Walkabout 1971

In a picturesque harbourside Sydney apartment complex, a sense of serenity pervades as the mother busies herself in the kitchen, the sounds of sizzling vegetables mingling with the gentle hum of the radio. Meanwhile, 14-year-old daughter (Jenny Agutter) and her 6-year-old brother splash about in the building’s pool, their laughter and shouts carried away by the ocean breeze. Their father (John Meillon), however, seems a world away, lost in thought as he stands at the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

One fateful day, this idyllic scene is disrupted when the father takes his children on an unexpected excursion into the unforgiving Australian Outback. As they settle into a picnic spot, the tension in the air is palpable, despite the father’s attempt to appear calm and collected. His daughter efficiently sets out their lunch while her brother plays nearby, his imagination running wild with fantasies of toy soldiers and water gun battles. But then, without warning, the father’s demeanor shifts, and he announces it’s time to leave, brandishing a gun that sends his children’s worlds crashing down around them.

The boy, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, assumes this is all part of some bizarre game, while his sister (Jenny Agutter) quickly grasps the perilous reality. With a deep sense of foreboding, she shields her brother as they desperately try to escape their father’s unpredictable wrath. As they flee in terror, she watches in horror as their father returns to the car, sets it ablaze, and then, in a heart-wrenching moment, takes his own life.

In the aftermath of this traumatic event, the sister musters every ounce of courage and resourcefulness to ensure her brother’s safety. With remarkable composure, she quickly grabs what little they can carry – their radio, a scarf, and some food – before setting off into the harsh wilderness with her brother by her side, leaving behind the shattered remnants of their lives.

As the sun beats down relentlessly, the siblings trudge along, their footsteps guided by the distant crackle of irrelevant radio broadcasts and the occasional fluttering of wild creatures. Night eventually falls, casting a warm glow over their makeshift campsite, where the boy’s eyes light up with excitement. The next morning, the girl leads them to a rocky outcropping, her hopes of finding bearings tempered only by the endless expanse of wilderness stretching out before them like an unfurled canvas.

As they sit in silence, drinking the juice from a can of vegetables, the girl’s thoughts turn to a story her uncle once told about military training. She suggests eating salt to retain water and posits that their desert adventure may be prolonged. Her brother remains blissfully unaware, lost in the radio broadcasts and his own games. The siblings’ contrasting attitudes are palpable, with the girl’s stoicism and wariness at odds with her brother’s carefree abandon.

Eventually, they stumble upon a lone tree standing sentinel over a small pool of water, its branches heavy with fruit that attracts a fluttering of parakeets. The boy enthusiastically samples the fruit, proclaiming it “lovely,” while the girl scolds him to take care of their clothes so they won’t deteriorate further. When her brother asks if they’re lost, she replies firmly, trying to maintain a sense of optimism.

As night falls once more, the siblings drift off to sleep, lulled by the distant radio broadcasts and the sounds of nocturnal animals stirring around them.

The next morning brings a rude awakening: their water source has dried up, and the fruit they relied on is either gone or spoiled. The girl decides to hold their position, hoping that the water will return, while her brother naps in the scorching sun. It’s then that he spots an aboriginal youth, played by (David Gulpilil), stalking his prey through the desert landscape.

The children attempt to communicate with the stranger, but he simply regards them with curiosity, failing to comprehend their language. Undeterred, the girl tries again, only to be met with more confusion. Her brother’s mimicry of drinking finally breaks through the impasse, and the aboriginal boy shows them how to dig for water using a hollow tube.

Assuming that this newfound friend will lead them back to civilization, the siblings accompany him, oblivious to his true intentions: he is on a traditional “walkabout,” a rite of passage that every young male aborigine must undertake alone in order to be initiated as an adult within his tribe.

As they traverse the arid expanse of the Outback, a skilled indigenous hunter takes charge, providing an abundance of sustenance and hydration for his newfound companions. The trio’s journey soon yields to more lush surroundings, where the verdant landscape teems with wildlife, and the boy’s carefree spirit is tempered by the harsh realities of their environment. His sun-scorched back becomes a testament to the unforgiving power of the desert sun, prompting the aborigine to apply a soothing layer of pig fat as a gentle balm.

Despite the language barrier, the group forges a tentative bond through shared meals and playful interactions, although cultural differences are evident in their gestures. The boy’s well-intentioned attempt to share his toy soldiers with the aborigine falls flat, as the native’s lack of comprehension is mirrored by the girl’s wariness, which stems from her burgeoning awareness of her own sexuality. As the days pass, a palpable tension builds between the aborigine and the girl, whose mutual fascination is met with a mix of curiosity and unease.

Meanwhile, a series of cryptic gestures unfolds as the aborigine boy pauses to inscribe a narrative on the rugged face of a rock cliff, an artistic expression that resonates deeply with the girl’s own creative impulses. Her drawings of a house serve as a poignant attempt to bridge the communication gap, and her companion’s thoughtful consideration suggests a nascent understanding.

As the group ventures further into the wilderness, they find themselves surrounded by the humble abodes of aborigine workers and children, their rustic dwellings standing in stark contrast to the harsh, unforgiving environment. The boy’s gaze is drawn to a solitary figure – the boss, a gruff white male whose scathing criticisms serve as a counterpoint to his wife’s gentle observations, as she wanders the property with an air of quiet contemplation.

Her eyes alight upon the aborigine boy and his companions, she attempts to engage him in conversation, only to be rebuffed by his stoic reserve. The trio remains oblivious to her presence, instead following their guide into the depths of the Outback. Meanwhile, a separate group of scientists is busy conducting experiments with weather balloons, their attention divided between the solitary female member of their team and the tantalizing prospect of romantic conquest.

One balloon’s careless release sets off a chain reaction of masculine posturing, as the men vie for her affections in a display of awkward courtship. The wayward balloon drifts lazily through the air before coming to rest amidst thorny underbrush, where it is rediscovered by the aborigine boy. As the girl’s tired eyes seek solace from the arduous journey ahead, she queries her guide about their impending arrival at their destination. His response, conveyed through a series of gentle gestures, offers a reassuring promise that they will soon reach their final point.

As they venture further, the duo stumbles upon a weathered homestead perched atop a verdant plain, its rustic charm tempered by the looming presence of a dense forest. The young girl precedes them along the picket fence, her steps faltering as she discovers the abandoned dwelling in disrepair. Though initially desolate, the pair decides to make this forsaken place their temporary home. Meanwhile, the aboriginal boy tries to connect with the girl, his gestures and words failing to penetrate the veil of sorrow that shrouds her. He watches intently as she explores the crumbling structure, her emotions reaching a boiling point when she stumbles upon old photographs. Tears well up in her eyes, and though he remains perplexed by her distress, he senses her pain when she asks for “water”. Later, the boy takes it upon himself to show his companion a nearby asphalt pathway that snakes its way through the landscape before embarking on a hunting expedition with his trusty spear. His pursuit of prey is cut short, however, as a truck carrying white men roars by, gunning down the animal with ease. The boy’s confusion turns to dismay as he watches the men carry off their trophy.

As the sun dips below the horizon, the aboriginal boy’s emotions finally catch up with him. He decides to perform a traditional courtship dance for the girl, possibly aware that this may be his last chance to connect with her before they part ways forever. With white clay adorning his skin and feathers sprouting from his arms and head, he begins to dance under the starry night sky. However, his elaborate display only serves to frighten the girl, who retreats to the safety of the homestead’s interior with her brother. Despite his evident exhaustion, she refuses to engage with him. When her brother shares the discovery of the asphalt road made by the aboriginal boy, the girl resolves that they will continue their journey alone come dawn.

The following day, the siblings don their school uniforms and gather their belongings, but their minds are still reeling from the previous day’s events. The boy sets out to track down the aboriginal stranger, who had vanished without a trace, while his sister remains convinced that the boy has returned to his people, and that his departure is for the best. Her brother shares with her his attempt to offer the aborigine a penknife as a symbol of friendship, only to be rebuffed. Perplexed by this unexpected turn of events, the girl accompanies her brother to the site where they had last seen their new acquaintance, only to find him lying lifeless in a tree, exhausted and heartbroken.

As the reality of their situation begins to sink in, the siblings make their way to a nearby trailer, knocking on doors until an older man grudgingly answers. Initially resistant to their pleas for assistance, he eventually directs them to a location where they can await pickup. With heavy hearts, the siblings bid farewell to the well-manicured lawn and make their way to the old mine, where they find solace in the scrap metal and each other’s company.

Years later, a young man returns home to his wife, now grown and matured. As he shares the news of his promotion and its accompanying perks – including a vacation on the Gold Coast – his wife’s mind begins to wander, lost in thoughts of her childhood and the simple joys she experienced with her brother by her side. We see glimpses of their idyllic days spent playing and bathing in the Outback, surrounded by the aborigine who had become an integral part of their lives.