SUNRISE PICTURE COMPANY

Now in production, a documentary about Darwin, exploring the events that led to the establishment of Australia’s main northern city. Images from the past and present reveal the early struggles to establish a permanent settlement.

The Story

After seventy five years of European settlement in Australia the newcomers remained wholly in the south and east. Along the northern 60% of our coastline, between Perth and Brisbane, no European settlement existed. Three early outposts in the north, attempts to establish trading posts and deter the imperialist ambitions of other European powers, had all been eventually abandon.

The isolation, the tropical heat and insects, the difficulty in growing food, had eventually worn them down.

Then in 1864, after South Australia had been given administrative authority over what is now the Northern Territory, two ships set out from Port Adelaide, determined to establish a permanent settlement in the north. How this fourth attempt played out, the decisions made and their consequences, form the basis of our documentary.

Although this project has so far failed to attract any government support, modern technology enables such essay style productions to go ahead regardless. For instance on learning that a wet plate camera went on this expedition, a search to find any resulting photographic record of their endeavours has been most revealing.

We have now reached the editing and tracklaying stage.Production is based at our office at 785 Rathdowne St. North Carlton. Intended completion date is now early 2010.