1 1 1 1 (MAN CHATTERS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (BOY) 'My grandfather, King George, he take'em me walkabout, teach me blackfella way.' 'Grandfather teach'em me most important lesson of all.' 'Tell'em story.' 'That day, I down the billabong.' 'King George, he teach me how to catch'em fish using magic song.' (SINGS SOFTLY IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'See, I not blackfella. I not white fella, either.' 'Them white fellas call me mixed-blood, half-caste,...' Yay! '..creamy.' (MEN SHOUT) 'I belong no-one.' 'That day, I see'em them white fellas. They were pushing them cheeky bulls across the river onto Carney land.' (IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'King George angry at them white fellas.' (INHALES) 'King George say them white fella bad spirit.' 'Must be taken from this land.' (HORSE WHINNIES) Ssh. (BLOWS SOFTLY) Coppers. 'Them coppers come take me away.' 'They wanna put me on that Mission Island.' (HORSE WHINNIES) 'Make me into a white fella.' 'But they're not coppers.' Whoa, there. Whoa. Whoa. (HORSE WHINNIES) 'And that first time I saw her, that Mrs Boss. The strangest woman I ever seen.' 'She's not from this land.' 'This land my people got many names for, but white fellas call it... Australia.' 'But this story not begin that day.' 'This story begin a little while ago in a land far, far away.' 'That land called England.' My husband must sell Faraway Downs. But the offer from this cattle king, er, Mr Carney, is only one-sixth of what it was once worth. We need the money! But Maitland is just about to muster the fats. What? Get the big cows ready for market. Ramsden, you and I both know there is only one reason my husband has spent so much time down under and it has absolutely nothing to do with cows. At least, not of the animal variety. Lady Ashley, that's a bit harsh. Oh, Ramsden, drink your tea! Lady Ashley! What do you intend to do? I intend to travel to this cattle station, sell it and bring Maitland home myself! But, Lady Ashley, it's Australia! 'Darling Sarah, I implore you, do not travel.' 'Outbreak of war imminent. Stop.' 'Maitland, your concern regarding war duly noted. Stop.' 'Have plan concerning cattle.' 'Sale to King Carney not necessary. Need more time. Stop.' 'Nonsense. Stop. Expect contract for sale of station to be drawn by time of my arrival. Stop.' 'Cannot meet you. Stop. Am mustering. Stop.' 'Have sent trusted man. Stop. The Drover. Stop.' The Drover? '(CHUCKLING)' Drover, you boong lover. (LAUGHS) Agh! Any of you other Carney boys wanna have a go? C'mon, fellas. Don't let fear stand in your way. I'll have ya. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Hey, no boongs in here! He's not in the pub, Ivan. Go on, run after your boong friend, cos as far as this town's concerned you are a black. You work with them, you eat with them and you sleep with them. (LAUGHS) Oh, crikey. When you see her, wave your hat. What are you waitin' for, an invitation? I hate comin' to town. Lady Sarah Ashley. A genuine aristocrat living right here in Darwin. Administrator, we're at war. (GASPS) As the officer in charge of livestock purchases for the armed forces... She's quite a looker. I fail to see what Lady Sarah Ashley has to do with Carney's stranglehold of the beef industry. Her husband, Lord Ashley, claims he's mustering fats at Faraway Downs. Faraway Downs? Faraway Downs. The only cattle station in the whole of the north not owned by Leslie "King" Carney. Lord Maitland Ashley is mustering on Faraway Downs? Yeah, yeah. Isn't quite what we had in mind, is it, Neil? No. Yeah. And now his missus has arrived on the flying boat. Doesn't look like they're gonna sell Faraway Downs to me, Neil. Ah, she won't last. A delicate English rose withers in the outback. You with me? I am to be met... (YELPS) ..by my husband's trusted man, a Mr Drover. The bloody Drover? (ALL GRUNT) Bring it. Yes. Move it. Look at my wife and daughter down there giving her the royal welcome. My fiance, Neil Fletcher, manages Faraway Downs. Good day. A bit pale. Not a bad-lookin' sheila, but what's the story on the luggage? Wants to settle down in the outback, does she? 'If she stays and Lord Ashley manages to get his cattle down onto that wharf, we've got a competitor for the army contract.' Carney's control of every cattle station in the north jeopardises the supply of beef to our troops. But it's a poor war that doesn't make a decent patriot rich. I don't want a single beast from Faraway Downs to set a hoof on that wharf. You with me, Neil? Yeah, yeah. Nature will take its course. (ALL SHOUT) The missus? I've arranged for her to go on the old scenic route. Give her a taste of the outback. Who's takin' her? The Drover. Come here! Agh! The Drover? (BOTH GRUNT) Enjoy the ride, sweetheart. (GASPS) I'm Sarah Ashley. (ENGINES REV) My husband, Lord Ashley, has sent a trusted man to collect me, a, er, a Mr Drover. (BOTH GRUNT) It seems as if he has been waylaid. (SMASHING) No women. Ladies' lounge next door. (SLURS) The hen parlour's thataway, my dear. No wonder your establishment is empty. Good day. (ROARS) (SCREAMS) (MEN SHOUT) (SCREAMS) (MEN CHEER) (DOG GROWLS) (GASPS) (ROARS) Oof! (SCREAMS) (GROANS) (PANTS) (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Ya drongo. Oh! No, no! No, not my bags! Not my bags! Oh, no, no! (YELPS / SOBS) Here. Welcome to Australia. 'Drover take Mrs Boss to Faraway Downs in a great big fancy truck.' 'He even let her sit in his special seat.' 'She even drinks Drover's own water bottle.' That's it. That's it. 'They get along like a burnin' house!' 'Now, Magarri, he sit'em up top. And Magarri's cousin, Goolajbaloong, he come along for the ride.' Oh! 'They make'em friends right away.' Water. Oh. That's it. That's it. Stay, Jedda. Stay. (SIGHS) (CHUCKLES) "Trusted man". Typical of my husband. He's a good bloke. He certainly knows how to choose his employees. Employee? Mmm. No wonder the place is bankrupt. Lady, I'm not an employee. So you're just driving me all the way to Faraway Downs as a personal favour to my husband? No. Him being a good bloke and all? I'm driving out cos he promised me a drove of 1500 head of cattle. What, to buy? No, you goose, to drove. I'm a drover, right? I move cattle from A to B. I work on commission. No man hires me, no man fires me. Everything I own I can fit in my saddlebag, which is the way I like it. Oh! Yes, well, it's all,... all very outback adventure, isn't it? I'm not sayin' it's for everyone. No. Definitely not for everyone. Most people like to own things, land, luggage, other people. Makes them feel secure. But all that can be taken away. And in the end, the only thing you really own is, er, is your story. Just tryin' to live a good one. Yes, yes. An adventure story. You sound just like my husband. (CHUCKLES) (GASPS) Oh! Oh, they're kangaroos! Big reds. Lovely! Beautiful! Yeah, beautiful. I've never seen a kangaroo. Beautiful, jumping. They're jumpin'. Oh, it's beautiful! Er... Oh, look at them jumping! (GUNSHOT) (SCREAMS) (CHUCKLES) (GASPS) (Mr Drover.) Hey, Miss Boss. Tucker, Mrs Boss? Mr Drover. Yeah? There's only one tent. That's right. For the four of us? Well, it gets pretty chilly here at night. We like to bunk up together, eh, Magarri? Goolaj, huh? Nice and close, you know. (ALL SHIVER) (LAUGHS) (DOG BARKS) Oh! Oh, c'mon, Lady Ashley! We're just havin' a laugh. Never slept in a tent in our life. We just bunk around the fire. See, we're not really used to, erm... A woman? I suppose you think I should be in Darwin at the church fete or the ladies', er, whatever you call it. I will have you know that I am as capable as any man. We're not used to guests, that's what I was about to say. But now you mention it, I like the women of the outback. But they're mostly native women. Aboriginal women. They're very easy to, er,... (CLEARS THROAT) ..to get along with, if you try. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Go! Ho! (CHUCKLES) Him always punctual. (GROANS) Oof! (BOTH LAUGH) Get outta here! What's that? Your accountant. Hey, Drover, he's your bloody problem now! See you, Drover! (SNORES) (DOG WHIMPERS) (SLURS) Kippelly Flymm. Kippelly Flynn. I'm sorry. What was your name again? Lipelling Klymm, m-m-milady. Kipling Flynn. Thanks. How long till we reach Faraway Downs? Oh, we've been on it for the last two days. Drover! Hey, Drover! G'day, love. How you doin'? Good. Aren't you gonna stop and have a rest? Nah, gotta make a delivery. I'll be round in a couple of days. Give us a kiss. (LAUGHS) See you soon! She's easy to get on with. Ah, she's trouble. See ya later! Bye! You and my husband share an interest. An interest? Really? Come on. We all know the real reason my husband is out here. Oh, right. You mean the breeding. Yeah. (GASPS) Breeding?! Yeah. No, we're both dead keen on breeding. I have this idea, which he loves. You might be quite excited about it, too. Now, I'm a brumby man, but his fancy English filly, Capricornia, has really caught my eye. I gotta admit, she is gorgeous. Really gorgeous. Gorgeous creature. I've always wanted to mate an English thoroughbred with a bush brumby. I mean, it'd be magic, wouldn't it? Magic. Imagine that combination. Don't! I know what you're implying! Capricornia. You... Poppycock! What? Poppycock! Coppers. What are you talkin' about? You,... you want... You want to have it on with me. What?! What,... what was that?! Oh, you know exactly what I'm saying! Just like you have it on with that poor girl you're exploiting and God knows how many others. What? Filthy mind, lady. Animal! I wouldn't have it on with you if you were the only tart left in Australia! (BOTH SHOUT) (TYRES SCREECH) (HORSE WHINNIES) (ALL GASP) (COUGHS) (HORSE WHINNIES) Oh. What was that? Stay in the car. No, no. Get your hands off me. For once in your life, do as you're bloody told. (COCKS GUN) (CHANTING IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (GASPS) There she is. Faraway Downs. (GROANS) 'And that first time I saw her, that Mrs Boss.' (MUTTERS) (CONTINUES MUTTERING) Lady Ashley, wait! Don't go in there! (WOMAN WAILS) (GASPS) (SHOUTS IN CHINESE) I'm so sorry. My family has had the honour of serving the owners of Faraway Downs for three generations. We know how hard this land can be. But Lord Maitland Ashley, he never gave up. The only thing that could stop this decent and courageous man was a spear from a murderous black, the so-called King George. And he will be brought to justice. Let us now pray for Maitland Ashley that his soul may enter peacefully through the gates of heaven. (MOURNFUL HARMONICA MUSIC) Lady Ashley, we can leave for Darwin first thing in the morning. Yes, yes. Certainly, Mr Fletcher. Watch the, erm... I can't understand what my husband would have seen out here. Yeah, this land has a strange power. (CHANTING IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'That first night when the sun go to sleep, King George tell me this land be healed.' 'He tell'em me that woman, that far, far away woman, she be like the rain.' 'I've been thinkin' I'm gonna sing her to me.' (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'Make the land sing.' (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (GASPS) (CHIRPING) (BOY SINGS SOFTLY IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (CONTINUES SINGING) (KING GEORGE CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (CHIRPS) (CHIRPS) (GASPS) (GASPS) I let you see me now. Who are you? I Nullah. How did you get in here? I make myself invisible... ..with gulapa magic! (WIND WHISTLES) (SINGS SOFTLY IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) What do you want? That balanda, Fletcher, been curse to this place, but you like Rainbow Serpent. You mien-muk. You heal this land, so I sing you to me. Like I sing a fish to me. (SINGS SOFTLY IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) I sing, too, when Mama and Fletcher... (SIGHS) ..make wrong-side business. Wrong-sided business? You know. (Me and you secret.) (Oh, my goodness. Mr Fletcher?) I got to sing to Mama to warn her that Lord Boss Ashley is coming down. Maitland? I - I - I mean, Lord Ashley? Yeah. He plenty funny. So that's why I took him down the billabong, shown him all the big, fat, cheeky bulls. Come here. Look'em. Look. Get pushed across that river over to Carney land. The bulls. "Billabong"? That's where Maitland was... killed. But that spear was... (DOOR BANGS OPEN) Please don't! Don't make'em that policeman take away my boy! Them coppers. That bad Fletcher. He say you see me, you send me to the Mission Island. To that lock-lock. Throw away bloody key. Quick! (BLOWS) I make us invisible. (GASPS) (RETREATING FOOTSTEPS) (WIND WHISTLES) (GASPS) (CATTLE LOW IN DISTANCE) (MAN WHISTLES / SHOUTS IN DISTANCE) Mrs Boss. Oh! Oh, it's you. Last night, I show you... Yah! ..where... (HORSE WHINNIES) Yeah, she's a beautiful day, isn't she? How was your sleep? Restful? I wouldn't say so, no. The boys are just finishing up. Gotta tell you, they're a pretty sorry mob of cattle. Right to go, Lady Ashley? (Billabong!) Mr Fletcher, tell me about the big, fat cows that cross the river down at the billabalong. Near the billabong? That's Carney property. They don't cross the river. Apparently, they do. Yeah? Who says they do? That little boy there. (GATE CREAKS) (CHUCKLES) Oh, you mean the little half-caste fella? (CHUCKLES) Hey. Hey, little fella, come here. Come and tell Mr Fletcher what you told me last night. Yeah, c'mon, Nullah. Yes. They're funny ones. Now, did you see big, fat cattle crossing Marmont River? Or were they just Carney cattle on the other side havin' a drink? Them just Carney cattle. I been lookin' myself. Yeah? Ah, you tell great, big, tall stories, don't ya, eh? It's alright, Mr Fletcher. I'm sure the boy just made a mistake. We best get going, Lady Ashley. Sing Song, take him to the kitchen and give him a big feed of that tucker he likes. Forgive me. Look, I understand. You barely slept. Wait, wait! Let me go! (SHOUTS IN CHINESE) That old windmill hasn't turned in years. He's a sweet little boy. I don't think he meant any harm. They're soft in the head, yeah. That's why the government sends them to the mission, they all tell bloody monstrous lies. And the next one, quick. C'mon, we haven't got all day. I no bloody liar! He liar! He say this not work! (WINDMILL CREAKS) Fletcher liar! No, leave him alone! Nullah! I curse you! Leave him alone! Leave him alone! Run! Please! Run, Nullah! Run! I curse you! Leave him alone! Agh! (WOMEN SHOUT) Mr Fletcher! (CRIES) Mr Fletcher! Agh! (SOBS) Get off my property. You no longer work for me. If I go, my men go with me. There won't be a single beast in the stockyard to start the drove in the morning. You heard what I said. Get off my property! Yeah? Go! Now! You're the boss. Flynn, get in the car! I'll give you a new job somewhere else. Bunchemup, grab the gear. I'll see you in Desperation Creek in a few days. Bloody old fool. Carney's gonna get this property. Been a pleasure working for ya. Real pleasure. Yeah. (HORN HONKS) (CATTLE LOW) (MEN SHOUT) 'That strange woman, she fire'em that Fletcher.' 'He can't hurt Mama no more.' 'From that day on, we call her Mrs Boss.' Why would Fletcher block the water pump? I don't know. All crazy. White fella, blackfella, all crazy. Crazy. (KNOCK AT DOOR) Mr Flynn. Milady. Don't get up. The truth, Mr Flynn. This, er, ledger, which, erm, Fletcher had me keep for the benefit of your husband, is a tale of decline and ruin redolent of the great Gibbon. There is, however, another, kept for the benefit... (PIANO MUSIC) ..of Mr Carney in which is recorded all the unbranded fat cattle siphoned off across the river and into his herd. And the boy. He's Fletcher's son,... isn't he? As with all things Fletcher, it's impossible to prove anything. Still, if Carney's good Christian wife ever comes to the same conclusion as yourself, Fletcher's chances of marrying their daughter would be dashed. I'm going to the authorities and - Carney is the authority here. Are you suggesting I let him steal my cattle and buy my property for a fraction of what it's worth? I am suggesting that you continue to do what your husband set out to do. Drove. Drove the cattle to Darwin. Would you mind? (DOOR CLICKS SHUT) I need a drink. Milady, drove. Drove the cattle to Darwin, sell them to the army and you'll break Carney's monopoly. Use the profits to put Faraway Downs back on its feet. You go back to London. You're sitting pretty for life. That's what Maitland said he was doing. And there's no reason why you can't do the same. Ahhh! There is just one small problem. Having dismissed Fletcher, there's no-one to muster the cattle. (RUMBLING) (HORSE WHINNIES) Yah! Yah! Flynn! Mrs Boss! It's the Drover! (LAUGHS) Drover! Drover! Yah! Yah! Yeah, Drover! Yeah! Teach me how to break them brumbies! Any boys in there? Goolaj, see if they're out in the top paddock. Mr Drover! Get the brumbies in there. You gotta teach me to break them horses. Fill the water trough, son. I need to speak to you! Where are all the bloody stockmen, eh? That's what I need to speak to you about. Fletcher? We disagreed and I dismissed him. Dismissed? Yes. Hang on. What about the cattle? As he was leaving, he deliberately let the cows out of the, er, I don't know, whatever you call it, and they ran off! Do you realise, woman, what you've done?! Do not take that tone with me! Don't take that tone with you, huh? No. I won't get another drove this late in the season. You've cost me my living. Can't you just round them up? Oh, round 'em up! Yeah! Yes, you just go get them. 1500 cattle, scattered over a million acres with just me and my two men. Great idea(!) Stupid cow. Mr Drover, I was right to dismiss Mr Fletcher on moral grounds. Moral grounds? You're at that again, are ya? Oh, let me guess. He wanted to, er, exploit you, did he? Fancy you, did he? What? Is there any man in this world who doesn't fancy you? Huh? Mr Fletcher is working for Mr Carney! They were pushing the best of the unbranded cattle across the river onto Mr Carney's property. They were stealing! There's no surprises there. No, he's a bad man. Alright, alright. But you can't prove it, right? Well... You can't. And you can't win against Carney. So just take my advice, lady. Grab King Carney's offer and go the hell back to England. That way you'd make everybody happy, especially me. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) So you're just going to walk away? I learned a long time ago not to fight other people's wars. Wait! Mr Drover, wait! Please, please, please! Mr Drover, please! Please! Wait! Please! I...! Listen. You said that your dream was to breed a thoroughbred with a bush brumby. If you agree to help me, I,... ..I will give you my Capricornia. (HORSE WHINNIES) But how are we gonna do a drove with just me and my two men, huh? Oh, crikey. 'Bandy was a drover's boy a long time ago.' Some whites like a woman on the drove to keep 'em company at night. They shave their heads, make 'em look like boys and work 'em like any other stockman during the day. That's, er,... What do you call it? ..exploiting them. Exploiting, yes. Anyway, we're still in trouble. We've gotta have seven good riders and the most I can count is five. We've got me. You. Magarri. Yeah, Magarri! Goolaj. We got Daisy. Nice ride. And, er, Bandy. Good work. Oh, what about Mr Sing Song? Mr Sing Song, ride horse? Don't look at me. Cook's wagon at best. So we've got five, right? It's not enough. We need two more experienced riders. I did that run once back in 1935 with Magarri, Dingo Jones and the Drongo brothers. True knights of the outback. Mr Flynn, can you ride? I can. I won't carry a drunk. But don't. I ride'em real bloody good! I drove those no-good cheeky bulls into the big, bloody metal ship. Alright. Five and a quarter. Six and a quarter. What? Lady, this ain't trotting in Kensington Gardens. Mr Drover, I could show you a thing or two about horses. When it comes to horses, there's nothing you can show me. Bring the horse. You can't be serious. Bring the horse. Oh, this should be interesting. (MEN CHUCKLE) Move along! Move along! Rah! Rah! Move along! (CATTLE LOW) Rah! Rah! What are you doing? Shoo! Shoo! Rah! Rah, rah! Rah! Raaaaaah! Move it! Lady Ashley. Move it! They're going the wrong way. Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! Oh! It's easy. Stubborn things. Silly cows. Hey, hey, hey. Come on. You're scattering them all over the place. Get up the back there. Up the tail. Get up there. Go, go, go, go, go! Don't let 'em break away. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Go on. (CATTLE LOW) Run, cows! Move, you cows! We're trying to get the cows up there. Not too bad, Lady Ashley. I've got him! I've got him! I think we're doing pretty well. You crazy, take all this stuff! Where you think you going?! Shanghai?! A lady never knows what she might need. (APPROACHING ENGINE RUMBLES) (GASPS) (CLATTERING) Run, Nullah! Run! Run! Coppers! Coppers! Tank! Tank, Nullah! Tank! Bandy, coppers! Hurry up! (GASPS) Turn 'em loose. Go on, get out. You two, check the east side. Move, move! Hurry up! Daisy's in the tank. (PANTS) (Ssshhh!) (Bandy, tea, tea.) Where's the creamy? (SPEAKS CHINESE) Trackers. (PIPE SQUEAKS) (GASPS) Nullah. Lady Ashley, Sergeant Callahan of the Northern Territory Police. (CLANGING) (SCREAMS) Grab the float. I can't begin to tell you, Lady Ashley, how the tragedy which befell your late husband has wrung sympathy from the hearts of every civilised man and woman in the territory. (CLANGING) Let me assure you, Lady Ashley, that King George will be brought to justice. But surely a witch doctor could conceal his own tracks, Sergeant. Makes no difference. It's only a matter of time. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (MUFFLED SHOUT) (MUFFLED SHOUTING) (MUFFLED SHOUT) (Ssh!) (PANTS) Oh, incidentally, I met up with your former manager, Neil Fletcher. He informed me there's a half-blood Aboriginal child out here. Thought we might pick him up and put him in the good hands of the church. I will be sure to look out for him. Till we meet again, Lady Ashley. (WHISTLES) Get 'em in the back, Constable. Let's go. They're in the tank! Drover! Drover, help them! Quickly! Mama! (PANTS) Easy. That's it. I got you. I got you. (GRUNTS) C'mon, Daisy. (WHIMPERS) C'mon. (PANTS) (SIGHS) Daisy! Daisy! (SOBS) Daisy! (WAILS) Daisy! Daisy! (KING GEORGE CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Daisy. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) When someone dies in the Aboriginal culture, you're not supposed to say their name again. He needs motherin'. Mothering? Yep. You're a woman, so,... go on, get down there. I'm, er... I'm not, er... What? Good with children. Oh. (SOBBING) Nullah. (WHIMPERS) I wanted to extend my condolences. Go away. Would you, er,... would you like to hear a story? (SNIFFLES) What story? Er, well, it's, er,... it's called... It's called The Wizard of Oz. What's a wizard? Well, a wizard is a sort of... magic man. Gulapa. (KING GEORGE CHANTS) Mama say I gulapa. I magic man. Really? I wizard man. We can't say Mama's name no more. No. Er,... anyway, there's a girl and there's a dog. Ruff. Ruff, ruff, ruff! And there's a tornado... Well, no, in the film, it's a twister. Who twister? Oh, no, no, no, twister's not a person. It's like a storm. Like the wet? Like the wet. Anyway, the story takes place in a, erm, well, a faraway land called Oz. This good story. Oh, well... Got song? Yes, yes, lots of songs. I like song. You sing'em me, I learn'em song. No, no, no. No. No. Well, I... I'll sing a little. Good. # Somewhere over the, er, the rainbow... # Rainbow Serpent? Yes. That bloody good. Keep going. You funny singer, but good song. Oh. # Somewhere... (HUMS) # There's some birds and they... (HUMS) Er... Keep going. Come on. # Someday I'll wish upon a,... a star # And... Come on. Sing more. Er, yes. # Wake up where the clouds are far behind # Dreams really do come # true! # (HOLDS HIGHER NOTE) Oh! Dreaming song. Mrs Boss, we gotta get those no-good, cheeky bulls into the big, bloody metal ship. That's right. That's what dreaming songs tell us, Mrs Boss. We've got to get those no-good, big, bloody bulls into that metal ship. (WIND WHISTLES) (CATTLE LOW) I'm sorry, I thought he could,... I thought he could do it. Yeah, well, people don't change, Miss Ashley. (WIND HOWLS) Twister. Twister! No desert comes drier than Kipling Flynn, milady! (SMASHING) Well done! Well done, Kipling! (LAUGHS) Hey! Flynn Kipling! Yay! (MUTTERS) (CHUCKLES) Hey, hey! Welcome! Welcome! Hey, Nullah! Alright. (LAUGHS) Mr Drover, I believe we have the appropriate number. Appropriate number, huh? Yes. (CHUCKLES) Listen up. I'm only gonna say this once. I run the show. Everybody does exactly... as she's told. Understood? Understood. No matter your experience or your age, you pull your weight. Yes, boss. And above all, no grog. Now, if there's a rush and the cattle are stampeding towards you, it's not much good prancing about on your show pony. There's only one thing cattle fear more than a man on a horse and that's a man standing on his own two feet staring 'em right between the eyes. Now, are you sure you mob are still up for it? Mm-hm. You can count on us. Oh, crikey. Well,... we're what we are. Gotta get to Darwin before the ship sails. (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) The rest of you jokers follow me. Yah! Yah! I'll get the gate. Stay back. Don't let 'em scatter. (DONKEYS BRAY) (CATTLE LOW) There, mate. Push 'em over. Don't let 'em go down there. Yah! That's it. Get 'em up! Whoo! Yah! Get up there! (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'So we start cracking them whips and driving them cheeky bulls all the way across the land to that place they call'em... Darwin.' Alright. We'll push 'em straight across here. Ho! Very good. Keep 'em movin'. Nice and steady. Go on, go on! Yah! Keep 'em movin'. Giddy-up! Giddy-up! "While the war rages on in Europe, the Japanese are on the march." "There are reports of an alliance between the warmongers of Germany, Italy and Japan which threatens to expand World War II to the shores of Australia. This is a war of the air, but on the ground the War Office will announce who has won the army's contract to supply Aussie beef to the troops." Couple of days won't make any difference. Might as well sign the contract now, eh? I wouldn't be too sure of that. Air-force chaps just spotted a big mob of cattle, 1500 head, crossing the Marmont River. Marmont River? That's Faraway Downs. Are you, er, running cattle out of Faraway Downs, Mr Fletcher? Er, no, I don't work there any more. I suppose Lady Ashley's droving the cattle herself. (BOTH LAUGH) Someone must be helping her. That's right, Neil, someone must be helping her. (CATTLE LOW) 'When Mrs Boss first come to this land she look but she not see.' 'Now she got her eyes open for the first time.' 'Some places got spirits.' 'White fellas don't know.' 'Some places no good to go.' You gonna sing'em them cattle tonight? No, Nullah, not me. I'm the orchestra. the famous J Albert & Son boomerang harmonica. Can you play that rainbow song? Well, I've got the latest 100 songs of the hit parade here. I like that rainbow song. It's all about the dreaming. Gulapa not teach me that yet. Who's gulapa? (He's my grandfather, King George.) King George is your grandfather? He teach me sing a fish song. He teach me sing down fear. Fear, evil spirit, wild beast. Gulapa teach me plenty songs. (Gulapa teach me that day down the billabong.) (CHANTING IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (EXHALES) Mr Drover, what is that chanting? Goolaj and Magarri singing the cattle. Just keeps them calm at night. We do it in shifts. Those boys will finish up in a couple of hours. So, Bandy. Yeah? Show Mrs Boss how it's done. Right. Sing Song, we're gonna serenade 'em till three and, er, the safest shift is predawn, so that's the boy and his orchestra. You're on till the sun comes up. Yes, boss. Alright, everybody get some shuteye. Er, Mr Drover, I really don't think it's appropriate to work a child of Nullah's age like that. I'll take his shift. Mrs Boss, I plenty old enough. No. I'm talking now, hm? Manners. Steady on. I'm talking. Look, just relax, will ya? The boy's gotta pull his weight. When I was his age, I was manning outstations. Not everybody's you. Right, not everyone's me. I'm the boss. You're on the three-o'clock shift. Alright? Yes, boss. Night, boss. 3:00am? He'll be fine. Good night. Night, Mrs Boss. Oh. Good night. Good night, Sing Song. You're on the 12-o'clock shift. Get some sleep. Good night, Flynn. Night, Nullah. Night-night, Jedda. (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (HORSE WHINNIES) (PLAYS SINGLE NOTES ON HARMONICA) Lord Ashley was killed by a glass-tipped spear. Are you sure? (You and me secret.) (CATTLE MOO) Yah! (PANICKED MOOING / WHINNYING) Rush! Rush! They're heading towards the cliff face! Where's Nullah?! Get on your horse and stay with Goolaj! Split up and circle the herd before they go over the edge! Yah! Sing Song, pack the camp! Head 'em off! Don't let 'em split! Get in the front! Yah! Yah! Good boy! C'mon! Pull them round! Pull them round! (CATTLE MOO) Nullah, you're too close to the edge! Yah! Courage, my boy! Courage! Well done, my boy! (LAUGHS) Nullah, we have to turn the herd! Yah! Hey, hey! Never fear, Flynn is here! (LAUGHS) Yeah, Flynn! Yah! (HORSE WHINNIES) (SCREAMS) Oof! Flynn! (PANICKED MOOING) Flynn! (CATTLE MOO) Nullah, run! (SCREAMS) (STAMPING) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (SINGS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Nullah! (CONTINUES SINGING) (CONTINUES CHANTING) (WHIMPERS) (CATTLE SNORT) (SOBS) Nullah! Nullah! (BOTH GASP / PANT) Oh. It's alright. You're safe. I've got you. You're safe. You're safe with me. I'll stay with you. Hey. How's the little fella? Oh, he's fine. He's fine. Yeah? Yeah. I have a feeling I might not be able to complete the next lesson. Right, old mate. I'm gonna get you some water, huh? Water's the last thing I want at this moment in my life. Under the wagon, a bottle of Poor Fella. I'm sorry, Drover. Just in case. Of course, mate. Of course. If you'd all share a drop. It would be a terrible shame to waste it. (GROANS) (WEAKLY) The spear. Nullah told me, a... A glass-tipped spear. Tell milady I'm sorry. I was a coward. We lost everything, except for a few swags and tins of beef. And this. I can't believe I was so insistent upon bringing these... silly things. It was Fletcher who did this, wasn't it? The last thing Flynn told me before he died was that,... that your husband was killed by a,... by a glass-tipped spear like the ornamental ones in the homestead. Glass-tipped is a Kimberley spear. King George is from Arnhem. Fletcher was trying to make it look like King George. Fletcher. It can't be proved. Sorry. Maitland... (SIGHS) ("OVER THE RAINBOW" ON HARMONICA) We can't let them win. We won't. (CHATTERING) (CATTLE LOW) Yah! Yah! Yah! Get 'em up! Yah! Yah! Yah! Yah! You can find a getaway easier,... This is iPhone 6s. Not much has changed, except it feels different. Now you press lightly to Peek and deeper to Pop. It changes how easily you can Peek a flight, check a post, search for dinner. Ooh, you guys are gonna love that place. You can find a getaway easier,... Yeah, go there. ...and find music easier. Wait, are you listening to your own song? No, I was` Uh, hello? So pretty much everything you do feels different. And that's what's changed. 1 They pushed on during the night. Maybe that little creamy has got the blackfella magic. Shut up! They'll need more than magic to get 'em to Darwin. (WIND WHISTLES) Hey, Nullah. Nullah, after you're done there, mate, I need you to help hobble these horses, alright? Yes, boss. Never thought I'd see this day. We're gonna break the Drover's law. I plenty old enough, too! Yes, you are, and that is why you are gonna keep an eye on the rest of us, alright? Everyone,... Good girl. Here. ..let's be upstanding. To the memory of the gentleman. To the gentleman. To Flynn! (COUGHS) (GROANS) (EXHALES) (COUGHING) I'd say one more before dinner. (GUITAR MUSIC) (HUMS) (CHUCKLES) Let's dance. No. Come on! Nope. Come on! Please! No, I don't know how. It's easy. I'll show you. You put your hands on my shoulders. (GIGGLES) And you step back. Back. No, no, no, when I... I'm a bad teacher. (CHUCKLES) Stop! (SQUEALS) You don't drink much, do you? No. (LAUGHS) I'll give it a go. I can do it. I can do it, alright? Now you do wrong-side business? (GASPS) Er,... no, mate, no. We're just havin' a dance. Ceremonial dance? Er, y-y-yes. It's called the foxtrot. Fox dance? You gonna teach me that dance? You're a bit too young for her, mate. Nullah, get down from that tree now! Got bad spirits up there. (SIGHS) (You're in big trouble.) (CHUCKLES) Have you ever fallen into wrong-side business? Er,... ..yeah. Oh. Yeah, I was married once. Really? Mm. To a lovely girl. (SIGHS) That was before I went off to war. And what happened? Well, I marched off for Mother England and by the time I came back she was sick... with TB. But back then, the hospitals wouldn't treat, erm,... blacks. Oh, right, I see. Yeah. Do you have children? No. Well, that's a shame. I think you would have made a great father. You? No. I can't. Oh. That's too bad. You would've made a great mother. Well, good night. Good night. Yeah. (APPROACHING HOOVES CLATTER) (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Water no good, boss. No. Might be Carney boys already been here, eh? There has to be water some other place. Next bore is five days. There has to be. Fletcher will have been there, as well. Boss. What? There's water... ..three days' ride away. We'd have to cross the Kuraman. The Kuraman? That's Never-Never Land. No. We've got to try. We can't. We've got to try. No-one has drove the Never-Never. There's nothing to guide you. You get caught out there, you're gonna lose more than your cattle. (SIGHS) I'm sorry. Boss! Look! He a wizard. He gonna sing for us. (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Sing? He can find his way anywhere. 'The ancestors created songs for everything.' 'For every rock and tree. And they're all linked, so when gulapa, the magic man, sings them in order, he'll sing us to water. Even across the Never-Never.' (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'And we went on for three days.' 'Every day drier, hotter.' 'All that dead land.' 'Then come that big dust storm.' (WIND HOWLS) (CATTLE LOW) (SHOUTS) Nullah, stay close to me! 'Them cattle stop moving.' 'Magarri and Goolaj stop moving.' 'We all stop moving.' (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) 'I'm gulapa.' 'I magic man.' 'I wizard man.' Dead, all of them, that's what he said. The pilot swooped down to get a closer look. Dead as doorposts they were. It's a real tragedy. How terrible! And on the eve of the ball, too. What were they doing in the Kuraman? Nothing personal, Captain, but I got a business to run and you got an army to feed. So let's not muck about. I suppose it's not a real war unless someone's making a profit. (PHONE RINGS) You got 'em ready to load, Neil? Yeah, we're right to go. Cos I got a feeling the captain's gonna put pen to paper. All hail the king! Yeah. (COW LOWS) Where did he come from? Oh, look. Hello, little sweetie. (COW MOOS) (RUMBLING) (RUMBLING) (CATTLE MOO) What the bloody hell is that? Gentlemen! I'm Sarah Ashley, owner of Faraway Downs. We are making delivery of 1500 head of prime FD-branded shorthorns. We will require a holding yard. We're full. Says who? The owner. You must be Mr Carney. Too right, love. (HORSE WHINNIES) Lady Ashley, I'm Emmett Dutton. I'm the officer in charge of livestock purchases. We will accept 20% less than what the Carney Cattle Company is asking. No can do, love. The contract's signed. It's not binding until the cattle are loaded. Load the bloody cattle now! We've got to load the cattle before Carney. Get off your backsides! Drive 'em down the wharf. I'll try and keep Carney's cattle in the yard. Load the bloody cattle now! Drover. Yah! Load! (ALL SHOUT) Righto, you blokes, load! Yah! Yah! Hey, Bull, open the bloody crush! Close that flamin' gate! (HORSE WHINNIES) (ALL LAUGH) Yah! You missed the boat, sunshine! Yeah, good luck, Drover, ya drongo! You ain't goin' nowhere, Drover! (ALL LAUGH) Yah! Hup! (HORSE WHINNIES) Yah! (ALL CHEER) Whoa! Drover! Push 'em straight down the wharf! Yah! Yah! (CATTLE MOO) Yah! Yah! (LAUGHS) Yah! There are cattle being driven down the wharf. My husband must have a problem with the loading. They're not Carney cattle. Hm? It's Lady Ashley! Get out of the way! Looks like, er, we've got a bit of competition back in the meat business. (CATTLE MOO) That's it! Yah! Ho! (ALL CHEER / SHOUT) Ho! Push 'em up! Yah! Cheeky bulls down the wharf! Cheeky bulls down the wharf, Mrs Boss! Yah! Yah! (WHIP CRACKS) (WHIP CRACKS) (HORSE WHINNIES) Yah! Get him down the wharf. That's it, Nullah. Get him up. Yah! I got the last big, bloody, cheeky bull in the big, bloody metal ship. Alright! (ALL CHEER) Yay! Yay! (MEN SING) Lady comin' through! There's a lady comin' through! Two Poor Fella rums, Ivan! Shut up! (THUDDING) No women. Ladies' lounge next door. (ALL JEER) She just drove a mob of cattle across the Never-Never. She deserves a drink like any man! (ALL CHEER) Too bloody right. Too bloody right. I never drink Poor Fella alone. (CHUCKLES) (MEN CHEER) (GASPS) Crikey! (BOTH LAUGH) (MEN) One, two, three! (BOTH CHUCKLE) (PHONE RINGS) (MEN SING) I didn't wanna see a single beast from Faraway Downs set a hoof on that wharf, Neil. "But that's what happens when you send a boy to do a man's job." "Find out if she's going to the ball. I'll take care of it myself." (LOUD CHATTERING) (CHUCKLES) 'So everybody get what they want.' 'Everybody happy.' 'Mrs Boss is gonna sell Faraway Downs and go back to England.' Ssh. That's it. Good girl. 'Drover, he get'em that horse, Capricornia.' That's it. Good girl. 'Everybody happy, except for me...' (SIZZLING) '..cos I not white fella.' 'I not blackfella, either.' 'Me half-caste.' 'Creamy.' 'Me belong no-one.' Good girl. Back. Good. Easy, easy. Good, good. That's it. That's a good girl. That's it. Ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh. You really do have a gift with horses. (CLICKS TONGUE) Up, up. You look different. I've agreed to be patroness at the ball at Government House tomorrow night. Yeah? And? Drover, I... (HORSE WHINNIES) I'm going to finish what Maitland set out to do and I am going to bring Faraway Downs back to life. I don't follow you. This is perfect. I'm going to need a manager. Well, I thought that... it would be a good job for you. Anyway, I almost forgot something. I, erm, I got a suit for you. Stop. Don't do that. Don't do that. Do what? The thing you do when you get ideas. Like crossing the Kuraman? C'mon, mate. (CHUCKLES) You don't know what you're talking about. Manager? I'm a drover. No man hires me, no man fires me. (SIGHS) So you don't want to go to the ball? Ball? (CHUCKLES) Sarah,... ..I'm as good as black to that mob up there. I mix with dingoes, not,... not duchesses. They keep out of my way and I keep out of theirs. That's the way it is. Just because it is doesn't mean it should be. But that's the way it is. Cheer up, little fella. You and that Chinaman gonna take me out on a big night at the pictures. How? You can't take half-caste to picture show. Coppers take him! He won't be half-caste. He got every right to be there. We use magic. You got every right to be there... ..cos you're a special boy. He's a special boy. Nobody gonna stop you from going. Nobody. "# Somewhere # Over the rainbow # Way up high # There's a land that I heard of # Once in a lullaby # Somewhere # Over the rainbow # Skies are blue # And the dreams # That you dare to dream # Really do come true #" (SAMBA) How good of you, Lady Ashley, to take an interest in Dr Barker's work on the mission. Actually, my interest is of a more personal nature. I must say... Oh, smashing! Would you excuse me? ..amongst the leading lights of Darwin. I was wondering if you could introduce me to Dr Barker. Sarah? Ah, Captain Dutton. Lady Ashley, I'll leave you in the capable hands of the captain. I'm sure he would be happy to introduce you to Dr Barker. Her husband barely in the grave and she's cavorting with the captain. And that dress. Yes, bidding should go through the roof. He needs someone to look after him. Sarah - I'm desperate to speak to Dr Barker. I'm going to adopt him or they'll take him away. Adopting an Aboriginal child, Sarah, is complicated. Neil! Come on. I want to talk with Lady Ashley. Yeah. No, we will later, love. I don't mind if you bid for her in the auction. I won't be jealous. She's an inspiration. Yeah, she's full of surprises. Life on the station with people who care for these children is far better than life in a government institution. The auction. Our gracious patroness, Lady Ashley! (MAN) Bravo! And now for the auction of the first dance... They must be dislocated from the primitive, full-blood Aborigine. Do I hear a first bid? Please. �5 here! How else are we to breed the black out of them? I bid more than that for a dance with Mrs Allsop! Has anyone asked their mothers how they feel? Lady Ashley, please. Do I hear...? It's a fact that the Aboriginal mother soon forgets her offspring. �50! �50! �70! 95! No mother forgets her child, Dr Barker. Lady Ashley! This is most inappropriate. 100! Oh, well, that is a new record! We can't very well ask their fathers, can we? How dare you? Going once! Or perhaps we should. Going twice! After all, they're right here in this room. That's a lie! 500 quid! (SILENCE) �500! Well, indeed. If it isn't the man who... (CHUCKLES) ..almost single-handedly made the Australian beef industry what it is today. Mr King Carney of the Carney Cattle Company. For the benefit of the missions. Well, there's nothing more to say but, er, let the king take his prize. (BAND STARTS UP) Can I get a picture, please? Smile. Ah. (WALTZ) Let me say, Lady Ashley, just how sorry I was to hear of your husband's death at the hands of that... wild savage. A savage, yes, Mr Carney, but you and I both know my husband was not killed by an Aborigine. No, I did not know that. Perhaps you should ask Mr Fletcher. Are you making an accusation? Not one that I can prove. In business, I've been fortunate. In family, a little less so. I'm prepared to go to �75,000. This is not about the money, Mr Carney. There is a little boy. for whom I am responsible. And who will take care of them? A cattle station is like a country and you have no-one to look after it. Now, I can offer protection to every man, woman and child. And child? You...? You will do that? How can I keep you at your word? (I'll put it in the contract.) King Carney and Lady Ashley. And that was a marvellous treat. (ALL CHEER) No-one can close a deal more quickly than King Carney. Now, the raffle for the war effort. The last flying boat leaves tomorrow because of the war. Will I tell my lawyer to... draw up a contract? But the true-blue Australian man like King Carney is... (ALL GASP) Inform your lawyer. Er... Inform your lawyer that Faraway Downs is no longer for sale. Foxtrot! (BAND STARTS UP) Here you are. Well, you didn't think I was gonna waste my dance lesson, did you? Let's really give the bastards something to talk about. (CHUCKLES) Oh, crikey. She's invited that man. Hey, Doris. Can I get you a drink, Drover? Yeah, a beer would be good. G'day, love. Nice dress. Alright. Fox dance? Fox dance. Mm-hm? OK. Back. Back. Step. Step. Sorry. (LAUGHS) Let's get outta here. There it is, first storm of the wet. What's it like? It's beautiful. There's millions of birds. Creeks turn into rivers, dry plains into lakes. Faraway Downs will be reborn as an island, green and flowering and fat with life. Whoa, whoa, whoa! Quick, quick, quick! We'll be cut off from the rest of the world. Sarah. Mm-hm? In the dry... I'll be gone, droving. (THUNDER RUMBLES / THUNDERCLAP) But right now it's raining. (ALL CHEER) (LAUGHTER) "Can you help me?" "You don't need to be helped." "You've always had the power to go back to Kansas." "I have?" "Why didn't you tell her?" "She wouldn't have believed me." My darling Cath! Daddy! Agh! Hey, Drover. Maitland Ashley met his death at the hands of a wild savage,... did he? You're not part of any plan concerning this family. Nothing's in your name and if anything should happen to my darling Cath, you lose everything. "There's no place like home." (BIRDS SQUAWK) Yay! (LAUGHS) 'Just like Drover say, that rain make everything come alive.' 'That land, it grow green and fat and we all go back to Faraway Downs.' 'Mrs Boss happy. Drover happy.' 'Even that copper, Callahan, happy.' 'Mrs Boss say he likes her tea so much it gives him a blind eye - make me invisible, keep me safe.' (DOG BARKS) 'I hear for the first time that thing called... Christmas.' (ALL LAUGH) 'Then the rain, it stops and that Drover, he go droving.' 'That Mrs Boss, she always misses Drover, but I know he's gonna come back.' (HORSES WHINNY) (WHISTLES / SHOUTS) Whoo! Yeah! 'King George tell me you gotta be looking out cos that croc, he always watching, he always waiting.' (SCREAMS) (HORSES WHINNY) Hah! Get up! 'That Fletcher, he the new king now.' (FLY BUZZES) Emmett, why didn't you radio?! I'm so glad you're here! Would you get some tea, Bandy? (GASPS) Jeez, you done the place up nice. Oh, I hope you don't mind. Bandy let me in. Yeah, my father would've been proud. It's bloody beautiful. (LAUGHS) Jeez, I bet you got all the mod cons. What do you want? What I've always wanted - Faraway Downs. Bandy, call the men. Bunchemup, Mr Fletcher needs to be escorted off the property. Callahan won't be having any more cups of tea. I will, though. Cup of tea, thanks, Bandy. You know how I like it. Yeah. It's alright, Bandy. You know, these days, I can pull a few strings. I can probably bring your creamy in, if you like. Or... I can talk to Dr Barker and get you guardianship. I will never sell you my land. Your land? My family worked this property for three generations. My father died making people like you rich. Faraway Downs belongs to me. Just like... you believe the little creamy belongs to you. I'll pay you what it's worth. Can use the money, go south, get the little one an education. I'll go to the highest levels of government. I'll go to the High Court, beyond this country even. Unmarried, living with the Drover? I will tell your wife he is your son! That'd be a mistake. Kimberley spear. Glass-tipped. Real collector's items. Oh! You're missing one. Anyway, I was just, er, out here, checking on all the properties. Might do a little buffalo hunting later. Yeah. Oh. Did you hear about the king? Terrible accident. Yeah. Very dangerous place out here, even for locals like the Drover and the little creamy. You with me? Anyway,... you ought to think about it, Lady Ashley. After all,... pride's not power. (DOOR CLICKS SHUT) (The Drover mustn't know.) Yah! Yah! Yah! Drover! It's the Drover! (HORSES WHINNY) Yah! Come on, you two! Wake up! (GROANS) (BOTH CHUCKLE) Come on, wake up! Alright, alright. We got brumbies to break. (MEN SHOUT) (HORSE WHINNIES) Yeah, break him! Ride that brumby! Ride him! Ride him! Yeah, Drover! Ride him! Yeah, Drover! Drover! You a man, Drover? I try to be. Sometimes man got to get away from woman. Maybe. That's why you go droving. I go droving cos that's my job. If you don't go droving,... you not a man. Alright, boys, that'll do. Bring 'em down to the paddock. King George tell me I gotta go walkabout. If I a man, I gotta go walkabout. Learn'em be a man. I gotta go walkabout. If I a man, I gotta go walkabout. Learn'em be a man. Yeah. Listen, it's up to Mrs Boss what you do, alright? Come on inside, boys, it's time for dinner! I'm coming! Jedda, come on! (DOG BARKS) Come on, Jedda! Come on! 'He tell Drover about the big army drove.' We need the best stockmen possible. It may take six months or so. Overland. Absolutely not. You just got back. What's wrong? I'm just not used to people making decisions for me. I was just expressing an opinion. Captain Dutton was telling me about this wonderful School of the Air. He wants to go walkabout with King George. That's ridiculous. He's a little boy. It's not safe. He'd be safer in Arnhem Land than he would be hanging around here. I thought you said - You can't change him, Sarah. I thought you said it had nothing to do with you. It doesn't, it's just sooner or later you're gonna have to let that boy go. I don't know what you're talking about. If he doesn't go through ceremony, he'll have no country. He'll have no story, no dreaming. And he'll be all alone. This big army drove,... Let's have dinner, shall we? ..I'm gonna take it. (HORSE WHINNIES) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Time to go walkabout, Mrs Boss. You belong here. No, Mrs Boss. (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Sarah, I gotta go! Sarah! Drover! Drover! He's not down at the billabong! Well, then, he's gone walkabout. He wouldn't have just left without saying goodbye. Get the packhorse. We're going to Punctuation Point. Sing Song. Yes? Tin food. You're not listening. What? He's gone walkabout! Oh, come on! He is a child! Yeah, well, he's not our child! Bandy! The next time you see him will be when he wants to see you. You'll never find him. You could find him. You and Magarri can find him. And do what? Bring him back here and lock him up? You can start your own mission. You just don't want to be responsible. He's not my son! What did you say? I gotta go. Don't leave! Drover, don't! I understood when you said you had to be free. I understood that, but that,... that was between you and me. But it's different now. We've got Nullah. I gotta go. I need you to stay. I'll be back in six months. I need you to stay with me and if you can't do that, I would prefer it if you didn't return. Alright. You're the boss. (Drover.) (GATE SLAMS) (CATTLE LOW) 'I can feel them bad spirits coming, so I chase after that King George.' 'But that Callahan, he been stopped drinking Mrs Boss's tea.' (DOG GROWLS) (GUNSHOT) 'He lose his blind eye and I not invisible any more.' Jedda! Fletcher, we've apprehended that young 'un. And we arrested the suspected murderer of Lord Ashley, King George. (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Agh! No! (SHOUTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) You finally lifted your game, Callahan. Good on ya. Things are lookin' up. "..the militarisation of Darwin." "Their cattle yards are alive with military activity and the Carney Cattle office, once that proud icon of Darwin, is now military headquarters." "At 6:15am, local time, the United States Pacific Fleet was attacked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by the empire of Japan." "The United States has joined the war." "As the Japanese horde pours southward, the final evacuation of Darwin is underway." Get those boxes cleared on the double! Come on. This way, boys. Quickly. Quickly. (SINGS SOFTLY IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Hey, creamy! Creamy! Doesn't your mummy want you? You filthy creamy! Come on. Come, my child. Come on! Come on, my child! Creamy! Hey, creamy! (CONTINUES CHANTING) Excuse me. Nullah! It's Lady Ashley. Nullah! Nullah! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! No, this is madness! Don't let them take me away! I don't want to go! Was she hugging a piccaninny? People do the most extraordinary things. I don't want to go! Mrs Boss! These poor unfortunates will be safe in God's hands. These are not unfortunates! These are children! Don't let them take me away! Nullah! Nullah! She's humiliating herself. We've got to help her. Help me! That's my child! I understand what you're saying. Please! Nullah! Nullah! Mrs Boss, don't let them take me away! The church has a plan for them. What, to not send them to safety? Control yourself. You're all so heartless! You be a brave boy for me. You be brave. Neil, I want you to help Lady Ashley. Yeah, I could probably sort it out. Show the ladies to their cabins and I'll see what I can do. Come on, ladies. I will come and find you. We'll be together again, I promise. I believe you, Mrs Boss. Come along, child. Quickly. Quickly. Mrs Boss. (I sing you to me.) You be brave. Nullah. Come, boy. Come quickly. Nullah! It'll be alright! I will find you! I will! Nullah! Nullah! I sing you to me, Mrs Boss! And I will hear you, my darling! (GASPS) There's a radio tower on Mission Island directly in the path of the oncoming Japanese. Be the first place the Japs hit. You're monstrous. I'll have a contract drawn up. You get yourself a room at Ivan's and I'll get you a job with Cath at HQ. I'll give you a call. You will do this, Lady Ashley. After all,... ..pride's not power. Yeah, pride's not power. (RADIO) "Mission Island to HQ." Mission Island to HQ. Visibility good. "All clear. Over and out." (CHILDREN) # Ave Maria... # 'I was on Mission Island lock-lock for two whole months.' 'Mrs Boss promised she'd come for me, so I play my magic song.' ("OVER THE RAINBOW" ON HARMONICA) 'But that Drover, him been gone far, far away on that big army drove.' 'Him been gone so long, so far away, maybe he not hear me.' (WHISTLES "OVER THE RAINBOW") (CONTINUES WHISTLING) Leave it off. What? No whistling? Just not that tune. (WHISTLES DIFFERENT TUNE) Not that one, either. No music? You must be properly hurtin' for Mrs Boss. Shut up, will ya? I can see why Mrs Boss gave you the boot. Wanna know why she gave me the boot? Yeah. Cos I wouldn't stop Nullah from going walkabout. He went walkabout? Yeah. I tried to explain to her what that means, but... See him go? Nah. So he's gone? Yeah. Look, I told you, he went walkabout. You don't know? Eh? That little fella, he could have walked into a big hole or got eaten by a croc. What if the cops have got him?! He's an Aboriginal boy! You are just hiding behind that blackfella business so you don't get hurt! This isn't about walkabout, is it? Is it? You're running. I'm not running, mate. Yes, you are, brother. You're scared of getting your heart hurt like before, when my sister died. But knowing you, you probably never told Mrs Boss that you loved her, eh? (THUNDER RUMBLES) You got no love in your heart,... you got nothing. No dreaming, no story. Nothing. Hey, big mob of army fellas. Must be diggers, eh? They're not diggers, mate. They're Yanks. What the hell are they doin' here? (GASPS) (CHILDREN GIGGLE) Once you've signed, I'll get one of the brothers to take you out to the mission. You can be happily reunited with your little creamy. No loss of pride, Lady Ashley. Good morning, Ivan. (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) (CHUCKLES) You look happy. I am. I get my little boy today. Oh, and, Ivan, we're leaving the territory tomorrow. Good! I need the room. I'll miss you, too, Ivan! (PLANE ENGINES HUM) (PHONES RING) Morning. (Cath, sorry I'm late.) Quick changeover, girls. Did you speak to Neil? Yes. I'm seeing him about Nullah after my shift. Look, I was just thinking. What? About Nullah. What? (CHILDREN SCREAM) (MACHINE-GUN FIRE) (EXPLOSION) I'm getting a signal from Mission Island. (RADIO CHATTER) Suspect visibility. (GASPS) (EXPLOSION) (PLANE ENGINES HUM) If you can't understand the ordnance, how can you understand the order?! (AIR-RAID SIREN WAILS) (PHONES RING) What's happening? "(MEN'S VOICES OVERLAPPING)" "I repeat, enemy aircraft over Darwin now." "We're under attack!" "We're under attack!" (EXPLOSION) (ALL SCREAM) Hurry up! (SHOUTING) Let them free! Let all of them out! (PANTS) Drover! Hey! Drover! Magarri! Hey! Goolaj, where's Mrs Boss?! She at that army HQ, old Carney place! Yah! Yah! Drover, I'll see you at Faraway Downs! You can't go in there, mate! (HORSE WHINNIES) Watch out! Drover! Callahan. Is she in there? Is she in there? It's too late. She's in there! (ALL SHOUT) Let me in there! Sarah! Sarah! Let me in there! (ALL SHOUT) I'll handle this. Get your man out of here! She's a part of dreaming now. Get out of my way! Go on, hit me! Get out of...! Go on, hit me! It's not gonna bring her back! She's in there! Sarah! Clear the corridor! Nobody past this point unless they're at death's door or already through it! Name? Ashley. Sarah Ashley. What did he say? (CRIES) (SCREAMS) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (PANTS) 'But right now it's raining.' 'It's different now. We've got Nullah.' 'Here you are.' 'She deserves a drink like any man!' '(ALL CHEER)' 'Too bloody right.' 'Crikey!' '(BOTH LAUGH)' Hey, no boongs in here. You didn't say that, did you? That's how it is. Just because it is... ..doesn't,... doesn't mean it should be. Serve him a fuckin' drink! Ah, what does it matter? I'm a total bloody ruin. I'm evacuating south, like everybody else. You're short... one glass. One... more... glass. I leave this place for the looters and the Japs. Why not the boongs? (PIANO MUSIC) I saw her this morning... before she went to the work. She was so happy. She was gonna get that... ..little boy and go south. What about the children on Mission Island? The creamies? They are left out there. They left them out there? Safe in the hands of God. They left them...? They say the island was hit first. They say no-one would have survived. They say a lot of things. There's been some mistake. That's Cath Fletcher. Oh, God, it's Cath. (GASPS) Oh, God! Sort her out. Oh, my God! Sarah. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. (CRIES) I've got to get to Nullah. Sarah, the Japs hit the mission first. No, I don't believe you! Sarah, look at me! No-one can get out there. No-one. I need help to get to the island! Half the Jap navy's out there! I have the Lord on my side. I don't give a damn! (ROARS) God works in mysterious ways, Brother. Go, go, go! Magarri, secure the boat. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Bull. (PRAYS) Sarah, we'll leave at first light. Ivan, check the second dormitory. OK. Nullah. (SOBS) (RUSTLING) Come on. It's alright. (Ssh.) Are there other boys? I don't know. Are there any other boys? I don't know. OK. Drover?! Nullah. Drover! Drover! I knew you'd come. I sing you to me. Oh! Magarri! Hey, little fella! Mrs Boss come, too? Where's Mrs Boss? We, er,... we can't say her name any more, little mate. Alright? Hey, you listen to me. I need your help. I'm gonna get these fellas off the island. You're gonna have to be strong. Can you do that? Mm-hm. Good boy. Alright, go and get your little mates. Come with me. Come with me. It's OK. Now, listen, we're gonna get you all off this island, alright? Alright, we're gonna have to swim. We have to be quiet, like a turtle. OK? I'm gonna take you home on a ship. It's over there. See it? (MAN SHOUTS IN JAPANESE) (Let's go, boys! Let's go! Quick, quick, quick!) Ivan! Ivan. Swim the big boys down to the sloop. Right. Use the current and drift it to the end of the wharf. Go! Come on, boys. Quick. Run! Quick, quick! (GUNSHOT) (GASPS) Oh, crikey. (SOLDIERS CHATTER IN JAPANESE) (GUNSHOT) Hey. I take this mob walkabout. You'll never make it. Well, you gotta make it! You got family now. You gotta drove this mob home, Drover. Good luck, brother. Go, go. That's it. That's it. Good boy. (COCKS GUN) (SOLDIERS CHATTER IN JAPANESE) (ALL PANT) (GUNSHOT) (SHOUTS IN JAPANESE) Magarri. Up the ladder, boys. Quick. Hurry, now. (GUN JAMS) (GRUNTS) C'mon. (SOLDIER SHOUTS IN JAPANESE) (PANTS) (GUNSHOT) (SCREAMS) (GASPS) (SOLDIER SHOUTS IN JAPANESE) (GASPS) (SOLDIER CHATTERS IN JAPANESE) (SPEAKS ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Drove 'em home, Drover. (GUNSHOT) Sergeant, get the men on the trucks. We're evacuating within 15 minutes. We rendezvous with the main convoy at 0800 hours at Adelaide. Start the truck, Sergeant Lapin. If anyone is lagging, you are to use whatever force is necessary. Every single man, Lapin. You won't have to wait for us, Captain. Move! Come on! Move! Thanks for coming down, Mr Fletcher. It's my awful duty to inform you that your wife, Catherine... Thanks for coming down, Mr Fletcher. It's my awful duty to inform you that your wife, Catherine... My wife is dead? It's a funny old world, isn't it? Generous to a fault. Did you know that Lady Ashley insisted that my wife work her shift... ..so that she could see some... ..half-caste kid on the mission? Now my wife's dead. Now I've lost everything. We have to go, Sarah. (ALL CHATTER) Come on! Come on, boys! They'll be here any minute! Get on the bloody trucks! Sarah, please. We have to go now. 'My magic not good.' 'All the smoke.' 'But then he speak to me.' 'Grandfather.' (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) (DISTANT CHANTING) (CHANTS TWO NOTES) (PLAYS "OVER THE RAINBOW") Come on, love. Don't muck about. Can you hear that? 'Music. Can you hear it?' There's no need to be frightened. (CONTINUES PLAYING) Sing. Sarah, please. Can't you hear it? (SINGING CONTINUES) It's children singing. (SINGING GROWS LOUDER) (CHANTS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) Sarah! What's goin' on? Just give her another minute. (SINGING HARMONISES WITH HARMONICA) (GASPS) Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Mrs Boss! Nullah! Mrs Boss! Oh! I can say your name! Oh! Mrs Boss, I sing you to me like the first night I see you. Them Japs nearly got us. We had to swim'em. Some of them little fellas from the desert can't swim'em. But the Drover take 'em on his back like a turtle. What did you say? What? Drover. You're alive! Oh, God! Oh! (HORN HONKS) Sarah, what's going on? I can't hold the sergeant any longer! Come on, boys. (BOYS CHATTER EXCITEDLY) Oh, my God, it's the children from the mission. The last convoy leaves Darwin in a matter of minutes. In the truck. The truck's waiting. Let's go. Follow Brother Frank. Follow Brother Frank. That's it. Come on, boys. To the end of the wharf and then straight on the truck. Sarah. (GASPS) Ivan! Thank you! Thank you. I shall prepare your bill. (CHUCKLES) (CHILDREN GIGGLE) Where'd you come from? The good Lord has delivered us, but we could do with a ride. I'm not Jesus Christ, but I'll give it my best shot. Come on, kids. On the trucks. A third at the front and a third at the back. Come on. Leg 'em up, they're little fellas. Bring those little fellas up to the front. You cursed me, you little creamy. You know, when I said that no-one could get out there I'd forgotten about you, Drover. That no matter. We gonna go back Faraway Downs. He's right. With the water up, it's the safest place in the north. These are, after all... Extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances. Thank you, Emmett. I'll see you mob in Faraway Downs! (CHILDREN GIGGLE / CHATTER) Here, fellas, make some room for the kids, will ya? In you go. Come, come, come. Righto, that's it. They're all on. Let's get outta here. Come on, let's go! Alright, kids, hold on. Mr Fletcher! Mr Fletcher. Neil. We gotta go. Go and tell Callahan there's looters everywhere. Go and tell Callahan! I've got the keys to the car upstairs. Righto. Come on, Mrs Boss! Hurry up! (CHUCKLES) Nullah! I got gulapa magic. No-one can hurt me. Nullah! No! No! (SQUELCHING) (SCREAMS) No! No! (GASPS) (GROANS) (ROARS) Nullah! Nullah, you alright, little mate? Nullah, please. Please. C'mon. There. That's it. No bullet. Me gulapa. (CHUCKLES) (GROANS) (RELIEVED SIGH) 'King George teach me the rain will fall, the grass grow green and life,... it begin again.' Let's go home. There's no place like it. 'One thing I know.' 'Why we tell story is the most important of all.' 'That's how you keep them people belong you... always.' Oh. Mrs Boss, I sing you to me. Here. Ugh! (CHUCKLES) (CHATTERS IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE) And I will hear you.