What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAustralia
Baz Luhrmann · Film · 2008
If you loved Australia, start with Mystery Road (2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Australia across media.
If Australia captured your heart, explore these sweeping narratives where personal passion clashes with the unforgiving weight of history and landscape.
Books on the same thread
Oscar and Lucinda
Peter Carey · Book · 2011
Shares a thread with Australia: Colonialism.
Much like the grand romantic stakes of Australia, this novel uses the distinct backdrop of nineteenth-century colonial life to frame a sweeping, unconventional love story defined by societal friction.
Lonesome Dove
Larry McMurtry · Book · 1988
Shares a thread with Australia: Cattle Drive.
If the grueling cattle drive in Australia resonated with you, this epic Western offers the same grit and determination as characters navigate a vast, dangerous frontier while forging bonds.
The Far Side of the World
Patrick O'Brian · Book · 1994
Explores: Naval Warfare, Friendship, Exploration.
Fans of the high-stakes period adventure found in Australia will appreciate this tale of exploration and survival, where the intensity of global conflict looms over intimate personal journeys.
History
Elsa Morante · Book · 2015
Explores: the plight of the subaltern, history from below, the dehumanizing effects of war.
While Australia frames war through a romantic lens, this narrative examines the dehumanizing effects of conflict on ordinary lives, offering a sobering look at history from the ground level.
Series on the same thread
Into the West
Steven Spielberg · Series · 2005
Explores: Westward Expansion, Clash of Cultures, Manifest Destiny.
The cultural clashes and epic scope of Australia find a parallel here, tracing the complex, often tragic, intersection of two distinct families during a period of massive national expansion.
Outlander
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Australia: Forbidden Love.
This series mirrors the forbidden romance and fish-out-of-water themes of Australia, placing a protagonist into a hostile, unfamiliar time where personal survival and love become inextricably linked.
Mystery Road
Series · 2018
Shares a thread with Australia: Cultural Clash.
Returning to the same rugged outback setting seen in Australia, this investigation exposes deep-seated racial tensions and past injustices that still haunt the fabric of the modern rural community.
The Thorn Birds
Lee Stanley · Series · 1983
Shares a thread with Australia: Forbidden Love.
Like Australia, this family saga utilizes the sprawling Australian outback as a backdrop for intense, generational drama and forbidden love, exploring how environment shapes personal destiny over many years.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Last Video Store
Podcast
Explores: Film history, Pop culture, Personal connection to film.
If you enjoyed the cinematic atmosphere of Australia, this podcast offers a nostalgic dive into film history and personal memories, grounded in the same remote outback town spirit.
2 Worlds Collide Podcast
Podcast
Shares a thread with Australia: overcoming adversity.
Those moved by the military backdrop of Australia will appreciate these candid veteran interviews, which provide a real-world perspective on the adversity and personal growth found in combat experiences.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Australia set during a specific historical period?
Yes, Australia is set in northern Australia during the time immediately preceding the outbreak of World War II. The narrative concludes with the historical bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces, which the protagonists experience firsthand while driving cattle across the landscape.
What is the central conflict in Australia?
The primary conflict in Australia involves an English aristocrat who inherits a large ranch and must protect her property from a takeover plot. To save the ranch, she forms a pact with a stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across the unforgiving Australian landscape.
Does Australia feature the bombing of Darwin?
Yes, the bombing of Darwin is a significant event depicted in Australia. The film follows the two main characters as they drive cattle across the northern territory, eventually experiencing the Japanese air raid on the city during the early stages of World War II.
How large is the herd of cattle driven in Australia?
In the film Australia, the English aristocrat and the stock-man work together to drive 2,000 head of cattle across the northern landscape. This arduous journey is undertaken to protect her newly inherited ranch from a takeover attempt as the threat of war looms.