Luke's Kingdom is a 1976 Australian television mini-series set in colonial Australia. It was co-produced by the Nine Network in Australia and Trident Television (then owners of Yorkshire and Tyne Tees Television) in the United Kingdom. The series aired in 1976 on the Nine Network in Australia and on ITV in the United Kingdom.
Overview
The series is based on the novel Pages From a Squatter's Diary by E. V. Timms. It follows the story of Luke Firbeck (played by Oliver Tobias), an Englishman who emigrates to New South Wales in 1829 with his father and siblings to claim a land grant. Upon arrival, they find the land already occupied and are forced to settle as squatters, leading to conflicts with colonial authorities, rival settlers, and the harsh frontier environment.
Production
Filming was completed in 1974. Directors included Peter Weir, and writers included Elisabeth Kata and Tony Morphett. The series consisted of one season of 13 episodes, each with a running time of approximately 60 minutes.
Cast
- Oliver Tobias as Luke Firbeck
- James Condon as Jason Firbeck
- Gerard Maguire as Samuel Firbeck
- Elisabeth Crosby as Jassy Firbeck
- Helen Morse as Kate
- Les Foxcroft as Morgan
- Willie Fennell as Shepherd
- David Gulpilil as Aboriginal Boy
- John Meillon as Corporal Morris
- Judy Morris as Ellen
- Kate Fitzpatrick as Emily
- Peter Sumner as Karl Walthausen
Episodes
The series comprised 13 episodes, including titles such as "A Sort of Gentleman" (Episode 1) and "A Man Worse Than Cormac" (Episode 5). It originally aired in the UK from 31 March to 23 June 1976.
