Original subtitles

Hold still, Jeanie.

What's wrong?

- One, two, three,

four, five, six, seven.

- You must never lose your femininity, Jeanie.

You're gonna be hundreds of miles

from the nearest companionship

and thousands from the nearest civilization

that makes observation of the proprieties

all that more important.

Don't try to be a mate to him.

Give it to the men up there.

You're his wife.

It'll be up to you to manage his household,

supervise his servants, and grace his table.

His position in the territory

will depend very much on the standards you set.

It's important to any husband

and it will be important to you.

- I love him.

That's all that's important.

- Hey, Mac.

Hey, Mac!

Hey, Mac.

Hey, Mac.

Mac, the new boss,

he's gone and got himself married.

- Hell, I reckon that's his problem.

There, get him down.

- He's bringin' her with him.

- Who says?

- Hey, what's goin' on? - Yeah boss,

got himself married.

- What's happening, Dandy?

- Boss is bringin' a woman with him.

- Good, give us a break.

- He's got a flamin' hide.

What's he gonna do up there?

- She'll be stickin' her nose in where it doesn't belong,

that's what she's gonna be doin'.

- You can't bring a woman up here.

- He manages us, he can do as he likes.

- Well so can I, I'm quittin'.

- Hang on, hang on.

- You put up with the heat and the flies;

that's what I mean we can put up with a woman.

- Ah bloody fool, why should we?

- Where are you goin'?

- Gonna block her.

- We've been doin' all right all these years

not havin' a woman messin' up the place.

- But she might be all right, some of them are.

- Now what would you know about women, Dan?

- Well I reckon there's three sorts.

There's the snorters,

the one's that go shovin' their noses in

where they're not wanted and the little girls

that go 'round actin' all coy and smokin'.

Then there's ones that are all right.

From what you can tell these days.

Might be as rare as rockin' horse manure.

- Hey Jimmy, they're gonna walkabout eh?

- Damn bloody white folks, every time there's work on.

- Happy?

- Yes.

- Will you write?

- When I can.

Not too sure about the mail.

- Mr. Gunn, telegram.

- I don't care, they're so much in love.

- It was such a whirlwind romance.

- Well love isn't everything.

What if she would've fallen ill?

- God knows how far the nearest natives are.

Just imagine tr yin' to raise children.

- Bye bye, Auntie Jeanie.

- Oh, Dotty.

- I just think you're so lucky.

Be happy, Jeanie.

- My goodness.

- She's not quite up to sample

according to telegram Sanday.

The boys were expecting a real snorter.

You know, 18 hams and all muscles.

- Are you John MacLe||an?

- No no, I'm Ralph Williams.

I run the Playford Hotel.

- Ah, Aeneas Gunn.

- How do you do? - My wife.

- How do you do?

Mac's fixing up the horses.

He just got in from the calf run.

Looks like we could get some rain, eh?

I told Mac,

I said, "Too soon to panic," I said.

She might turn out to be one of those hoodlums.

The little ones are all right, generally speaking.

My Mrs. is one of them.

She came bush with me when I had nothing

but a cork pot and a mosquito net.

Quiet, isn't it?

Something seems to have soared off all the regulars.

You know, I reckon mine's even littler than yours.

Straight up and down, that is.

Ah, but yours would knock spot off mine.

Sideways, that is.

Well, make yourselves at home.

I'll go and hunt up Mac for you.

Hey boy, you go fetch a cup of tea.

Long little miss y, eh?

- I think you might just have been christened.

Do you mind being called Little Mrs?

- I'm delighted.

'Specially if I knock spots off her sideways.

Jeanie, I'm proud of you

and I'm very grateful that you married me.

No good place for a woman out there.

I tried to tell him that.

I wish you'd cool down a bit.

Nobody wants her out there.

Well all right, she can hear you.

- I don't care if she can hear me.

- Mac.

- She oughta know she's not wanted out there.

_ Mac!

- I'll be te||in' her, too.

- Well they must know that.

- What will I do?

- Nothing, just be yourself.

To prove himself.

I told the men I'd block her

and that's what I'm here to do.

She seems a very nice little woman to me,

just a little thing.

- What sort of man would bring a woman up here in the rain?

Oi.

Yeah, you got my telegram?

- Both of 'em, you got mine.

-All right, I'll get you out there

and I'll see you're settled.

- I thought you were staying on.

- No.

No, I'll be |eavin'.

- I see.

Well, whatever you like.

- Now look, I reckon I oughta warn you,

that house is pretty rough.

If I were you, I'd be |eavin' her in Darwin

'til you can get fixed up a bit.

- She doesn't know anyone in Darwin.

- Then Melbourne. - We just spent a month

getting here from Melbourne.

- Now look the fact is it's gonna be difficult

for her out there and bloody awkward for the men.

And I reckon she oughta be told about it.

- How do you do, Mr. MacLellan?

- Quite well, thanks.

Now we gotta get across that Ferguson before it floods.

— Right.

- Violent, isn't it?

- Nothing to worry about, Mrs.

Bit of a squall.

Out here sometimes we have six storms

like this all at once.

If you're gonna be weather banned,

you might as well have something to look at.

- Who's weather banned?

You pack what you're gonna need in that.

- Oh thank you, I've packed my travelling things.

- Not just for travelin'.

You sort how much you're gonna need

until the wagon's comin'.

- Oh, when will that be?

- After the wettin'.

July, August.

Hey look don't you worry about it, Mrs.

Couple of change of everything'|| be stacks,

just save it for the station.

Plenty amount of water.

Do we have to go so fast?

Well if we don't get across

that Ferguson now, we'll be stuck.

- Yes, very exciting.

Could we slow down now?

- Oh not now.

There's just a Cullen, just a bit of a creek.

Ferguson's up ahead.

Whoa!

Damn.

Think she'd be up a couple hours yet.

— Do we have to go back then?

- No we can't.

The Cullen will be up by now.

We're stuck between the two of 'em.

Well as all your weeks start next Sunday,

plenty of time.

- What's this for?

- That?

Well that's a flying fox sorta thing.

We use it to get the mail across

or any valuables and we don't want to...

Hey, wait a minute.

Now remember, you just hang on.

No matter what happens, don't panic.

Just hang on like Gun Dit, could you do that?

- Mac, the wire's saggin'.

- Hang on, hang on!

Don't panic.

Look, you haul her in.

I'll tighten the wire.

- Great Scott, man, what are you doin'?

- Hang on, hang on!

- Hold on, Jeanie.

You're nearly there.

- Sorry about the dunking, Mrs. Gunn.

- It's a wonder you didn't mention it in your telegrams.

- Maybe she'll be all right.

- How do you manage to follow the track?

- Track?

This isn't on a track, Mrs.

This is the main transcontinental route.

And the only.

We get a lot of traffic here sometimes.

Bloke oughta open up a pub,

that's what a bloke oughta do.

Make a fortune off the travellers.

What do you reckon, Jacko,

get a bit of traffic through here?

- Pickaninny came through here yesterday, boss.

- Hear that?

Only yesterday, a pickaninny come through here.

I always thought the outback could be barren.

Never expected it to be so green.

— Hey-

- Come on Jimmy, don't let her get away.

Come on.

Come on, jolly little fella.

That's the way, that's the way.

You want him, boss?

You grab him.

- I'm not bloody playin', mate.

I can't get my hands dirty, I'm a doctor.

- Hey, boss.

- Well I'll be buggered.

She really did come.

Bet you didn't expect to see us

this side of next week.

- Thought you might have better luck with the Ferguson, eh?

Feels like I got nothin' to do with it.

She come through like a trooper.

- How do you feel, tired?

- Just a little.

Looking forward to a nice, hot tub.

Not now, I mean when I get to the homestead.

- What is it?

- Scrap pheasant.

There are two of them now, listen.

- Place is to be stiff with 'em.

You don't hear many anymore.

Won't be enough bush to bury 'em in and soon enough.

- He's a bit confused.

Probably thinks there's a strange dog in his territory.

It's amazing.

- Well you soon get the hang of it.

- She'll need a deal of educatin'

before we let her out in the bush alone.

- She'll learn.

- Well first up, we oughta be teachin' her

the signs of water at hand, in case she gets lost.

You don't last long in this country without a drink.

- Couldn't I just catch a cow and milk it?

You need a deal of educatin' all right.

- She'd have a marathon by the time

she'd run one down.

- Let's see if we can make some more frogs.

- Bit more of 'em out there now eh?

- The magic of the Never Never.

- It's beautiful.

- Yeah, once it gets it's hooks in you,

you'll never never leave it.

We'll soon have you educated up to it, Mrs.

- Oi, Dandy.

Side saddle.

- Yeah,

she's a southerner.

— Yeah, but side saddle?

- Got plenty of stories to tell you.

- Oi g'day, Mac.

This here is the new boss, Aeneas Gunn.

- Afternoon, Mr. Gunn.

- Brian, call him the Dandy.

The quiet fellow over the back there, that's Jack McCIugh.

This is the new boss' new boss.

- Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Gunn.

How do you do?

- I knew this'd be a bit rough.

But Aeneas told me there was a,

what do they call it?

Commodious station homestead on the property.

I'd never brought you if I'd known.

- It's not that bad, really.

I'm glad they mislead you.

We'll clean it up a bit, paper the walls,

put some new windows in.

- Doors.

- Honestly, I love it.

If I'd come all the way from Melbourne

to another great cottage and a neat little garden,

there'd be no point, would there?

- I thought there'd be a home for us.

- There will be.

You'll see.

- No bathroom, I'm afraid.

No bathroom.

- No kitchen either.

- Least there's something to be said for the place.

That's the kitchen over there.

There's a Chinese cook on the stove.

- I thought I'd be doing the cooking for you.

- The men wouldn't think much of the new manager

if he had his wife doing a Chinaman's job.

- They're very bizarre, aren't they?

- Well they're just shy, that's all.

I hardly see a white woman rom one year to the next.

- Nobody's ever been shy of me.

I've always been the wallflower,

the Plain Jane.

- You're not a Plain Jane.

- Sometimes I think you must've been

quite a lady's man before you met me.

' Me?

Hardly.

I learned everything from them.

- Of course you are.

- Jeanie, I don't know much about being married.

Well, I'd be like them if I hadn't met you.

Back up.

- In a bit of a row.

Need a bit of work.

- That's it, easy.

Nice and easy.

I know you're all wondering whether things are gonna change.

What the new boss is like.

Well I don't know what sort of boss I am,

but I've heard the crew here on the Else y

is as good as you can find anywhere.

I'm |ookin' forward to working with you.

- We heard you were some sort of librarian.

That's right, I was.

— Oh.

- Before that, I was up here for a few years.

Over in the Daily River country mostly,

exploring, fishing.

Did a bit of droving.

Not managin' any cattle stations?

- No, not managing any cattle stations.

But I'd like you to gimme a go.

- I'll be Ieavin' after the wettin'.

It's not you.

- Mrs. Gunn won't make any difference to things here.

- Nothin' personal.

What have you got against women?

- Nothin'.

- Mrs. Gunn won't be involved

in the running of the Else y.

She won't be interfering with you men in any way at all.

Morning, Jeanie.

- You should've woken me.

- You were tired.

This is your domestic staff.

There's.

What's your name again?

- Rosie, boss.

- This is Rosie

and this is Judty.

No, this is not Judty.

This is Judty and this is Nellie.

This is the new Mrs.

She's cranky as blazers, so you better do what she says eh.

They'll clean up the house for you,

wash, that sort of thing.

Keep an eye on 'em, otherwise they'll clear out.

The boys over there at the wood heap will do the heavy work

and there's supposed to be a garden

of some sort around there.

That's their job too, so keep 'em at it.

- I'll be all right, don't worry about me.

I'll just unpack and clean up.

- These three'|| clean up, you just tell them what to do.

We'll be home before dark.

- I'll be all right.

- See ya later.

- Don't go milkin' any cows, Mrs.

- Well,

it's Judty and Ro-

- Rosie, Mrs.

- Rosie, of course.

Judty and Nellie.

Well I'm Mrs. Gunn.

I suppose be may as well get started on the veranda.

Do you know where the mops are kept?

Mops?

- Mop?

- Which of you is in charge?

The head-maid?

You three, which is boss?

- Rosie boss, Mrs.

Scrub 'em, scrape 'em, wash 'em, rub 'em out, boss.

- Ooh that's very impressive, Rosie.

We'll make you head of the household staff.

Where are the mops kept?

_ Mops?

- Oh nevermind, use the rags in the,

you scrub 'em, wash 'em veranda.

- Right, Mrs.

- Yes.

Hello.

Who do you belong to?

What's your name?

- Me Bett Bett.

- Bett Bett.

Would you like some breakfast?

Some tucker?

- Yes.

- Come on then.

Good morning, Sam Lee.

Sorry I missed breakfast.

Breakfast, Miss.

- Yes finished, I know.

Oh could you save those feathers for me?

I'LL boil them and make some pillows.

If you're killing any more birds, I'd be grateful for them.

Well I'll just scramble some eggs.

- Sam Lee cook.

- Yes, I know.

But you're busy, so I can do it.

- Sam Lee cook.

- Well then I'll have some scrambled eggs please

and a glass of milk and the same for Bett Bett.

- Sam Lee cook for men, cook for Miss,

no cook for damn black.

- Either you will cook us scrambled eggs or I will.

- I cook.

- Then cook.

- Cook in kitchen, eat at the house.

- Then we will eat at the house.

Thank you, Sam Lee.

- Whoa mate, steady now.

- Morning, Jack.

- Mornin', Mrs.

Steady now.

What are you doing?

— Bagging-

Be steady mate.

- What's it do?

Steady, mate.

Quietens him, get around there.

- Where did you learn about horses, Jack?

- You don't learn about horses, Mrs.

You either know 'em or you don't.

Stand up, mate.

Watch your bloody self.

Watch it, mate.

Back, get back.

- Seems to make him nervous.

- Beggin' your pardon Mrs,

but it's you that's makin' him nervous.

Move.

He ain't never seen a woman before.

— Oh.

I'm sorry.

- Come on, move, move.

- Hello.

Hello, I'm Mrs. Gunn.

I believe you men work in the garden.

- No, we're gonna chop the wood, Mrs.

- Well when you finish chopping the wood.

- We gotta cut the wood.

- Well when you finish with the wood, I understand you.

You work in the garden?

- No Mrs.

- Oh, where is he?

- I saw him go, sent him in the place with the boys.

- Where's that?

- Go on up on business with all the boys.

- It's the older place, Mrs.

- Oh, I see.

- Well I'll be off then.

— Off?

- I hope things turn out all right.

Well I'm finished here now.

I'm afraid the EIsey's your husband's problem.

- Oh, I see.

- Ain't been enough for cattle stations to last me a while.

Takin' up contract carrier.

Well I'll be seein' you around July with the waggons.

- Oh will you be bringin' my bags in?

- All six cases.

Best of luck to you, Mrs.

- Thank you, goodbye.

- See ya, Mac.

- Jack.

- Mr. MacLe||an?

- Whoa, Mrs. Gunn?

If you see any Chinese cooks,

you could tell 'em there's a job here if they wanted.

I'll do that.

I knew you'd be all right.

- Enjoy your trip?

- Gonna hurt yourself.

He's all right.

- Rest him, I'll get you another one.

- You all right?

- Yeah.

It's gonna be okay.

Eh?

- Hey!

Looks like the blacks are gettin' the Mrs

workin' for them.

- Yeah they don't go walkabout about on you,

did they, Mrs?

— They just vanished.

- Yeah, they're pretty good at the disappearin' trick

when there's work on.

We better do somethin' about it for ya, eh?

- Oh it doesn't matter, I'm happy to do it myself.

- That's not the point, Jeanie.

Get in here you!

_ Hey Goggle Eye.

We give you fellas flour, sugar, tobacco.

You fellas work.

You mob workin' garden, work in house, work cattle?

No work, no rations, eh.

These women cleared out.

Okay?

No work, no tucker

- 'Bacco, boss?

No, no 'bacco.

- This man's in charge of supplies, you know that.

- No work, no tobacco.

- Stop that.

You stop that!

Put that down.

You put it down!

- Look Mrs,

that's my woman.

- It gives you no right to beat her.

No right, do you hear me?

- We was goin' to hit her.

- You're probably ki||in' him now.

- Judty belong to Charly.

- That gives him no right to hit her.

Mrs..

- Jeanie, it's none of our business.

You tell her,.

- Hey Sam? - Yeah?

- Where's the milk?

- Well Mrs. give it to pickaninny.

- Did she give it to a black?

- Yeah.

- She's gonna be trouble.

- Hey Jack, ya hear what she said?

She'll reckon she'd run down a cow and milk it.

Bloody women.

- Woman?

She's a flamin' lady.

- You've made a mark on the place already, it's nice.

We've got the frame in.

All we need's more timber and we can finish the place.

I'll have to do some work on the station first, though.

- It's all right, it'll do for now.

Why if there's so much timber,

why do the Aborigines live the way they do

in those humpies?

I never expected it to be so primitive.

- It isn't really, if you think about it.

They're nomadic,

or they were before the whites came.

All they need is something provide shelter and shade

that's quick to erect out of whatever comes to hand.

In this climate, those humpies probably make more sense

than the houses we build.

- What does Melaka mean?

- Pardon?

- The old man and his cat.

He called you Melaka.

- Hmm, hard to translate it exactly.

It's a sort of term of respect.

Could have meant boss, leader, man of high station.

Something like that.

- You never told me you spoke their language.

- I learned it when I was here before.

- Could you teach me?

- Well I could, but you wouldn't need it.

If you speak simply,

they understand enough English to follow orders.

- But you learned it.

- Yeah.

- Thank you.

He's beaten you.

Aeneas, look at her face.

- Yes.

- I'll see that he's punished.

- Jeanie, they have their own way of doing things.

Whether we approve or not, we must respect that.

Where's the milk?

- Milk gone.

Mrs. drink milk.

_ HOW?

Milk gone.

Mrs. drink milk.

- I didn't realise that was all you had.

You might've said something.

- Was there some for the men?

- Mrs. drink milk.

- I'm sorry, Aeneas.

I didn't realise.

You might've told me, Sam Lee.

- That's all right, Jeanie.

That'll be all Sam Lee, thank you.

For what we are about to receive,

may the Lord make us truly thankful.

Amen.

- Amen.

I'm sorry about the milk.

- It's all right, don't worry about it.

We're gonna start mustering next month south of the river.

We'll be away three or four weeks.

It'll be rough.

We'll be camping, but I thought

you might like to come with us.

- Ooh, I'd love to.

Thank you.

- We can't slow them down altogether.

- I'm all right.

- Try to keep us inside.

Jack, watch that one!

- You learn that one in the library, did you?

- I want you to think about staying on.

- Reckon I might.

- Jeanie get on your horse, get on your horse!

- Ooh, there's flowers.

Here come the bull!

Here come the bull!

Here come the bull!

- Come on, Mrs.

You can dodge most things in the bush,

but you can't dodge a Jack for long.

- I'm sorry, me love.

I know I shouldn't have been laughing.

I wasn't really laughing at you.

Was pretty funny though, eh?

Come on.

- I might've got you killed.

- Hey-

That sort of thing happens, don't worry about it.

- Oh God, I love you

and I wanna be a good wife.

- You are, you are.

It's just.

I'm not being a very good husband.

- Who did it?

- Carle, boss.

Wild of Blackwell.

- They're all wild.

- How many?

- They mount camp today.

- Which way are they headed?

- Who knows?

Very clever, Blackwell.

- Can you track them?

- Not me, Maleka.

- Can't let 'em get away with it.

They'll all be doin' it.

- They're not goin' to get away with it.

If we find 'em, we'll run 'em off the station.

We won't make it back to the main camp by dark.

— Horses need water.

- There's another hole about a mile up.

If this one's dry, they're all dry.

- Do you know where we can find water close by?

- Of course he knows.

Won't tell us that, will ya mate?

- No fear, boss.

The water here Blackwell water.

Around the hills,

see any water belongs to the station.

- Too right, boss.

You own it, you'll find it.

- I was musterin' some stuff

through here a couple years ago.

I left some of them over there.

Odds are we're headin' for water.

- Ride.

- If he's helping us with the cattle,

why would he show us where the water is?

- He knows that one day we might be hunting him.

If there's a waterhole we don't know about,

it makes a good place for him to hide.

Cunning buggers.

- Don't know about cunning.

Sounds like common sense to me.

That depends on your point of view.

- How about that.

It's from a spring up there somewhere.

What do we call it?

- You discovered it, so we'll call it Suddy's Creek.

What about that?

- Not a creek, more a waterhole, eh?

How about Suddy's Hole then?

Spot on.

Always wanted somethin' named after me.

Never had any kids.

- Not much you could name.

_ Hey, Goggle Eye.

Wild blacks, eh? - Yeah.

- How did they know we were coming?

- Just know, boss.

You knew about this place, didn't you?

- Settlement place.

- Suddy's Hole now, mate.

- Always got me dodge which way to turn the darn thing.

The other way.

- That way?

- That's right.

- Don't know why they can't name a black

with somethin' that's easy to write.

I mean Os and Ts are all right.

It's the Ss and Rs and things that cause all the trouble.

- Have you never learned to read?

Too busy gettin' an education.

- I thought readin'd learn you most things.

- I learned a few things in my time.

Readin' never taught me none of 'em.

- Yeah.

Don't you read either, Jack?

- 'Course I do.

A bit.

Still practising.

- I'd be glad to help you if you like.

- I reckon I'm doin' all right.

- Goggle Eye?

- Yes, boss?

- Where do you think the Miles are headed?

- Home country.

- Where's that?

- Warielda.

- We don't have to chase them anymore.

- This place they call Warielda, Mrs,

is still on the Else y.

Didn't take any notice of them.

They reckon it's all their home country.

- Surely they have a right to hunt on their own land.

- Their land?

What makes it their land?

This country was empty when I first came into it.

- Except for the Aboriginals.

- Yeah, but what do they put into it?

They put in guards, boars, stocked it.

They're ignorant heathens.

With all due respect Mrs. Gunn,

there's nothin' can change that.

Here, you just listen.

Hey. Goggle Eye.

Yeah?

- You tell Mrs. Gunn where stars come from.

You tell her, she wants to know.

Big fella

Chop up moon tossing all of that.

What about the moon?

- Big mop moon live over that way.

Black fellow catch him, chop off star.

This fella moon,

Finish.

Where white fella star come from, boss?

- What?

Where white fella star come from?

God made the stars, Goggle Eye.

- Godfather made ours.

No no, you don't understand.

God made all the stars.

-All of 'em?

- That's right.

Stars, the moon, everything.

God made everything.

- If white fellow God made everything,

why didn't he make white fella some bush of their own?

- There you go.

They're bloody idiots, you can't teach 'em anythin'.

- I don't want to teach them anything.

I want to learn from 'em.

God you're a flamin' character, Mrs.

There's no doubt about it.

- There it goes, ain't it?

Timber!

- Whoa, whoa.

- Mrs, come down to inspect the new dinin' room, did ya?

- Yes, I have.

- Seems a pity to spoil all this

just to shut ya in from anything worth Iookin' at.

Isn't too bad.

Reckon might cover ya more than the plum now, eh?

- I'm afraid I'm causing a Iotta work for you all.

- It'll be worth it, Mrs.

- Why don't you make camp yourself over there in the shade?

- What can I do to help?

- Ooh they'd really appreciate a cup of tea.

- Yes.

- Will I light the fire for you?

- I can do it.

- Watch out, mongrel.

- Ooh there they go.

Faster, go a little faster.

- Woo!

- Woo hoo! - We did it, Dandy.

Not bad for an old feller, eh?

Want me to roll a smoke, Johnny?

- Jack.

Tea's up.

- Oh, thanks Mrs.

Oh, have a seat.

- You've been working.

- Oh no, as my old dad always said,

"Why stand when you can sit?

Why sit when you can lie down?

Why work when you can ride?"

- Did he live to a ripe-old age?

- No, he got thrown by his horse.

Haven't you come through here before?

No no, come on.

You've got a team.

- Next.

- Oh come on,

I haven't got all day.

No more sugar.

- Tobacco, eh?

- Mr. Bryant, why did we give these to the Aborigines?

- They're for the station hands and the houseboys.

We won't be givin' the camp blankets for nothin'.

- If we had a proper garden, we could have fresh vegetables.

Spinach, cabbage, squash, fresh tomatoes.

Would you be willing to work in the garden?

Would you work?

You can wear these trousers.

- More 'bacco?

- Yes, you can have more tobacco.

You come to work in the garden tomorrow

and you can wear these.

- Mrs. Gunn, you'll spoil 'em.

- Good morning, Goggle Eye.

Now, I'm goin' to plant these seeds.

So I want you to sort out all the stones.

You see?

Throw away the stones.

- All right, Mrs.

- Gonna have your work cut out

turnin' that old rascal into a gardener.

- I'm sure he'll make a very good gardener.

- Just don't empty the store 'til the pumpkins arrive.

- G'day boss, g'day Mrs.

Today we're about meeting new cook named Cheon.

Very good cook.

He'll serve you all about.

He's good at cooking, gardening.

Milkin' cow, milkin' goat and shootin'.

Fishing and.

Very good cook, boss.

- Oh dear.

I'm afraid I forgot to tell you, dear.

I didn't expect anything to come of it,

but I asked Mr. MacLe||an if he ran into any Chinese cooks

to send 'em along.

- But we've already got a cook.

- He's a deliberate troublemaker

and yes I want to get rid of him.

If that's all right with you, of course.

- That's all right darling, it's your department.

- Thank you.

Now just a minute.

Be quiet!

One of us has to go and it's not going to be me.

You're dismissed.

You can have a week's pay in lieu of notice.

- All right, Miss.

You send me, I go.

Sooner or later, you go too.

You don't want here, you damn woman!

- Do you get homesick sometimes?

- No.

- You must sometimes.

Hello, Mr. MacLe||an!

- Whoa.

You've certainly made some changes.

- Have you got my trunks?

- The trunks?

Well now, as a matter of fact I have all six of 'em.

- What's this all about?

- Ooh Cheon, thank you.

Over here.

No, that's only grass.

— We live California long time.

Him see all the same gold.

Well it must be gold

if you've been to California.

- Too right.

- Cheon?

You might be able to use these.

- Ooh, Mrs.

Ooh, Mrs.

My word.

My goodness.

- Hello, Mr. MacLe||an.

- Mrs. Gunn.

My gosh, you have changed things.

- Do you like it?

- A woman's touch, eh?

I reckon I've seen this many knickknacks since I was a kid.

- Well it feels more homey.

- Oh I'm sure it does.

How's the new cook?

- Oh he's a gem.

Thank you for sending him.

- Well I knew you'd have your work cut out just

makin' things right for yourself

without that Sam Lee spikin' your guns every chance he got.

- I understand now why the men were a bit weary of me.

- Yeah now don't you worry about that.

Everyone's gonna settle down

when they see you've found your place.

- I see.

- It's a real nice room, Mrs. Gunn.

- Thank you.

- Well I'm all outta stuff, so I suppose I better be off.

You keep your chin up.

- It will only be a day or two, three at the most.

- I'll be all right. - Bye.

- Afternoon, Mrs. - Good afternoon.

- Me and me mate had just come over from Queensland.

Bit short on tucker.

Don't suppose there be a couple of jobs goin' eh?

- Oh I'm sorry.

My husband's out at the moment with the men.

I don't think so.

But you're welcome to food, of course,

and to stay as long as you like.

- Very kind of you, Mrs., thank you.

If could just take some stuff back to me mate.

Oh, where is he?

- There's water about five mile back.

There's a hut next to it.

- All are ponds.

I left him camp there.

He's a bit crook, got the fever.

- Well, shouldn't we bring him here?

We can nurse him.

- He's pretty bad, Mrs.

I've done a job gettin' him as far as this.

Well it's only a couple of miles.

We'll take the buggy out.

- That's very kind of you Mrs., thank you.

But I'm sure we wouldn't wanna trouble you, though.

- It's no trouble, for Heaven's sake.

— I'll suggest it to me mate, Mrs.

If I could just take him some milk and eggs,

stuff like that?

Some stewed fruit if you got it.

I reckon that'|| see him right.

- All right.

Of course.

Dear?

- Jeanie get away!

Get away from there!

- I've been tr yin' to nurse him meself.

We ran outta tucker except for salt beef.

Didn't like me askin' the Mrs.

Didn't say I had any choice, eh?

- Hello mate, what's up?

You should be at the homestead.

- I don't wanna trouble the lady.

- There's no trouble.

- No, I couldn't do that.

I couldn't stand havin' a woman fussin' about me.

- Listen, you need proper care and a proper bed.

- I don't think it'll do a lot good for him, boss.

- Saw him camping out here sleeping on the ground.

- How is he?

- It's fever.

- I thought so.

- Jeanie, I promised him you wouldn't be nursing him.

- You what?

- It was the only way I could get him to come in.

In the midst of life we are in death.

From whom may we seek for help but from you, Lord God.

Though you are justly displeased on account of our sins

and yet Lord God Almighty,

most holy and most merciful Saviour,

deliver us from the bitterness of eternal death.

You who know the secrets of our hearts

mercifully hear us, most worthy judge eternal.

In the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God and fellowship of the Holy Ghost,

be with us all for evermore, amen.

- Amen.

- Amen.

Amen.

- Would you mind takin' the Mrs.

back to the homestead for me?

She's had about all she can take, I think.

I'll look after this here.

- They should've reckoned it's nothin' bad about you, Mrs.

- Would you like me to write to his family?

- It's all right, Mrs.

Thanks.

- I asked him to stay on but he wouldn't.

Poor man is terribly upset.

- He wouldn't admit it to me.

- No, of course not.

- Why of course not?

- Pardon?

- What is so terrible about admitting

that you're frightened or sad or upset?

- I don't know, it's just not done, that's all.

Why do these men pretend

they're so tough all the time?

What are they afraid of?

- They are tough, they have to be.

- You mean they don't have feelings?

'Course they do.

- Then why don't they show them sometimes?

That man might still be alive

if he'd come here in the first place.

If he hadn't been afraid of letting a woman see

that he was frightened and sick and needed help.

- I told you before, they're shy that's all.

- Oh, balderdashl

— Here'?

- Well it is

and you know it is.

- What's this all about?

What's the matter with you?

- I don't want to be shut out, Aeneas.

Those men haven't wanted me here from the beginning.

I've tried to be friendly.

- They're wary of you

because you're a stranger.

- Because I'm a woman.

- All right because you're a woman.

But they'll be fine now you'll see

now that you've settled in.

- As long as I keep pretending to be the little Mrs.

tatting, embroidering, drinking tea and nothing else,

then they'll accept me.

- I thought that's what you wanted.

They build it for you.

- No they didn't.

They built me to keep me away from you.

Now you're being ridiculous.

'Am I?

I'm not going to sit here pretending

I'm in a little cottage in Melbourne.

If I'd wanted that, I would've stayed in Melbourne.

- What do you want?

- The same as I wanted when we got married.

I want us to be happy.

To be close.

I don't want you hiding from me, too.

I want to share your life.

- You do, but I've got a station to run out there.

- And I've got this little house to run, is that it?

- Yes.

- Goggle Eye, why aren't you wearing your trousers?

- I am, Mrs.

- Why aren't you wearing them properly?

, Mrs_

- You must wear your trousers around the house.

You want your tobacco, don't you?

- Yes, Mrs.

- Then you must put your trousers on.

- Wash, Mrs.

- Oh wait a minute, Rosie.

I'll come with you.

It's my bathing gown.

Oh.

It's lovely!

, Mrs?

Him rapture you, you want him.

- Why would he run at me if he's blind?

- You stand up, Mrs.

He think you are tree.

He run up.

We actually watch out.

- Yes, Rosie.

I'll watch out.

- Bett Bett, where'd your mother live?

- Uluru.

- Where's that?

— That way, Mrs.

- How far?

- It be five days.

Big move, days.

- What's she doing so far away from her?

- Me mother's sick.

Dyinl.

Sended Bett Bett.

We're looking for daddy.

- Where's he?

- In Manilla.

He white fella.

- Father's a white man.

Well who's looking after her?

Who does she live with?

- Don't fear, Mrs.

She living at the black fella.

- Bett Bett,

would you like to come home with me?

Would you like to sleep long a house?

Sleep long a Mrs?

- Yes, Mrs.

- She was perfectly all right where she was.

- No, she might have survived

but she was not perfectly all right.

- Well what are you going to do with her?

- I don't know.

I'm going to look after her.

- You can't do that.

You can't just take her away from her own people.

- She doesn't have any people, that's the point.

- Jeanie, you're a stranger here.

You're a southerner, you don't understand how things are.

- No, but I'm beginning to.

I'm beginning to see why a white woman

is so unwelcome here.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Her father was a white man, did you know that?

He went off and abandoned them.

- Yes well, probably a lineman or an overlander, it happens.

But you have to make allowances for these people.

They hardly see a white woman from one year to the next.

- No no, I'm not gonna swallow that one anymore.

It's no excuse.

It's their own choice and I'm starting to see

why they make it.

Come on Bett Bett, it's bedtime.

- You won't be able to train her.

Clean her, feed her and clothe her.

One day she will get up and go walkabout

without even telling you.

- Don't want to train her.

- Then what do you want to do with her?

- Nothing.

She's a very intelligent little girl.

She needs someone.

I need someone.

- Well I don't like you gettin' too familiar with them.

It encourages them to forget their place.

- Are you worried that I might forget my place?

- Do you mean by that?

- You're the same as the men, aren't you?

You think they're inferior.

- The men believe it and the blacks believe it.

That's what matters.

- No, what do you believe?

That's what matters.

Do you think they should be kept in their place

and that their place is as far from us as we can get them?

- Yes they should be left alone

to live their own ways, that's what I believe.

- Why does it have to be them and us?

Why can't we live together?

- Because the more we involve ourselves with them,

the more harm we do in the end.

- Begging for tobacco and sugar,

using them as gardeners and stockmen.

It's not letting them live their own ways.

- But Jeanie, the men have a job to do.

There's four of us and over a million acres.

You have to see their point of view, too.

— Why?

Why should I?

- Well I have to. - Why?

- Oh don't be silly.

- No I'm not being silly.

Ever since you've come here, you've sided with the men.

You're closer to them than you are to me.

- But I have to work with them, it's important.

- You have to live with me.

I thought that was important.

- It is.

- What do you think?

- It's a bit bright.

- I like it.

Goggle Eye, I shouldn't be here.

I'll go.

- It's all right, Mrs.

No worries.

- Good dancing, eh boss?

- Yeah.

— You should have a go.

Afraid they might come and get ya, eh?

- Get out!

- Good on ya, Dandy.

What the blazes are we doing sittin' around?

Bunch of bloody heathens.

They got their place and we got ours, right?

Three cheers for King Edward.

- Yeah, you're right.

Three cheers for the King.

Hip-hip'

' Hooray!

- Put those guns away, put them away!

- Come back, they won't hurt you!

Bett Bett?

Hello, Rosie.

Bett Bett?

Wait a minute.

Where are you going?

- Mrs, walkabout.

- Where?

I thought you were goin' to stay with me.

We're gonna have Christmas soon.

There'll be presents and pudding.

But you can't go out there alone.

Does Goggle Eye know you're going?

- Him sick, him close up die.

- What?

Him close up die.

- Goggle Eye?

What is it?

What's wrong?

- Dying. Mrs.

- Of course you're not dying.

- People singing me dead.

- I'll get some medicine, I'll be right back.

- They've put a curse on him.

- That's nonsense.

- You might think so, Jeanie.

But if they've sang and he believes it, it'll kill him.

- He is sick.

The same as that traveller.

He's got the same symptoms.

- It's best not to interfere, Mrs.

- I think it's a little late for that, isn't it?

- Seen it before, nothin' you can do.

- I'm sick of people telling me there's nothing I can do.

Is that better?

- Finish.

If you believe that, you will die.

Got to fight for it.

- Too tired.

- Nobody dies from singing.

You hear

there's a half-Chinese black fellow once.

Come clean across from Queensland

to get away from the singin'.

Didn't do him any good either.

- Yeah.

- Have a seat, boss?

- No thanks.

- Mrs. is pretty upset about it.

- Yeah.

She's quite right, of course.

It's too late not to interfere.

Aeneas too got me bluffed.

- You all right?

- Anybody think it was our fault.

- It is.

Mrs?

— Yes?

- Mrs,

hot.

Wipe me.

- I'll do that, Jeanie.

I can do it.

- I know you can.

But if it's fever, it could be contagious.

- Is that better?

- Yes, Mrs.

I reckon I dyin'.

You tell your big fella God,

chase away the devil.

- You want me to pray for you?

- You tell him, you tell him.

You tell him.

- Where did we go wrong?

- I don't know.

Just starts with tobacco and sugar.

Before that, I suppose.

There you go.

- What will the men think?

- I don't care what they think.

Jimmy, can you use this?

- Yes.

- Take the lot.

- I'd like to make a bed for myself.

- Oh good, Merry Christmas.

- Won't make any difference, you know?

They're only here for the rations.

- That's right.

- What happens when we run out?

- Then if we run out, we run out.

- Yeah.

Now then, eh?

- Hey, Jackaroo.

Where you been, mate?

Haven't been walkabout, have you?

- Goggle Eye my brother, boss.

Thought I might sing him.

Killed him.

— Oh.

Here.

- Thanks.

Hey boss, I have one more thing.

Merry Christmas.

Got a new pickaninny.

- Have ya?

- Yeah.

- Oh all right.

- Thank you, boss.

- Hey, you want to give one cheeky fellow mate.

Hey Nellie, Judty.

Here.

All right, who wants some more plums?

- Mrs.

- Merry Christmas.

- For me?

- It's from Aeneas and myself.

It's only small.

- Thank you.

- I suppose you all know that we came here for just a year

and the time's almost up.

The new herders have asked me to sign on again,

but I've been talking it over with Jeanie

for the last couple of days.

- Yeah? - Yeah.

What we've decided is

we're staying on at the Else y.

- Oh that's pretty good, eh?

- I'LL drink to that.

- Yeah, why not? - So will I.

- Dinner boss, dinner Mrs.

Dinner all about soup, turkey, ham,

Cauliflower, peas,

bean, tomato, sweet potato.

Cream custard and plum pudding.

- Oh that's marvellous.

- What's that one?

- Mardit.

- Mardit.

- And over there?

- Turdit.

- Mardit.

- Yeah.

- Turdit.

- Yes.

- Rosie, do you know where Bett Bett's gone to?

- Talk about Mrs.?

Don't worry, she will be back.

Mrs,.

- What is it?

- Melaka?

What's happened?

- He took sick outta the nine-wall.

It's fever.

- It's the same, isn't it?

- Yeah.

I'll do what I can.

- I'll nurse him.

- I don't think you understand, Mrs. Gunn.

If it's fever, it's not very pleasant.

- Thank you, I'll nurse him.

- Jeanie.

Jeanie.

Jeanie.

Is that

rain?

- Yes.

- Tonight coming.

They're good men.

Jeanie,

they don't know.

I didn't know.

- I know.

- Is that the rain?

- Yes.

Shh.

- I feel

so alone.

- You're not alone.

- All the time I wasted.

I need you.

- I'm really sorry, Mrs.

I'm sorry.

My dear sister,

my Melaka's gone and I'm all alone.

I'm so sad and tired,

too sad to cry.

After all, tears are only for the little sorrows

and now they're all dried up.

We chose a place on a hill to bury my love

and the men made a coffin for him.

To you that means nothing.

But when you understand,

you will realise the great tribute of love it is.

A pure white oleander cluster bloomed yesterday

and today the first flower in the garden

of our only home together lies with my husband.

We were so happy, too happy and now it's all over.

Hey, Mrs.

- Bett Bett.

- Can me sleep long a house, Mrs?

- Yes, you sleep long a house.

What's that?

- What's it for?

- You, Mrs.

- For me?

- Yes.