Heritage Festival Stadium Cinema

The Overlanders is a 1946 British-Australian Western film about drovers driving a large herd of cattle 1,600 miles overland from Wyndham, Western Australia through the Northern Territory outback of Australia to pastures north of Brisbane, Queensland during World War II.

The film was the first of several produced in Australia by Ealing Studios, and featured among the cast Chips Rafferty. It was an early example of the genre later dubbed the "meat pie western".

In 1942, the Japanese army is thrusting southwards and Australia fears invasion. Bill Parsons becomes concerned, and leaves his homestead in northern Australia along with his wife and two daughters, Mary and Helen. They join up with a cattle drive heading south led by Dan McAlpine. Others on the drive include the shonky Corky; British former sailor, Sinbad; Aboriginal stockmen, Nipper and Jackie.

The cattle drive is extremely difficult, encountering crocodiles, blazing heat and other dangers. Mary and Sinbad start a romance. Dan speaks out against Corky's plans to develop the Northern Territory.

 

TRADES HALL STADIUM

The rear of the Trades Hall hosted a boxing stadium in the 1930's.  A single steel pole once holding the boxing ring ropes still remains today.  This area will be the location of the Stadium Cinema.

 

POP CORN AND DRINKS AVAILABLE

When

Location

Entry to the rear of the Trades Hall is via Blende Street between the Trades Hall and West Darling Arts

Trades Hall, 242 Blende Street, 2880, View Map