The Drover's Wife (Early Doors) 15

In 1893, heavily pregnant Molly Johnson (Leah Purcell) and her children struggle to survive the harsh Australian landscape after her husband leaves to drove sheep in the high country. Despite being heavily pregnant, Molly is a formidable frontierswoman and keeps most threats – whether from nature or other people – at bay. But when Yadaka (Rob Collins), an Aboriginal man on the run from colonial law enforcement, intrudes on the sanctuary she has carved out, she is forced to confront truths about her past that place them both in danger.

A thrilling tale that explores racism and misogyny under colonial rule, The Drover’s Wife is a labour of love for Purcell, who has also adapted, reclaimed, and reimagined Henry Lawson’s classic colonial short story into a play and a novel.