Blueback (2022) Movie Script
1
- Early start, Professor?
- Yeah.
I guess we're not following
dive protocols today.
- Thanks, Gitundu.
- Right? OK!
Sorry!
And good morning
to you too, Abby!
How you going, little fella?
You miss me?
It's not good news, I'm afraid.
Your home's dying
and I don't know how to help.
Abby?
Hey, you've got a call.
Oh, really? Thanks.
Hi. Is this Abby Jackson?
Yes.
This is Dr Levine from
the Longboat Bay Hospital
in Western Australia.
Apologies about
the different time zones,
but your mother's here with us.
She's suffered a stroke.
How severe was it?
Is she stable?
She's awake now and stable,
but she's unable
to speak at this stage.
We were hoping
you'd be able to get here.
Yes, of course.
I... I need to be there.
- Thanks for... for finding me.
- Yes, of course.
- And letting me know.
- Thanks, Abby.
Abby? Everything OK?
Something's come up.
My mum's had a stroke.
You need to go back home.
Abby?
Abby!
Come on, sleepy head.
Mum, I was dreaming.
Congratulations, Abby.
You're awake.
Come on.
- Today is the day.
- My birthday?
- You're eight years old.
- Yeah.
You know what that means?
Come on!
Maybe not this year.
Mum!
- Mum...
- Come on.
Whoo!
That's where you're going.
I can't, Mum. It's too far.
It's just a warm-up.
Abby, you're a big girl now
and you've been
swimming like a fish
since you were
18 months old, yeah?
No, Mum. Please don't.
No, Mum! No!
You're gonna have to try now.
Alright?
Straight down, follow the chain.
- Equalise.
- OK.
Just glide.
You got it?
I did it.
Come in.
Come here. Come up.
Oh, I'm so, so proud
of you, alright?
Now I know you can
swim that deep...
Yeah.
There's something
I want you to see, alright?
OK.
- Come here.
- I did it.
So this here is Robber's Head.
Now, the reef splits apart here
so there's caves
and crevices who knows where,
far too deep for you and me.
This is the deepest
part of the bay.
- You up for it?
- Yeah.
Right. OK.
Weight belts for this dive.
And, remember, we only take...
one abalone in three.
That way, they'll still be here
for your children's
children to fish.
Are you coming?
Ohh!
Mum, get in the boat.
There's something down there.
It's OK, love.
- It nearly got me.
- Come on, Abby.
- Abby, Abby, take a look.
- No, Mum.
- Just please get in the boat.
- Abby, Abby, Abby, quick.
- I thought it was a shark.
- No.
That's a groper.
Come on. Let's go say hello.
I really can't believe it.
He's big enough
to eat your arm off.
Must be old to grow that big.
Yep.
Gropers can live
until their 70s.
Old and wise.
You must have made him
feel safe, Abs.
He'll always be safe with me.
Well, the only way
to make sure he's safe...
is to keep him a secret.
You see, gropers,
they live in the same place
most of their life.
They don't tend to leave.
Blueback.
We'll call him Blueback
and keep him a secret forever.
Blueback?
I like that.
- Thanks.
- See ya.
What are you doing here?
Briggs, you lunatic.
Professor,
some of us still live here.
Don't 'professor' me.
- You alright?
- Yeah, thanks, Briggs.
Give me your bag.
The first stroke wasn't
so bad. You know Dora.
She said she felt
"a bit ordinary" after a swim.
Didn't even go to the doctor's
till the next day,
and that was in April.
Then...
she was out by Robber's Head.
What do you think
she was doing there?
I don't know.
Looking for whales again.
A bit secretive, your mum.
A bit sly, the Jacksons.
Anyway...
it doesn't look too good, Abby.
They said she might
not speak again.
We'll see about that.
So what do you reckon?
Check out the abalone guy?
The compressor's on.
He must be under the water.
Mum, you can't just get
in someone's boat uninvited.
He's taking too many.
That's like
breaking into someone's house.
Yeah, he's got a licence.
He knows the rules.
Macka!
Hey, Macka!
Come on, ya old dog!
Macka!
Dora, what in the living hell
are you doing?
You right there?
Give a man
a heart attack, you will.
Sorry to board
your vessel uninvited, Macka.
Oh, you don't look too sorry.
You're taking too many.
I mean, you know how long
they take to grow.
You're gonna strip this bay
in no time if you keep this up.
It's not as bad as it looks.
It's pretty simple, really.
Well, I'm a simple bloke
so that's the best news
I've heard all day.
Now, are you the sheriff
or the deputy today?
I think I'm the deputy.
Anyway, I know this
looks a bit crook,
but it's not as bad
as it seems, honestly.
Some of this
stuff's from Henry's.
- Mm-hm.
- Some of it is from the Bluffs.
It's a full day's work there.
Yeah, alright.
Shouldn't they be on ice, then?
Yeah, it should be on ice.
We should all be on ice.
I'm getting a bit sweaty
in my wetty.
- On a day like this?
- Yeah.
How is the water?
It's up about a degree,
a degree and a half, I reckon.
- Jeez.
- Sure is warm.
Righto, if you two
high-sea bandits are finished,
I've got some
gastropods to harvest,
in a sustainable manner,
of course,
in line with all the relevant
health and safety protocols.
- He can be a bit rough.
- I like him.
- He's not that scary.
- OK.
Mrs Jackson.
Ted Costello.
Wonderful view.
Well, Ted Costello,
I'm sure you'll enjoy it
just as much from the car
on your way home.
I'm just here
to drop off a proposal.
I left it on your kitchen table.
Door was open. I called out.
We don't normally need
to lock our doors around here.
Doesn't mean we expect people
to just walk in uninvited.
Worth taking a look.
No rush, though.
We're not going anywhere.
Your neighbours
all seem very interested.
We're here, Abby.
You want me to come in?
Thanks, Briggs.
I can take it from here.
What happens if they won't
let you take her home?
Well, I feel sorry for the fella
that says no to you.
Come on, sleepy head.
I'm gonna take you home.
Mum?
It's me.
Here.
Hey.
Come on.
I figured
you might need some supplies.
Thanks.
I... I guess I'll leave you two
villains up to your mischief.
OK.
Mum.
Do you remember the drawings?
This was my first.
Mum?
See ya.
And here she is.
Seven minutes late. New record.
Come on. Come on!
Time to make up.
Been getting many
fish out there?
Yeah, some here
and there. You know how it is.
Like where, for instance?
Fish are where
you find 'em, Merv.
Right!
You Jacksons, I tell ya,
the old apple don't fall
far from the tree.
You gotta give my love to Dora.
- G'day, Merv.
- Morning.
- Hi, Merv.
- Morning, Merv.
- G'day, Briggs.
- Hey.
- Morning, lads.
- Morning, Merv.
Come on, kids. Let's go!
Any ideas?
Yeah, it's a banksia.
I've seen this one
growing down Wilder's Road too.
There's heaps down my place.
Red. Blue. Yellow.
It's a Banksia attenuata,
or 'biara' as it's known in
the local Indigenous language.
Go on. Try and draw it.
Briggs! Abby!
Wait here.
What's going on?
The entry to the bay
is too shallow.
They need to dredge the reef,
create an entry point
for larger boats.
Mum said they need to pass
an environmental assessment.
The development
isn't even approved yet.
I don't think they're worried
about needing an approval.
Where are you going?
- Abby!
- See ya, Merv!
Oi! What am I
supposed to tell your mum?
Wait for me.
Hi, Mum!
Hey. Good day at school?
The salmon's in, at last.
Here you go.
Yeah, alright.
Thanks, love.
- Hey, Dad.
- G'day, mate.
- Abby.
- Hey.
Come on.
I'm gonna show you something.
Don't be late!
It's a blue whale.
The biggest animal
on the planet.
This was just a calf, I think.
They must get pretty big, hey?
Dad said
there were whalers here.
Like, way back.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
There used to be so many whales,
you could walk across them.
Blues, humpbacks, right whales.
Have you seen one?
Sort of. Not really.
Just like a white puff
in the distance.
Dad says we're killing
a big hole in the world,
all of us...
and we're all gonna
fall into it together.
You sure he hasn't
been talking to my mum?
I'd like to see that.
Yeah.
So we were just about
to send out a search party.
Sorry, Mrs Jackson. Hey, Dad.
Got the heads-up from Merv
you might be down here.
Sorry, OK?
Briggs just wanted to
show me something. That's all.
Well, the good news is...
we get a free feed.
- Yeah?
- We've been invited to dinner.
Huh!
Two steps
forward, one to the side
Don't turn your back,
don't lose in the middle
Keep your eyes peeled,
keep your eyes peeled
Look to the west,
see what's a-comin'...
Hey, Jimmy!
Oh, take me in your arms
Look into my heart...
Abby!
Hey, I saw you today
from my boat.
You were down by the blue whale.
You were with a fella.
- Hey, Macka?
- Yeah?
I assume you've
been invited, yeah?
Well, I can see the flame
from a mile away.
That's an official invitation,
isn't it, hey?
Besides, they'll be glad I came.
The fun's getting started now.
Good one, Merv!
- Whoa! Hey!
- Oh, Macka!
What's going on?
What's going on, kids?
What have we got here?
What have we got here?
Ten-ball shooter!
Thanks, Macka!
Ooh!
There we go.
Point it upwards, OK?
Nah, next year.
Aww!
- Macka.
- Oh!
Hey, hey, hey! Here we go!
I wish I was a fisherman
Tumblin' on the seas...
Far away from dry land
And its bitter memories...
- That's so cool!
- Another one!
Casting out my sweet line
With abandonment and love...
Briggs, hey!
No ceiling
bearin' down on me
Save the starry sky above
With light in my head...
Yeah, baby!
- And you in my arms...
- Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Here we go, everyone!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Counting the towns
flashing by
On a night
that's full of soul
- With light in my head...
- Whoo!
And you in my arms...
Here we go!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Your mum's a good dancer.
Yeah, Merv too, hey?
There is
freedom within...
You think he likes her?
Sorry.
That was a bit
thoughtless of me.
No, no problem with me,
Briggs. It's fine.
There's a battle ahead...
Everyone loved your dad.
That's what my old man says.
He was a pearl diver, right?
Hey, now, hey, now...
Yeah. Yeah, he was.
He headed north for
the pearl season every year.
Mum said he could
come back with, like,
a year's money
in just a few months.
But, I mean, he hated it.
He worked so hard
just to make a life for us.
And then one year...
one year came around
when he just didn't
come home after the season.
They found his mask
at the bottom of Roebuck Bay.
They just never found his body.
So the sea took him?
A tiger shark most likely.
I mean, that's what they said.
Really? Not a word?
You are so damn stubborn.
OK.
What have we here?
A letter from the prime minister
and a copy
of your letter to him.
You're being way too polite.
My personal favourite.
Did you get any takers?
OK. One last thing.
The dolphin,
from the protest.
Remember this?
Mum! Seriously!
I was a coward.
It killed me.
Save our bay!
- You can breathe?
- Yeah.
It's not too tight?
Yeah, that's it, Merv.
- You can't get free?
- No, it's good, mate.
Save our homes!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
OK, we're in. It's done.
What do you want me
to do with this?
- Eat it, Merv.
- I'm not eating it. I'm not.
Take it to the ocean,
chuck it in.
OK.
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Run, Merv! Run!
Come on, Dora.
You've had your fun.
This is pointless.
You know what's in this truck?
- What?
- Ammonium nitrate.
That's what's in it.
It's your bay too, mate!
- Settle down!
- Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay! Save our bay!
Save our bay! Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
- Thanks, Ray.
- See you.
Say hi to the missus
for me, will you?
Will do.
Hey.
You were there today?
At the protest?
You know I was there.
No, I didn't.
- Must have been hiding, yeah?
- No, I was there.
When it comes to standing up
for what you believe,
there is no place
for cowards, Abby.
I'm not a coward, Mum!
Yeah? It didn't seem
that way to me.
I'm not a coward!
And your dad
would've agreed with me!
Well, that's real mature,
bringing Dad into this!
Hey, Mum.
I just came to say
that I'm sorry.
Day's not over yet.
Should we go find
the old blue bandit?
- Yeah.
- Come on, bub. Come on.
- I'm sorry too.
- It's all good.
- You alright?
- Don't worry about it.
Do you reckon we can get her
out on the open water again?
I'm not so sure.
Come on. You used to be
able to fix anything.
I can give it a try.
Do you think you might
go to Robber's Head?
I'm not sure if I'm up for that.
Hey, you reckon we should
do a quick check-up on Macka?
Yeah.
Hey, Macka!
Hooroo!
- Look out!
- Hello.
Ducks on the pond.
Oh, pirate ducks at that.
Hey, you know those fireworks
you had the other night, yeah?
I think they're
actually illegal.
Oh, no! You gonna
call the authorities?
I was thinking about it.
How you doing down there, Macka?
I was going OK
till I had a visitor.
Oh, well, if that's how
you feel, we can just leave.
Nah, I'm not talking about you.
I'm talking about a man
in a sharp grey suit.
A shark?
What kind of shark?
Well, the kind you
step out of the dance for,
if you know what I mean,
discretion being
the better part of valour.
A great white.
Pretty great,
pretty white, pretty big.
With all this fresh meat
lying around,
I didn't want to tempt him.
Didn't want to, uh, put his
good manners to the test.
They say I'm a bit tapped,
ladies, but I'm not that mad.
Seems pretty sensible, Macka.
Oh, look out.
Mum's agreeing with me.
"Dear diary," hey?
Before you go...
they tell me
that this is the favourite
of the old Achoerodus gouldii.
I beg your pardon, the what?
Groper, western blue.
Scoffs my popcorn apparently.
We don't catch groper.
Well, most people don't.
Can't say I do myself.
Well, then,
what are the crabs for?
Well, because every old man
likes a snack
every now and then, Dora.
You know about Blueback,
don't ya?
Blueback?
That's a nice name.
Righto, if you
reprobates are finished,
I'm gonna go finish off
this beautiful little snack
I prepared for myself,
and then I'm gonna go...
back in and check
if old mate's still around.
Come on, mate. Why don't you
just get your boat out of here?
Take it out west somewhere.
I'm big enough and old enough
to look after myself.
Besides, I've always thought
when the time's right
for that sort of thing,
the time's right.
Know what I mean?
No point worrying about
things you can't control.
Isn't that right, Abby?
Yeah.
Righto, back to work.
Take care, Macka.
- Hooroo.
- Hooroo!
Looks like
we've had visitors again...
laying out their
surveyor's posts.
Planning out where
they're gonna build
when we finally give in.
Well... not today.
Bye-bye!
Yeah. That's the end
of that, then.
What are you reading?
Um, it's a marine encyclopedia.
Mr Carlisle lent it to me.
To prepare for the new school.
Western blue groper.
Achoerodus gouldii?
Yeah.
A leafy seadragon.
A Phycodurus...
a Phycodurus eques.
What kind of a name is it
if you can't even say it?
And the southern rock lobster,
Jasus ed... edwardsii.
So Briggs said the salmon
didn't come in on time?
Yeah, I spoke to Merv
the other day.
Yeah?
He said that
the sardines are dead
all the way down the coast.
And a dead leopard seal
came in from Antarctica.
So there's something going on.
You'd think
there'd be some way to,
you know, read all these signs.
It's a puzzle.
With an answer?
Yeah, there's always an answer.
Storm's coming.
Hey, Mum!
Macka's still out diving.
He should come in.
Let me see.
I think
the compressor's stopped.
Abby, come on.
Macka! Macka!
Macka?
The compressor's low on fuel.
- Reckon you can get it going?
- Yeah, I think so.
Macka? Macka?
Do not get in the water, Abby.
Stay on the boat.
- You understand?
- Do you think it's a shark?
Stay on the boat.
Come on!
Come on, please!
Come on!
Won't be needing that.
Was it that shark?
No, he's just floating
along the bottom.
I reckon he's had
a heart attack.
So he's dead?
Yeah, love.
He's drowned.
I'm sorry.
This isn't gonna
be nice, but, um...
I want you to tie off that rope.
I'll go down and secure him
and when I come back up,
we're both gonna have to pull.
OK, alright.
Thanks for checking. OK. Bye.
Oh, Mum...
Gitundu.
Hi, Abby.
How's your mum?
OK.
Not great, but it's good
to be here with her.
And the reef?
Any news from the survey?
That's why I'm calling.
The drones came in
this afternoon.
The bleaching...
Miles of it.
More than we ever predicted.
It's dying.
The whole reef will be gone.
We really need you here.
When are you coming back?
I'm not sure.
About anything.
Abby?
Sorry, Gitundu.
So I saw these amazing
leafy seadragons
down at the point yesterday.
Mm?
Never seen them before.
Oh, come on, Jackson!
Let's get wet. Come on.
Come on! Your new school
can wait.
That's a reef stripper
if ever I've seen one.
They have the abalone licence.
Poor old Macka's
only just left us.
We need to keep
an eye on Robber's Head.
Blueback, he...
he's a big target.
Yeah, I'm gonna
have a word with them.
With a boat that size,
they should be fishing
in open water.
This is the most stupid and
dangerous thing we could do.
You told me, Mum, "To do nothing
would be twice as stupid
"and twice as dangerous."
True.
Abby!
Hey, Mum, come up here.
It's not just abalone.
And so many undersized ones.
It's hard to be discerning
when you're stripping a reef.
And these fish...
Some of them are
meant to be protected.
How can they do this, Mum?
I'm gonna go down and see
what they're doing down there.
I want you to stay on our boat.
You understand, Abby?
'Cause some of these fish
have been speared.
Bring it up.
Bring it on.
- Mrs Jackson.
- Costello!
I thought you'd have
something to do with this.
You're drag-netting
open-water style.
You're gonna fish
the reef out completely!
You don't want to talk about
it? No, didn't think you would.
- Don't worry about her.
- Maybe your guys do. Guys?
Do you realise exactly
what you're doing here?
Just ignore her.
You're gonna strip this
entire ecosystem...
of marine life, so your boss
can push his agenda
through council.
So why don't we talk
about spear guns?
There's a whole range
of protected species here.
Any of you blockheads
know which ones they are?
No? Didn't think so.
Well, I'd be asking
my boss if I were you.
Hey, Mum, there's someone
on Macka's boat.
Alright. Let's get out
of here. Come on.
Sleazebag.
Hey.
What were you doing
on Macka's boat?
That boat's still good
in open water?
Yeah, sure is.
Smooth as, even in a storm.
Even in a storm.
- You feel safe on it?
- Yeah.
The man who owned it
took it out every day.
What was he like?
The man that
took it out every day?
Well, his name was Macka.
And people called him Mad Macka.
Maybe I did too.
But I liked him.
Abby?
Why don't you head back up
and get the meal going?
I'll... I'll deal with this.
She helped me pull him up.
Big thing for anyone,
seeing death for the first time.
Well, I'm grateful
for what you both did.
Did you know Macka?
He was my dad.
Abby!
It's yours.
He would've loved
you to have it.
Are you really sure
that I can have it?
Macka's son. He said you could.
Oh, wow!
What do you reckon?
That's an engine, alright.
Alright? A bit rusty, but we
could work on it together.
Make it feel like yours, then.
Oh, yeah.
I can't wait.
OK, where are the tools?
Abby?
Hey?
Here. Look.
- Is that his son?
- Yeah.
Looks just like him.
Do you know that the sea holds
more artefacts and remnants
of our history then all
the museums in the world?
And Mad Macka
has most of them in here.
What's this?
Careful.
Oh! It's an otolith.
I've only seen a picture of one.
What is it?
It's a skeleton of an ear.
The ear of a blue groper.
See? Here are the lines
along it, yeah?
- There?
- Yeah.
Well, it grows
a layer each year.
You can tell how old it is.
He was really old.
Like, really old.
How do you know
that he was a he?
Well, you see, all blue gropers
are born as girls...
and they start off green.
And it's only when puberty hits
that they change colour
and some of them become boys.
I want to show you something.
Someone, actually.
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
Alright. Come on.
Now, the throttle
will flood the engine
if you're too hard
on the old girl.
- You feel that?
- Like this?
That's it. You got it.
Yeah.
Come on.
What'd you think?
Oh, that was amazing.
So cool!
Hey, Mum, you alright?
Yeah.
I'm gonna head home.
I gotta figure out
what Costello's next move is.
I'm gonna
see you back at the house.
- Before sunset this time, yeah?
- OK, yeah.
Doesn't look like
they've started dredging yet.
Maybe the protests
slowed them down.
Just make sure
everyone's there in the morning,
all the machinery's ready to go,
and I'll see you after the
council meeting, if not before.
Yeah, no worries.
See you in the morning.
I think she looks better.
Yeah, well, happier.
She still hasn't
said a word, though.
The doctor said the chance of
another stroke is so high now.
Yeah, I know.
That's it's just
a matter of time.
Time is all we have, Abby.
I'm sorry it's been so long.
There were my studies and all
the opportunities overseas...
It's fine, Abby. We were fine.
You know Dora.
She kept us up to date
with everything you were doing,
you know,
read each letter out aloud.
You know, she's very
proud of you. Very proud.
We are very proud of you.
Hey, Dad.
How you been?
I'm worried.
I don't know if Mum
can stop them this time.
And I wish I knew how to help.
I really miss you.
Mum.
Well?
Well...
I just need
to finish this proposal
for the council tomorrow.
Come on. What do you think?
I think there's as good
a school as any right here.
Well, yeah, but two years there
and I can head to university.
It just...
It feels like
you're trying to get
as far away from me as you can.
Come on.
You know you can visit.
Maybe live with me over there.
If I leave here,
this house of ours
will be bought by developers
and Costello will win.
Look, I want to save
the world's oceans, Mum,
and I can't learn everything
I need to at the school here.
Abby, this is your home,
alright? You were born here.
Your father was born here.
Your grandparents. I just...
I don't understand what
you think you're gonna do
on the other side
of the world by yourself.
Just come with me.
You and me, we can make
a difference together.
Sweetheart, what do you think
I have been doing here
my whole life?
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
You look good.
The uniform, all of it.
It's just...
It's really hard letting go.
So I'm here to propose
a marine reserve
to protect
the diversity of species
that we have right here
in this bay.
This diversity,
tell us about it.
What threatens it?
Well, I'm not... that good
at all this kind of talk.
I live on the bay
so I've seen what's going on
and right now,
there are men overfishing...
Your mum still
banging on in there?
I'm up next.
That's how it works.
She speaks and then I get
an equal chance
to argue my case.
Fair enough, don't you think?
You and your mum really think
you can stop this.
- Don't you?
- Yeah.
That's not how it works.
You see, governments, they pay
attention to short-term gains.
Jobs. Economic activity.
They need to get re-elected.
I'll vote.
To stop them.
To stop you.
Not until you're 18.
I mean, as far as I'm concerned,
that's just stealing from...
stealing from our future.
My name is Abby Jackson.
Hello, Abby.
And I'm 15 years old.
I've been studying
this bay since I was 8.
Since then,
I've been documenting
the unique marine life
in the bay.
This here is a redlip morwong.
And there are three different
types of these seadragons,
three,
one of which is only found here,
this incredibly rare
leafy seadragon.
And each and every one of them
is threatened by Costello's
planned development.
And we have larger fish,
like the western blue groper,
or Achoerodus gouldii.
They just love
the moderate temperatures.
They nestle here in... in reefs
as havens from the weather
along the coastline.
These pictures show us the many
species unique to this bay,
documented for the first time,
the diversity of this
marine life, that it's a...
I mean, it's a gift to us all.
Well, we all welcome
your work, Abby,
but do you believe that
we should make a decision today
based on the, uh...
the drawings of a child?
Hang on a minute, Abby.
Down at Robber's Head!
Abby?
Abby?
Abby!
Abby!
You stupid girl!
I told you to stay
out of the water!
- They've got spear guns, Abby!
- I had to save him, Mum!
- They could've killed ya!
- I had to save Blueback.
- There was no other choice.
- Oh, Abby!
He just wanted to play, Mum.
I was running out of air.
Those men,
they wanted to kill him.
So what happened?
Did he get away?
Well...
- Well?
- Well, I hit him one.
I... I punched him, OK?
Just to scare him off.
Don't laugh, OK?
- It's not funny.
- Oh, God.
You know, he's probably got
some big black eye or something.
Oh, get on the boat. Come on.
He's gonna hate me now.
That's for sure.
OK, so let's
start with the, uh...
with the spear guns
and the fact that that kid
was nearly killed
by one of your blokes.
Yeah, look,
I'm very disappointed
about the spear guns.
I didn't know these guys
were doing this.
So what's gonna happen now?
Well, they breached
the fishing limits
set by their licence.
Turns out that spear guns
aren't typically used
for fishing abalone
and almost spearing
a teenage girl
is... is reckless endangerment.
And today?
- How'd it go after I left?
- Well...
There was six of them
that had to vote.
Five of them
had hearts of stone.
There was one, though.
That woman from the
other side of Cockatoo Bay.
Yeah?
She saw the sense in it.
It was you that did it, Abby.
Not me.
It was your pictures.
Your research.
Just one vote?
Oh...
Just one for now.
Next time two, then another,
then another,
then another...
They're here.
Where's Dora?
Dora! Dora, come on,
come on. Dora!
- See 'em?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
Ahh, yeah, yeah,
there's about eight of them.
Humpbacks!
New babies too.
Mrs J, is that why you were
down at Robber's Head?
'Cause you were waiting
for this mob to come through?
Patient as ever.
And you know
the best place to view 'em?
Right here.
Alright, Mrs J, let's have
a look for some more.
I reckon there's a few
out there lingering.
Whoa! Oh, look at that!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
You kept them, Mum.
Where were they?
He never came back, did he, Mum?
I saved him sure enough.
But I never saw him again.
I truly believed
he would have shared
the secrets
of the sea with me...
if only he'd come back.
Come on.
When you were born...
we took you down
while the water was warm...
and lowered you gently
into the waves.
Jack and me.
We couldn't keep
you out of the water.
We come from water.
We belong to it, Abby.
What if he doesn't come back?
If I never see him again, hey?
Well, you saved him, Abby.
That's the main thing.
If that's the cost,
then it was worth it.
You ever notice that
just before the sun sets,
beyond the horizon...
the sun burns even brighter
just for an instant,
lights up the whole sky?
Yeah, it does.
One last beautiful hurrah.
Then it's gone.
We are gathered here today,
looking out across
her beloved bay,
to celebrate the life
of Dora Jackson.
Dora devoted her life
to establishing a marine reserve
for future generations
that stretches from here
all the way out
to Robber's Head.
A safe place at last.
She wanted more of them,
other havens along the coast,
but for now, as she came
to the end of her life,
she was content with
everything she had achieved.
And as we say farewell
to our dear friend,
I thought I'd play
a very special song
for fearless Dora.
Come sail
your ships around me
And burn
your bridges down...
Thanks, Briggs.
No worries.
We make
a little history, baby
Every time you come around
But when I crawl
into your arms
Everything comes
tumbling down
Come sail your ships
around me...
I love you.
And burn your bridges down
We make
a little history, baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know
the time is nigh
Come sail your ships
Around me
And burn your bridges down.
Abby!
Gitundu, you would
not believe it here.
My mum's marine reserve
is thriving.
I saw a huge pod
of humpback whales.
Every day, there are
whales off the shore.
Amazing.
A marine reserve?
That's incredible, Abby.
And it's beautiful.
If you can gather
my research material
and the latest footage
of the reef,
we've got some work to do.
Great.
Where do you want to begin?
- Let's start right here.
- Yep.
Take a good close look
at what we're fighting for.
Amazing. We'll be there.
Thanks, Gitundu.
There is freedom within
There is freedom without
Try to catch the deluge
in a paper cup
There's a battle ahead
Many battles are lost
But you'll never see
the end of the road
While you're
travelling with me
Hey, now, hey, now
Don't dream it's over
Hey, now, hey, now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
You know they won't win.
- Early start, Professor?
- Yeah.
I guess we're not following
dive protocols today.
- Thanks, Gitundu.
- Right? OK!
Sorry!
And good morning
to you too, Abby!
How you going, little fella?
You miss me?
It's not good news, I'm afraid.
Your home's dying
and I don't know how to help.
Abby?
Hey, you've got a call.
Oh, really? Thanks.
Hi. Is this Abby Jackson?
Yes.
This is Dr Levine from
the Longboat Bay Hospital
in Western Australia.
Apologies about
the different time zones,
but your mother's here with us.
She's suffered a stroke.
How severe was it?
Is she stable?
She's awake now and stable,
but she's unable
to speak at this stage.
We were hoping
you'd be able to get here.
Yes, of course.
I... I need to be there.
- Thanks for... for finding me.
- Yes, of course.
- And letting me know.
- Thanks, Abby.
Abby? Everything OK?
Something's come up.
My mum's had a stroke.
You need to go back home.
Abby?
Abby!
Come on, sleepy head.
Mum, I was dreaming.
Congratulations, Abby.
You're awake.
Come on.
- Today is the day.
- My birthday?
- You're eight years old.
- Yeah.
You know what that means?
Come on!
Maybe not this year.
Mum!
- Mum...
- Come on.
Whoo!
That's where you're going.
I can't, Mum. It's too far.
It's just a warm-up.
Abby, you're a big girl now
and you've been
swimming like a fish
since you were
18 months old, yeah?
No, Mum. Please don't.
No, Mum! No!
You're gonna have to try now.
Alright?
Straight down, follow the chain.
- Equalise.
- OK.
Just glide.
You got it?
I did it.
Come in.
Come here. Come up.
Oh, I'm so, so proud
of you, alright?
Now I know you can
swim that deep...
Yeah.
There's something
I want you to see, alright?
OK.
- Come here.
- I did it.
So this here is Robber's Head.
Now, the reef splits apart here
so there's caves
and crevices who knows where,
far too deep for you and me.
This is the deepest
part of the bay.
- You up for it?
- Yeah.
Right. OK.
Weight belts for this dive.
And, remember, we only take...
one abalone in three.
That way, they'll still be here
for your children's
children to fish.
Are you coming?
Ohh!
Mum, get in the boat.
There's something down there.
It's OK, love.
- It nearly got me.
- Come on, Abby.
- Abby, Abby, take a look.
- No, Mum.
- Just please get in the boat.
- Abby, Abby, Abby, quick.
- I thought it was a shark.
- No.
That's a groper.
Come on. Let's go say hello.
I really can't believe it.
He's big enough
to eat your arm off.
Must be old to grow that big.
Yep.
Gropers can live
until their 70s.
Old and wise.
You must have made him
feel safe, Abs.
He'll always be safe with me.
Well, the only way
to make sure he's safe...
is to keep him a secret.
You see, gropers,
they live in the same place
most of their life.
They don't tend to leave.
Blueback.
We'll call him Blueback
and keep him a secret forever.
Blueback?
I like that.
- Thanks.
- See ya.
What are you doing here?
Briggs, you lunatic.
Professor,
some of us still live here.
Don't 'professor' me.
- You alright?
- Yeah, thanks, Briggs.
Give me your bag.
The first stroke wasn't
so bad. You know Dora.
She said she felt
"a bit ordinary" after a swim.
Didn't even go to the doctor's
till the next day,
and that was in April.
Then...
she was out by Robber's Head.
What do you think
she was doing there?
I don't know.
Looking for whales again.
A bit secretive, your mum.
A bit sly, the Jacksons.
Anyway...
it doesn't look too good, Abby.
They said she might
not speak again.
We'll see about that.
So what do you reckon?
Check out the abalone guy?
The compressor's on.
He must be under the water.
Mum, you can't just get
in someone's boat uninvited.
He's taking too many.
That's like
breaking into someone's house.
Yeah, he's got a licence.
He knows the rules.
Macka!
Hey, Macka!
Come on, ya old dog!
Macka!
Dora, what in the living hell
are you doing?
You right there?
Give a man
a heart attack, you will.
Sorry to board
your vessel uninvited, Macka.
Oh, you don't look too sorry.
You're taking too many.
I mean, you know how long
they take to grow.
You're gonna strip this bay
in no time if you keep this up.
It's not as bad as it looks.
It's pretty simple, really.
Well, I'm a simple bloke
so that's the best news
I've heard all day.
Now, are you the sheriff
or the deputy today?
I think I'm the deputy.
Anyway, I know this
looks a bit crook,
but it's not as bad
as it seems, honestly.
Some of this
stuff's from Henry's.
- Mm-hm.
- Some of it is from the Bluffs.
It's a full day's work there.
Yeah, alright.
Shouldn't they be on ice, then?
Yeah, it should be on ice.
We should all be on ice.
I'm getting a bit sweaty
in my wetty.
- On a day like this?
- Yeah.
How is the water?
It's up about a degree,
a degree and a half, I reckon.
- Jeez.
- Sure is warm.
Righto, if you two
high-sea bandits are finished,
I've got some
gastropods to harvest,
in a sustainable manner,
of course,
in line with all the relevant
health and safety protocols.
- He can be a bit rough.
- I like him.
- He's not that scary.
- OK.
Mrs Jackson.
Ted Costello.
Wonderful view.
Well, Ted Costello,
I'm sure you'll enjoy it
just as much from the car
on your way home.
I'm just here
to drop off a proposal.
I left it on your kitchen table.
Door was open. I called out.
We don't normally need
to lock our doors around here.
Doesn't mean we expect people
to just walk in uninvited.
Worth taking a look.
No rush, though.
We're not going anywhere.
Your neighbours
all seem very interested.
We're here, Abby.
You want me to come in?
Thanks, Briggs.
I can take it from here.
What happens if they won't
let you take her home?
Well, I feel sorry for the fella
that says no to you.
Come on, sleepy head.
I'm gonna take you home.
Mum?
It's me.
Here.
Hey.
Come on.
I figured
you might need some supplies.
Thanks.
I... I guess I'll leave you two
villains up to your mischief.
OK.
Mum.
Do you remember the drawings?
This was my first.
Mum?
See ya.
And here she is.
Seven minutes late. New record.
Come on. Come on!
Time to make up.
Been getting many
fish out there?
Yeah, some here
and there. You know how it is.
Like where, for instance?
Fish are where
you find 'em, Merv.
Right!
You Jacksons, I tell ya,
the old apple don't fall
far from the tree.
You gotta give my love to Dora.
- G'day, Merv.
- Morning.
- Hi, Merv.
- Morning, Merv.
- G'day, Briggs.
- Hey.
- Morning, lads.
- Morning, Merv.
Come on, kids. Let's go!
Any ideas?
Yeah, it's a banksia.
I've seen this one
growing down Wilder's Road too.
There's heaps down my place.
Red. Blue. Yellow.
It's a Banksia attenuata,
or 'biara' as it's known in
the local Indigenous language.
Go on. Try and draw it.
Briggs! Abby!
Wait here.
What's going on?
The entry to the bay
is too shallow.
They need to dredge the reef,
create an entry point
for larger boats.
Mum said they need to pass
an environmental assessment.
The development
isn't even approved yet.
I don't think they're worried
about needing an approval.
Where are you going?
- Abby!
- See ya, Merv!
Oi! What am I
supposed to tell your mum?
Wait for me.
Hi, Mum!
Hey. Good day at school?
The salmon's in, at last.
Here you go.
Yeah, alright.
Thanks, love.
- Hey, Dad.
- G'day, mate.
- Abby.
- Hey.
Come on.
I'm gonna show you something.
Don't be late!
It's a blue whale.
The biggest animal
on the planet.
This was just a calf, I think.
They must get pretty big, hey?
Dad said
there were whalers here.
Like, way back.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
There used to be so many whales,
you could walk across them.
Blues, humpbacks, right whales.
Have you seen one?
Sort of. Not really.
Just like a white puff
in the distance.
Dad says we're killing
a big hole in the world,
all of us...
and we're all gonna
fall into it together.
You sure he hasn't
been talking to my mum?
I'd like to see that.
Yeah.
So we were just about
to send out a search party.
Sorry, Mrs Jackson. Hey, Dad.
Got the heads-up from Merv
you might be down here.
Sorry, OK?
Briggs just wanted to
show me something. That's all.
Well, the good news is...
we get a free feed.
- Yeah?
- We've been invited to dinner.
Huh!
Two steps
forward, one to the side
Don't turn your back,
don't lose in the middle
Keep your eyes peeled,
keep your eyes peeled
Look to the west,
see what's a-comin'...
Hey, Jimmy!
Oh, take me in your arms
Look into my heart...
Abby!
Hey, I saw you today
from my boat.
You were down by the blue whale.
You were with a fella.
- Hey, Macka?
- Yeah?
I assume you've
been invited, yeah?
Well, I can see the flame
from a mile away.
That's an official invitation,
isn't it, hey?
Besides, they'll be glad I came.
The fun's getting started now.
Good one, Merv!
- Whoa! Hey!
- Oh, Macka!
What's going on?
What's going on, kids?
What have we got here?
What have we got here?
Ten-ball shooter!
Thanks, Macka!
Ooh!
There we go.
Point it upwards, OK?
Nah, next year.
Aww!
- Macka.
- Oh!
Hey, hey, hey! Here we go!
I wish I was a fisherman
Tumblin' on the seas...
Far away from dry land
And its bitter memories...
- That's so cool!
- Another one!
Casting out my sweet line
With abandonment and love...
Briggs, hey!
No ceiling
bearin' down on me
Save the starry sky above
With light in my head...
Yeah, baby!
- And you in my arms...
- Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Here we go, everyone!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Counting the towns
flashing by
On a night
that's full of soul
- With light in my head...
- Whoo!
And you in my arms...
Here we go!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Your mum's a good dancer.
Yeah, Merv too, hey?
There is
freedom within...
You think he likes her?
Sorry.
That was a bit
thoughtless of me.
No, no problem with me,
Briggs. It's fine.
There's a battle ahead...
Everyone loved your dad.
That's what my old man says.
He was a pearl diver, right?
Hey, now, hey, now...
Yeah. Yeah, he was.
He headed north for
the pearl season every year.
Mum said he could
come back with, like,
a year's money
in just a few months.
But, I mean, he hated it.
He worked so hard
just to make a life for us.
And then one year...
one year came around
when he just didn't
come home after the season.
They found his mask
at the bottom of Roebuck Bay.
They just never found his body.
So the sea took him?
A tiger shark most likely.
I mean, that's what they said.
Really? Not a word?
You are so damn stubborn.
OK.
What have we here?
A letter from the prime minister
and a copy
of your letter to him.
You're being way too polite.
My personal favourite.
Did you get any takers?
OK. One last thing.
The dolphin,
from the protest.
Remember this?
Mum! Seriously!
I was a coward.
It killed me.
Save our bay!
- You can breathe?
- Yeah.
It's not too tight?
Yeah, that's it, Merv.
- You can't get free?
- No, it's good, mate.
Save our homes!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
OK, we're in. It's done.
What do you want me
to do with this?
- Eat it, Merv.
- I'm not eating it. I'm not.
Take it to the ocean,
chuck it in.
OK.
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Run, Merv! Run!
Come on, Dora.
You've had your fun.
This is pointless.
You know what's in this truck?
- What?
- Ammonium nitrate.
That's what's in it.
It's your bay too, mate!
- Settle down!
- Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay! Save our bay!
Save our bay! Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
Save our bay!
- Thanks, Ray.
- See you.
Say hi to the missus
for me, will you?
Will do.
Hey.
You were there today?
At the protest?
You know I was there.
No, I didn't.
- Must have been hiding, yeah?
- No, I was there.
When it comes to standing up
for what you believe,
there is no place
for cowards, Abby.
I'm not a coward, Mum!
Yeah? It didn't seem
that way to me.
I'm not a coward!
And your dad
would've agreed with me!
Well, that's real mature,
bringing Dad into this!
Hey, Mum.
I just came to say
that I'm sorry.
Day's not over yet.
Should we go find
the old blue bandit?
- Yeah.
- Come on, bub. Come on.
- I'm sorry too.
- It's all good.
- You alright?
- Don't worry about it.
Do you reckon we can get her
out on the open water again?
I'm not so sure.
Come on. You used to be
able to fix anything.
I can give it a try.
Do you think you might
go to Robber's Head?
I'm not sure if I'm up for that.
Hey, you reckon we should
do a quick check-up on Macka?
Yeah.
Hey, Macka!
Hooroo!
- Look out!
- Hello.
Ducks on the pond.
Oh, pirate ducks at that.
Hey, you know those fireworks
you had the other night, yeah?
I think they're
actually illegal.
Oh, no! You gonna
call the authorities?
I was thinking about it.
How you doing down there, Macka?
I was going OK
till I had a visitor.
Oh, well, if that's how
you feel, we can just leave.
Nah, I'm not talking about you.
I'm talking about a man
in a sharp grey suit.
A shark?
What kind of shark?
Well, the kind you
step out of the dance for,
if you know what I mean,
discretion being
the better part of valour.
A great white.
Pretty great,
pretty white, pretty big.
With all this fresh meat
lying around,
I didn't want to tempt him.
Didn't want to, uh, put his
good manners to the test.
They say I'm a bit tapped,
ladies, but I'm not that mad.
Seems pretty sensible, Macka.
Oh, look out.
Mum's agreeing with me.
"Dear diary," hey?
Before you go...
they tell me
that this is the favourite
of the old Achoerodus gouldii.
I beg your pardon, the what?
Groper, western blue.
Scoffs my popcorn apparently.
We don't catch groper.
Well, most people don't.
Can't say I do myself.
Well, then,
what are the crabs for?
Well, because every old man
likes a snack
every now and then, Dora.
You know about Blueback,
don't ya?
Blueback?
That's a nice name.
Righto, if you
reprobates are finished,
I'm gonna go finish off
this beautiful little snack
I prepared for myself,
and then I'm gonna go...
back in and check
if old mate's still around.
Come on, mate. Why don't you
just get your boat out of here?
Take it out west somewhere.
I'm big enough and old enough
to look after myself.
Besides, I've always thought
when the time's right
for that sort of thing,
the time's right.
Know what I mean?
No point worrying about
things you can't control.
Isn't that right, Abby?
Yeah.
Righto, back to work.
Take care, Macka.
- Hooroo.
- Hooroo!
Looks like
we've had visitors again...
laying out their
surveyor's posts.
Planning out where
they're gonna build
when we finally give in.
Well... not today.
Bye-bye!
Yeah. That's the end
of that, then.
What are you reading?
Um, it's a marine encyclopedia.
Mr Carlisle lent it to me.
To prepare for the new school.
Western blue groper.
Achoerodus gouldii?
Yeah.
A leafy seadragon.
A Phycodurus...
a Phycodurus eques.
What kind of a name is it
if you can't even say it?
And the southern rock lobster,
Jasus ed... edwardsii.
So Briggs said the salmon
didn't come in on time?
Yeah, I spoke to Merv
the other day.
Yeah?
He said that
the sardines are dead
all the way down the coast.
And a dead leopard seal
came in from Antarctica.
So there's something going on.
You'd think
there'd be some way to,
you know, read all these signs.
It's a puzzle.
With an answer?
Yeah, there's always an answer.
Storm's coming.
Hey, Mum!
Macka's still out diving.
He should come in.
Let me see.
I think
the compressor's stopped.
Abby, come on.
Macka! Macka!
Macka?
The compressor's low on fuel.
- Reckon you can get it going?
- Yeah, I think so.
Macka? Macka?
Do not get in the water, Abby.
Stay on the boat.
- You understand?
- Do you think it's a shark?
Stay on the boat.
Come on!
Come on, please!
Come on!
Won't be needing that.
Was it that shark?
No, he's just floating
along the bottom.
I reckon he's had
a heart attack.
So he's dead?
Yeah, love.
He's drowned.
I'm sorry.
This isn't gonna
be nice, but, um...
I want you to tie off that rope.
I'll go down and secure him
and when I come back up,
we're both gonna have to pull.
OK, alright.
Thanks for checking. OK. Bye.
Oh, Mum...
Gitundu.
Hi, Abby.
How's your mum?
OK.
Not great, but it's good
to be here with her.
And the reef?
Any news from the survey?
That's why I'm calling.
The drones came in
this afternoon.
The bleaching...
Miles of it.
More than we ever predicted.
It's dying.
The whole reef will be gone.
We really need you here.
When are you coming back?
I'm not sure.
About anything.
Abby?
Sorry, Gitundu.
So I saw these amazing
leafy seadragons
down at the point yesterday.
Mm?
Never seen them before.
Oh, come on, Jackson!
Let's get wet. Come on.
Come on! Your new school
can wait.
That's a reef stripper
if ever I've seen one.
They have the abalone licence.
Poor old Macka's
only just left us.
We need to keep
an eye on Robber's Head.
Blueback, he...
he's a big target.
Yeah, I'm gonna
have a word with them.
With a boat that size,
they should be fishing
in open water.
This is the most stupid and
dangerous thing we could do.
You told me, Mum, "To do nothing
would be twice as stupid
"and twice as dangerous."
True.
Abby!
Hey, Mum, come up here.
It's not just abalone.
And so many undersized ones.
It's hard to be discerning
when you're stripping a reef.
And these fish...
Some of them are
meant to be protected.
How can they do this, Mum?
I'm gonna go down and see
what they're doing down there.
I want you to stay on our boat.
You understand, Abby?
'Cause some of these fish
have been speared.
Bring it up.
Bring it on.
- Mrs Jackson.
- Costello!
I thought you'd have
something to do with this.
You're drag-netting
open-water style.
You're gonna fish
the reef out completely!
You don't want to talk about
it? No, didn't think you would.
- Don't worry about her.
- Maybe your guys do. Guys?
Do you realise exactly
what you're doing here?
Just ignore her.
You're gonna strip this
entire ecosystem...
of marine life, so your boss
can push his agenda
through council.
So why don't we talk
about spear guns?
There's a whole range
of protected species here.
Any of you blockheads
know which ones they are?
No? Didn't think so.
Well, I'd be asking
my boss if I were you.
Hey, Mum, there's someone
on Macka's boat.
Alright. Let's get out
of here. Come on.
Sleazebag.
Hey.
What were you doing
on Macka's boat?
That boat's still good
in open water?
Yeah, sure is.
Smooth as, even in a storm.
Even in a storm.
- You feel safe on it?
- Yeah.
The man who owned it
took it out every day.
What was he like?
The man that
took it out every day?
Well, his name was Macka.
And people called him Mad Macka.
Maybe I did too.
But I liked him.
Abby?
Why don't you head back up
and get the meal going?
I'll... I'll deal with this.
She helped me pull him up.
Big thing for anyone,
seeing death for the first time.
Well, I'm grateful
for what you both did.
Did you know Macka?
He was my dad.
Abby!
It's yours.
He would've loved
you to have it.
Are you really sure
that I can have it?
Macka's son. He said you could.
Oh, wow!
What do you reckon?
That's an engine, alright.
Alright? A bit rusty, but we
could work on it together.
Make it feel like yours, then.
Oh, yeah.
I can't wait.
OK, where are the tools?
Abby?
Hey?
Here. Look.
- Is that his son?
- Yeah.
Looks just like him.
Do you know that the sea holds
more artefacts and remnants
of our history then all
the museums in the world?
And Mad Macka
has most of them in here.
What's this?
Careful.
Oh! It's an otolith.
I've only seen a picture of one.
What is it?
It's a skeleton of an ear.
The ear of a blue groper.
See? Here are the lines
along it, yeah?
- There?
- Yeah.
Well, it grows
a layer each year.
You can tell how old it is.
He was really old.
Like, really old.
How do you know
that he was a he?
Well, you see, all blue gropers
are born as girls...
and they start off green.
And it's only when puberty hits
that they change colour
and some of them become boys.
I want to show you something.
Someone, actually.
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
Alright. Come on.
Now, the throttle
will flood the engine
if you're too hard
on the old girl.
- You feel that?
- Like this?
That's it. You got it.
Yeah.
Come on.
What'd you think?
Oh, that was amazing.
So cool!
Hey, Mum, you alright?
Yeah.
I'm gonna head home.
I gotta figure out
what Costello's next move is.
I'm gonna
see you back at the house.
- Before sunset this time, yeah?
- OK, yeah.
Doesn't look like
they've started dredging yet.
Maybe the protests
slowed them down.
Just make sure
everyone's there in the morning,
all the machinery's ready to go,
and I'll see you after the
council meeting, if not before.
Yeah, no worries.
See you in the morning.
I think she looks better.
Yeah, well, happier.
She still hasn't
said a word, though.
The doctor said the chance of
another stroke is so high now.
Yeah, I know.
That's it's just
a matter of time.
Time is all we have, Abby.
I'm sorry it's been so long.
There were my studies and all
the opportunities overseas...
It's fine, Abby. We were fine.
You know Dora.
She kept us up to date
with everything you were doing,
you know,
read each letter out aloud.
You know, she's very
proud of you. Very proud.
We are very proud of you.
Hey, Dad.
How you been?
I'm worried.
I don't know if Mum
can stop them this time.
And I wish I knew how to help.
I really miss you.
Mum.
Well?
Well...
I just need
to finish this proposal
for the council tomorrow.
Come on. What do you think?
I think there's as good
a school as any right here.
Well, yeah, but two years there
and I can head to university.
It just...
It feels like
you're trying to get
as far away from me as you can.
Come on.
You know you can visit.
Maybe live with me over there.
If I leave here,
this house of ours
will be bought by developers
and Costello will win.
Look, I want to save
the world's oceans, Mum,
and I can't learn everything
I need to at the school here.
Abby, this is your home,
alright? You were born here.
Your father was born here.
Your grandparents. I just...
I don't understand what
you think you're gonna do
on the other side
of the world by yourself.
Just come with me.
You and me, we can make
a difference together.
Sweetheart, what do you think
I have been doing here
my whole life?
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
You look good.
The uniform, all of it.
It's just...
It's really hard letting go.
So I'm here to propose
a marine reserve
to protect
the diversity of species
that we have right here
in this bay.
This diversity,
tell us about it.
What threatens it?
Well, I'm not... that good
at all this kind of talk.
I live on the bay
so I've seen what's going on
and right now,
there are men overfishing...
Your mum still
banging on in there?
I'm up next.
That's how it works.
She speaks and then I get
an equal chance
to argue my case.
Fair enough, don't you think?
You and your mum really think
you can stop this.
- Don't you?
- Yeah.
That's not how it works.
You see, governments, they pay
attention to short-term gains.
Jobs. Economic activity.
They need to get re-elected.
I'll vote.
To stop them.
To stop you.
Not until you're 18.
I mean, as far as I'm concerned,
that's just stealing from...
stealing from our future.
My name is Abby Jackson.
Hello, Abby.
And I'm 15 years old.
I've been studying
this bay since I was 8.
Since then,
I've been documenting
the unique marine life
in the bay.
This here is a redlip morwong.
And there are three different
types of these seadragons,
three,
one of which is only found here,
this incredibly rare
leafy seadragon.
And each and every one of them
is threatened by Costello's
planned development.
And we have larger fish,
like the western blue groper,
or Achoerodus gouldii.
They just love
the moderate temperatures.
They nestle here in... in reefs
as havens from the weather
along the coastline.
These pictures show us the many
species unique to this bay,
documented for the first time,
the diversity of this
marine life, that it's a...
I mean, it's a gift to us all.
Well, we all welcome
your work, Abby,
but do you believe that
we should make a decision today
based on the, uh...
the drawings of a child?
Hang on a minute, Abby.
Down at Robber's Head!
Abby?
Abby?
Abby!
Abby!
You stupid girl!
I told you to stay
out of the water!
- They've got spear guns, Abby!
- I had to save him, Mum!
- They could've killed ya!
- I had to save Blueback.
- There was no other choice.
- Oh, Abby!
He just wanted to play, Mum.
I was running out of air.
Those men,
they wanted to kill him.
So what happened?
Did he get away?
Well...
- Well?
- Well, I hit him one.
I... I punched him, OK?
Just to scare him off.
Don't laugh, OK?
- It's not funny.
- Oh, God.
You know, he's probably got
some big black eye or something.
Oh, get on the boat. Come on.
He's gonna hate me now.
That's for sure.
OK, so let's
start with the, uh...
with the spear guns
and the fact that that kid
was nearly killed
by one of your blokes.
Yeah, look,
I'm very disappointed
about the spear guns.
I didn't know these guys
were doing this.
So what's gonna happen now?
Well, they breached
the fishing limits
set by their licence.
Turns out that spear guns
aren't typically used
for fishing abalone
and almost spearing
a teenage girl
is... is reckless endangerment.
And today?
- How'd it go after I left?
- Well...
There was six of them
that had to vote.
Five of them
had hearts of stone.
There was one, though.
That woman from the
other side of Cockatoo Bay.
Yeah?
She saw the sense in it.
It was you that did it, Abby.
Not me.
It was your pictures.
Your research.
Just one vote?
Oh...
Just one for now.
Next time two, then another,
then another,
then another...
They're here.
Where's Dora?
Dora! Dora, come on,
come on. Dora!
- See 'em?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
Ahh, yeah, yeah,
there's about eight of them.
Humpbacks!
New babies too.
Mrs J, is that why you were
down at Robber's Head?
'Cause you were waiting
for this mob to come through?
Patient as ever.
And you know
the best place to view 'em?
Right here.
Alright, Mrs J, let's have
a look for some more.
I reckon there's a few
out there lingering.
Whoa! Oh, look at that!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
You kept them, Mum.
Where were they?
He never came back, did he, Mum?
I saved him sure enough.
But I never saw him again.
I truly believed
he would have shared
the secrets
of the sea with me...
if only he'd come back.
Come on.
When you were born...
we took you down
while the water was warm...
and lowered you gently
into the waves.
Jack and me.
We couldn't keep
you out of the water.
We come from water.
We belong to it, Abby.
What if he doesn't come back?
If I never see him again, hey?
Well, you saved him, Abby.
That's the main thing.
If that's the cost,
then it was worth it.
You ever notice that
just before the sun sets,
beyond the horizon...
the sun burns even brighter
just for an instant,
lights up the whole sky?
Yeah, it does.
One last beautiful hurrah.
Then it's gone.
We are gathered here today,
looking out across
her beloved bay,
to celebrate the life
of Dora Jackson.
Dora devoted her life
to establishing a marine reserve
for future generations
that stretches from here
all the way out
to Robber's Head.
A safe place at last.
She wanted more of them,
other havens along the coast,
but for now, as she came
to the end of her life,
she was content with
everything she had achieved.
And as we say farewell
to our dear friend,
I thought I'd play
a very special song
for fearless Dora.
Come sail
your ships around me
And burn
your bridges down...
Thanks, Briggs.
No worries.
We make
a little history, baby
Every time you come around
But when I crawl
into your arms
Everything comes
tumbling down
Come sail your ships
around me...
I love you.
And burn your bridges down
We make
a little history, baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know
the time is nigh
Come sail your ships
Around me
And burn your bridges down.
Abby!
Gitundu, you would
not believe it here.
My mum's marine reserve
is thriving.
I saw a huge pod
of humpback whales.
Every day, there are
whales off the shore.
Amazing.
A marine reserve?
That's incredible, Abby.
And it's beautiful.
If you can gather
my research material
and the latest footage
of the reef,
we've got some work to do.
Great.
Where do you want to begin?
- Let's start right here.
- Yep.
Take a good close look
at what we're fighting for.
Amazing. We'll be there.
Thanks, Gitundu.
There is freedom within
There is freedom without
Try to catch the deluge
in a paper cup
There's a battle ahead
Many battles are lost
But you'll never see
the end of the road
While you're
travelling with me
Hey, now, hey, now
Don't dream it's over
Hey, now, hey, now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
You know they won't win.