Fireflies (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | February 7, 2004 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, Ireland |
| Products | Television drama series |
Fireflies is an Australian television show that was broadcast on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and RTÉ One in Ireland. The series debuted on 7 February 2004 and consisted of 22 episodes. It is set in the imaginary community of Lost River, which has a population of 487, and was filmed in Wollombi, a town in the Hunter Valley, as well as nearby locations along Putty Road towards Singleton. The storyline centers around volunteer firefighters facing an extremely hot and dry summer. The opening theme, "Beautiful Feeling," was composed and performed by Paul Kelly.
Songs and music
Paul Kelly was responsible for writing, producing, and performing all the music featured in Fireflies.
- Change Your Mind
- Beautiful Feeling
- Foggy Highway
- Just About to Break
- I Wasted Time
- You Broke a Beautiful Thing
- Beautiful Promise
- Boon Companion
- If I Could Start Today Again
- I Smell Trouble
- Emotional
- My Way is to You
- Your Lovin' is On My Mind
- Give Into My Love
- View From the Ridge
- Making Hay While the Sun Shines
- Beggar on the Street of Love
- Midnight Rain
- Take Your Time
- The Lion and the Lamb
- Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained
- To Be Good Takes a Long Time (To Be Bad No Time at All)
- Last Train to Heaven
- Everybody Wants to Touch Me
- Smoke Under the Bridge
- These are the Days
- Sure Got Me
- Taught by Experts
- Rally 'Round the Drum
- Be Careful What You Pray For
- Difficult Woman
- You're So Fine
Cast
- Russell Kiefel portraying Sharpie
- Anna Hruby as Rebekah Sharp
- Libby Tanner playing Lil Yengill
- Jeremy Sims cast as Tim 'Bakka' Burke
- Natasha Novak in the role of Svettie Burke
- John Waters as Perry Luscombe
- Abe Forsythe appearing as Hank Sharp
- Steve Rodgers as Constable Mike Jones
- Nadia Townsend portraying Fifi Sharp
- Christopher Morris playing Joey Burke
- Edmund Cinis as Carter
- Keeara Byrnes in the role of Candy
- Hayley McInerney cast as Taz Luscombe
- Rhonda Doyle as Ali
- Ashley Fitzgerald playing Noodle
- Kain O'Keeffe as Kieran Sharp
- Peter Lamb portraying Eris
- Barbara Angell in the role of Mena
- Bradley Byquar as Patto
- Helen O'Leary playing Luisa
- Russell Newman cast as Jeff Burke
- Stephen Leeder as Bryce
Guest cast
- Phil Bradac appearing as Firie
- Erich Thill portraying Bikie
- Larry O'Carroll in the role of Larry
- Tanya Randolf as Tanya
- Ros Bailey playing Reggie
- Rob Steele cast as Stewart MacTavish
- Kim Knuckey portraying Noel McKinley
- Scott Pollard as Steve
- Janice Oxenbould in the role of Peg
- Keith Agius playing Morgan Long
- Tony Eastley appearing as Newsreader
- Stephen Holt cast as Ginge
- Sandy Ireland portraying Suzie
- Jie Pitman as Nathan 'Rolly' Patterson
- Ling-Hsueh Tang playing KC
- Shayne Francis as Donna Bruce
- Lyn Lee cast as Val
- Johann Walraven portraying Ziggy
- Rob Carlton in the role of Kewie Holman
- Kaitlyn Cox playing Hotel Receptionist
- Kevin Donohue appearing as Fly
- Stan Kouros cast as Maurice Badroek
- Toby Levins portraying Roy
- Anne-marie Mazza as Juno Hardcliffe
- Ian McColm playing Laggan Firie
- Jimmy Pike appearing as Johnny Blunt
- Cameron Wade appearing as himself
- Rowan Webb cast as Firie #1
- John Whitman portraying Musician #1
- Mark Duffy in the role of Fire Investigator
- Justin Rosniak appearing as Steve (2 episodes)
- Jon Sivewright cast as Strike Team Firie (1 episode)
List of episodes
| Ep. | Title | Original Air Date | Episode Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fireflies: Part 1 | 7 February 2004 | - |
| 2 | Fireflies: Part 2 | 7 February 2004 | - |
| 3 | Sifting Through The Ashes | 14 February 2004 | Lost River begins its recovery following a destructive blaze impacting both firefighters and farmers. Perry struggles with the loss of his residence, while Lill and her daughter Taz vie for his attention. Conflicts escalate between Joey and Fifi over their infant. Luisa's secret relationship with local officer Mike comes to light, complicating her marriage to Eris. Backa provides counseling support to his fire crew dealing with trauma. |
| 4 | Hide And Seek | 21 February 2004 | - |
| 5 | Best Laid Plans | 28 February 2004 | - |
| 6 | Training Daze | 6 March 2004 | - |
| 7 | Hazard Reduction | 13 March 2004 | Fifi faces challenges with her volatile brother Hank, recently released from incarceration. The Sharp family copes with tensions arising from Hank's return. Lill and Perry confront hostility from teenage Taz. During a controlled burn, Lill and Svettie discover unforeseen complications. Backa encounters difficulties managing leadership amid familial disputes. |
| 8 | Ride With Style | 20 March 2004 | - |
| 9 | Home Is Where The Heat Is | 27 March 2004 | Svettie secretly takes out a loan to rescue her business, causing strain in her relationship with Backa. An unruly family barbecue brings old conflicts to the surface, particularly between Hank and Fifi. Perry faces parenting challenges with Taz, while Lill deals with broken promises in their partnership. |
| 10 | The Longest Day | 1 April 2004 | - |
| 11 | While The Cat's Away | 8 April 2004 | - |
| 12 | Home Time | 15 April 2004 | - |
| 13 | Clouds Got In The Way | 22 April 2004 | As Lill readies the release of her children's book, she confronts her desires regarding motherhood. Sharpie assists Joey and Fifi in settling into their new home. A development project divides local opinion, with Backa advocating for economic progress while others resist it. Public clashes occur between Backa and Eris, followed by a sobering discovery during a gas leak investigation. |
| 14 | Keep Your Enemies Close | 29 April 2004 | - |
| 15 | Fish Or Cut Bait | 6 May 2004 | - |
| 16 | Between A Rock And A Rock | 13 May 2004 | - |
| 17 | Kin Oath | 20 May 2004 | Peg Beecher returns after fleeing a nursing home, unsettling Lill and the wider community. Backa struggles with the decision to sell family property due to financial strain, seeking counsel from Joey who disapproves. Fifi faces tension caused by Hank’s suspicious actions and must decide between family loyalty and her new life. |
| 18 | Sons And Lovers | 27 May 2004 | - |
| 19 | Closing In | 3 June 2004 | Perry settles into a new residence; Lill questions their relationship following contact from Perry's former wife. A forest fire endangers Fox Cove, with Fire Control Officer Bryce Austin risking his own land to contain it. Mike finds it difficult to balance his law enforcement responsibilities with small-town relationships amid increasing scrutiny. |
| 20 | Fighting Fire With Fire | 17 June 2004 | Fires threaten Lost River’s existence; Backa anticipates imminent danger. Firefighters undertake crucial burn-offs despite leadership tensions. Svettie becomes trapped during operations, prompting urgent alerts from Kieran and Lill. Amid the crisis, Lill demonstrates resilience. |
| 21 | Precious Things | 24 June 2004 | The fire escalates; water shortages create logistical obstacles for firefighters. Backa makes difficult choices to safeguard vital properties. Family relationships are tested under pressure, notably for Lill, Joey, Hank, and Svettie throughout the ongoing emergency. |
| 22 | When The Smoke Clears | 24 June 2004 | Recovery efforts commence following the fire amid personal and financial disclosures: Sharpie faces family upheaval; Backa confronts concealed debts and illegal activities; Lill reflects on her relationships; Fifi and Joey mend familial conflicts. The community confronts an uncertain future while rebuilding after disaster. |
Home media
In April 2019, Via Vision Entertainment revealed plans to issue the entire FireFiles series on DVD.
| Title | Format | Ep # | Discs | Region 4 (Australia) | Special Features | Distributors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FireFiles (Complete Collection) | DVD | 22 | 7 | 5 June 2019 | None | Via Vision Entertainment |