Original subtitles

- I was four when our doctor said

we should move to Australia

to clear up my asthma.

He referred us to the Fairbridge Society

who offered mum a job there as a teacher.

So mum, my brother, my sister and I

took off to the other side of the world.

But when we got there, to the middle of nowhere,

they ripped up our mum's letter of employment,

took her away from us and forced her

and other screaming mothers onto a bus.

And we were left in the blistering heat

with hundreds of other kids.

Then they put us to work.

We were now Wards of the state.

To have any chance of getting us back,

Mum needed a house and a job.

But unemployment was at an all time high,

so desperate and with no other options,

my shy mother became a stripper.

This is the story about how she stole us back,

about how we hitchhiked over the Nullarbor,

the longest road in the world.

About our life on the run from the government

and how along the way, she somehow managed

to become an Australian icon.

- Hi Grandma, it's Indy

- And Sisi

- And Sunny

- We just got batteries.

- We now live in Burleigh heads on the Gold Coast.

- We have a playroom, a dining room

and live in a grand orange mansion

and have a huge backyard.

Mum has a really good job.

She's got quite interesting work clothes

She must help lots of people.

Sometimes she dresses as a nurse

- And other times like Wonder Woman

- She's even in the newspaper sometimes.

- And I think she might be famous

cause everybody stares at her and knows her name.

I reckon it must be pretty rainy in England.

- Or is it snowing?

- Grandma we hitch-hicked from one side of

Australia to the other it took two weeks.

- And we saw dingoes and kangaroos!

Send us a tape back. You can send it to

the general post office in Surfers Paradise.

- There's a man there named Yusuf who holds our mail.

Sunny and I think he puts boot Polish

on his head to cover up his bald spot.

- Bye grandma

- Look Sunny - eighteen days

- You tell her

- No you

Guess what we're having for lunch today?

- Double check you finished your homework

from yesterday.

They'll make you strong

- Time for school

- You don't have to take us or pick us up

It's just down the road

- Yes Indy, but it's a big road

- But we're big girls now

- Okay my big girls,

How about if Sisi walks you over?

- All right

- Yes

- Indy and Sunny

- Vegemite sandwiches

- What happened to your arm?

- Ah nothing it's just sports

- Mum miss Piggy's had babies!

- She must have been pregnant when we found her

- Could I name those two Bert and Ernie

- Oh yes Sunny, I can't wait to tell grandma

- Tell grandma now,

hurry

- Grandma my mouse has had seven babies

- Grandma, grandma mum's got a new job

as a meter maid.She feeds coins to the meter

so that people shopping won't get a ticket

And all she has to wear is a gold bikini

- And a sash!

- We miss you grandma

- We love you grandma

- School

- We really like it here now

- Come on you two

- Have a good day

Love you

- Don't forget to ring

that man back about the flat

and go to the post office

to check if we have any mail.

Bye mum

Bye mum

♪ Perth to Queensland cross Australia ♪

♪ Will we make it let me tell ya ♪

- I'm gonna build us a tree house here one day

- There are the Ryans

Fifi! My mouse had seven babies!

- Mum look

Look away girls.

Hello, excuse me.

Excuse me

- Ah we're looking for Ms. Margaret Dupre

This map is completely confusing.

- You just go up this road

a little bit on the right up there.

- Oh, thank you

very much

- She hasn't done anything wrong, has she?

- Um, well

- Thanks, guys

- Did you take the girls?

- They're with the Ryans.

I don't wanna go to school

- Did You throw these away?

Are you embarrassed by me Sisi?

- No, but Indy and Sunny might be

- They are just shorts

- Just shorts!

They whacked me with a cricket bat yesterday Mum

- No!

- Kept saying horrible things about you

calling you a pro. Why do people say such

mean things about you?

I try to stand up for you,

but you have to help too.

Can't you be normal?

- Sisi I can't go back to the way I was

people listen to me like this

It's like it give me super power

- Like Superman?

- Like Superman

- But even he goes back to being

Clark Kent sometimes

What happened to you? You don't trust men,

but I am a man aren't I? Do you not like me?

- Si Si,

when we lived in England your

father - I don't want

to know about my father! Ever!

- Margaret Dupre?

I'm Mrs. Peyton this is

Mr Cunningham from the Fairbridge Society.

We need to ask you a few questions.

You've been a hard one to track down.

We've had our eye out for you.

- What's this about?

- We've had a complaint about the

living conditions of your children.

- Yes. We live in a tent.

So what? We can afford it here.

No bills and we pay the camp grounds

across the way to use the toilets and showers.

- How're you storing your food?

- We eat everything fresh.

Thursday nights fish and chips at

the local pub and I cook on the gas cooker.

- You're a stripper correct?

- Yes. Sometimes, it's not illegal.

I also do modeling.

- Modeling? You mean your topless postcards?

How does your church think about

your new profession? Do you mind?

- I'm not with the church anymore.

- Miss Dupre we cannot have children living

in a place with no lock on the front door.

- We've got a lock.

- We're just concerned for your safety son.

We want you in a place with walls.

- I'm much safer here than

the place you all put me in

- Hey you watch your mouth son.

Fairbridge is a noble charity,

it's held in high esteem

- Sisi leave us be for a second

- Four walls didn't protect me!

- Fairbridge are a bunch of liars,

treated them like slaves so who do you think

you are telling me how to raise my kids?

- I don't like that tone of voice

If you're gonna start having attitude

then you better not have it

with me - Look

- Look we almost have enough money for a flat

and the kids are doing really well here.

What does it say in those reports

about their marks in school?

- That's not the point.

- No no no go on look. They've excellent grades.

And what about their attendance?

- Their attendance is fine.

- They've barely missed a single day

- But you keep changing schools

- We keep changing schools because

you keep trying to take my kids away.

- Because look at you. You're an unfit mother.

- I was a Mormon before I came into your country!

You told me you would leave us alone.

If I got a job and a place to live.

Well I have a job and we have a place to live

So stop following us and leave us alone,

you've no right to take away my children.

- That's not true Ms. Dupre

by Code D 1.2, in case of fire,

minors cannot dwell in a place

with no back door. All right.

There's your backdoor.

- You'll be hearing from us.

Four people in a two man tent

- Oh!

And eight mice.

Indy!

Sunny!

- The girls

- Indy!

Sunny!

- Leave them alone

Run! Run! NO!

Mum says I remind her of you when I sing.

She says without us she's nothing, but that's not true

She's everything! We just came back to feed the mice.

- Hello Girls! You two are going to come with us now.

We don't want to come with you! Mum! MUM!

- We come together today to deal

with an ugly chapter in our nation's history.

And we come together today

to offer our nation's apology.

Sorry that as children, you were taken

from your families and placed at institutions

where so often you were abused.

♪ Crazy thoughts and crazy days ♪

♪ Spending time in paradise ♪

♪ Crazy times and crazy dreams ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ My love ♪

♪ Fish and chips and sea salt hair ♪

♪ Your voice ringing through the air ♪

♪ We are family we are one ♪

♪ Mother's mermaids in the sun ♪

♪ My love ♪