All language subtitles for The Overlanders - 1946

(bright music)

(gong beats)

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [Narrator] In 1942, the
Japanese were driving

invincibly southward
from Singapore.

It seemed inevitable
that next into their hands

Would fall the Northern
territory of Australia;

largest undeveloped
region in the world,

with a million head of cattle

and the population
of only 5,000 whites.

Space, scorched earth and space,

was Australia's final weapon,

but first, the vast herds of
the North must be saved.

And so across Australia
moved a mass migration,

unique in history.

From small beginnings,
the mobs of cattle

poured south in an
almost unending flood.

This is the story of one mob,

and of the people who
drove it across a continent.

(metal crunches)

(water rushing)

(dramatic music)

- The Japs will get
nothing from me.

(dramatic music)

(horse hooves clicking)

(downhearted music)

(whip cracking)

(cattle lowing)

- Old Guts Ache wants ya, Boss.

- Righto.

Hold 'em boys, I
gotta see the manager.

Looking for me, Bert?

- Yes, come in Dan.

I was just telling the boys,
I've got a shock for you.

- What's that, company
giving us a raise?

- That's the biggest shock,
could be tending on whiskey.

(men chuckling)

- Listen, boys.

I've just had this telegram.

Close works.

Stop.

Load vital machine parts
on SS WELBRO immediately.

Stop.

Destroy phrasing plant.

Evacuate personnel.

Stop.

Regards, Barton.

- Nice of him to send
his regards anyhow.

- Well, it looks like
we're through or anyway.

- Must be expecting the Japs.

They were close
enough last night.

Yes, too bloomin' close.

- Well it's no use squawking.

The one thing we've plenty
of in Australia is space.

So why not use it,
like the Russian's did?

Scorched earth and space.

Oh, here, help yourself.

There won't be any big
shots up here for awhile.

And don't bother
about packing that stuff.

Just rip it out
and get it aboard.

- What about the cattle, Bert?

- Just shoot them
where they are.

I've got some ammo
for you here somewhere.

- I'm not going to
shoot those cattle, Bert.

- It makes some fine
dinners for the Japs.

- I won't leave them
for the Japs boys.

I'll overland 'em.

- You'd never get through, Dan.

Look.

This was just to stop you

from committing suicide.

We're here.

You'll either have to make
for Adelaide or Queensland.

Adelaide is 2000 miles away.

Queensland is 1500.

- I'll make it to Queensland.

- Alright. And when
you cross the Ord

you'll be out of feed and water.

It's terrible country.

You know how the
Duracks were coming here?

Three years.

No war would be over, Dan.

- You can't tell me
there haven't been

any big movements of
cattle since the Duracks.

Listen, Bert when I went
down to Halls Creek to enlist

the Sergeant there, Patterson,
he said to me, "In this war

bullocks are more
important than bullets.

You stick to cattle," he said,

"and you'd be doing a
better job for Australia

than bashing a Spider
in some army camp."

Then they knocked me back.

I was the only recruit that day.

So we went out and got drunk.

But I've never
forgotten what he said,

"Bullocks and more
important than bullets."

- He was right in a way, but-

- But you want me to leave a
thousand of the cattle to rot?

If I can get a plant together
with it, let me have a go?

- I'd have to have
an official okay.

- Ah, don't give me
that line of bull, Bert.

You know you've got authority

for all I need.
Will you back me?

- I can't stop you, Dan.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I don't know why people make
such a fuss of these things.

They always come unstuck on me.

I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll give you a
personal contract

and try and have it
okayed when I go south.

- Good on you, Bert.

I knew you wouldn't let me down.

- You know what you're
trying to do, don't you, Dan?

You're trying to drive
a mob of half wild cattle

the distance from London
and Moscow in a bad season

and the wrong time of the year.

- No wonder they call
you Old Guts Ache?

Well I'll see in Moscow.

(door slams)

(men chatting)

- Woo! Just watch it.

Come on, come on.

- Hey, Corky.

Hold on a minute.

I want to have a
yarn with the boys.

- Not now, Dan, my boy.

You'd be frozen at
the hip and I get a cut.

- This is important.

- What's more important
than making dough?

Come on, stand clear.

Come in Spinner, come on.

There you go boys, there you go.

(coins rattle)

Gentlemen, Mr. Dan McAlpine
wants to say a few words.

- Listen, fellas,
here's the story.

I want six men to help me drive

a mob of cattle to Queensland.

Well, what about it?

- You're too late, Dan.

- It's the wrong
time of the year.

- You'll never get
through the centre.

- That's my funeral.

- And it's likely to be.

(men laughing)

- Like this, Dan.

We're going to join
up when we get south.

We want to sort
of stick together.

- [Man] That's right.

We ought to be doing a war job.

- This is a war job.

Bullocks are more
important than bullets.

- And much bigger.

You can see them coming.

- Fair go, fair go.

Let's get this straight.

Who's coming with me?

- None of us, Dan.

We ain't going to fight.

- [Bert] Come and get it!

- You'll come with
me, won't you Jacky?

- Where to, Boss?

- They cross three
states: Western Australia,

Northern territory and
Queensland to the sea.

- How long on the road, Boss?

- Oh a year, maybe two.

- Okay. I'll come with you.

Wait till I tell the missus,

I'll be back in five minutes.

- I'll come with you,
if you'll have me.

- You're a sailor, aren't you?

- Yes.

- There's nothing romantic
about us you know.

We don't carry guns
and shoot up rustlers.

We're just plain cattlemen.

Hard yacka and hard tucker.

I think you better
stay by your ship.

- But I hate the sea.

My home's in Scotland.

My mother was
killed in The Blitz.

I've been torpedoed twice.

Once I spent 19
days in the ship's boat.

I thought I'd got over it by now

but the bombing out here
has brought it on again.

I'm a coward, I suppose.

- Oh, I wouldn't say that.

Can you ride a horse?

- No, I'm afraid, I can't.

Well, not very well anyway.

- Can you cook?

- Yes, I can.

And I don't mind hard work.

- Could you get a discharge?

- Yes. The Skipper said I
could on medical grounds.

- Oh, what's the good
of you and me and Jacky.

We'd lose half the
cattle the first night.

Well, I suppose I
better start shooting.

I was dead set on getting
those cattle through.

- And so you shall, Dan, my boy.

All is now well.

Dr. Corkendale in
person coming for you.

- You are, Corky?

It means work, you know.

- I worked for a time.

- I thought you were
all set for the city.

- Well, on some consideration.

What a tragedy by the way.

On further consideration
I thought it wise

to avoid the bright lights of
Sydney a little while longer.

We get paid for
this trip, I hope?

- You bet.

- Yes Dan, what
are you offering?

- Standard drivers rate.

Six quid a week and tucker.

And a bonus at the
end if we get through.

- That's all right then.

You see Les and
I've got some pretty

good horses that
we didn't like leaving.

So if we can stick
them in with your plant,

well you can count on us.

- You beaut!

Moscow, here I come.

- Moscow? I thought
you said Queensland.

- Oh, that's just
a fancy of mine.

Well, come on, let's
get some gear together.

(horses trotting)

- Whoa.

G'day, Bill.

- G'day, Mrs. Parsons.

- Helen.

- Got us any wagon, Bill?

- No.

- Ah, well I'll pinch
it after you sail.

- We're not sailing,
we're coming with you.

- No, you're not, Bill.

It's not a job for women,
but thanks for the offer.

- Now, wait a minute, Dan.

Hold those.

Now look here, Dan.

You know that me
and my family are better

with a cattle than any of
these rat bags you got here.

- Come over here, Bill.

- Who's the girl?

- Bill Parson's
daughter but don't bother

her mother watches
her like a hawk.

- Yeah.

- Mary.

Here dear, put this on.

- But mother, Jeff
never asked me.

- Yes dear, I know,
but your father is set

on making this trip
and it will be better

for all of us if the men
think you're attached.

- Hello?
- Hello.

- Can I call you Sinbad?

He was a sailor.

- If you like.

- All right then. But
there's one thing

you have to get straight, Bill.

I'm the boss.

This is my idea and I'm
going to see it through

as boss drover.

- That's okay with me.

Didn't think I wanted to
take ya plans over, did you?

- You were so
argumentative, old cow,

I wouldn't put it past ya.

Sailor, put that
stuff on the wagon.

The Parsons' are coming with us.

- Okay.

- The boy will give
you a hand, Mary.

What's your name?
- Hunter.

But your little girl
calls me Sinbad.

You see I'm a sailor.

- This is my daughter, Mary.

- Hello Mary.
- Hello.

- [Hunter] Glad to know you.

- Is that ship taking mail?

Mary wants to get off a letter

to her fiance in
the middle east.

- Oh, yes. I expect
so Mrs. Parson.

- Oh mother, you are the limit.

- Here's your contract, Dan.

Two bob a head
for every 100 miles

and £8 a day waiting money.

Oh, and there's just one thing.

This bonus, I can't
promise anything,

but I'll do the best I can.

- That'll be all right.

The company doesn't come across

I'll take it out of mine.

- Oh, that's just plain stupid.

- Hey Steward.

What about a bottle of whiskey?

- Sorry. All inbound.

- How about a bottle of beer?

- Inbound too.

- Have you gotten any fags?

- Got none.

- No businesses.

- The ropes, take 'em off.

(bell ringing)

(water splashes)

- Bye, Bill.

And all the best, Dan

and I still you're
taking on too big a job.

- You'll be sorry, sailor!

(sailors yelling)

- Don't forget to tie
him up before they run.

- What do ya call him? Phar Lap?

- It's a mare, not a horse!

- He wouldn't know
the difference anyway!

(horn blares)

- I wish I had some
more experienced men.

- Ah, the kid's all right.

(sailors chanting,
"You'll be sorry!")

(sombre music)

- [Dan Voiceover] They
were the last white people we

could expect to
see for four months.

(peppy orchestral music)

We only made four miles
that first day, but it was a start.

We had 968 head of
cattle and 53 horses.

You need about six horses
per man on a trip like this when

you're working
'em night and day.

So without Les and Charlie's 20

we'd have been very short.

(whip cracks)

At night we set our
watches to drovers time.

That is sunset six o'clock.

The cattle have
settled down pretty well.

So I let Nipper and
Les take the first watch.

Next morning, we
started the droving routine.

Sleeping cattle have
to be awakened gently

or they're liable to stampede.

So there are no crack of
whips in the pickaninny dawn.

While the cattle was still wild,

I put Jacky on to
give them a lead,

but soon natural leaders
from among the cattle

take over the job.

And these stay in front
of the whole of the drove.

Les and Charlie,
having the best horses,

rode the wings to
prevent breakaways.

I put Mary on
the tail with Corky.

I was paying her a man's wage

so I wanted to see
how good she was.

She seemed to
shape up all right.

With plenty of feed and water,

the plant and the mob
settled down pretty well.

And we made good time, but
I knew this was the easy bit.

(whip cracks)

The usual day's
drove is 8 to 10 miles.

We sometimes did 15.

We were late and
time was our enemy.

It took us a month
across the coastal Plains

then we started
through the scrub.

There were 200 miles
at that, without a break.

This made the going a lot harder

because you must keep
the cattle in a tight bunch

or you'll lose the stragglers.

But there was still quite a
lot of surface water about

which helped to keep
the gang cheerful.

- You know what a woman in
Souther's Towers said to me once?

"Hawkins," she said,

"You're a magnificent
hunk of man."

- And what happened then?

- Then? Then she
pinched my wallet.

(water splashes)

- Don't you think
Sinbad's lovely, Mary?

- Yes, I think he's nice.

- I terribly in love with him,
you know. He's my boyfriend.

- Are you in love
with anyone, Mary?

- Oh, I don't know.

- [Dan Voiceover] So
the second month went by.

Although the daily
routine remained the same

there were always little
episodes to break the monotony.

- The black fellas
know we're coming.

See the smoke signal?

- Look, Helen.

Wild, wild blacks.

- [Dan Voiceover] As
we got inland, it got hotter

and the drag got harder.

So it was quite a
thrill for us to come

on the brand new
north south road

built across Australia
to supply the fighting

in the islands.

- Bit of a change from
the old days, hey ma?

- My word.

I never thought I'd see a
bitumen road in the territory.

- They tell me it's
gonna be like this

all the way to Darwin.

Takes a war, eh?

- It does.

- Well, we better
get 'em across.

- Something coming, Dan.

- Dan, it's convoy!

It's a convoy, ma!

- Might get some
news of the war.

- I wonder where
the Japs landed?

(motors running)

(people cheering)

- Look, it's a girl!

Take a geek at the sheila!

- You beaut!

- Hey, how's the war going?

- They stopped them at Mill bay.

- They canned 'em at Kokoda.

- Wait till we get there!

- Good on ya mate,
good on ya digger.

(men cheering)

(horses trotting)

- [Dan Voiceover] It was a
week after crossing the road

that we came to
our first big obstacle.

(gunshot)

- That scared him at any rate.

- Well, what do
you make of it Bill?

- I dunno.

I've never seen so much
water this time of the year.

It's a cow.

How far's Cuttaburra
Crossing, Jacky?

- About 50 to 70 miles.

- That means a fortnight to
get back to the stock route.

We can't afford the time,
Bill, we'll have to swim.

- Do you think we
can swim here, Jacky?

- Sure.

May lose all the
cattle though, Boss.

(Jacky laughs)

- Encouraging bloke, Jacky.

Well, Bill and I've just been
down to the main stream.

We'll have to swim.

The idea is I'm going
to cross over now

and have a look
at the other bank.

If it's not too soft, Nipper
will follow with the horses.

Mrs. Parsons, you
and young Helen

will crossover in the
wagon with the tucker.

Then we'll have a crack
at the cattle, Charlie.

All right?

- Yes, ok, Dan.

- Good, let's get going.

- Hang on, Dan.
I'll come with you.

Now this is the
job for you, Sailor.

You're going to make
this wagon into a boat.

Empty out these canteens
and lash them back on front.

- Fore and aft?

- So she'll float.

And you can use those drums
as well, but lash them tight.

Got it?

- Okay, Bill, I've got the idea.

- Aye, aye, sir.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(horse snorts)

(water splashes)

- Okay, Bill.

Send over Nipper and the horses.

- Righto, push 'em in.

(whip cracks)

- I think she’ll
float, all right.

- I think she's beaut.

- So glad you've come to
the launch, Lady Parsons.

Now if you'll take this bottle

and propel it against the stern,

saying these words, "I hereby
name thee the Saucey Sue

and on the-"

- For heaven's sake,
stop playing the fool.

There's work to be
done, Dan's waiting.

Got to get it done
before the crossing.

- Right!

- Come along Rusty,
come along boy.

- Righto Helen,
I'll take him for you.

(hopeful music)

- Righto, Bill!

(water splashing)

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Straight and easy, Nipper.

(horse neighs)

- What's the matter, Rusty?

Help. Mummy, quick!

Sinbad!

- Let go! Let go at once!

(gunshot)

- Keep them going,
keep them going.

- Nice shot, sailor.

Thanks.

Good on ya, Ma.

Now for the cattle.

(whistling)

(whip cracks)

Keep on going, Bill.

Don't let them check.

Lead them right in.

(whip cracks)

(water splashes)

(cattle lowing)

(whips crack)

(upbeat orchestral music)

(water splashes)

(water splashes)

(cattle lowing)

(water splashes)

(whips crack)

- What about crocs?

- My boy, I'm from Wyndham.

If they come near
me, I'll take off.

(water splashes)

(triumphant music)

- Good on ya, fellas.

We're on our way.

- [Dan Voiceover]
After we left the river,

the feed started
to get very poor.

This slowed us up a lot.

We went down to 5 miles a day

with 1,000 still to
go, when one morning

a tragedy happened.

(horse hooves pounding)

- Boss! Boss!

Hey boss!

- What's up?

- It wasn't my fault, boss.

They went five,
maybe seven miles.

- What happened to the horses?

- They ate poison weed, Boss.

- [Dan] Poison weed!

- Helen, stay here.

- What's happened, ma?

- The horses are poisoned.

(horse hooves pounding)

(birds squawking)

- They're so lovely alive.

- There's nothing
we can do here, Bill.

- No.

- Get the harnesses
and the bells, Nipper.

And of yours among
them, Charlie?

- No, not one.

- That's lucky.

- Yeah, we're gonna
need them now.

- I hope he doesn't think
he's going to work the guts

out of our bunch.

(metal clanging)

- Worst of it is,
half the horses

we've got left are crook anyhow.

- Not Les and Charlie's.

- Soon will be if we work
them 24 hours a day.

Better rest up a
couple of weeks, huh?

- Yeah. Do the cattle good.

Lucky there's feed and water.

- We think we
should move on, Dan.

- We've got to
rest the beasts up

a couple of weeks, Charlie.

Otherwise we're
likely to loose the lot.

- Yeah. Well we're not staying.

You've seen what
the country's like

if we hang around here,
it will be too dry to move.

Then the wet will hit us

and we'll be stuck
here till the winter.

We're going on and
we're taking our horses.

- You realise that
means standing us

and the cattle up
here, don't you?

- Well, we think this
trip's crazy anyway.

You're likely to lose the
whole lot, horses and all.

So we're getting out.

(slap)

- Old cow!

- Here, stop that!
Stop that both of you.

While we're in camp, I'm boss

and I won't have fighting.

That goes for you
too Dan McAlpine.

Now you can take your
mate and your precious horses

and get out.
- But Ma-

- Shut up.

We don't want
dingoes in this camp.

We'll get along all
right without them.

- Bill, I've got an idea.

There's horses at Brunette Down.

Taking Jacky and Nipper,
I could be back in a month.

- And wait for a fortnight
for the horses to recover?

- Yeah, that's right.

- Can't we leave the cattle here

and pick them up after the wet?

- You don't want to
give in, do you Corky?

- Dan my boy,

I put myself to sleep every
night, counting that bonus.

- Hey Dan, I just saw
the strangest thing.

You know that lot of trees
you call kangaroo clump.

Well, just at the
back of it just now

I saw a big bunch of horses.

- Horses!

- They're brumbies, wild horses.

- Well, I better go out and
shoot the Brumby stallion

or if we're trying to
cut out our mares.

- But why shoot them, Bill?

Why not catch them?

- By crikey, the kids' right.

- How many's in a mob, Corky?

- About a hundred.

- We wouldn't
need a hundred Bill.

A dozen or so would do us.

- Okay. Okay, Dan,
you're the boss.

- What, you think it's no go?

- It's too big a gamble.

If you miss them the first
time they're gone for keeps.

We're back where we are now,

accepting that you will
have lost another three weeks

and that three weeks
may mean losing the cattle.

Too big a gamble, I take it.

- Isn't this whole
trip a gamble?

- Going after brumbies
at a time like this

is just something
for nothing rubbish,

that's what it is.

- Maybe you're right

but if we don't move soon
we won't get through at all

and I'm going to get
those cattle through.

We've got to take a
chance. Any chance.

So we go after the brumbies.

- Okay. Okay, Dan,
you're the boss.

Sounds like a flaming
wild goose chase to me.

- Bill, you've named
the first one we catch.

Wild Goose out of
Corky's folly by gamble.

(crickets chirping)

- [Dan Voiceover] At night,
we watched the brumbies

come into water.

Luckily the water hole
was in the gap in the hills

which made it
easier to make a trap.

- I can see Wild
Goose, the big stallion,

with white stockings.

- It's not the time and place.

- Quiet.

- Nice lot of horses, hey Bill?

- I haven't got them yet.

- [Dan Voiceover] Our
first job was to build a fence

with a slip gate
in the middle of it,

across the narrowest
part of the gap.

While we did this, the
others got the ropes ready.

These were to prevent
the brumbies breaking back

when we started driving
them towards the gate.

The bits of cloth made
them show up in the dark.

The women didn't like
tearing up their party frocks

but it was all we had.

We finished the job in two days

and decided to go right ahead.

- This is your job, Helen.

It's very important.

You see this rope?

It's attached to the gate
of that fence down there.

You'll see the horses pass and

pause outside the stockade.

We're going to try and
scare them through the gate.

And then when they're
all in, all in mind you,

not before, you
cut the rope, wham!

The gate shuts and we got them.

All right?
- Yes, Dan.

- Good kid.

- Dan?
- Yeah?

- Suppose they don't go in.

- They don't go in,
Helen, we're sunk.

She's all set.

Here they come.
- Yeah.

(dramatic music)

(yelling)

(whistling)

(whip cracks)

- Oh go in. Please go in.

(whistling)

(whip cracks)

(whip cracks)

(water splashes)

We've done it! We've done it!

Sinbad, we've done it!

(Helen screams)

- Okay, Dan, they're in.

- Well, so far so
good, hey Bill?

- Yeah, but now-

- I know, now we
got to break 'em.

Well, that's got rid of
the rubbish anyhow.

- Breaks my bleeding
heart to see them go.

I bet you I get a
fiver a head for them

at Anthony's Lagoon.

- We're not gone to
Anthony's Lagoon.

- But Dan, they got beer there.

You know, Dan, beer!

The stuff they make with hops.

I haven't tasted the drop

since they bumped
the pub at Wyndham.

- Yeah, that's the trouble.

We'd lose you for a week.

You'd half kill yourself
with the booze.

- What a fate.

Oh come off it, Dan.

You like a drink as
well as the next one.

- I know I do and so
does Bill and the sailor.

What happens to the cattle then?

We're not going to
Anthony's Lagoon.

- Wowser.

- How is he, Jacky?

- Pretty strong, Boss.

I think he'll buck
the pants off ya.

- Yeah, we'll see.

- I'm glad we're going on.

- Are you, Sindbad?

- Of course, Mary.

You know why.

- Look, look! Dan's up.

- Right, Jacky. Let her go.

(bouncy orchestral music)

- Keep going, Dan.

- Mary, Mary, Sinbad!
I've broken Wild Goose in!

Come and see!

- If you don't feel
like a beer after that,

you're not human.

- Look. Isn't he lovely?

- That's nicer than
the other wild gooses.

Helen, why didn't you
let him go with the others?

- Oh, but he's coming with us.

Corky and I have gotta enter
him into the Melbourne Cup.

Haven't we, Goosey?

(hopeful orchestral music)

(whips crack)

- [Dan Voiceover] Helen
got round me of course

and Wild Goose became
a member of the plant.

We lost a week
breaking the brumbies

and they were still hard
to get any real work out of

but they saved us overworking
our trained night horses.

Everyone was glad
to be on the move.

Even Corky, who seem resigned
to missing out on the beer.

- Nice to get a letter,
wouldn't it, Mary?

- Oh wonderful.

Isn't it a shame we can't
go to Anthony's Lagoon?

- I'd speak to Dan about it.

- I think I will.

- You're going to check
your contract at Lagoon, Bill?

- We're not going there.

- You want to see
your contract, Bill?

- Why?

- The whole family might
be working for nothing.

- I never thought of that.

- Supplies running
low, Mrs. Parson?

- Yes, they are a bit, Corky,

but I think we'll manage.

- Wonderful supplies
at the Lagoon.

- Have they got milk?

- Tonnes of it
my dear, all kinds.

- Oh, we might run out.

Wild Goose drinks and drinks.

- Sensible creature.

- Ya missus tells me she's
a bit short of stores, Bill?

What about calling
at the Lagoon?

- Well, I think we ought to
have a look at that contract,

you know?

- And maybe some letters.

- And news of the war.

- Milk for Wild Goose.

- Everybody seemed
very keen all of a sudden.

What about you, Corky?

- Huh?

Oh, it's immaterial to me, Dan.

You know the cattle
come first with me.

So anything you say.

- You sound too good to be true.

Anyhow, I'll think about it.

(horses trotting)

- Anthony's Lagoon!

Wine, women, and song.

Lead on, McAlpine!

- Any letters for Parson?

- Or McAlpine?
- Or Corkendale?

- Wait a minute, just got
this telegram going out.

- Oh, can you just
see if there's any mail?

- First come first serve, ma'am.

That gentleman's from Camooweal.

- But we've come all
the way from Wyndham.

- That's a long trip.

- Yeah, fair trot. Best part
of a 1,000 mile, I reckon.

- Cattle all right?

- Wonderful, Nick, wonderful.

- [Nick] They need
to be for the next bit.

- Bad, is it?

- Terrible. Starting to
bring all the cattle down

from the Gulf country.

- Is that right?

- [Nick] They're eating
heart out of the stone fruit,

water's short too.

- Oh well, we'll
get through all right.

- Hello, hello?

What names did you say?

Is that you, Milly?
It's Glad here.

I've got to telegram,
19 words ordinary.

To the Carters.

What's that?

Is he? Oh the poor dear.

All right, I'll wait.

Her baby's crying again.

Always does when
the phone rings.

What names did you say?

- Parsons.
- McAlpine.

- Corkingdale.

J. Celeverhouse Corkingdale.

- Oh, Corky, you never told us.

It's terrific.

- Looks beautiful on cheques.

- McAlpine?

- Yes.

- Mary Parsons.

- Thanks.

- Corkingdale?

- No.

- Anything for Maxwell?
- Yes.

- Captain Hector Maxwell?

- That's right.

- Thank you.

Another branch of the family.

- Strike contract.

- It's something anyway.

- No bonus?

- No bonus, Corky.

- That's gratitude for you.

I always knew with
old Billy and no heart.

Forgotten men,
that's what we are.

Saving rotten
cattle from the Japs

and then he forgets us.

- You'll get your bonus, Corky.

Mary hasn't been
neglected anyhow.

- Oh, he's only writing
cause he's having a good time

with English girls.
- Lay off.

- I was in the last war,
and every time I slipped

I used to write to my girl.

Remarkable the
number of letters she got.

- Oh shut up, Corky.

- Okay. Okay.

Come and have a drink.

- See you later, Mary.

(drunken singing)

(stumbling)

(all laughing)

- Get up you lot.

We've got move to the
cattle in the morning.

- Ma, you're wonderful.

- [Dan Voiceover] The stages
towards the Queensland border

where everything that
Camooweal bloke had said.

No feed, no surface
water, dry as a bone.

The only water we got
was from government bores.

And they were few.

Being short handed
made it worse.

And tempers got a bit edgy.

- Get out of it! Go on.

Get up.

(whip cracks)

Get up there, get up.

Get out of there.

- [Dan] Why the hell did
you take them out of there?

- What did you
think I was doing?

- Haven't I told
you the only way

to hold 'em back was to get
off your horse and face them.

Man on foot scare them stiff.

Don't try to be a cowboy,
just get off your horse.

- Oh shut your trap.

Get up, get on.

(whip cracks)

- [Dan Voiceover] It's a funny
thing in such a dry country

that bog holes or one of
the greatest dangers to cattle.

At last, the sight of the
border Hills of Queensland

promised easier going.

I was worried about
inoculating the cattle.

It's a strict law when
you cross the state border

but the rest of the
plant got quite cheery.

♪ Old there ain't no rest
in the great nor-west ♪

♪ Where the shade is best ♪

♪ Hardships, hardships ♪

♪ You never want hardships ♪

♪ In summer when
the feed is dry ♪

♪ And we left behind ♪

- [Dan] Don't know how
Corky can sing in this.

- [Mary] Huh?

- [Dan] I said, I don't
know how Corky can sing.

- [Mary] Why not? We're
getting near the border.

Won't be long now.

♪ Just come down
from darling town ♪

♪ Where the men
are black and gold ♪

♪ Hardships, hardships ♪

- Helen, stop that.

I won't have Corky
teaching you such things.

- But Mum, he only
teaches me the clean verses.

- I should hope so.

- Aeroplane coming.

- Him come this way.

- Hey Corky, Jacky says
there's a plane coming.

- Maybe it's Mr. Curtin
come to congratulate us.

Maybe he'll give us a medal.

- Maybe it's a Jap.

- Blimey, I never
thought of that.

(plane engine roars)

- Hard country
to take cattle over.

- There they are.

(horses trotting)

Mr. McAlpine?

- That's me.

- Gosport's my name.

- Glad to know you, Mr. Gosport.

- You make good time.

- Not bad.

- The minister sends
his congratulations.

- Well thanks.

There are the
members of my plant.

There's a Bill Parson-

(cattle lowing)

- Hello boy.

- He's a feeder bully.

- Aye. We know it's a feeder?

- What's the matter
with your friend?

- Oh, don't take
any notice of him.

He thought you were Jack Curtin.

For inoculation, eh?

- Yes, it's the law you know.

- That'll be all
right, Mr. Gosport.

Going be a job
yarding 'em though.

- There's that old musting
camp at the 20 mile?

- Mr. Costport, Bill Parsons.

- How do you do?

- Well that sounds
very good to me.

- Yeah? Well you
have to make it snappy.

Not much water there
and our limit's two days.

- How long would it take
you to go to Wyndham?

- In this?

Oh, about six hours.

- Do you know how
long we've taken?

- How long?

- Six months.
- Six months!

- Mhm.

- Open the gate, Mary.

Righto, boys. Bring
on some more.

Got another log, Bill?

- Yeah.

How about the Mitchell's?

- Oh, I wouldn't worry
about them yet, Corky.

- What are you
cooking up now, Corky?

- My friend here is a
stock broker at city street.

He's advising me on my company.

- What company?

- Like to see my prospectus?

Here.

Northern Territory
Exploitation Company.

Capital £100,000.

J. Cleverhouse Corkingdale,
Managing Director.

Sounds good, eh?

- Objects of the company,
to exploit the vast potential,

pasture and mineral wealth of

Australia's Northern territory.

- Hey, what's the game?

You can't do that.

- I've done it.

- Well, what's wrong with it?

- There's just one
thing wrong, Corky.

That word exploit.

We've exploited our
south for a 100 years

and torn the heart out of it.

Territory is far too
valuable to be messed

about by get rich quick
schemes like yours.

I say let's save the north

from what we've
done to the south.

- You mean leave
it to the cattle king?

- No, I mean leave
it to Australians.

Ordinary Australians
like Bill and his family.

National job, Corky. Too
big for little people like you.

- Oh rubbish.

(Jacky singing)

- Your supper's ready, Sinbad.

- Thanks.

It's settled down all right.

- Good.

- Decent sort
of night, isn't it?

- Lovely.

- See the cockatoos?

Dozens of them.

I wonder what
Jacky's singing about.

- About the time his people
own this land, probably.

When they were happy.

You'd better go now, Sinbad.

- Yes, I supposed so.

Well 'night then.

- Goodnight, Sinbad.

- Oh, by the way, would
you like this horse?

- All right, he's
good on night work.

Riding real Bushman
style these days, Sinbad.

Long stirrups, eh?

(romantic music)

- I wanted to do that
for a long time, Mary.

- So have I, but it's silly.

- Why is it silly?

- Because we both
know it's the stars

and because we've crossed
half Australia together.

- I think it's more
than that, Mary.

- Do you, Sinbad?

I wonder.

- Are you still in
love with Jeff, Mary?

- I think so.

Missed him terribly
when he went away.

- I've loved you ever
since I saw you riding

out with the wagon.

- I saw you too and
pretended I didn't.

(horse whinnies)

(birds squawk)

(dramatic orchestral music)

The cattle!

I'll try and stop them, you
keep out of this, Sinbad.

- They're headed north.

- Yeah.

- Straight for the
blasted scrub.

If they get too far in the
mulga they're gone for keep.

You take the right wing
and try and head 'em.

(triumphant orchestral music)

- Good on ya, Mary.

Now we got them.

(whips crack)

What do you make it, Bill

- We lost four.

- Make it three.

Mary and Jacky did a good job.

- And he's the man who
didn't want women in his plant.

- What's the black
horse doing down there?

- [Mary] Sinbad!

- Here, Boss!

- [Dan] Good. Hold
the horses, Jacky.

(sad music)

- He's hurt bad.

I think it's a leg and this arm.

- Oh, Dad, it's all my fault.

I took the night horse.

- Oh, you should
have, it was your watch.

- Poor kid.

We'll have to get
him to hospital.

- And forget that
mob at the back of us.

You've got to ship
the cattle today.

- Yeah, I know.

The two of us will
have to stay with him.

- The aeroplane!

- Good girl.

We better get him ready.

(hooves pounding)

(engine whirring)

- What do you think we
ought to do Mr. Parsons.

Wait?

- No, better go while
the going's good.

We don't want this
young man's contraption

frightening the cattle again.

- Well, goodbye Mrs. Parsons.

Thank you very much.

- Goodbye.

(horse hooves pounding)

(engine roaring)

- What's going on, Mary?

- Sinbad's hurt!

Stop! Stop! Stop!

- Did you turn the cattle, Mary?

- Yes, Sinbad, they're all back.

- That's good.

Dan will be pleased.

I'm afraid I'm not much
of a cattleman, Mary.

- You should never have tried.

- Good luck, Mrs. Parsons.

- Thanks Dan.

- Well, if I may, old
girl, it's a rough road

so don't forget plenty
of break on the hill.

- I'll be all right, Bill

but watch out for those cattle.

- Now don't start
worrying, mother.

You know how we need the money.

Look after the little 'un.

- Goodbye, daddy.

I'll be okay.

- Righto, Nipper. Let 'em go.

- Cheerio, Sailor,
you'll be all right.

Look after him, Helen.

- I do want to come
with you Sinbad

but I couldn't ask Dan.

He's too short handed.

(wagon rattling)

- [Dan Voiceover] We
hope they would reach

Narakuta station in time

but it would mean
a hard day's driving.

They had a pedal wireless there

so they could call
up the flying doctor.

Now our main job was to get
the cattle onto the next water.

Two days ahead.

Cattle can't go more than
three days without water.

So we had to hurry them along.

I sent Nipper ahead

with the horses to make
sure that the bore was okay.

(water rushing)

When a bore goes
dry on you like that,

you're in a mess.

- Did you see any surface water?

- No, not a drop, Boss.

- You're sure bore's busted?

- She busted, all right.

- Well it's no use going back

that other mob will be there.

- Nippers news
it's no use going on.

- How far is it to Argadargada?

Should be water there.

- Three days, at least.

- That's not good. It's
water within two days

or they'll be no mob, just a
thousand stinking carcasses.

We'll have to take
them over the top.

- [Bill] You'll
never do it, Dan.

- What about the Alemica Road.

- They're bullocks, not goats.

- Yeah. We'll have
them climbing ladders

before we're through with them.

Ah, come on Bill.

Let's give it a go.

- All right.

(horses walking)

(upbeat orchestral music)

(Sinbad groaning)

- Hang on, here's another.

Come on, come on Dolly.

- [Dan Voiceover] While
the others drove the cattle

towards the old
track I'd remembered,

Bill and I took our bearings.

Then we started our big gamble.

(whip cracks)

Cattle bred in the Plains
are bad hill climbers

So I put Mary in front
to give them a lead.

Once they start,

the one thing you must
do is keep them moving.

(whip cracks)

That meant punching
them up, all the way.

(whip cracks)

But if you let them turn back
or bunch you'll lose the lot.

(whistling)

(whips crack)

(whips crack)

(upbeat orchestral music)

- Dan! Help!

Dan!

- What?

- There's a tree over the track.

- Right, try and
hold the cattle.

Jacky, see if you can
get up there with the rope.

- Okay boss.

- Oh, oh, oh,
steady. Steady boy.

(horse neighing)

- [Dan Voiceover] They
got the tree away just in time.

It had cost us some bullocks,

but the main mob
was over the worst of it.

- There you are.
Now you'll be all right.

- Kowatuma Station
calling the flying doctor base.

Kowatuma station
calling flying doctor base.

Over to you.

- [Doctor] I am Dr. Whitting,
go ahead please.

- Drover badly
injured. Fractured arm.

Injured leg. Possible
injuries to the skull.

(upbeat orchestral music)

- [Dan Voiceover] We got
down the other side easier

than I expected.

So Bill and I rode ahead
to check the water at the

Billabong we were making for.

There was plenty in it
and it looked as though

our luck had changed.

- Look out!

(water splashing)

- You know what that means?

- Yeah. It's a bog.

If you let this
cattle rush this hole,

you might just as well
have left them to rot

on the other side.

- Yeah.

Once saw it happened
to the Katherine.

They'd been dry for three days.

Smelt the water and rushed it.

Mob behind kept pushing
the leaders deeper and deeper.

In about 10 minutes,

there wasn't more
than 20 bullocks in sight.

- Yeah, you can never
hold them in this heat.

Only one thing to do.

That's to keep them back in
the bushes until the evening.

- One good thing, anyhow.

Not enough wind to give
them a smell of a water.

- [Dan Voiceover] We had
bedded down the cattle in the bush

the white for the
cool of the evening.

Then we planned to water
them in small batches,

100 at a time, it was a
stinking hot day and all

of us were dead beat,

but we daren't let
them near the water yet.

After three days dry, the
smell of water sends cattle mad.

(gentle music)

- Ah, rich golden brown.
Might almost be beer.

(Corky coughs)

(dramatic orchestral music)

Ah, nice cool breeze.

(cattle lowing)

- They've smelt the water!

(cattle lowing)

(hooves pound)

(whip cracks)

(whip cracks)

(whips crack)

(whips crack)

(whips crack)

(whips crack)

Get back to the water
as quick as you can.

(whips crack)

Look out over there!

- There's not enough of us.

Get back to the water.

(whips crack)

Hold them as long
as you can, Jacky.

- Okay Boss.

(whips crack)

- Get back to the water.

(whips crack)

There's only one thing
might hold them now.

We got off and face them.

- Don't you think
they're too thirsty?

- We'll give it a go.

Hold the horses, Mary.

- I'll come too.

- You do as your damn well told.

Come on, Corky.

- All right, all right.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(whips crack)

(whips crack)

(cattle lowing)

- What the hell are
they waiting for?

The whites of their eyes?

- Now!

(whips crack)

Jacky!

Nipper!

(whips crack)

That was close, eh?

- Yeah.

Exciting when it lasted.

- Exciting?

Blimey, did you see that dirty
look that big steer gave me?

(triumphant orchestral music)

- [Dan Voiceover] That
was the end of our troubles.

With good feed and
water, we delivered okay

to the resting
paddocks by the sea.

In 8 months we'd driven
a 1,000 head of cattle

1600 miles and lost 53.

We all went to Brisbane
to pick up the sailor.

He'd recovered well

and it was good to have the
whole plant together again.

(uplifting orchestral music)

But city life doesn't
suit us much

so we were quite glad
when the send off came.

- Mind saying a few words
to the camera, Mr Minister?

- Why, certainly.
- Over here please.

Right?

Go ahead.

- At this moment, the
largest mass migration

of cattle the world has
ever known is taking place.

The government realising that
Australia would be looked upon

through the wars and the peace

as one of the world's
largest food reservoirs

is bringing to safety the
mass herds of the north.

But the initiative of this idea

belongs to one man and
his little band of helpers.

- What are your plans for
the future, Mr. McAlpine?

- Well, they tell me that
they drovers us up north.

I'm a drover.

So I'm going to get me
another mob of cattle.

- Where can I write you, Mary?

- Oh, Wyndham
will always find me.

Or Anthony's Lagoon
on the next trip.

- I see.

- All passengers aboard, please.

- Well, goodbye, Mary it's
been lovely knowing you.

- It's been lovely
knowing you, Sinbad.

(romantic music)

- Mary! Come quickly!

Your planes going!

Bye Sinbad.

You're all covered in lipstick.

Come on, Mary.

- Best of luck with your
next mob, Mr. McAlpine.

- Well if it's anything
like this one,

I'll need it.

Goodbye, Sailor. Thanks.

(triumphant orchestral music)

- We've started
something, hey Bill?

- My word.