User reviews

Having watched this a couple of times on TV when it came out I have tried to buy my own copy but was unsuccessful. It is now on YouTube and I very much enjoyed watching it again in 2025. The acting is good as is the story which describes the start of British settlement in 1788 through to the early 1800s when Governor Macquarie arrives. Factual elements are interweaved with fictional characters such as the Mannions. I think the scenes of early Sydney were shot in Old Sydney Town which was a theme park built to the north of Sydney. The tensions between the army, convicts and free settlers are well brought out. Patrick Mannion reminds us that the British settled on indigenous land and throughout the series indigenous characters are portrayed living in harmony with the new British settlers. Unfortunately the reality may not have been so benign in this period and the arrival of Governor Macquarie which occurs right at the end of the series resulted in the massacres of indigenous peoples so that settlers could push forward onto their land. A most enjoyable series.

It's just come out in the ABC shops - see: http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=740972 In order to for this now to be posted i have to fill up 10 lines. How should I do that - well i saw this show back in the 80's and enjoyed it. I liked Against the Wind more - but this was good - I've even got the book about the making of it. You don't see them very often! Now I'm going to try submitting this again - why did they come up with this rule? Okay so that wasn't enough - I need another 4 lines - this is insane - anyway all i wanted to do was to show that it's available on DVD - perhaps I should have started a message about it in the forum section - oh well -- The girl from Upstairs Downstairs is also in it - can't remember much else - time to check again (here's hoping) Scot