In the vibrant town of Broome during the year 1969, the story revolves around Willie Johnson, whose attempts to win over his love interest Rosie are thwarted when she chooses to be with a bandleader named Lester. Following this heartbreak, Willie's mother, Theresa, makes the decision to send him back to a boarding school in Perth to pursue his education for the priesthood. However, his rebellious spirit soon takes over when he, along with a group of friends, sneaks into the college kitchen for a late-night snack. Caught in the act, Willie bravely accepts the blame but bolts before any punishment can be doled out.
Spending a restless night wandering the streets of Perth, Willie soon encounters 'Uncle' Tadpole, who steps in to help him find his way back home. Their journey takes a bizarre turn when they travel to Fremantle. In a fantastical scene, Tadpole allows himself to be hit by a Kombi van, believing the two kind-hearted hippies inside, Slippery and his girlfriend Annie, will offer them a ride. Unbeknownst to them, the trip to Broome is going to be much longer than anticipated.
Meanwhile, Father Benedictus, the head of the boarding school, is determined to track Willie down after recognizing his potential. Through the help of Tadpole's network of homeless friends, he discovers that Willie is on his way to Broome. As the journey continues, they stop at a roadhouse, where Willie encounters the flamboyant Roadhouse Betty. In a humorous twist, Tadpole pilfers food, wine, and a tape, almost getting them into hot water with Betty, but they narrowly escape danger.
After some disillusionment, Slippery decides to abandon Willie and Tadpole in the desert, where Tadpole humorously curses the hippies by pointing a bone at them, an action that coincidentally results in their van breaking down. As luck would have it, Willie soon hitches a ride with a truck transporting a football team, finding himself in Port Hedland. Here, he meets the flirtatious Roxanne, played by [Deborah Mailman], who takes him to the infamous 'condom tree' and promises him an exciting time—only for chaos to ensue when her boyfriend arrives, leading to a scuffle.
Rescued yet again by Tadpole, who philosophically claims that every young man finds himself in similar predicaments, the two set off only to be interrupted when a hungover Roxanne pops up unexpectedly from the back seat during their drive through the desert. Unfortunately, their carefree moment is cut short when they are caught by the police and arrested, despite Annie's fervent attempts to de-escalate the situation. At the police station, Slippery reveals that his true name is Wolfgang Benedictus, a surprise twist that doesn’t alleviate their circumstances as they face a night in jail.
The next morning brings freedom, and the group resumes its journey to Broome, culminating at a local bar where Rosie is performing. In a bid to win back her affection, Willie finds himself in yet another brawl with Lester, which is abruptly interrupted by a church temperance march that draws the attention of the crowd to the beach. In a heartfelt moment, Willie professes his love to Rosie, sealing it with a kiss. However, the family secrets unravel as Willie's mother reveals a startling truth: Willie has an older brother from another relationship; his name is Wolfgang, and he is none other than Father Benedictus. In a final twist, Willie's mother spots Tadpole and reveals to Willie that he is indeed Tadpole's son, bringing the story full circle amidst love, confusion, and unexpected family ties.
