Over three parts, the documentary series The Australian Wars gives voice to the story of the country’s longest and perhaps most defining war, examining the battles fought on home soil, as the colonial frontier pushed forward, and First Nations peoples resisted.
The British claim to the Australian continent, which disregarded First Nations peoples’ sovereignty and their custodianship of Country for thousands of years, set in train brutal conflicts that unfolded for more than 100 years.
Director and presenter Rachel Perkins journeys across the continent to explore the breadth of warfare, strategy, and forceful resistance that occurred.
The lives of Aboriginal warriors – men and women amongst them – children, military men, governors, and settlers are illuminated as they grapple with the forces of war. It’s also an exploration of the here and now, the legacy of war, and how Australia today engages with this truth.
The Australian Wars is a Blackfella Films production for SBS. Principal production investment was provided by Screen Australia, in association with SBS, with financial support coming from Shark Island Foundation and Screen NSW.
The series airs Wednesdays from September 21 at 7:30pm on SBS and NITV and will also be available to stream free on SBS On Demand.