All language subtitles for Iron Mask

(gentle orchestral music)

(gong booming)

(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,

the largest undeveloped
region in the world

with a million head of
cattle and a 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.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- The Japs'll get nothing from me.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(sombre orchestral music)

(whip cracking)

- Old Gutsache wants you, boss.

- Righto.

Hold 'em, boys, I gotta see the manager!

Lookin' for me, Burt?

- Yes, come in, Dan.

I was just tellin' the
boys I've a shock for ya.

- What's that, the
company givin' us a rise?

- That big a shock, you'd
be turnin' on whiskey.

(men chuckle)

- Listen, boys, I've
just had this telegram.

Closed works, stop.

Load vital machine parts on SS
Toowoomba immediately, stop.

Destroy freezing plant,
evacuate personnel, stop.

Regards, Barton.

- Nice of him to send his regards anyhow.

- [Man] Well, looks like
we're through, war anyway.

- [Man] Must be expectin' the Japs.

They were close enough last night.

- [Man] Yes, too bloomin' close.

- Well, there's no use squawkin'.

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

so why not use it like the Russians 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 packin' that stuff.

Just rip it out and get it aboard.

- What about the cattle, Burt?

- Just shoot 'em where they are.

I've got some ammo for you here somewhere.

- I'm not gonna shoot those cattle, Burt.

- They'd make some fine
dinners for the Japs.

- I won't leave 'em for the Japs, boy.

I'll overland them.

- You'd never get through, Dan, look.

This is just to stop you
from committing suicide.

We're here.

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

Adelaide is 2,000 miles away.

Queensland is 1500.

- I'll make for Queensland.

- All right.

And when you crossed the Orde,

you'd be out of feed and water.

It's terrible country.

You know how long the
Duracks were coming here?

Three years.

The war'd be over then.

- 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,
Paterson, he said to me,

"In this war bullocks are
more important than bullets.

"You stick to cattle," he
said, "and you'll be doing

"a better job for Australia than bashing

"your spine in some army camp."

Then he knocked me back.

I was the only recruit that day,

so we went out and got drunk.

I've never forgotten what he said.

"Bullocks are more
important than bullets."

- He was right in a way, but...

- But you want me to leave a
thousand head of cattle to rot.

If I can get a plan together,
will ya let me have a go?

- I'd have to have an official okay.

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

You know you've got
authority for all I need.

Will ya back me?

- I can't stop ya, Dan.

I'll tell ya what I'll do.

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

They always come unstuck on me.

I'll tell ya what I'll do.

I'll give you a personal contract

and try and have it
okayed when I go south.

- Good on ya, Bert.

I knew you wouldn't let me down.

- Ya know what you're
tryin' to do, don't ya, Dan?

You're tryin' to drive a
mob of half-wild cattle

the distance from London to Moscow

in a bad season and the
wrong time of the year.

- No wonder they call you old Gutsache.

Well, I'll see ya in Moscow.

(door slams)

- Woo!
- And heads!

- It's heads.

For quid in the guts wanted.

Four quid in the guts wanted.

Come on, come on, come
on, come on, come on.

(men chattering)

10 to set, place your bets, boys.

(men chattering)

10 to set, place your bets, boys.

(men chattering)

- Hey, Corky!

Hold on a minute, I wanna
have a yarn with the boys.

- Not now, Dan, my boy.

If he throws another heads, I get a cut.

- This is important.

- What's more important than making dough?

Come on, stand clear.

Come in, Spinner, come on.

Fair go, boys, fair go.

(coins clink)

- [Man] Tails!

(men chattering)

- 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'd never get through the centre.

- That's my funeral.

- And it's likely to be.

(men laugh)

- It's like this, Dan.

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

We want to sorta stick together.

- That's right, we oughta
be doin' a war job.

- This is a war job.

Bullocks are more important than bullets.

- And much bigger.

You can see them coming.

(men laugh)

- Fair go, fair go.

Let's get this straight.

Who's coming with me?

- None of us, Dan.

We're going to fight.

- [Cook] Come and get it!

- You'll come with me, won't ya, Jackie?

- Where to, boss?

- Across 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 ya.

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 ya?

- Yes.

- There's nothing romantic
about us, ya know.

We don't carry guns or 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 a 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 ya ride a horse?

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

Well, not very well, anyway.

- Can ya 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.

- Ah, 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. Corkingdale in person
is coming with you.

- You are, Corky?

It means work, ya know.

- I've worked in my time.

- I thought you were all set for the city.

- Well, on sober consideration,

wasn't it tragic about the pub?

On sober 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 drover's 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 have
got some pretty good horses

that we didn't like leaving,
so if we can stick them in

with your plan, well, you can count on us.

- You beaut.

Moscow, here I come.

- Moscow?

I thought you said Queensland.

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

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

(horse hooves clomping)

- Whoa!

- G'day, Bill.

G'day, Mrs. Parsons, Helen.

Gonna sell the waggon, Bill?

- No.

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

- We're not sailing.

We're coming with you.

- No you're not, Bill.

It's no 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 the cattle than any of
these ratbags you got here.

- Come over here, Bill.

- Who's the girl?

- Bill Parsons' daughter.

But don't bother.

Her mother watches her like a hawk.

- Get out of here.

- Mary.

Here, dear, put this on.

- But Mother, Jeff never asked me.

- Yes, dear, I know.

But your father's set on making this trip

and it would be better for all of us

if the men think you're attached.

- Hello.

- Can I call you Sinbad?

He was a sailor.

- If you like.

- All right, then.

But there's one thing you'll
have to get straight, Bill.

I'm the boss.

This is my idea and I'm gonna
see it through as boss drover.

- That's okay with me.

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

- You're such an argumentative old cow,

I wouldn't put it past ya. (chuckles)

- Oh, sailor.

Put that stuff on the waggon.

The Parsons are coming with us.

- Okay.

- The boy will give you a hand, Mary.

What's your name?

- Hunter, but your little
girl has christened me Sinbad.

You see, I'm a sailor.

- This is my daughter, Mary.

- Hello, Mary.
- Hello.

- [Sinbad] 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. Parsons.

- Oh, Mother, you are the limit.

(Mrs. Parsons chuckles)

(crowd chattering)

- Here's your contract, Dan.

Two bob a head for every hundred miles

and eight pound 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.

- Aw, that'll be all right.

The company doesn't come across,

I'll take it outta mine.

- Oh, that's just plain stupid.

- Hey, steward.

What about a bottle of whiskey?

- Sorry, all in bond.

- How about a bottle of beer?

- In bond, too.

- Have you got any fags?

- Got none.

- No business sense.

- Let's go forward, let's go aft.

- Bye, Bill.

And all the best, Dan.

And I still think you're
takin' on too big a job.

- You'll be sorry, sailor!

- [Group] You'll be sorry!

- Don't forget to tie him up fore and aft.

Tom, mix.

- What do you call him, Pharlap?

- It's a mare, not a horse.

- He wouldn't Know the difference anyway!

(horn bellows)

- [Group] You'll be sorry!

- I wish I had some more experienced men.

- Aw, the kid's all right.
- You'll be sorry!

You'll be sorry!

You'll be...

(sombre music)

- [Dan] They were the last white people

we could expect to see for four months.

(bright 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 workin' 'em night and day.

So, without Les and Charlie's
20, we'd have been very short.

(whip cracking)

That night we set our
watches to drover's time,

that is sunset, six o'clock.

The cattle had 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 piccaninny dawn.

While the cattle were 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

for 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.

(whips cracking)
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)

A usual day's drove is eight to 10 miles.

We sometimes did 15.

We were late and time was our enemy.

It took us a month to
cross the coastal plains.

Then we started through the scrub.

There were 200 miles of
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
Charters Towers said to me once?

"Corky," she said, "you're
a magnificent hunk of man."

- And what happened then?

- Then? (laughs)

Then she pinched my wallet.

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

- Yes, I think he's nice.

- I'm terribly in love with him, you know.

He's my boyfriend.

Are you in love with anyone, Mary?

- Oh, I don't know.

- [Dan] 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?

(drovers chattering)
(whip cracking)

- Look, Helen.

Myalls, wild blacks.

(drovers chattering)
(whip cracking)

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, eh, 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'd better get them across.

- Something coming, Dan.

- Dan, it's a convoy.

It's a convoy, Mum!

- Might get some news of the war.

- I wonder where the Japs landed.

(soldiers shouting)

- Look, it's a girl!

Take a gig at this sheila!

(soldiers shouting)

- You beauty!

(soldiers chattering)

- Hey, how's the war going?

- [Soldier] They licked them at Milne Bay!

- They turned 'em at Kokoda.

- Wait till we get there!

- Good on ya, mate.

Good on ya, digger.

(soldiers shouting)

It was a week after crossing the road

that we came to our first big obstacle.

(gun fires)
(water splashing)

- That scared 'em at any rate.

- Well, what do you make of it, Bill?

- I don't know.

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

It's a cow.

How far is Cootabulla Crossing, Jacky?

- About 50 or 70 mile.

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

We can't afford the time, Bill.

We'll have to swim.

- You think we can swim here, Jacky?

- Sure, might lose all the
cattle there, boss. (laughs)

- Encouraging bloke, Jacky.

Well, Bill and I have just
been down the main stream.

We'll have to swim.

The idea is I'm gonna cross over now

and have a look at the other bank.

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

Mrs. Parsons, you and
young Helen'll cross over

in the waggon with the tucker.

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

All right?

- Yes, okay, Dan.

- Good, let's get goin'.

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

Now, this is a job for you, sailor.

You gotta make this waggon into a boat.

Empty out these canteens
and lash 'em back and front.

- Fore and aft, old boy.

- So she'll float.

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

Got it?

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

- Aye-aye, sir.

(suspenseful music)

- [Dan] Okay, Bill!

Send over Nipper and the horses!

- Righto, push 'em in.

(whip cracking)

- I think she'll float, all right.

- I think she's a beaut.

(Helen giggles)

- So glad you could come to
the launching, Lady Parsons.

Now, if you'll take this
bottle and propel it

against the stern, saying these words:

I hereby name thee the Saucy Sue.

And on...
- For heaven's sake,

stop playing the fool.

There's work to be done.

Dan's waiting.

Gotta get it down to the crossing.

Right!

- Come on, Rusty, come along, boy.

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

(bright orchestral music)

- Righto, Bill!

Now, take it steady, Nipper.

(gentle orchestral music)

(ominous orchestral music)

Straight and easy, Nipper.

(Rusty snorts)

(Rusty whinnies)

- What's the matter, Rusty?

Help, Mummy, quick!

Sinbad!

- Let go, Helen.

Let go at once!

(dramatic music)

(gun fires)

- Keep 'em going, keep 'em going!

(gentle orchestral music)

- Nice shot of yours, sailor.

Thanks.

- Good on ya, Ma.

Now for the cattle.

(drovers whooping)

- [Drover] Ya, ya!

Ha, ha, ha!

(drovers whooping)
(drovers whistling)

Ya!

(whip cracks)

- [Drover] Ha!

- Keep on going, Bill.

Don't let 'em check.

Lead 'em right in.

(whistles) Ha!

(whip cracks)

(dramatic music)

(drovers whooping)
(cows mooing)

(whip cracking)

- What about crocs?

- My boy, I've got such a wind up,

if they come near me I'll take off.

- Get up.

Go on.

(triumphant music)

- Good on ya, fellas.

We're on our way.

(gentle orchestral music)

After we left the river, the
feed started to get very poor.

This slowed us up a lot.

We were down to five miles a day

with a thousand still to go when,

one morning, a tragedy happened.

(horse hooves clomping)

- Boss, boss, hey, boss!

- What's up?

- Wasn't my fault, boss.

The lead horse broke his hobbles

then went five, maybe seven miles.

- What happened to the horses?

- They ate poison weed, boss.

- [Dan] Poison weed!

- Helen, stay here.

- What's happened, Mum?

- The horses are poisoned.

- They're so lovely alive.

- There's nothin' we can do here, Bill.

- No.

- Get the hobbles and the bells, Nipper.

Any of yours among 'em, Charlie?

- No, not one.

- That's lucky.

- Yeah, we're gonna need 'em now.

- I hope he doesn't think he's gonna work

the guts out of our bunch.

(bells jangling)

- The worst of it is, half
the horses we got left

are crook anyhow.

- Not less than Charlie's.

- Soon will be if we
work 'em 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 gotta rest the
beasts up a couple of weeks,

Charlie, otherwise we're
likely to lose the lot.

- Yeah?

Well, we're not staying.

You've seen what the country's like.

If we hang around here
it'll be too dry to move.

Then the wet'll hit us

and we'll be stuck here till the winter.

We're going on.

- And we're takin' our horses.

- You realise that means standing us

and the cattle up here, don't ya?

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

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

so we're getting out.

- You long cow.

- Here, stop that.

Stop that, both of ya.

While we're in camp I'm boss
and I won't have fighting.

That goes for you, too, Dan MacAlpine.

Now, you can take your mate

and your precious horses and get out!

- But, Ma, we need...
- 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 Downs.

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 wanna give in, do ya, Corky?

- Dan, my boy, I put
myself to sleep every night

counting that bonus.

(Dan chuckles)

- Say, Dan.

I just saw the strangest thing.

You know that lot of trees
we 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 he'll be trying to cut out our mares.

- But why shoot them, Bill?

Why not catch them?

- By crikey, the kid's right.

- How many's in the 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 'em the first
time, they're gone for keeps

and we're back where we are now,

excepting that you'll have
lost another three weeks

and that three weeks may
mean losin' the cattle.

Too big a gamble, I tell ya.

- 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 gonna get those cattle through.

We've gotta 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.

(Helen and Corky giggle)

(crickets chirping)

- [Dan] That night, we
watched the brumbies

come in to water.

Luckily, the waterhole 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.

- No, it's not.

It's the black mare
with the diamond blaze...

- Quiet!

- Nice lot of horses, eh, Bill?

- Haven't caught 'em, yet.

- 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,
and it's very important.

Ya see this rope?

(Helen grunts)

Well, it's attached to the
gate at that fence down there.

You'll see the horses pass and
pause outside the stockade.

We're goin' to try and
scare 'em through the gate.

Now, when they're all in,
all in mind ya, not before,

you cut the rope.

Wham, the gate shuts and we got 'em.

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.

- Good.

- Whoa, boy.

- Here they come.

- Yeah.

(dramatic music)

(men shouting)
(men whistling)

- All go in, please go in.

(men shouting)
(men whistling)

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, eh, Bill?

- Yeah, but now you've...

- Yeah, I know, now we gotta break 'em.

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

- Breaks my bleedin' heart to see them go.

I bet you I'd get a fiver a head for them

at Anthony's Lagoon.

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

- But Dan, they got beer there.

You know, Dan, beer!

The stuff they make with hops.

Ah, I haven't tasted a drop since

they bombed 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.

Aw, 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.

And what happens to the cattle then?

We're not goin' to Anthony's Lagoon.

- Wowser.

- How is he, Jacky?

- Pretty strong, boss.

I think he'd buck the pants off ya.

- Yeah, we'll see.

- I'm glad we're going on.

- Are you, Sinbad?

- Of course, Mary.

You know why.

- Look, look, Dan's up.

- Right, Jacky, let her go.

(dramatic music)

- Stick to him, Dan.

- Mary, Mary, Sinbad!

I've broken Wild Goose in.

- But I...
- Come and see.

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

you're not human.

- Look, isn't he lovely?

Much 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 got to enter
him into the Melbourne Cup.

Haven't we, Goosey?

(bright orchestral music)

(whips cracking)

- [Dan] Helen got round me, of course,

and Wild Goose became
a member of the plant.

We'd 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 seemed resigned to
missing out on the beer.

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

- Oh, wonderful, Corky.

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

- I'd speak to Dan about it.

- Hm, I think I will.

- Good girl.

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

- We're not going there.

- You oughta see your contract, Bill.

- Why?

- The whole family might
be working for nothing.

- Hm, I never thought of that.

- Supplies running low, Mrs. Parsons?

- Yes, they are a bit, Corky,
but I expect we'll manage.

- Wonderful supplies at the Lagoon.

- Have they got milk?

- Tonnes of it, my dear, all kinds.

- Mum, we might run out.

Wild Goose drinks and drinks.

- Sensible creature.

- Your missus tells me she's
a bit short of stores, Bill.

What about calling at the Lagoon?

- Well, I think we oughta have a look

at that contract, ya know?

- There may be some letters.

- And news of the war.

- Milk for Wild Goose.

- Everybody seems 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.

- Anthony's Lagoon!

Wine, women, and song.

Lead on, MacAlpine!

(group singing in foreign language)

- Any letters for Parsons?

- Or MacAlpine?

- Or Corkingdale, miss?

- Just be a minute.

Just get this telegram off.

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

- First come, first served, ya know.

That gentleman's from Camooweal.

- Well, we've come all
the way from Wyndham.

- That's a long trip.

- Yeah, fair trot.

Best part of a thousand miles, I reckon.

- Cattle all right?

- Wonderful, Nick, wonderful.

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

- Bad is it?

- Terrible.

Startin' to bring all the cattle down

from the gulf country.

- Bad as that, eh?

- They're eatin' the heart
out of the Stock Route.

Water's short, too.

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

- Hello, hello?

What names did you say?

(group speaks at once)

Is that you, Milly?

It's Glad here.

I've got a 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.
- MacAlpine.

- Corkingdale, J. Claverhouse Corkingdale.

- Oh, Corky, you never told us.

It's terrific.

- Looks beautiful on a check.

(Mary chuckles)

- MacAlpine?

- Yes.

- Mary Parsons.

- Thanks.

- Corkingdale.

- No.

- Anything for Maxwell?

- Yes.

Captain Hector Maxwell?

- That's right.

- Oh, thank you.

Another branch of the family.

- It's the straight contract, Bill.

- Well, it's something anyway.

- But no bonus?

- No bonus, Corky.

- That's gratitude for you.

Well, I always knew Malone
was all belly and no heart.

Forgotten men, that's what we are.

Save his rotten cattle from the
Japs and then he forgets us.

- You'll get your bonus, Corky.

(corky grumbles)

Mary hasn't been neglected anyhow.

- Aw, he's only writing because he's

having a good time with the English girls.

- Lay off.

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

I used to write to my girl. (chuckles)

Remarkable the number of letters she got.

- Oh, shut up, Corky.

- Okay, okay, come and have a drink.

- See ya later, Mary.

♪ Hardships, hardships ♪

♪ You don't know what hardships are ♪

(group laughing)

- Get up, you lot.

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

- Ma, you're wonderful. (chuckles)

The stages towards the Queensland border

were everything the
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 shorthanded made it worse
and tempers got a bit edgy.

- Get up, come on!

Go on, get up!
(whip cracks)

Get up there!

Get up, get out of it!
(whip cracks)

- Why the hell didn't ya
keep them outta there?

- [Sinbad] What do ya think I was doing?

- Haven't I told you the
only way to haul them back

is to get off your horse and face them?

A man on foot scares 'em stiff.

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

- Oh, shut your trap!

Go on, get up!

Go on!

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

that bogholes are 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 a state border,

but the rest of the
plant got quite cheery.

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

♪ Where the shade is best
near the white ant's nest ♪

♪ Hardships, hardships ♪

♪ You don't know what hardships are ♪

♪ In summer it's dust and heat and grime ♪

♪ With a wet behind in wintertime ♪

? Hardships, hardships?
- I don't know how Corky

can sing in this.

- [Mary] What?

- [Sinbad] I said I don't
know how Corky can sing!

- [Mary] Why not?

We're getting near the border.

Won't be long now.

♪ I've just come down from Darwin town ♪

♪ Where the men are black
and the girls are brown ♪

♪ 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 comin'.

- Him come this way.

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

- (chuckles) 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.

- Rough country to take cattle over.

- There they are.

(aeroplane rumbling)

- Mr. MacAlpine?
- That's me.

- Gosport's my name.

- Glad to know ya, Mr. Gosport.

- You made good time.

- Not bad.

- The minister sends his congratulations.

- Oh, thanks.

Now, these are the members of my plant.

There's Bill... (cow moos)

- [Helen] Hello, boy.

- It's a bleeder bullock.

- My flamin' oath, it's a bleeder.

- What's the matter with your friend?

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

He thought you were Jack Curtin.

For inoculation, eh?

- Yeah, it's the law, ya know.

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

Gonna be a job yardin' 'em, though.

- There's that old mustang
camp at the 20 mile.

- Mr. Gosport, Bill Parsons.

- How do ya do?

- Well, that sounds very good to me.

- Yeah?

Well, you'll have to make it snappy.

There's not much water there
and our limit's two days.

- How long will it take to go to Wyndham?

- In this?

Oh, about six hours.

- Do you know how long we've taken?

- How long?

- Six months!

- Six months?

- Mm.

- [Drover] Hey.

(drovers chattering)
(whips cracking)

- Open the gate, Mary.

Righto, boys, bring on some more!

(drovers chattering)

Got another log, Bill?

- [Bill] Yep.

- How about debentures?

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

- What are you cooking up now, Corky?

- My friend here was a
stockbroker in Civvy Street.

He's advising me on my company.

- What company?

- Like to see my prospectors?

Here.

"Northern Territory Exploitation Company.

"Capital 100,000 pounds.

"J. Claverhouse Corkingdale,
managing director."

Sounds good, eh?

- "Objects of the company.

"To exploit the vast potential pastoral

"and mineral wealth of
Australia's Northern Territory."

(paper crumples)

- 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 hundred years

and torn the heart out of it.

Territory's 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 kings.

- 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.

(singing in foreign language)

- [Mary] Your supper's ready, Sinbad.

- Thanks.

They've settled down all right.

- Good.

- Decent sort of night, isn't it?

- Lovely.

- See the cockatoos?

Dozens of them.

(singing in foreign language)

I wonder what Jacky's singing about.

- About the time his people
owned this land probably.

When they were happy.

You'd better go now, Sinbad.

- Yes, I suppose so.

Well, goodnight, 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?

- I've 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.

(romantic orchestral music)

- Are you still in love with Jeff, Mary?

- I think so.

I missed him terribly when he went away.

- I've loved you ever since I saw you

riding up with the waggon.

- Have you?

I saw you, too.

I pretended I didn't.

(horse snorts)

(animal howls)

(birds squawking)

(dramatic music)

The cattle!

I'll try and stop them.

You keep out of this, Sinbad.

- They've headed north.

- [Bill] Yes!

Straight for the blasted scrub.

- If they get too far into the
bog they're gone for keeps.

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

(dramatic orchestral music)

(ominous music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(triumphant orchestral music)

(whips cracking)

- Mary.

(whips cracking)

Good on ya, Mary.

Now we've got 'em.

(whips cracking)

(cows mooing)

What do ya make, it Bill?

- We lost four.

No, make it three.

- Mary and Jacky did a good job.

- Mm, 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.

(sombre 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.

- No, 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 shift the cattle today.

- Yeah, I know.

But two of us'll have to stay with him.

- The aeroplane!

- Good girl.

We better get him ready.

- What do you think we ought
to do, Mrs. 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.

- [Helen] What's the matter, Mary?

- Sinbad's hurt!

Stop, stop, stop!

Stop!

- Did you turn the cattle, Mary?

- Yes, Sinbad, they're all back.

- That's good.

Dan'll 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, bye-bye, Meg, old girl.

It's a rough road, so don't forget,

plenty of brake on the hill.

- I'll be all right, Bill, but
watch out for those cattle.

- Ah, don't start worrying, Mother.

You know we need the money.

Look after the little 'un.

- Goodbye, Daddy.

I'll be okay.

- Righto, Nipper, let him go.

- Come on, Tiger, Dolly, get.

Come, come on!

Get up, Tiger.
- Cheerio, sailor.

You'll be all right.

Look after him, Helen!

- I did want to come with you, Sinbad,

but I just couldn't ask Dad.

He's too shorthanded.

(gentle orchestral music)

- [Dan] We hoped they would
reach Naracoota Station in time,

but it would mean a hard day's driving.

They'd 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 'em along.

I sent Nipper ahead with the horses

to make sure that the bore was okay.

When a bore goes dry on ya
like that, you're in a mess.

(drovers chattering)

Did you see any surface water?

- No, not a drop, boss.

- Are ya sure the bore is busted?

- She's busted all right.

- Well, it's no use goin' back.

That other mob'll be there.

- With Nipper's news,
it's no use going on.

- How far is it to Argadargada?

Should be water there.

- Three days at least.

- That's no good.

It's water within two days
or there'll be no mob,

just a thousand stinkin' carcasses.

We'll have to take 'em over the top.

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

- What about the old Micah Road?

- They're bullocks, not goats.

- Yeah?

We'll have 'em climbin' ladders

before we're through with 'em.

Aw, come on, Bill.

Let's give it a go.

- All right.

(whip cracking)
(drovers chattering)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

(Sinbad groaning)

- Hang on, here's another.

(Sinbad groaning)

Come on, Tiger, get up, get up.

Come on, Dolly!

(gentle music)

- [Dan] 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.

(drovers chattering)

(whip cracking)
(drovers chattering)

Cattle bred in the plains
are bad hill climbers,

so I put Mary in front to give 'em a lead.

Once they start, the one thing you must do

is keep 'em moving.

(whip cracks)

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

That meant punching 'em up all the way.

But if ya let 'em turn back
or bunch, you'll lose the lot.

(drovers chattering)
(whips cracking)

Ha, ha!

(drovers chattering)
(whips cracking)

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Dan, Dan!

Dan!

- What?

- There's a tree over the track.

- Damn.

Right, try and hold the cattle.

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

- Okay, boss.

(suspenseful music)

- Whoa, bully.

Whoa, bully, whoa, bully.

Whoa, whoa.

Steady, steady, bully.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

Whoa, bully.

Whoa, whoa.

Steady.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(horse whinnies)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(horse whinnies)

(horse whinnies)

(dramatic orchestral music)

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

It had cost us some bullocks,

but the main mob was over the worst of it.

(drovers chattering)

- There you are, now you'll be all right.

- Narwietooma Station
calling flying doctor base.

Narwietooma Station
calling flying doctor base.

Over to you.

- [Doctor] Flying doctor waiting.

Go ahead, please.

- Drover badly injured.

Fractured arm, injured leg.

Possible injuries to the skull.

(triumphant orchestral music)

- [Dan] 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.

- Lookout!

- You know what that means.

- Yeah, it's a bog.

If ya let the cattle rush this hole,

you might just as well have left 'em

to rot on the other side.

- Yeah, once saw it happen at Katharine.

They'd been dry for three days.

Smelled the water and rushed it.

Mob behind kept pushin' the
leaders deeper and deeper,

and in about 10 minutes, there wasn't more

than 20 bullocks in sight.

- Yeah.

You'd never hold 'em in this heat.

There's only one thing to do,

and that's to keep 'em back
in the bush until the evening.

- One good thing anyhow.

Not enough wind to give
'em a smell of the water.

We had bedded down the cattle in the bush

to wait for the cool of the evening.

Then we'd planned to water
them in small batches,

a hundred 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)

(soft suspenseful music)

Ah, nice cool breeze.

(leaves rustling)

(ominous music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(ominous music)

- They've smelled the water!

(cows mooing)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

(whip cracks)

(whip cracks)

(whips cracking)

Get back to the water as quick as ya can.

(whips cracking)

- Look out over there.

There's not enough of us.

Get back to the water.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- [Dan] Hold 'em as long as ya can, Jacky.

- [Jacky] Okay, boss.

- Get back to the water.

There's only one thing might hold 'em now.

We get off and face 'em.

- 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 you're damn well told.

Come on, Corky!

- All right, all right.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(whips cracking)

What the hell's he waiting
for, the whites of their eyes?

(suspenseful orchestral music)

- Now!
(dramatic music)

(whips cracking)
(drovers whooping)

Jacky!

Nipper!

That was close, eh?

- Yeah.

Exciting while it lasted.

- Exciting?

Blimey, did ya see the dirty look

that big steer gave me?

(Dan chuckles)

(triumphant orchestral music)

- [Dan] That was the end of our travels.

With good feed and
water, we delivered okay

to the resting paddocks by the sea.

In eight months, we'd driven
a thousand 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.

The city life doesn't suit us much,

so we were quite glad
when the sendoff came.

- You mind saying a few words
to the camera, Mr. Minister?

- Why, certainly.

- Over here, please.

Right, Joe?

- [Joe] Okay.

- Now?

- [Man In Hat] Go ahead.

- At this moment, the
largest mass migration

of cattle the world has
ever known is taking place.

The government, realising that Australia

will be looked upon both
in the wars and the peace

as one of the world's
largest food reservoirs,

is being to safety the
vast 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. MacAlpine?

- Well, they tell me they
need drovers up North.

I'm a drover, so I'm gonna
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 orchestral music)

- Mary!

Come on, quickly, the plane's going.

Goodbye, Sinbad.

You're all covered in lipstick.

Come on, Mary.

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

- Well, if it's anything
like this one, I'll need it.

(politician laughs)

Goodbye, sailor, thanks.

(sombre orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

- We've started something, eh, Bill?

- My word.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(bright orchestral music)