Inspired by Robert Donaldson and Michael Joseph's 1967 novel CANE!, Fields of Fire (series 1–3) is a miniseries saga set against the harsh tropical conditions of Australia’s north, from the award winning producers of The Leaving of Liverpool and Rabbit-Proof Fence. When Bluey (Todd Boyce, Great Expectations: The Untold Story) arrives in the north Queensland town of Silkwood in 1938, nothing prepares him for the challenging conditions of life on the land. Finding a job with a gang of cane cutters, Bluey soon catches the attention of two sisters, Kate (Anna Hruby, The Harp in the South) and Dusty (Melissa Docker) causing a considerable stir in the otherwise close-knit community. Series 2 picks up in 1947, a time of growth, prosperity and adjustment to post-war living. On-going friction between the increasing migrant population and their suspicious Australian counterparts leads to community unrest. When Kate (Anne Louise Lambert, Picnic At Hanging Rock) is set to marry her sweetheart Franco (Joseph Spano) it sparks a newfound intolerance to the idea of mixed race relationships. The final chapter takes the story into the 1950s, where Gina (Peta Toppano) and her brother Paolo (Bob Ruggiero) have established themselves as successful cane growers. But the future is not all roses for the people of Silkwood – as Prime Minister Menzies' 1951 Federal Referendum to outlaw communism causes all manner of instability within the small community, bringing back haunting memories of oppression to many of the migrants. Also featuring John Jarratt, Noni Hazlehurst, Martin Sacks, Philip Quast, Kris McQuade, Fields of Fire is a sweeping historical saga, exploring both the migrant experience and the ever tumultuous relationship between man and the environment, detailing the unpredictable nature of Australia's harsh and unforgiving climate.
