The Sundowners

A seasoned sheep drover with a restless spirit, Paddy is loyal to his wife and son but haunted by wanderlust. He loves the freedom of the road and resists settling, yet his actions reveal a longing for security for his family. He’s resourceful, stubborn, and capable of remorse when consequences bite.

Ida is the practical, enduring force behind the family's efforts to settle. She cooks, plans, and saves for a farm, balancing patience with quiet determination. Her bond with Paddy is tested by temptations and hardship, but she remains the stabilizing center of the family.

Sean is a curious, brave boy who grows up on the road, acting as a voice of hope and ambition. He becomes the jockey of Sundowner, showing talent and a sense of responsibility beyond his years. His presence anchors the family’s dreams and sacrifices.

Rupert is a refined Englishman who joins the drive as a capable hand but shares Paddy’s restlessness. He embodies sophistication versus frontier life and forms complex relationships with Ida and Mrs. Firth. His presence highlights the pull between elegance and the lure of the open road.

Mrs. Firth runs the pub in Cawndilla and becomes entangled with Rupert. She represents a momentary escape from life on the move and shows the town’s social dynamics. Her interest in Rupert reveals how loneliness and desire surface even in frontier communities.

Jean is the employer’s lonely wife who befriends Ida. She offers a human connection amid the harsh landscape and highlights themes of companionship and unspoken longing. Her interactions illuminate the subtle currents of relationships in small-town life.

Bluey is a fellow shearer who arrives with his pregnant wife Liz. Their arrival adds personal stakes to the shearing shift and introduces the circle of frontier workers whose lives intersect with the Carmodys. He represents the rough, skilled laborers who define the daily grind of outback labor.

Liz is Bluey Brown’s pregnant wife, a note of life and new beginnings amid the harsh bush. Her presence underscores the human costs and the tenderness that thread through frontier life. She adds to the sense of home and continuity for the workers.

Sundowner is the prized racehorse Paddy dreams of owning. The horse embodies hope, pride, and the possibility of turning travel into success. Its performance on the track captures the tension between luck, timing, and the couple’s shared aspirations.