Fireflies (2004): Season 1, Episode 11 - While the Cat's Away - full transcript
In the midst of the Lost River Christmas carols, Backa gets a call. Section 44 has been declared in Shoalhaven and Backa is asked to join a strike team traveling down to help fight the fires. Despite Svettie's unease and Carter's misery at his father leaving, Backa decides to take a crew. It doesn't take long to find volunteers. Lill is suddenly ready to sign up too.
- We'll start here with the first plot.
The rest we'll do further down.
Can't see it from any path.
Can't see it from the creek down there.
- Look, I heard what you said.
You didn't want to get
pregnant with me, okay?
Stop going on about it.
- I'm not the one that's going on.
- Perry, I won't be having children.
It's a shock.
Just give me a day or two
and stop being such
an insensitive prick.
- Okay, engage!
Push, lill!
(Lill straining)
Push, push, push!
Come on!
- [Lill] Woo!
- [Man] Oh, look out.
Invader on the field.
- Perry!
- Hi, guys.
I ought to join up. (Laughs)
- [Backo] Do you want a beer, Perry?
- No, no, no thanks.
I was just coming for lill.
- See ya.
- To pick her up.
Been chasing you everywhere.
- I haven't been running.
("Beautiful feeling" by Paul Kelly)
♪ I have to pinch myself to feel ♪
♪ if what is going on is real ♪
♪ from the gods themselves we steal ♪
♪ night and day ♪
♪ night and day ♪
♪ a jug of wine a loaf
of bread and thee ♪
♪ lying on a blanket underneath that ♪
♪ big old spreading tree ♪
♪ it's such a beautiful feeling ♪
♪ such beautiful feeling ♪
- You mention the world
child or pregnancy,
I swear I will throttle you.
(Ball thuds)
- [Perry] This is ridiculous behavior.
- You think you can
smooth talk your way
out of any situation with your
silver tongue and your good looks.
I think I'll walk to my car.
Thanks, Perry.
See you later.
(Car door bangs shut)
I have to come home eventually,
mate, I live there.
- Hey, come on, loosehead!
- Ah, I need a spell, man.
- Halftime!
(Gentle music)
Ah, she's a find, isn't she?
Another lostie.
Brigade's almost back to strength.
- Ah, you wouldn't credit her.
She comes in here,
stinking of chardonnay.
(Backa laughs)
Cappuccino froth in her boots
and you turn her into a bloody lostie.
- Yeah, I did, didn't I?
(Joey laughs)
- You did a good job, mate.
With all of us, eh.
- Thanks, mate.
(Gentle music)
♪ Choirs of angels sing in exultation ♪
♪ sing all ye citizens
of heaven above ♪
- Hey.
You in the dog house?
- Not enough room in there for two.
♪ Glory to god ♪
♪ in the highest ♪
- [Eris] Come on.
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
- Hey, lu.
Total fire ban!
- Oh.
Ow! (Laughs)
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
Singing his little heart out.
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
♪ Christ the lord ♪
- Yay! (Crowd cheering)
- Thank you!
Merry Christmas!
- Big round of applause
for eris tonsil Parsons!
Hey!
Okay, ho ho, ho ho.
- [Backa] Ain't nothing funny
about that fat suit, mate.
- Uh, backa, be a good boy or
you won't get any presents.
Okay, the next performer here at
lost river Carols by the shed...
- Hi.
- Is a new performer for us
all today, Perry luscombe!
- Ah! (Crowd cheering)
- Applause, give it up for Perry.
(Crowd cheering)
(Strumming guitar)
♪ Silent night holy night ♪
♪ all is calm all is bright ♪
- He is making an effort for you.
♪ Round yon virgin mother and child ♪
♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪
- You get a bunker?
- Oh, yeah.
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace
♪ (Mobile ringing)
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ - sorry.
- [Lill] Someone walk over your grave?
- How do you mean?
- It's just a saying.
♪ Holy night Shepherds
quake at the sight ♪
- Mm-hmm.
Yeah, strike team.
- Hey, ma!
Guess what?
- What?
- [Kieran] I won't be
home for Christmas.
We're going on a strike team!
- [Rebekah] Well, don't expect
me to save any mud crabs.
- Single man.
- Yeah.
But noodle's gonna realize
what she's missing anyway
when she's all alone at
Christmas with her olds.
- Won't you miss her?
(Kieran scoffs)
- On a strike team?
I'll be having the time of my life!
- That was fire comm.
They declared a section
44 on that big fire
down at shawhaven.
Bryce wants to know if
we can take the cat one
and a couple of crews.
- And you said yes.
- They need us.
We'll need them one day.
Baby...
- I'd love to go.
- Well, you can't.
You're not a full member.
Eris?
- Yeah, I'm not going without her.
Both of us are needed.
- Well, you're probably ready.
I'll sign you up. - Yes!
- Eris, can you find another driver?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
♪ So tender and mild ♪
- I don't know whether he
genuinely wants to be with me,
in which case I should kiss him,
or he's keeping me on a short leash,
in which case I should
bite his bloody hand.
- Ah!
(Crowd applauding)
- [Woman] There you go, Perry!
Well done!
Yes! (Crowd applauding)
- I want to go on the strike team.
- Uh, you and luisa?
No, that'd make two.
- Women?
- (Laughs) No, no, two new members.
Two inexperienced
firefighters on a small crew.
- Well, if you don't need me, um...
- well, no, okay, all right.
I mean, you're a volunteer.
If you're willing, you're needed.
Yes?
- Good.
- [Child] Dad?
Are you going?
Why?
- I'm the captain.
- But it's Christmas!
- I know, Carter, but I...
Candy.
Ah, sorry about the phone.
- Ah, you're my competition, are you?
- Yeah, sorry.
- We've been called on a strike team.
So I got to go home and pack.
(Dramatic music)
- Carter's in the cubby
house and won't come out.
- (Sighs) I've got to pack, svettie.
Joey's on his way over.
- I'll pack.
You go and talk to him.
Backa.
No heroics.
- Eh?
- It's okay.
Just feeling sentimental.
I'll put your present in the bag.
Don't open it until Christmas.
- When I was your age, son,
I was 11. (Chuckles)
Are you gonna come out or do
I have to tell you a story?
My dad went to broken
hill one December.
He locked all our
presents in the back shed
so we wouldn't look.
- Heard it.
- Floods came and he was
trapped for six weeks.
Not only missed Christmas,
but most of January.
You know what the worst bit was?
He'd bought me a bike.
My first racing bike.
I could see it through
a crack in the shed.
I'd stand on the seat
of my old dragster
and stare all day at the
bike I couldn't have.
And his beer was in there,
dozens of bottles of home brew.
And in the heat they
started to explode.
Bang, bang!
Like gunshots, day after day.
And when he got back,
he'd grown a beard.
(Laughs) Joey screamed when he saw him.
Are you listening?
Carter?
I'm sorry I'm going away, mate.
If it rains, I'll be back
for Christmas lunch.
(Car horn honking)
But I got to go.
Joey's here.
Bye, son.
(Gentle music)
(Paper crown rustling)
- Ta-da!
Hey, do you want to hear the joke?
(Lill scoffs)
"What did Santa claus name
his three daughters?"
- Noel, Carol...
Give up.
- Come-all.
O come-all ye faithful. (Laughs)
(Perry sighs)
Lill, my love.
Is this some sort of
an excuse to get away?
- I don't need an excuse to get away.
Right now if there
wasn't a strike team,
I'd go somewhere else.
I need a break.
- From me?
- From pretending
everything's all right.
Why don't you visit taz?
Spend Christmas with your daughter.
- Oh, yeah.
Deal with my fatherhood issues, hmm?
- Fine.
You're right.
This is my problem.
I should just deal with it.
- I love you.
(Gentle music)
Never doubt that.
(Gentle music)
Call me.
(Gentle music)
(Perry blows noisemaker)
(Gentle music)
- Okay, I want to thank
you all for turning up,
but I suppose I should be
thanking your families, really.
Now, the locals have
been fighting this fire
for six days straight,
so they will be glad to see you,
but it's their area.
Their homes and families, so
respect their local knowledge.
- [Man] Yeah no worries.
- Wish you were coming.
- I wish you were staying.
- Now, the day crew will be
starting as soon as we arrive.
So make sure you get some
sleep on the way down.
The fox cove strike team will meet us
at the Warren roadhouse,
so I'll give you
a more detailed briefing then.
But finally, I have a friendly reminder
from our favorite fco, Bryce Austin.
"There are certain traditions
associated with a strike team..."
- first timers!
- Yeah.
"I am aware that fires
have a nasty habit
"of loosening the bolts
at the back of road signs
"so they accidentally fall
into the back of trucks."
(Men laughing)
Now, I want to make
this absolutely clear,
and I don't think he's referring
to anyone in particular,
Kieran, don't steal signs.
What did he say?
- Don't steal signs.
- Yeah. (All laughing)
All right, let's get amongst it.
Thank you.
("Stories of me" by Paul
Kelly with uncle bill)
(Sirens blaring)
♪ They say a man is going round ♪
♪ he looks a lot like me ♪
♪ they say that man is going down ♪
♪ it's looking pretty likely ♪
♪ every morning he wakes up ♪
♪ fills his cup and
listens shamefully ♪
♪ to stories of me ♪
♪ everybody come on down ♪
♪ set 'em up and pass 'em round ♪
♪ we're all here for a drowning ♪
(Siren blaring)
(Helicopter chuffing)
♪ Woke up with a heavy
head on a hard bed ♪
- Hey, Kieran!
Just hold up, mate, I'll
see what's going on.
Look after Joey.
♪ Wondering about the
things she said to me ♪
♪ these stories of me ♪
♪ these stories of me ♪
- [Man] G'day, backa.
- [Man] G'day, backa.
- Hey, Dan, mate.
- How are ya?
- Good, mate.
- Group captain Warren here.
- Tim Burke, lost river.
- The road that runs through here
separates the fire from the
houses at the edge of town.
Now, this cleared area will be
our eastern containment line.
This is where we stop the fire.
- There's one or two trees
between here and town.
- We had a thorough reduction
burner only six months ago.
Swan bay senior deputy captain
and I supervised it ourselves.
Personally.
- Long containment line, though.
- The nor'easterly, which
is the prevailing wind
at this time of year, is driving
the fire south and west.
So the main fire front should be there.
And possibly there.
This eastern line contains
the edge of the fire.
Very little potency, should
arrive in a controllable manner.
Any questions?
- Yeah, uh, Warren, what
do you want us to do?
- Wait, lost river captain.
I want you to wait.
- You reckon he's called
Warren 'cause of the rabbits
stuffed up his ass?
- Actually, dad prefers
to be referred to
as group captain hair.
(Gentle music)
- Who's uh, who's the fair chick?
- Group captain's daughter.
Don't even think about it.
- [Eris] What's the plan?
- Same one as usual.
Hurry up and wait.
- Ah.
- Merry Christmas.
(Lill chuckles)
(Gentle music)
(Door creaks)
- Who are you shopping for?
- Ah, sort of depends on what I find.
(Toy playing music)
Must be tough.
Backa away for Christmas.
- Is joni coming here this year
or are you going to the city?
- She left me.
Or, I left her, it's...
Hard to tell when you
live in different places.
- Tea?
- Ta.
- [Svettie] Black?
- Yeah.
(Birds calling nearby)
Yeah, I don't blame joni.
It's hard being married to a cop.
You know, not knowing when
he's gonna be called out or
wondering if he's coming back.
- Women will forgive a lot for love.
- So they say.
(Chuckles) Meanwhile, I've
got a bottle of champagne
and two chilled glasses
waiting for me in the fridge.
Real champagne.
Nothing of that sparkling white wine.
(Laughs)
(Svettie laughs)
- That's very nice of you.
But I have so much to do.
It's crazy.
- I better be going, then.
Thanks for the tea.
(Gentle music)
- What did Mike want?
- Tea and sympathy.
Did you pull the water
tank at the plant?
- No, it didn't happen.
Some goat farmer was paying cash.
- Will the dry delay the harvest?
I need to make that
payment or my shop...
- I'll do a quick run out
there and check 'em.
If they can survive
another couple of days,
we'll wait for the tanker.
Otherwise...
- They keys are always
left in the cat-seven.
- Svetlana!
Nah.
- No?
- Nah.
(All exclaiming)
- [Man] All right, come on.
Another one, here we go!
Hey!
- Looking for water or the Warren?
- Ah, I was just thinking
I might take a look
at some of the houses through here.
Want to come?
- Mm.
- Come on.
- [Man] Come on!
(Mobile rings)
(Players exclaim)
- Hi, Perry.
No, now's not a good time.
Call you back, yeah?
Yeah, me too.
Bye.
(Helicopter chuffing nearby)
- G'day, mate.
Backa, lill.
- Jock marr.
- You look like you
guys are well prepared.
- Oh, the rural fire service,
they did a door knock yesterday.
Warren hair is in his element.
(Backa chuckles)
They seemed pretty
certain that we weren't
in any danger here.
- Right.
What about your neighbors?
- [Jock] Oh, they're holiday places.
They took off at the
first whiff of smoke.
- Weekenders?
- Well, this is our home here.
We'd like to stay if we can.
I just don't want the
kids to spend Christmas
in some community hall.
- Well, good on you, mate,
but don't stay any longer
than you have to, all right?
- [Jock] Oh, yeah.
- Jeez, I hope those kids
get their Christmas.
- Does candy still
believe in Santa claus?
- Well, svettie and I are still trying
to keep up the charade.
- Some kids believe in Santa claus
out of pure wishful thinking.
Embarrassing, I know.
(Backa laughs)
- Come on, let's check
these other houses.
(Gentle music)
- [Perry] Ah, svettie, hi.
- Hi.
- You heard anything from down south?
- [Svettie] Can't expect
a call during the shift.
They'll phone tonight.
- Oh.
- Perry, why don't you
come here tomorrow
for a family Christmas?
- Mm, uh.
Well, it's a lovely offer,
but I've got a lot of stuff
to do around home.
- We'll phone the fire ground.
Bugger the rules.
- [Perry] Sharpie.
- [Svettie] Perry.
12 o'clock.
- Bye, Perry.
They're dying, svettie.
We've got to get water on 'em today.
You duck by the cop shop
and see what Mike's up to.
I'll meet you at the rest
stop near the fire station.
Okay?
- Hey, eris!
- [Eris] Yeah?
- Swan bay is short a driver, mate.
Could you fill in for us?
- Oh, yeah.
If luisa comes, too.
We're sticking together.
- I'll fill in for her.
- No...
- be good to work with a new crew.
- Oh, great.
Settled.
- I know what you're doing.
- No, babe, it'll be great, we...
- don't!
- What's up with you?
(Helicopter chuffing)
Lu, what have I done?
- You know, you are deeply,
deeply inexplicable.
- Me?
- Women.
- Inexplicable!
That's a nice way to put it.
- Yeah, well, I'm a nice guy.
- With a broad and far-ranging
experience with women.
- One's enough.
Okay, well, maybe. (Chuckles)
Well, Fifi's the only
woman, I'm quite stupid.
If I had a sister or my
mum was still alive,
you know, maybe then I'd
know if it was women
or just Fifi being Fifi.
- Okay.
Ask me anything you want to.
(Joey scoffs)
I'm serious, come on.
- If you love someone and
you want to be with him,
why would you push him away?
(Rock music)
- You take this one and hook
it up to the pump at the back.
Get moving.
- "Connect suction hose to
suction inlet as required."
Sharpie, which one is
the suction inlet?
Sharpie?
Sharpie?
- What?
- Suction inlet.
I don't know.
- "Open necessary suction valve."
- How do you know which
one is necessary?
"Operate primer."
Which thingy do you
think is the primer...
- don't crowd me, woman!
(Rock music)
- "Suction valve..."
(Switch clicks)
(Machinery chugging)
(Machine beeping)
Now that the pump's not working,
this is what we're gonna do.
It's 1500 liters in this truck.
You start on the plot up here,
I'll get going on the plots
further down the hill.
- How many liters is in each knapsack?
- 20, I reckon.
30, 30 easily.
- That will take hours.
- It'll save your bloody bacon.
Val may have silver hair, but
she's not mother Christmas.
She will take your shop and
she will take your house
and she will not shed a tear.
So if you want to pay
back that 15 grand,
I'd get squirting.
(Rock music)
(Hose spritzing)
- We have to fill in the logbook.
- Sure.
You sign and print your name
and I'll write a little note underneath
saying I was here, too.
I don't know, spill some bloody
coffee on the page, woman.
(Vehicle rumbling)
- Sharpie!
(Tense music)
- (Quietly) Come on!
(Tense music)
(Gentle music)
- You change your mind
about the champagne?
You came by the station.
Were you looking for me?
- To invite you for
Christmas with the family.
- Thanks, svettie.
Yeah, that'd be great.
A lot better than the
bottle-eye special.
- Yeah.
- Right, I'll see you then.
(Gentle music)
- Gentlemen to the right,
ladies to the left.
- Uh, what about married couples?
- Oh, they're aren't minors here.
I'm in loco parentis.
Make life a lot easier if people slept
on their own side of the bunkhouse.
- Ugh.
- Oh, my god!
- Quick!
Hide these!
Mookie the hair bear is
checking for stolen signs.
Lock the door and tell
him you're naked!
(Luisa laughing)
(Knocking at door)
- (Gasps) You can't come in, I'm naked!
- Promises, promises.
- Oh, we thought it was
group captain hair.
- Oh, you wicked girls.
- [Luisa] Hey, you.
- Hey, babe.
- [Luisa] Piss off!
- What's wrong with you?
- You're keeping an eye on me.
It's not bloody fair.
You think the second your back's turned
I'm gonna have my skirt 'round my ears.
- Oh, no.
Hey, hey, sweetheart, I'm
not keeping my eye on you.
Just can't keep my eyes off you.
Deal!
Oh, babe.
(Both moaning)
- I'm just gonna go and um...
(Luisa giggles)
- Babe! (Exclaims)
(Luisa laughing)
Eris!
- That's cheating.
- Lill!
Hey, lill.
- Lill!
- Hey, lill!
- Lill!
- Lill! Lill!
(All shouting)
Stacks on!
(Lill laughing)
Welcome to the fire, lill!
(All laughing)
- 'Night, lil.
- 'Night.
(Knocking on door)
(Eris groans)
- Oh, sorry, lill.
- Why don't I go and sleep in your bed?
- Yeah, you're a mate.
Uh, it's Kieran's room.
It's just off the corridor. (Laughing)
- [Luisa] Bye! (Giggling)
- Woo! (Laughing)
Hey, lill!
- Give 'em back!
Kieran!
Give them back!
Give 'em back!
- Lost your bed?
- Midsummer festival
of lust and passion.
(Joey laughs)
- [Eris] Hey!
Go on, get out!
(Luisa laughing)
(Gentle music)
- No, no, that's all right.
No, if he doesn't want
to come to the phone,
don't make him, just...
Well, just give him my love.
Okay.
Yeah, I love you, too, babe.
Bye.
(Gentle music)
Snack pack?
- Didn't know how hungry I
was until you said that.
- Eris and luisa
rediscovering their passion?
- How did you guess?
(Both laughing)
- It's the strike team.
Away from the ordinary, everyday,
see one another in a different light.
- Like from the bottom of a stacks-on.
(Both laughing)
- That's bonding.
You'll be relying on
those people tomorrow,
trusting them to do
their job, back you up.
And all will get out safely.
- Nothing like a bit
of enforced intimacy.
(Backa laughs)
(Gentle music)
- Well, I've probably had enough, eh?
- Let your hair down.
(Both laughing)
- It's good to have you here.
- One of the boys.
(Gentle music)
- All right.
- Whoa!
- Oh!
- Oh! (Laughs)
I'm sorry.
It's your first strike team.
You should sleep in a real bed.
- No, I'm fine.
I don't mind sleeping on the couch.
- No, look, look, my bed's empty.
I'm more used to camping out, eh?
- Well, it's very gentlemanly of you,
but I want to sleep here.
- Oh, you wouldn't want
to do that if I were you.
- Well, I will if you don't
get off and let me sleep!
- Lill!
Lill!
- Just let me sleep!
- You two should get some sleep.
I just got a call from fire comm.
There's a wind shift expected tomorrow.
It's gonna be a bad day.
(Lill laughs)
- Can I have the couch, please?
(Laughs)
- Yeah.
(Gentle music)
(Pack crashes)
(Gentle music)
All right?
(Backa sighs)
- Go to bed.
(Melancholy music)
(Vehicle rumbling past)
- [Newsreader] Several
blazes have joined together,
four kilometers fire front
moving east and south.
Byways which would usually be
thick with Christmas traffic
are empty except for firetrucks
bringing emergency crews
from around the state.
Interstate crews have
offered assistance
if the fires continue to grow.
Police have no comment on
the causes of the blaze.
The commissioner of the
rural fire services agree
that these are the worst fires
to hit the shawhaven in a decade.
After five days of local firefighting,
a section 44 emergency
was declared yesterday.
- Go to sleep.
- [Newsreader] And crews
from around the state
have joined the effort to stop
the thousand hectare blaze
before it reaches the holiday
villages along the coast.
Thousands of disappointed holidaymakers
have been forced to put
their plans on hold
as the fires threaten to turn this
into a black Christmas
for the shawhaven area.
Police and the rural fire services
are advising tourists and holidaymakers
to avoid the shawhaven
and surrounding areas
as the threat from the fires
grows greater by the day.
Local rural fire service
volunteers are predicting...
- He's going to be all right.
("I've been a fool" by Paul Kelly)
♪ But I want to know ♪
♪ if you changed at all ♪
♪ baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
♪ what do you take me for ♪
♪ I've been a fool ♪
- And did you play in your cubby?
(Laughs) No.
Oh, was it fun?
Okay.
All right.
Okay, now put mummy on the uh,
yeah, put mummy on now.
I'm not going to be able to call you
from the fire ground, darling.
It's going to be a big one.
Yeah, I'll be careful.
Okay.
Svettie, merry Christmas.
♪ Have you changed this time ♪
Bye.
♪ Come on baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
♪ I've heard it all before ♪
♪ yeah I've been a fool ♪
♪ most definitely ♪
♪ but I'll be your fool no more ♪
(Telephone dialing)
(Line ringing)
- [Voicemail] The mobile
telephone you have called
is currently switched
off or out of range.
(Telephone beeps)
(Flames crackling)
(Helicopter chuffing)
- It's a long containment line.
West and south are expecting worse,
but they'll be back burning
themselves out of trouble
once the wind shifts
and it's gonna shift.
There'll be a roaring
westerly through there
in a couple of hours and
that 10 kilometer Ridge
is going to become a
fast-moving fire front.
So why don't your crews fill up,
go down to the containment line
and get your appliances into formation.
- Group captain?
- Lost river captain.
- Would you consider keeping
one appliance separate
so we can scoot around to these houses?
- If your crew is happy to
be left out of the action,
you can watch for spot
fires behind the line.
- Well, part of this
end of the fire trail
so we can get around.
You never know.
- I know.
I know we are going to hold
this containment line.
Let's do it.
(Water pouring)
- Hey, lill.
You smell it coming?
We'll hear it soon, it's
a pretty wild sound.
Different from the hazard reduction
with the wind behind it.
- I heard a bushfire before.
- All right.
- Joey.
You haven't got many female
friends who are just mates?
- I guess not.
- Can we be mates?
- You serious?
- The real deal.
- Yeah.
I'd love that.
I mean it, I'd really love it.
- Put it away.
We aren't going to link
to the other appliances.
We have to be ready to fall
back, protect the houses
if the containment line
is jumped, all right?
- Is that likely?
- It'd have to be a bloody big blaze.
- Or a bloody strong wind.
(Siren blaring nearby)
(Wind rushing)
- You came!
- Ah, hey.
Something told me you
might need an ally.
Backa called?
- He's all right.
This wind!
Did you speak to lill?
- Oh, phone tag.
My machine talks to her machine.
- Backa says not to
call the fire ground.
- [Perry] Oh.
- Fires on the telly.
Must be Christmas.
- Cheers, mate.
- Where's lill?
- Fighting fires.
(Jeff laughing) - Uncle
Jeff, uncle Jeff!
What did you get?
- What did Santa bring you?
- Grandfather frost comes later,
when their father returns.
- [Carter] What'd you bring me?
- Backa built them a cubby house.
- Isn't he clever?
- It's a helmet!
- Why do you think you
got a motorbike helmet?
- Oh!
- [Jeff] Could it be to ride
that new minibike that you got?
- [Carter] Oh, yeah!
- [Candy] I'm getting a pony!
Aren't I, uncle Jeff?
- There's no fooling you, clever biddy.
He's out at the farm, along
with Carter's minibike.
- [Candy] Excellent!
- Maybe you can come
out and ride him soon.
- Say thank you to uncle
Jeff for such nice presents.
- [Candy] Thanks, uncle Jeff!
- [Carter] You're the best!
- And how thoughtful of you
to give them safety helmets.
- Well, they're old enough to ride.
- Yeah.
- Uncle Jeff!
- She chose it herself.
- Ah!
- Look!
(Toy playing music)
- Thank you. (Laughs)
(Candy laughs)
So, have you heard
anything more about those
milking machine parts?
- Oh, do you need parts?
I wish you'd told us before
we sold all that equipment.
- I was curious.
- Uh, if I hear anything,
I'll give you a hoy.
- [Svettie] Sit down, everybody!
(Laughs)
- [Carter] Can I sit
next to you, uncle Jeff?
(Flames crackling)
(Indistinct radio chattering)
- Say again!
Repeat!
- Hey, spot fire!
Spot fire!
(Tense music)
(Hose spraying)
- There's a lot of embers?
- Too many!
- Fall back to the houses?
- Yeah.
These sparks will reach through.
There's nothing more certain.
- Okay, get in the truck!
- [Hair] Righto.
- Hey, lill, Joey!
Make up the hose.
Kieran!
- [Kieran] Yep?
- Let's go!
- [Kieran] All right.
(Wind rushing)
- Joey, move!
I said make up the hose
and get in the truck!
Keep your bloody ears open!
(Tense music)
Come on!
(Sirens blaring)
(Wind rushing)
(Sirens blaring)
- Hey, over here.
(Flames crackling)
- That's it.
Yeah, down there.
Hold it.
(Tense music)
Okay, the kids are safe,
they're at the community hall,
but he wants to stay and help!
- Shit.
Mate!
Get inside, put on some proper clothes!
Long sleeves, jeans,
boots if you've got 'em!
Go!
Go!
All right, we're on the
hydrant, so don't hold back.
Water on!
- [Kieran] Okay!
- Now, I want you to
hit it straightaway,
soon as you see anything down there.
We want to put out any fires
as soon as we see 'em!
And keep your eyes all around!
These embers, they'll start
spotties behind us, anywhere!
Okay, pressure's up!
There's one there!
(Hose spraying)
That's it, go hard!
Water off!
That's good.
That's good.
- Backa!
- What?
- Are you okay here?
- I don't know.
- I need a hand, can you help me?
- All right!
Put your glasses on, will you, lill?
Okay!
You be all right?
(Hose spraying)
- Oh!
- [Backa] You all right?
- Yeah!
I'm all right, I'm all right!
I'm okay! - You all right?
- Yeah, I'm all right!
- Okay.
(Hose spraying)
(Flames crackling)
(Rattling door handle)
Joey, what's going on?
- Oh, the door's locked.
I don't know, I think there's
something wrong with him.
- Right, we'll leave him here.
He's safer inside the house.
- No, no, no, not this house!
Check out the gutters, the deck,
the bush coming up to the
house, it hasn't been prepared.
- Okay, uh...
We'll get him to jock's
place, two doors down.
See if you can find a way in.
- All right.
(Pounding at door)
- Hey!
The fire is still beyond
the containment lines,
but this house, it's dangerous!
We've got to get you over to a
neighbor's house down the...
- hey, mate!
Hey, mate!
Hey!
Whoa, jeez, sorry.
It's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
- Come on, mate!
- Backa, he's deaf.
He's deaf.
- Okay.
This house, it's not safe!
We've got enough time to get
you into a neighbor's place!
The fire, it's here, right?
Then there's a firebreak.
We can walk out of here.
- I want to stay here!
- No, no, no, it's not safe.
You see the smoke?
The danger is one of the embers
could land on the roof, yeah?
This house, this place
would burn in minutes!
- I don't want to drive!
- No, no, no, you won't!
We will keep you safe.
Come on!
Joey, that clothesline!
It'll spill all over the place!
Get onto it, will ya?
No, it's okay, it's okay.
It's okay.
Come with me.
Come with me.
Let's go!
It's all right, just don't look!
Hold on.
Just pull 'em off!
Hold on.
It's all right, it's all right.
Stay behind me, stay down.
Stay down!
- Okay, I think we're nearly there!
(Dramatic music)
- [Joey] Here, mate,
I'll do it, I'll do it!
Over there.
- Yeah, I'm on it.
(Dramatic music)
(Flames crackling)
(Hose spraying)
- Thanks for all your help.
- [Hair] It crossed
the containment line.
- Yeah, it does that.
- That place was a disaster
waiting to happen.
- Well, you can't do everything,
senior deputy captain.
- Laura.
- I'm sorry I panicked.
The smoke and the smell, I
didn't know what was happening.
- [Lill] Yeah, I know how it is.
You feel better now?
- Yeah.
You have a great face for that.
(Lill laughs)
- I'm sorry I had to
leave you back there.
- Oh, that's all right.
I think I did pretty well.
Trained a rural recruit,
put the clothesline out.
This is Tony, he's just
arrived from America.
- Ah!
Well, merry Christmas.
Aussie style.
(Cattle lowing in distance)
- This place used to be
a magnificent forest
of red cedar stretching
from near the coast
to the far eastern end of the ranges.
Some of the best timber in the country.
Middle of anywhere.
- Hmm.
Svettie, this is magnificent.
- Can I go to your
house this afternoon?
- No.
We're going to sharpie's.
- But I want to...
- don't argue.
- Does anyone have any batteries?
- No!
- No.
- I don't.
- [Newsreader] Say that our
resources are holding up
and we are getting crews
on those very quickly.
(Birds singing)
(Car rumbling)
- Come in with us.
You deserve some fun at Christmas.
- Oh, I don't think so.
- You should meet them
when Hank is not around.
You'll learn a lot.
- Mm-hmm.
- Go on. (Laughs)
(Children playing nearby)
Come on, it'll be fun.
- [Perry] Hmm.
(Children playing)
- Hey!
Merry Christmas, candy.
- Merry Christmas! (Laughing)
- Hey, svettie.
Merry Christmas!
Oh, I'm glad you came.
- happy Christmas.
- Ho, ho, ho!
(All laughing and cheering)
(Crabs skittering)
You got to catch 'em if
you want to eat 'em!
Come on!
- [Rebekah] Go, kids, go for it!
- [Sharpie] The kids are
going to get 'em all!
- [Rebekah] Before they get away!
- [Sharpie] Get amongst them, come on.
- [Child] I'm getting that one!
- [Sharpie] They're all getting away!
(Rebekah laughing)
- That's a beauty. (Laughs)
- [Sharpie] You like a muddy, Perry?
- (Laughs) Yeah, why not?
So many to choose from. (Laughs)
Hey, good one.
Happy Christmas, mate.
- Same to you, Perry.
- Take him down.
(Perry chuckles)
- [Rebekah] Watch those pincers.
- [Sharpie] Oh, that one's a beauty!
Look at the size of that one.
(Rebekah laughs)
Make your mouth water, don't they?
(Kicks bicycle)
- My dad made me this.
- Pretty impressive.
- Not really.
- It's hard on your mum, too, you know?
Dad being away.
- Hmm.
She doesn't care.
- She's got to pretend to be strong.
For you.
When you're a bit older, you'll
understand how she's feeling
and then you'll be the one
being strong for her.
- I'm 11.
- Oh, right.
Wow.
(Vehicle rumbling)
- [Backa] Okay, guys, first thing,
check your bags, make
sure they're all here.
- [Lill] What's the story?
- Going home.
- What about the fire?
- We haven't got time
to do another shift
and get home within 72 hours, so.
- Ah, I've been cheated!
- It's not our fire anymore.
- Oh, Joe. (Laughs)
(Both laughing)
- [Joey] How'd you get
that in Warren's truck?
- (Laughs) Inside job.
(All laughing)
Uh, merry Christmas,
group officer hair.
- The great eastern firebreak.
Oh, Joey?
Do you have any signal on your phone?
- Nah.
- No, me neither.
- Oh, yeah, I've got some.
Here, take it in turns.
(Joey laughs)
(Mobile dialing)
(Doggo panting)
(Sharpie laughing)
- Beautiful work, darling.
- There you go.
Bon appetit.
- Oh, thank god that wind's died down.
(Mobile ringing)
They'll be out of the
fire ground by now.
- Yeah, pretty much.
- Perry.
- [Lill] Hi, it's me.
I can't talk for long
'cause backa and Joey
are waiting to use the phone.
- Hey!
Perfect timing.
Yeah, svettie and Fifi are right here.
And Rebekah, too, if you
can hunt down Kieran.
- Svettie and Fifi are with him.
Where are you?
- [Perry] I'm at the sharps.
Too much Christmas is barely enough.
How about you?
You all right?
You in one piece?
- Yeah, we're all fine.
- We were worried about you.
Fifi thought you might get
beaten in the cricket.
(Fifi laughs)
What was the score?
- I don't know.
Did we win the cricket?
- Oh!
Hand it over here.
Hey, can I speak to Fifi?
- Yeah, sure.
For you.
- Joey?
Merry Christmas!
- Hey, are you telling tales again?
You know, what goes
down on a strike team
is supposed to stay on a strike team.
- [Fifi] Nah, I told the truth.
- (Laughs) Well, you know.
We saved a few houses,
rescued a couple of people.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
- Oh, yeah, right.
So you did fight a fire.
(Rebekah laughs)
Yeah, that's the reason
you went down there.
Okay, so I guess you're
much too important
to play cricket now?
(Joey laughs)
Hey, put backa on.
Svettie wants to speak with him.
- Oh.
- [Fifi] Okay, babe, bye.
Here she is.
- Hey.
- [Backa] Baby?
- Have you got another shift?
- [Backa] Uh, no, no.
We're on our way home now.
- That makes me happy.
- Can I talk to him?
- Yeah.
Hold on.
Carter wants to speak to you.
- Okay, yep.
- Hey, dad.
I love the bike.
Looks just like a bmx.
Just what I wanted.
- (Laughs) That's good, mate!
That's really good!
Hey, but you weren't supposed
to see it till I get back!
- Yeah, I know.
Wake me up when you get home.
- Yes, mate.
- Promise.
- [Backa] Yes, I will.
- Hey, dad, give the phone to lill.
Perry's looking a bit grumpy.
- Okay.
Thanks, mate.
See you soon.
(Gentle music)
Perry.
(Svettie laughs)
- I'm back.
- [Lill] Hey.
("I've been a fool" by Paul Kelly)
♪ So you want a second chance ♪
♪ you want to start again ♪
♪ and make everything all right ♪
♪ well I want to know ♪
♪ if you changed at all ♪
♪ baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
- We all right?
♪ What do you take me for ♪
("Beautiful promise" by Paul Kelly)
♪ We're chasing ♪
♪ a beautiful rainbow ♪
♪ our story ♪
♪ hasn't been told ♪
♪ it takes rain ♪
♪ to make a rainbow ♪
♪ takes a sun dying ♪
♪ to turn the world gold ♪
♪ the days run ♪
♪ outside my window ♪
♪ like wild horses ♪
♪ across the plains ♪
♪ fireflies ♪
♪ dance in the shadows ♪
♪ love don't shine steady ♪
♪ it waxes and wanes ♪
The rest we'll do further down.
Can't see it from any path.
Can't see it from the creek down there.
- Look, I heard what you said.
You didn't want to get
pregnant with me, okay?
Stop going on about it.
- I'm not the one that's going on.
- Perry, I won't be having children.
It's a shock.
Just give me a day or two
and stop being such
an insensitive prick.
- Okay, engage!
Push, lill!
(Lill straining)
Push, push, push!
Come on!
- [Lill] Woo!
- [Man] Oh, look out.
Invader on the field.
- Perry!
- Hi, guys.
I ought to join up. (Laughs)
- [Backo] Do you want a beer, Perry?
- No, no, no thanks.
I was just coming for lill.
- See ya.
- To pick her up.
Been chasing you everywhere.
- I haven't been running.
("Beautiful feeling" by Paul Kelly)
♪ I have to pinch myself to feel ♪
♪ if what is going on is real ♪
♪ from the gods themselves we steal ♪
♪ night and day ♪
♪ night and day ♪
♪ a jug of wine a loaf
of bread and thee ♪
♪ lying on a blanket underneath that ♪
♪ big old spreading tree ♪
♪ it's such a beautiful feeling ♪
♪ such beautiful feeling ♪
- You mention the world
child or pregnancy,
I swear I will throttle you.
(Ball thuds)
- [Perry] This is ridiculous behavior.
- You think you can
smooth talk your way
out of any situation with your
silver tongue and your good looks.
I think I'll walk to my car.
Thanks, Perry.
See you later.
(Car door bangs shut)
I have to come home eventually,
mate, I live there.
- Hey, come on, loosehead!
- Ah, I need a spell, man.
- Halftime!
(Gentle music)
Ah, she's a find, isn't she?
Another lostie.
Brigade's almost back to strength.
- Ah, you wouldn't credit her.
She comes in here,
stinking of chardonnay.
(Backa laughs)
Cappuccino froth in her boots
and you turn her into a bloody lostie.
- Yeah, I did, didn't I?
(Joey laughs)
- You did a good job, mate.
With all of us, eh.
- Thanks, mate.
(Gentle music)
♪ Choirs of angels sing in exultation ♪
♪ sing all ye citizens
of heaven above ♪
- Hey.
You in the dog house?
- Not enough room in there for two.
♪ Glory to god ♪
♪ in the highest ♪
- [Eris] Come on.
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
- Hey, lu.
Total fire ban!
- Oh.
Ow! (Laughs)
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
Singing his little heart out.
♪ O come let us adore him ♪
♪ Christ the lord ♪
- Yay! (Crowd cheering)
- Thank you!
Merry Christmas!
- Big round of applause
for eris tonsil Parsons!
Hey!
Okay, ho ho, ho ho.
- [Backa] Ain't nothing funny
about that fat suit, mate.
- Uh, backa, be a good boy or
you won't get any presents.
Okay, the next performer here at
lost river Carols by the shed...
- Hi.
- Is a new performer for us
all today, Perry luscombe!
- Ah! (Crowd cheering)
- Applause, give it up for Perry.
(Crowd cheering)
(Strumming guitar)
♪ Silent night holy night ♪
♪ all is calm all is bright ♪
- He is making an effort for you.
♪ Round yon virgin mother and child ♪
♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪
- You get a bunker?
- Oh, yeah.
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace
♪ (Mobile ringing)
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ - sorry.
- [Lill] Someone walk over your grave?
- How do you mean?
- It's just a saying.
♪ Holy night Shepherds
quake at the sight ♪
- Mm-hmm.
Yeah, strike team.
- Hey, ma!
Guess what?
- What?
- [Kieran] I won't be
home for Christmas.
We're going on a strike team!
- [Rebekah] Well, don't expect
me to save any mud crabs.
- Single man.
- Yeah.
But noodle's gonna realize
what she's missing anyway
when she's all alone at
Christmas with her olds.
- Won't you miss her?
(Kieran scoffs)
- On a strike team?
I'll be having the time of my life!
- That was fire comm.
They declared a section
44 on that big fire
down at shawhaven.
Bryce wants to know if
we can take the cat one
and a couple of crews.
- And you said yes.
- They need us.
We'll need them one day.
Baby...
- I'd love to go.
- Well, you can't.
You're not a full member.
Eris?
- Yeah, I'm not going without her.
Both of us are needed.
- Well, you're probably ready.
I'll sign you up. - Yes!
- Eris, can you find another driver?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
♪ So tender and mild ♪
- I don't know whether he
genuinely wants to be with me,
in which case I should kiss him,
or he's keeping me on a short leash,
in which case I should
bite his bloody hand.
- Ah!
(Crowd applauding)
- [Woman] There you go, Perry!
Well done!
Yes! (Crowd applauding)
- I want to go on the strike team.
- Uh, you and luisa?
No, that'd make two.
- Women?
- (Laughs) No, no, two new members.
Two inexperienced
firefighters on a small crew.
- Well, if you don't need me, um...
- well, no, okay, all right.
I mean, you're a volunteer.
If you're willing, you're needed.
Yes?
- Good.
- [Child] Dad?
Are you going?
Why?
- I'm the captain.
- But it's Christmas!
- I know, Carter, but I...
Candy.
Ah, sorry about the phone.
- Ah, you're my competition, are you?
- Yeah, sorry.
- We've been called on a strike team.
So I got to go home and pack.
(Dramatic music)
- Carter's in the cubby
house and won't come out.
- (Sighs) I've got to pack, svettie.
Joey's on his way over.
- I'll pack.
You go and talk to him.
Backa.
No heroics.
- Eh?
- It's okay.
Just feeling sentimental.
I'll put your present in the bag.
Don't open it until Christmas.
- When I was your age, son,
I was 11. (Chuckles)
Are you gonna come out or do
I have to tell you a story?
My dad went to broken
hill one December.
He locked all our
presents in the back shed
so we wouldn't look.
- Heard it.
- Floods came and he was
trapped for six weeks.
Not only missed Christmas,
but most of January.
You know what the worst bit was?
He'd bought me a bike.
My first racing bike.
I could see it through
a crack in the shed.
I'd stand on the seat
of my old dragster
and stare all day at the
bike I couldn't have.
And his beer was in there,
dozens of bottles of home brew.
And in the heat they
started to explode.
Bang, bang!
Like gunshots, day after day.
And when he got back,
he'd grown a beard.
(Laughs) Joey screamed when he saw him.
Are you listening?
Carter?
I'm sorry I'm going away, mate.
If it rains, I'll be back
for Christmas lunch.
(Car horn honking)
But I got to go.
Joey's here.
Bye, son.
(Gentle music)
(Paper crown rustling)
- Ta-da!
Hey, do you want to hear the joke?
(Lill scoffs)
"What did Santa claus name
his three daughters?"
- Noel, Carol...
Give up.
- Come-all.
O come-all ye faithful. (Laughs)
(Perry sighs)
Lill, my love.
Is this some sort of
an excuse to get away?
- I don't need an excuse to get away.
Right now if there
wasn't a strike team,
I'd go somewhere else.
I need a break.
- From me?
- From pretending
everything's all right.
Why don't you visit taz?
Spend Christmas with your daughter.
- Oh, yeah.
Deal with my fatherhood issues, hmm?
- Fine.
You're right.
This is my problem.
I should just deal with it.
- I love you.
(Gentle music)
Never doubt that.
(Gentle music)
Call me.
(Gentle music)
(Perry blows noisemaker)
(Gentle music)
- Okay, I want to thank
you all for turning up,
but I suppose I should be
thanking your families, really.
Now, the locals have
been fighting this fire
for six days straight,
so they will be glad to see you,
but it's their area.
Their homes and families, so
respect their local knowledge.
- [Man] Yeah no worries.
- Wish you were coming.
- I wish you were staying.
- Now, the day crew will be
starting as soon as we arrive.
So make sure you get some
sleep on the way down.
The fox cove strike team will meet us
at the Warren roadhouse,
so I'll give you
a more detailed briefing then.
But finally, I have a friendly reminder
from our favorite fco, Bryce Austin.
"There are certain traditions
associated with a strike team..."
- first timers!
- Yeah.
"I am aware that fires
have a nasty habit
"of loosening the bolts
at the back of road signs
"so they accidentally fall
into the back of trucks."
(Men laughing)
Now, I want to make
this absolutely clear,
and I don't think he's referring
to anyone in particular,
Kieran, don't steal signs.
What did he say?
- Don't steal signs.
- Yeah. (All laughing)
All right, let's get amongst it.
Thank you.
("Stories of me" by Paul
Kelly with uncle bill)
(Sirens blaring)
♪ They say a man is going round ♪
♪ he looks a lot like me ♪
♪ they say that man is going down ♪
♪ it's looking pretty likely ♪
♪ every morning he wakes up ♪
♪ fills his cup and
listens shamefully ♪
♪ to stories of me ♪
♪ everybody come on down ♪
♪ set 'em up and pass 'em round ♪
♪ we're all here for a drowning ♪
(Siren blaring)
(Helicopter chuffing)
♪ Woke up with a heavy
head on a hard bed ♪
- Hey, Kieran!
Just hold up, mate, I'll
see what's going on.
Look after Joey.
♪ Wondering about the
things she said to me ♪
♪ these stories of me ♪
♪ these stories of me ♪
- [Man] G'day, backa.
- [Man] G'day, backa.
- Hey, Dan, mate.
- How are ya?
- Good, mate.
- Group captain Warren here.
- Tim Burke, lost river.
- The road that runs through here
separates the fire from the
houses at the edge of town.
Now, this cleared area will be
our eastern containment line.
This is where we stop the fire.
- There's one or two trees
between here and town.
- We had a thorough reduction
burner only six months ago.
Swan bay senior deputy captain
and I supervised it ourselves.
Personally.
- Long containment line, though.
- The nor'easterly, which
is the prevailing wind
at this time of year, is driving
the fire south and west.
So the main fire front should be there.
And possibly there.
This eastern line contains
the edge of the fire.
Very little potency, should
arrive in a controllable manner.
Any questions?
- Yeah, uh, Warren, what
do you want us to do?
- Wait, lost river captain.
I want you to wait.
- You reckon he's called
Warren 'cause of the rabbits
stuffed up his ass?
- Actually, dad prefers
to be referred to
as group captain hair.
(Gentle music)
- Who's uh, who's the fair chick?
- Group captain's daughter.
Don't even think about it.
- [Eris] What's the plan?
- Same one as usual.
Hurry up and wait.
- Ah.
- Merry Christmas.
(Lill chuckles)
(Gentle music)
(Door creaks)
- Who are you shopping for?
- Ah, sort of depends on what I find.
(Toy playing music)
Must be tough.
Backa away for Christmas.
- Is joni coming here this year
or are you going to the city?
- She left me.
Or, I left her, it's...
Hard to tell when you
live in different places.
- Tea?
- Ta.
- [Svettie] Black?
- Yeah.
(Birds calling nearby)
Yeah, I don't blame joni.
It's hard being married to a cop.
You know, not knowing when
he's gonna be called out or
wondering if he's coming back.
- Women will forgive a lot for love.
- So they say.
(Chuckles) Meanwhile, I've
got a bottle of champagne
and two chilled glasses
waiting for me in the fridge.
Real champagne.
Nothing of that sparkling white wine.
(Laughs)
(Svettie laughs)
- That's very nice of you.
But I have so much to do.
It's crazy.
- I better be going, then.
Thanks for the tea.
(Gentle music)
- What did Mike want?
- Tea and sympathy.
Did you pull the water
tank at the plant?
- No, it didn't happen.
Some goat farmer was paying cash.
- Will the dry delay the harvest?
I need to make that
payment or my shop...
- I'll do a quick run out
there and check 'em.
If they can survive
another couple of days,
we'll wait for the tanker.
Otherwise...
- They keys are always
left in the cat-seven.
- Svetlana!
Nah.
- No?
- Nah.
(All exclaiming)
- [Man] All right, come on.
Another one, here we go!
Hey!
- Looking for water or the Warren?
- Ah, I was just thinking
I might take a look
at some of the houses through here.
Want to come?
- Mm.
- Come on.
- [Man] Come on!
(Mobile rings)
(Players exclaim)
- Hi, Perry.
No, now's not a good time.
Call you back, yeah?
Yeah, me too.
Bye.
(Helicopter chuffing nearby)
- G'day, mate.
Backa, lill.
- Jock marr.
- You look like you
guys are well prepared.
- Oh, the rural fire service,
they did a door knock yesterday.
Warren hair is in his element.
(Backa chuckles)
They seemed pretty
certain that we weren't
in any danger here.
- Right.
What about your neighbors?
- [Jock] Oh, they're holiday places.
They took off at the
first whiff of smoke.
- Weekenders?
- Well, this is our home here.
We'd like to stay if we can.
I just don't want the
kids to spend Christmas
in some community hall.
- Well, good on you, mate,
but don't stay any longer
than you have to, all right?
- [Jock] Oh, yeah.
- Jeez, I hope those kids
get their Christmas.
- Does candy still
believe in Santa claus?
- Well, svettie and I are still trying
to keep up the charade.
- Some kids believe in Santa claus
out of pure wishful thinking.
Embarrassing, I know.
(Backa laughs)
- Come on, let's check
these other houses.
(Gentle music)
- [Perry] Ah, svettie, hi.
- Hi.
- You heard anything from down south?
- [Svettie] Can't expect
a call during the shift.
They'll phone tonight.
- Oh.
- Perry, why don't you
come here tomorrow
for a family Christmas?
- Mm, uh.
Well, it's a lovely offer,
but I've got a lot of stuff
to do around home.
- We'll phone the fire ground.
Bugger the rules.
- [Perry] Sharpie.
- [Svettie] Perry.
12 o'clock.
- Bye, Perry.
They're dying, svettie.
We've got to get water on 'em today.
You duck by the cop shop
and see what Mike's up to.
I'll meet you at the rest
stop near the fire station.
Okay?
- Hey, eris!
- [Eris] Yeah?
- Swan bay is short a driver, mate.
Could you fill in for us?
- Oh, yeah.
If luisa comes, too.
We're sticking together.
- I'll fill in for her.
- No...
- be good to work with a new crew.
- Oh, great.
Settled.
- I know what you're doing.
- No, babe, it'll be great, we...
- don't!
- What's up with you?
(Helicopter chuffing)
Lu, what have I done?
- You know, you are deeply,
deeply inexplicable.
- Me?
- Women.
- Inexplicable!
That's a nice way to put it.
- Yeah, well, I'm a nice guy.
- With a broad and far-ranging
experience with women.
- One's enough.
Okay, well, maybe. (Chuckles)
Well, Fifi's the only
woman, I'm quite stupid.
If I had a sister or my
mum was still alive,
you know, maybe then I'd
know if it was women
or just Fifi being Fifi.
- Okay.
Ask me anything you want to.
(Joey scoffs)
I'm serious, come on.
- If you love someone and
you want to be with him,
why would you push him away?
(Rock music)
- You take this one and hook
it up to the pump at the back.
Get moving.
- "Connect suction hose to
suction inlet as required."
Sharpie, which one is
the suction inlet?
Sharpie?
Sharpie?
- What?
- Suction inlet.
I don't know.
- "Open necessary suction valve."
- How do you know which
one is necessary?
"Operate primer."
Which thingy do you
think is the primer...
- don't crowd me, woman!
(Rock music)
- "Suction valve..."
(Switch clicks)
(Machinery chugging)
(Machine beeping)
Now that the pump's not working,
this is what we're gonna do.
It's 1500 liters in this truck.
You start on the plot up here,
I'll get going on the plots
further down the hill.
- How many liters is in each knapsack?
- 20, I reckon.
30, 30 easily.
- That will take hours.
- It'll save your bloody bacon.
Val may have silver hair, but
she's not mother Christmas.
She will take your shop and
she will take your house
and she will not shed a tear.
So if you want to pay
back that 15 grand,
I'd get squirting.
(Rock music)
(Hose spritzing)
- We have to fill in the logbook.
- Sure.
You sign and print your name
and I'll write a little note underneath
saying I was here, too.
I don't know, spill some bloody
coffee on the page, woman.
(Vehicle rumbling)
- Sharpie!
(Tense music)
- (Quietly) Come on!
(Tense music)
(Gentle music)
- You change your mind
about the champagne?
You came by the station.
Were you looking for me?
- To invite you for
Christmas with the family.
- Thanks, svettie.
Yeah, that'd be great.
A lot better than the
bottle-eye special.
- Yeah.
- Right, I'll see you then.
(Gentle music)
- Gentlemen to the right,
ladies to the left.
- Uh, what about married couples?
- Oh, they're aren't minors here.
I'm in loco parentis.
Make life a lot easier if people slept
on their own side of the bunkhouse.
- Ugh.
- Oh, my god!
- Quick!
Hide these!
Mookie the hair bear is
checking for stolen signs.
Lock the door and tell
him you're naked!
(Luisa laughing)
(Knocking at door)
- (Gasps) You can't come in, I'm naked!
- Promises, promises.
- Oh, we thought it was
group captain hair.
- Oh, you wicked girls.
- [Luisa] Hey, you.
- Hey, babe.
- [Luisa] Piss off!
- What's wrong with you?
- You're keeping an eye on me.
It's not bloody fair.
You think the second your back's turned
I'm gonna have my skirt 'round my ears.
- Oh, no.
Hey, hey, sweetheart, I'm
not keeping my eye on you.
Just can't keep my eyes off you.
Deal!
Oh, babe.
(Both moaning)
- I'm just gonna go and um...
(Luisa giggles)
- Babe! (Exclaims)
(Luisa laughing)
Eris!
- That's cheating.
- Lill!
Hey, lill.
- Lill!
- Hey, lill!
- Lill!
- Lill! Lill!
(All shouting)
Stacks on!
(Lill laughing)
Welcome to the fire, lill!
(All laughing)
- 'Night, lil.
- 'Night.
(Knocking on door)
(Eris groans)
- Oh, sorry, lill.
- Why don't I go and sleep in your bed?
- Yeah, you're a mate.
Uh, it's Kieran's room.
It's just off the corridor. (Laughing)
- [Luisa] Bye! (Giggling)
- Woo! (Laughing)
Hey, lill!
- Give 'em back!
Kieran!
Give them back!
Give 'em back!
- Lost your bed?
- Midsummer festival
of lust and passion.
(Joey laughs)
- [Eris] Hey!
Go on, get out!
(Luisa laughing)
(Gentle music)
- No, no, that's all right.
No, if he doesn't want
to come to the phone,
don't make him, just...
Well, just give him my love.
Okay.
Yeah, I love you, too, babe.
Bye.
(Gentle music)
Snack pack?
- Didn't know how hungry I
was until you said that.
- Eris and luisa
rediscovering their passion?
- How did you guess?
(Both laughing)
- It's the strike team.
Away from the ordinary, everyday,
see one another in a different light.
- Like from the bottom of a stacks-on.
(Both laughing)
- That's bonding.
You'll be relying on
those people tomorrow,
trusting them to do
their job, back you up.
And all will get out safely.
- Nothing like a bit
of enforced intimacy.
(Backa laughs)
(Gentle music)
- Well, I've probably had enough, eh?
- Let your hair down.
(Both laughing)
- It's good to have you here.
- One of the boys.
(Gentle music)
- All right.
- Whoa!
- Oh!
- Oh! (Laughs)
I'm sorry.
It's your first strike team.
You should sleep in a real bed.
- No, I'm fine.
I don't mind sleeping on the couch.
- No, look, look, my bed's empty.
I'm more used to camping out, eh?
- Well, it's very gentlemanly of you,
but I want to sleep here.
- Oh, you wouldn't want
to do that if I were you.
- Well, I will if you don't
get off and let me sleep!
- Lill!
Lill!
- Just let me sleep!
- You two should get some sleep.
I just got a call from fire comm.
There's a wind shift expected tomorrow.
It's gonna be a bad day.
(Lill laughs)
- Can I have the couch, please?
(Laughs)
- Yeah.
(Gentle music)
(Pack crashes)
(Gentle music)
All right?
(Backa sighs)
- Go to bed.
(Melancholy music)
(Vehicle rumbling past)
- [Newsreader] Several
blazes have joined together,
four kilometers fire front
moving east and south.
Byways which would usually be
thick with Christmas traffic
are empty except for firetrucks
bringing emergency crews
from around the state.
Interstate crews have
offered assistance
if the fires continue to grow.
Police have no comment on
the causes of the blaze.
The commissioner of the
rural fire services agree
that these are the worst fires
to hit the shawhaven in a decade.
After five days of local firefighting,
a section 44 emergency
was declared yesterday.
- Go to sleep.
- [Newsreader] And crews
from around the state
have joined the effort to stop
the thousand hectare blaze
before it reaches the holiday
villages along the coast.
Thousands of disappointed holidaymakers
have been forced to put
their plans on hold
as the fires threaten to turn this
into a black Christmas
for the shawhaven area.
Police and the rural fire services
are advising tourists and holidaymakers
to avoid the shawhaven
and surrounding areas
as the threat from the fires
grows greater by the day.
Local rural fire service
volunteers are predicting...
- He's going to be all right.
("I've been a fool" by Paul Kelly)
♪ But I want to know ♪
♪ if you changed at all ♪
♪ baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
♪ what do you take me for ♪
♪ I've been a fool ♪
- And did you play in your cubby?
(Laughs) No.
Oh, was it fun?
Okay.
All right.
Okay, now put mummy on the uh,
yeah, put mummy on now.
I'm not going to be able to call you
from the fire ground, darling.
It's going to be a big one.
Yeah, I'll be careful.
Okay.
Svettie, merry Christmas.
♪ Have you changed this time ♪
Bye.
♪ Come on baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
♪ I've heard it all before ♪
♪ yeah I've been a fool ♪
♪ most definitely ♪
♪ but I'll be your fool no more ♪
(Telephone dialing)
(Line ringing)
- [Voicemail] The mobile
telephone you have called
is currently switched
off or out of range.
(Telephone beeps)
(Flames crackling)
(Helicopter chuffing)
- It's a long containment line.
West and south are expecting worse,
but they'll be back burning
themselves out of trouble
once the wind shifts
and it's gonna shift.
There'll be a roaring
westerly through there
in a couple of hours and
that 10 kilometer Ridge
is going to become a
fast-moving fire front.
So why don't your crews fill up,
go down to the containment line
and get your appliances into formation.
- Group captain?
- Lost river captain.
- Would you consider keeping
one appliance separate
so we can scoot around to these houses?
- If your crew is happy to
be left out of the action,
you can watch for spot
fires behind the line.
- Well, part of this
end of the fire trail
so we can get around.
You never know.
- I know.
I know we are going to hold
this containment line.
Let's do it.
(Water pouring)
- Hey, lill.
You smell it coming?
We'll hear it soon, it's
a pretty wild sound.
Different from the hazard reduction
with the wind behind it.
- I heard a bushfire before.
- All right.
- Joey.
You haven't got many female
friends who are just mates?
- I guess not.
- Can we be mates?
- You serious?
- The real deal.
- Yeah.
I'd love that.
I mean it, I'd really love it.
- Put it away.
We aren't going to link
to the other appliances.
We have to be ready to fall
back, protect the houses
if the containment line
is jumped, all right?
- Is that likely?
- It'd have to be a bloody big blaze.
- Or a bloody strong wind.
(Siren blaring nearby)
(Wind rushing)
- You came!
- Ah, hey.
Something told me you
might need an ally.
Backa called?
- He's all right.
This wind!
Did you speak to lill?
- Oh, phone tag.
My machine talks to her machine.
- Backa says not to
call the fire ground.
- [Perry] Oh.
- Fires on the telly.
Must be Christmas.
- Cheers, mate.
- Where's lill?
- Fighting fires.
(Jeff laughing) - Uncle
Jeff, uncle Jeff!
What did you get?
- What did Santa bring you?
- Grandfather frost comes later,
when their father returns.
- [Carter] What'd you bring me?
- Backa built them a cubby house.
- Isn't he clever?
- It's a helmet!
- Why do you think you
got a motorbike helmet?
- Oh!
- [Jeff] Could it be to ride
that new minibike that you got?
- [Carter] Oh, yeah!
- [Candy] I'm getting a pony!
Aren't I, uncle Jeff?
- There's no fooling you, clever biddy.
He's out at the farm, along
with Carter's minibike.
- [Candy] Excellent!
- Maybe you can come
out and ride him soon.
- Say thank you to uncle
Jeff for such nice presents.
- [Candy] Thanks, uncle Jeff!
- [Carter] You're the best!
- And how thoughtful of you
to give them safety helmets.
- Well, they're old enough to ride.
- Yeah.
- Uncle Jeff!
- She chose it herself.
- Ah!
- Look!
(Toy playing music)
- Thank you. (Laughs)
(Candy laughs)
So, have you heard
anything more about those
milking machine parts?
- Oh, do you need parts?
I wish you'd told us before
we sold all that equipment.
- I was curious.
- Uh, if I hear anything,
I'll give you a hoy.
- [Svettie] Sit down, everybody!
(Laughs)
- [Carter] Can I sit
next to you, uncle Jeff?
(Flames crackling)
(Indistinct radio chattering)
- Say again!
Repeat!
- Hey, spot fire!
Spot fire!
(Tense music)
(Hose spraying)
- There's a lot of embers?
- Too many!
- Fall back to the houses?
- Yeah.
These sparks will reach through.
There's nothing more certain.
- Okay, get in the truck!
- [Hair] Righto.
- Hey, lill, Joey!
Make up the hose.
Kieran!
- [Kieran] Yep?
- Let's go!
- [Kieran] All right.
(Wind rushing)
- Joey, move!
I said make up the hose
and get in the truck!
Keep your bloody ears open!
(Tense music)
Come on!
(Sirens blaring)
(Wind rushing)
(Sirens blaring)
- Hey, over here.
(Flames crackling)
- That's it.
Yeah, down there.
Hold it.
(Tense music)
Okay, the kids are safe,
they're at the community hall,
but he wants to stay and help!
- Shit.
Mate!
Get inside, put on some proper clothes!
Long sleeves, jeans,
boots if you've got 'em!
Go!
Go!
All right, we're on the
hydrant, so don't hold back.
Water on!
- [Kieran] Okay!
- Now, I want you to
hit it straightaway,
soon as you see anything down there.
We want to put out any fires
as soon as we see 'em!
And keep your eyes all around!
These embers, they'll start
spotties behind us, anywhere!
Okay, pressure's up!
There's one there!
(Hose spraying)
That's it, go hard!
Water off!
That's good.
That's good.
- Backa!
- What?
- Are you okay here?
- I don't know.
- I need a hand, can you help me?
- All right!
Put your glasses on, will you, lill?
Okay!
You be all right?
(Hose spraying)
- Oh!
- [Backa] You all right?
- Yeah!
I'm all right, I'm all right!
I'm okay! - You all right?
- Yeah, I'm all right!
- Okay.
(Hose spraying)
(Flames crackling)
(Rattling door handle)
Joey, what's going on?
- Oh, the door's locked.
I don't know, I think there's
something wrong with him.
- Right, we'll leave him here.
He's safer inside the house.
- No, no, no, not this house!
Check out the gutters, the deck,
the bush coming up to the
house, it hasn't been prepared.
- Okay, uh...
We'll get him to jock's
place, two doors down.
See if you can find a way in.
- All right.
(Pounding at door)
- Hey!
The fire is still beyond
the containment lines,
but this house, it's dangerous!
We've got to get you over to a
neighbor's house down the...
- hey, mate!
Hey, mate!
Hey!
Whoa, jeez, sorry.
It's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
- Come on, mate!
- Backa, he's deaf.
He's deaf.
- Okay.
This house, it's not safe!
We've got enough time to get
you into a neighbor's place!
The fire, it's here, right?
Then there's a firebreak.
We can walk out of here.
- I want to stay here!
- No, no, no, it's not safe.
You see the smoke?
The danger is one of the embers
could land on the roof, yeah?
This house, this place
would burn in minutes!
- I don't want to drive!
- No, no, no, you won't!
We will keep you safe.
Come on!
Joey, that clothesline!
It'll spill all over the place!
Get onto it, will ya?
No, it's okay, it's okay.
It's okay.
Come with me.
Come with me.
Let's go!
It's all right, just don't look!
Hold on.
Just pull 'em off!
Hold on.
It's all right, it's all right.
Stay behind me, stay down.
Stay down!
- Okay, I think we're nearly there!
(Dramatic music)
- [Joey] Here, mate,
I'll do it, I'll do it!
Over there.
- Yeah, I'm on it.
(Dramatic music)
(Flames crackling)
(Hose spraying)
- Thanks for all your help.
- [Hair] It crossed
the containment line.
- Yeah, it does that.
- That place was a disaster
waiting to happen.
- Well, you can't do everything,
senior deputy captain.
- Laura.
- I'm sorry I panicked.
The smoke and the smell, I
didn't know what was happening.
- [Lill] Yeah, I know how it is.
You feel better now?
- Yeah.
You have a great face for that.
(Lill laughs)
- I'm sorry I had to
leave you back there.
- Oh, that's all right.
I think I did pretty well.
Trained a rural recruit,
put the clothesline out.
This is Tony, he's just
arrived from America.
- Ah!
Well, merry Christmas.
Aussie style.
(Cattle lowing in distance)
- This place used to be
a magnificent forest
of red cedar stretching
from near the coast
to the far eastern end of the ranges.
Some of the best timber in the country.
Middle of anywhere.
- Hmm.
Svettie, this is magnificent.
- Can I go to your
house this afternoon?
- No.
We're going to sharpie's.
- But I want to...
- don't argue.
- Does anyone have any batteries?
- No!
- No.
- I don't.
- [Newsreader] Say that our
resources are holding up
and we are getting crews
on those very quickly.
(Birds singing)
(Car rumbling)
- Come in with us.
You deserve some fun at Christmas.
- Oh, I don't think so.
- You should meet them
when Hank is not around.
You'll learn a lot.
- Mm-hmm.
- Go on. (Laughs)
(Children playing nearby)
Come on, it'll be fun.
- [Perry] Hmm.
(Children playing)
- Hey!
Merry Christmas, candy.
- Merry Christmas! (Laughing)
- Hey, svettie.
Merry Christmas!
Oh, I'm glad you came.
- happy Christmas.
- Ho, ho, ho!
(All laughing and cheering)
(Crabs skittering)
You got to catch 'em if
you want to eat 'em!
Come on!
- [Rebekah] Go, kids, go for it!
- [Sharpie] The kids are
going to get 'em all!
- [Rebekah] Before they get away!
- [Sharpie] Get amongst them, come on.
- [Child] I'm getting that one!
- [Sharpie] They're all getting away!
(Rebekah laughing)
- That's a beauty. (Laughs)
- [Sharpie] You like a muddy, Perry?
- (Laughs) Yeah, why not?
So many to choose from. (Laughs)
Hey, good one.
Happy Christmas, mate.
- Same to you, Perry.
- Take him down.
(Perry chuckles)
- [Rebekah] Watch those pincers.
- [Sharpie] Oh, that one's a beauty!
Look at the size of that one.
(Rebekah laughs)
Make your mouth water, don't they?
(Kicks bicycle)
- My dad made me this.
- Pretty impressive.
- Not really.
- It's hard on your mum, too, you know?
Dad being away.
- Hmm.
She doesn't care.
- She's got to pretend to be strong.
For you.
When you're a bit older, you'll
understand how she's feeling
and then you'll be the one
being strong for her.
- I'm 11.
- Oh, right.
Wow.
(Vehicle rumbling)
- [Backa] Okay, guys, first thing,
check your bags, make
sure they're all here.
- [Lill] What's the story?
- Going home.
- What about the fire?
- We haven't got time
to do another shift
and get home within 72 hours, so.
- Ah, I've been cheated!
- It's not our fire anymore.
- Oh, Joe. (Laughs)
(Both laughing)
- [Joey] How'd you get
that in Warren's truck?
- (Laughs) Inside job.
(All laughing)
Uh, merry Christmas,
group officer hair.
- The great eastern firebreak.
Oh, Joey?
Do you have any signal on your phone?
- Nah.
- No, me neither.
- Oh, yeah, I've got some.
Here, take it in turns.
(Joey laughs)
(Mobile dialing)
(Doggo panting)
(Sharpie laughing)
- Beautiful work, darling.
- There you go.
Bon appetit.
- Oh, thank god that wind's died down.
(Mobile ringing)
They'll be out of the
fire ground by now.
- Yeah, pretty much.
- Perry.
- [Lill] Hi, it's me.
I can't talk for long
'cause backa and Joey
are waiting to use the phone.
- Hey!
Perfect timing.
Yeah, svettie and Fifi are right here.
And Rebekah, too, if you
can hunt down Kieran.
- Svettie and Fifi are with him.
Where are you?
- [Perry] I'm at the sharps.
Too much Christmas is barely enough.
How about you?
You all right?
You in one piece?
- Yeah, we're all fine.
- We were worried about you.
Fifi thought you might get
beaten in the cricket.
(Fifi laughs)
What was the score?
- I don't know.
Did we win the cricket?
- Oh!
Hand it over here.
Hey, can I speak to Fifi?
- Yeah, sure.
For you.
- Joey?
Merry Christmas!
- Hey, are you telling tales again?
You know, what goes
down on a strike team
is supposed to stay on a strike team.
- [Fifi] Nah, I told the truth.
- (Laughs) Well, you know.
We saved a few houses,
rescued a couple of people.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
- Oh, yeah, right.
So you did fight a fire.
(Rebekah laughs)
Yeah, that's the reason
you went down there.
Okay, so I guess you're
much too important
to play cricket now?
(Joey laughs)
Hey, put backa on.
Svettie wants to speak with him.
- Oh.
- [Fifi] Okay, babe, bye.
Here she is.
- Hey.
- [Backa] Baby?
- Have you got another shift?
- [Backa] Uh, no, no.
We're on our way home now.
- That makes me happy.
- Can I talk to him?
- Yeah.
Hold on.
Carter wants to speak to you.
- Okay, yep.
- Hey, dad.
I love the bike.
Looks just like a bmx.
Just what I wanted.
- (Laughs) That's good, mate!
That's really good!
Hey, but you weren't supposed
to see it till I get back!
- Yeah, I know.
Wake me up when you get home.
- Yes, mate.
- Promise.
- [Backa] Yes, I will.
- Hey, dad, give the phone to lill.
Perry's looking a bit grumpy.
- Okay.
Thanks, mate.
See you soon.
(Gentle music)
Perry.
(Svettie laughs)
- I'm back.
- [Lill] Hey.
("I've been a fool" by Paul Kelly)
♪ So you want a second chance ♪
♪ you want to start again ♪
♪ and make everything all right ♪
♪ well I want to know ♪
♪ if you changed at all ♪
♪ baby don't lie ♪
♪ don't you lie to me ♪
- We all right?
♪ What do you take me for ♪
("Beautiful promise" by Paul Kelly)
♪ We're chasing ♪
♪ a beautiful rainbow ♪
♪ our story ♪
♪ hasn't been told ♪
♪ it takes rain ♪
♪ to make a rainbow ♪
♪ takes a sun dying ♪
♪ to turn the world gold ♪
♪ the days run ♪
♪ outside my window ♪
♪ like wild horses ♪
♪ across the plains ♪
♪ fireflies ♪
♪ dance in the shadows ♪
♪ love don't shine steady ♪
♪ it waxes and wanes ♪