South Aussie scenes hidden amongst the ‘Territory’
If you haven’t hit the couch for a Territory binge yet, the Aussie Netflix drama is definitely worth a watch. Dubbed “Dallas with Dingoes” and “Australia’s answer to Yellowstone”, the spectacular Australian outback is the big winner in the six-episode tale of succession, old-school misogyny, pub brawls and gun-fights.
If we’re comparing apples to apples, or Territory to Yellowstone, the Lawsons replace the Duttons, as the owners of the largest cattle station in the world. The fictitious Marianne Station could be our own real life Anna Creek, with some fast and furious action from Landcruiser Utes, bull catching Jeeps and Quad bikes, as opposed to thumping yank tanks.
Filming took place on Northern Territory’s Tipperary Station, with some stunning scenes in the beautiful, croc- infested Kakadu National Park. South Australia also featured heavily – although just as the filmmakers intended, the SA scenes were hard to spot.
A couple of the Lawson’s neighbouring station-owners’ properties are actually farms just north of Mallala on the Adelaide Plains. Laggan Downs Station, owned by indigenous cattleman, Nolan Branock, and Hank Hodge’s Bethel Creek property are filmed on Mallala farming properties. Some of the South Aussie scenes include the torching of Branock’s Landcruiser, a couple of lads smoking a bong on the couch at Hank’s place, and the mustering camp out which actually took place in a Mallala farmer’s scrub.
A stunning home at Balhannah in the Adelaide Hills is also used as the residence for money-hungry mining magnate, Sandra Kirby, and there’s a few familiar faces checking out stock in a scene filmed at Mount Compass saleyards.
I’m rating Territory a 7.5 out of 10 juicy Roma Tomatoes
The newly released series, directed by Greg McLean, who bought us the horror Aussie series, Wolfe Creek, has received mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 5.9 on the Tomatometer. I give it 7.5 juicy Roma’s, and I’m hoping like hell there’s a season two in the pipeline.
Despite having read many comments describing the acting as poor, I rate the Aussie cast (if that’s any consolation). Anna Torv (The Newsreader, Mindhunter and Tess and Claire’s little sister in McLeod’s Daughters) is brilliant as the leading lady -a strong and determined cattle woman facing scrutiny from an egocentric father-in-law.
Philippa Northeast, who also starred in The Newsreader and who started her acting career in a cult near Summer Bay, is a breath-of-fresh air as young Susie, freshly out of Ag school and ready to step up and take over Marianne Station.
Michael Dorman (who I had a little crush on in The Secret Life of Us) plays Graham, the black sheep of the Lawson family. And just because every storyline must have a dimwit – well-known actor Dany Wyllie, who’s starred in everything from Chopper to Puberty Blues, is the cattle rustling Hank Hodge, whose lairy fishing shirts and gold chains stand out like the proverbial amongst the hardly-worn Akubras and Wrangler jeans.
Is Territory a relatable depiction of life in Australia’s outback? Not unless they’re up there having station war shoot outs on the daily. For a country that prides itself on tough gun laws, the ammo action and blood shed was a little bit over the top. But then again, this is not a documentary, it’s a drama made to keep you wanting more. And I want more!
