Daryl Somers and performed ‘Mamma Mia’, Saturday March 13
Celebrity Squares, Channel 9: Hosted by Jimmy Hannan, participated in celebrity panel, actual Televised date not known but abba appeared on the show for 1 week (5 episodes) All scenes where filmed in one day at the channel 9 studios Sydney. Shown approx 2 weeks after the promo visit. | |