The year is 1900 and sheepfarmer Wally King is given the rights to territory in the Australian outback. He sets out with his family to claim the land, but having made the hazardous 600 mile journey through wilderness, they find that the “permanent water” - Bitter Springs - is home to First Nations people who refuse to relinquish it. A violent struggle develops , which can only be resolved when the white man’s gun is replaced by compromise. Remarkably, for its time, the film attempts some balance in presenting the point of view of encroaching European settlers and First Nations claims for land rights. Starring Tommy Trinder, Chips Rafferty, Gordon Jackson, Jean Blue, Michael Pate, Charles Tingwell, Nonnie Piper, Nicky Yardley and Henry Murdock.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
303302
Language
English
Audience classification
G
Subject categories
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
16mm film; Access Print (Section 1)