Barrier Reef (TV series)
| Industry | Television production |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Television series (e.g., Barrier Reef, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo) |
Barrier Reef was an Australian television program that originally aired in Australia in 1971. Prior to its domestic debut, nineteen episodes had been broadcast on BBC1 in the United Kingdom between October 1970 and February 1971, with an additional four episodes shown before the series premiered in Australia.
Premise
The storyline of Barrier Reef centers on a group of marine scientists working aboard the sailing vessel New Endeavour, as they carry out research around Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef. This series was pioneering as the first worldwide to incorporate extensive color underwater footage filmed on location.
Main
- Joe James portraying Ted King
- Harold Hopkins as Steve Gabo
- Ken James playing Kip Young
- George Assang in the role of Jack Meurauki
- Rowena Wallace as Tracey Deane
- Helen Morse taking the part of Joan Norris
- Judy Morris as Gail Smith
- John McCallum portraying Gordon Lewis
- Tristan Rogers
Guests
- Ben Gabriel appearing as Sergeant Dwyer
- Judy McBurney in the role of Annette Conway
- Judy Morris as Gail Smith
- Kevin Miles playing Edwards
- Reg Gorman as George
- Stewart Ginn portraying Travis
- Terry McDermott as Commander Finch
Production
Production commenced at Hayman Island in September 1969. Filming took place mainly across North Queensland, marking it as one of the most costly Australian television productions at that time, notable for being produced outside the traditional hubs of Sydney or Melbourne. The series was developed by Fauna Productions, the same company responsible for the acclaimed Australian show Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, sharing several cast members and crew between the two projects.
Similar to Skippy, Barrier Reef highlighted iconic Australian landscapes through color cinematography aimed at an international market, despite Australia not yet having adopted color broadcasting domestically. The series was distributed worldwide, providing audiences with a unique representation of Australia.
Initially named Minus 5, the production capitalized on its distinctive setting and high production standards to attract viewers globally.
Reception
In contrast to other contemporary Australian series like Riptide or The Outsiders, this locally produced show featured Australian-written scripts, prominent domestic actors, and scientific subject matter seldom explored on television during that period. It was broadcast by networks including the BBC, NBC in the United States, and stations throughout Canada, Japan, South America, South Africa, and Europe. The 39-episode series experienced widespread international reruns.
By 1976, producer Lee Robinson noted that the series had just managed to recover its production expenses.