Wandjina!
Australian children's sci-fi series inspired by Aboriginal Dreamtime mythology.
Wandjina! is a 1966 Australian children’s science fantasy series from ABC Television. It marked the first time ABC’s Sydney production unit blended film and videotape for a drama. The plot draws on Dreamtime mythology from the Kimberley region in north-west Australia, centering on three teenagers whose adventure ties into local sacred cave paintings of the Wandjina—beings described as “people from the sky” who arrived during the Dreamtime.
The story begins with a scientific team, including a woman named Miss Smith, investigating strange events in the outback. Anthropologist Donald MacPherson, originally from Scotland, finds Aboriginal cave art depicting mythical alien figures—the Wandjina, an extraterrestrial race that once visited ancient Aboriginal people. Disturbing occurrences hint that these beings are real and that some remain. MacPherson’s daughter, Ann, and an Aboriginal girl named Linda explore the Wandjina caves near Booala Station, where they discover a cave filled with skeletons. They witness odd phenomena: a hooded figure silently hunts kangaroos using a rod that strikes them from a distance. The Wandjina themselves resemble hooded monks, carrying what appear to be life-support backpacks like those worn by astronauts. Their power source is a lighthouse-style tower above the farmland. In one episode, digging up an elongated skull—the Wandjina Skull—triggers gale-force winds.
The series originated from a radio serial, *Country of the Skull*, written by G. K. Saunders, who also penned *The Stranger*. Fair-skinned Aboriginal actress Julianna Allan was cast as the Aboriginal girl Linda. Filming began in September 1965 on location in western New South Wales, including Broken Hill, with additional work at ABC studios.
Reception was mixed. *The Canberra Times* noted, “It is hard to chase the spectre of Blue Hills out of the mind. Whether teenagers will fall for it is doubtful. It could be that the producers have underestimated their sophistication. Linda, the aboriginal playmate of the station owner's daughter, Anne, looks just like what she is — a white girl with obvious make-up, (the blurb says they had trouble with this owing to water colour difficulties, and it is apparent on the screen); when she opens her mouth she sounds like a graduate from a specially selected girls' school. These two points combined don't add to the authenticity.”
- type
- Television series
- country
- Australia
- network
- ABC Television
- first_aired
- 1966
- genre
- Children's science fantasy
- based_on
- Radio serial 'Country of the Skull' by G. K. Saunders
Lore & Background
The series was based on a radio serial, Country of the Skull, by G. K. Saunders, who had also written The Stranger. Filming began in September 1965 on location in Western New South Wales including Broken Hill, and also at the ABC studios. Fair-skinned Aboriginal actress Julianna Allan was cast as an Aboriginal girl.
The plot involves a team of scientists, including Miss Smith, who venture into the Australian outback to investigate strange incidents. Donald MacPherson, a Scots-born anthropologist, discovers aboriginal cave paintings depicting mythical alien beings—the 'Wandjina', an extraterrestrial race that visited the ancient aborigines. Disturbing events suggest that not only are the beings real, they have not all left. Ann MacPherson, the anthropologist's daughter, and Linda, an aboriginal girl, explore the Wandjina caves near Booala Station.
Reader's Guide
Wandjina! is notable as ABC Television's first Sydney drama production to combine film and videotape, marking a technical milestone. Its use of Aboriginal Dreamtime mythology as a basis for a science fantasy narrative was unusual for its time, though the casting of a white actor as an Aboriginal girl drew contemporary criticism. The Canberra Times review noted that the character Linda 'looks just like what she is — a white girl with obvious make-up' and that her speech sounded like 'a graduate from a specially selected girls' school,' questioning whether teenagers would find the series believable. The series remains a curiosity in Australian television history, reflecting both the creative ambitions and the cultural blind spots of the mid-1960s. Its legacy is tied to its pioneering production techniques and its controversial representation of Indigenous characters.
Did You Know?
- Wandjina! was the first ABC drama production in Sydney to combine film and videotape footage.
- The series was based on a radio serial titled Country of the Skull by G. K. Saunders.
- White actor Julianna Allan was cast as the Aboriginal girl Linda.
- The Wandjina were depicted as hooded monks with life-support backpacks similar to those used by astronauts.
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