The Delinquents

Lola and Brownie, teenagers in Bundaberg, Queensland, fall head over heels for each other despite their youth. They face persistent disapproval from their families and welfare officials who warn them about the consequences of their romance. Their feelings promise a future together, even as many external pressures loom.

Lola becomes pregnant and the couple resolve to run away to keep the baby. They secretly plan a future together away from prying eyes. The looming challenge of parenthood tests their commitment from the start.

Lola and Brownie are discovered by Lola's mother and the police, forcing Lola to be taken back home. Brownie is left with uncertainty about their future. The authorities' involvement marks a harsh interruption to their romance.

To pursue Lola and secure a life together, Brownie signs on with a ship along the Australian coast. He quickly befriends Bosun, who offers him a job and a foothold at sea. The sea life pulls him further from Lola's immediate world while keeping hope alive.

Lola is forced to have an abortion by her mother in Brisbane. After the argument, she moves to Melbourne, works as a waitress, and bleaches her hair to reinvent herself. She aims to build a new life away from family pressures.

Brownie visits the bar where Lola works and they reunite. They return to the ship and spend the night together. Bosun later insists Lola stay out of sight from the other sailors.

After the ship docks, Lola and Brownie attend a party hosted by Lyle and Mavis and move into their spare room. The two couples form a close friendship and begin building a life together ashore. Lola and Brownie’s bond deepens amidst their improvised new family.

Lola and Brownie are arrested while socialising in a local pub. The authorities take action against them, and Lola faces further consequences as she is remanded. Brownie receives a fine, underscoring the constant legal pressure on their relationship.

Lola is sent to Aunt Westbury's countryside care for a fixed term of 12 months, and the couple is forbidden to see or contact each other. Brownie is fined for the incident, intensifying the separation between them. The distance strains their love and tests their resolve.

While staying with Aunt Westbury, Lola learns that Brownie's letters have been disposed of. After a heated exchange, she runs away to Lyle and Mavis's house to escape the crushing restrictions. Her act marks a renewed fight to be with Brownie against the system.

Lola is arrested again and sent to reform school to restart her sentence, where a riot erupts among the inmates. The harsh environment tests her endurance and resilience. This chapter hardens her resolve to fight for a future with Brownie.

After her 18th birthday, Lola completes her sentence and is reunited with Brownie. They return to Lyle and Mavis's house, where Lola discovers Mavis is heavily pregnant with a second child. The fragile balance of their life on the edge of stability is tested.

Mavis goes into labour; the birth does not go well and both Mavis and the baby die. Brownie wrestles with whether to quit sailing to be with Lola. The losses tighten the couple's dependence on each other as they face an uncertain future.

Lola and Brownie offer to adopt Sharon, Lyle and Mavis's surviving daughter, but they are unable to do so because they are unmarried. Lyle leaves Sharon with Lola and plans to travel the world, leaving behind his child. The couple confronts the social barriers that stand in the way of their growing family.

Lola packs a suitcase to take Sharon to the welfare office, believing her future may be uncertain. Brownie spots the taxi carrying Lola and Sharon, runs after it, and they are briefly reunited. The film closes with their wedding, surrounded by family and friends, signaling a hopeful future together.