The Sundowners

Paddy Carmody, Ida, and their son Sean live a nomadic life, moving with the sun and pitching a tent wherever they can. They drift across a sparsely populated landscape, chasing the next horizon. Ida longs for a settled future while Paddy's wanderlust pulls him outward.

During a crossing through the bush, the family meets Rupert Venneker, a refined Englishman who is hired to help drive a large herd to Cawndilla. Rupert's presence introduces a new dynamic and potential for change in their itinerant life. The meeting foreshadows the choice between wandering and settling.

The Carmodys reach the town of Cawndilla, where the pub becomes a social hub and Rupert begins to spend nights there. Neither Paddy nor Rupert imagines settling down, mirroring their shared wanderlust. Ida's longing for a settled life starts to re-emerge in this frontier town.

Ida secures work at a local station, Paddy helps with the work, Rupert handles wool, and Sean works as a tar boy. The arrangement gives the family a sense of place and routine, distinct from their roaming days. Ida's ambitions to secure a farm become more concrete.

Liz, Bluey Brown's wife, arrives and helps Jean Halstead through the birth of her first child, offering a moment of shared labor amid frontier hardship. The scene highlights quiet solidarity among frontier families. Ida's ties to the Halstead household deepen.

Ida saves money toward a down payment on a farm, turning a long-cherished dream into a concrete goal. The family balances daily work with this aspirational plan. Paddy remains reluctant, but the possibility of ownership begins to take root.

Paddy enters a shearing contest against a rival crew and leaves six weeks into the season. The competition underscores his skill but also his restlessness when he walks away partway through. He ends up losing to an old veteran, a setback that contrasts with his later windfall.

Paddy wins a substantial sum and a racing horse in a two-up game. They name the horse Sundowner, and Sean becomes his jockey, shifting their life toward racing. This windfall introduces a new dream that could fund their farm.

Sean and Sundowner win their first race, a small but meaningful victory for the family and their dream. The success validates their decision to pursue a more settled future while still traveling. The win forges a stronger bond within the family.

Ida nudges Paddy toward buying the farm she and Sean envision, signaling real intent beyond wandering. A late-night gamble wipes out Ida's savings, threatening the plan and testing their relationship. Paddy apologizes and outlines a new plan that hinges on Sundowner's continued success.

Paddy reveals a plan: if Sundowner wins the next race, the winnings will cover the down payment. The couple clings to the possibility of stability despite the risks. Their shared dream of land deepens their bond.

Sundowner wins the next race, but interference leads to disqualification, and the hoped-for funds vanish. The setback strains the relationship and forces a reckoning with their motives. Yet Paddy's remorse for the gamble helps heal the rift with Ida.

Despite the setback, Paddy's remorse heals his relationship with Ida, and they commit to saving enough for a farm one day. They resume traveling as a family with renewed resolve to pursue their shared dream. The final beat underscores a vow to weather future ups and downs together.