The South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) today announced production is underway in Adelaide on new six-part ABC drama series, Rural Crime Unit, anticipated to inject more than $7.3million into the State’s economy and create more than 460 jobs for South Australians across creatives, crew and extras talent.
From the award-winning team at Northern Pictures, Rural Crime Unit puts a fresh spin on small-town crime and is set to deliver star power with a cast led by Rebecca Gibney (Packed to the Rafters, The Dressmaker), Morgana O’Reilly (The White Lotus, Housebound, Friends Like Her), and Philip Lynch (Five Blind Dates, He Had It Coming, Saint Valentine).
Rural Crime Unit is directed by co-creator Darren Ashton and South Australia’s Erin White (Austin S3), with SA creative Joshua Tyler (Top End Bub) amongst the writers.
Set in the heart of country Australia, Rural Crime Unit follows seasoned local police officer Rita (Morgana O’Reilly) and city transplant Nick (Philip Lynch) as they navigate the mysteries, tight-knit relationships and hidden tensions of a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Rita’s mother, Jolene (Rebecca Gibney), is a self-made trucking magnate and influential town matriarch whose generosity and connections make her a formidable operator – and whose fierce support of Rita can also make her daughter’s biggest obstacle.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of a November 11 broadcast date announcement for third season of beloved comedy Austin, shot entirely in South Australia earlier this year. The production of Austin S3 created 276 jobs for South Australians including 13 Heads of Department (HODs), in addition to the many businesses and services engaged, generating an anticipated spend of more than $3 million in the state. .
Both Rural Crime Unit and Austin S3 were supported through the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund, an SAFC partnership with Australia’s national broadcaster which has, to date, delivered an ongoing stream of high-end productions including Treasure & Dirt, Eat the Invaders, Ladies in Black, Beep and Mort S2, Teenage Boss, and Gold Diggers.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Arts, the Hon Kyam Maher MLC said: “It’s exciting to see series like Rural Crime Unit and Austin showcasing South Australian talent, landscapes and capability to national and international audiences, and demonstrating the value of the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund. This successful partnership continues to bring compelling Australian stories to the screen, while growing our state’s creative industries and creating jobs and investment for South Australia.”
South Australian Film Corporation Acting CEO Leanne Saunders said: “We’re proud to welcome Northern Pictures back to South Australia to bring another exciting drama series to life through the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund. Filmed wholly in South Australia with an outstanding cast and creative team including SA director Erin White and SA writer Joshua Tyler with a majority South Australian crew, Rural Crime Unit will showcase our beautiful regional locations and industry capability to a national audience.”
ABC Head of Scripted Rachel Okine said “Rural Crime Unit celebrates the charm and complexity of country Australia, and we can’t wait to share it with ABC audiences. We’re proud to be bringing this story to life with such an incredible cast and crew, and it has a warmth and humour we think Australians will fall in love with.”
Co-creator Darren Ashton says, “As a country boy who grew up in regional Australia, it took me thirty years to find the right way to celebrate its true and diverse tapestry – to tell the stories that make this land what it is. Rural Crime Unit is where it all comes together, and we’re incredibly grateful to the ABC, Screen Australia, SAFC, and Screen NSW for backing the show and helping us bring it to life.”
The six-part series tackles uniquely regional crimes, from missing livestock and crop circles to industrial theft. Beneath the episodic investigations, however, runs a larger mystery tied to a decade-old tragedy, forcing the town to confront buried secrets, old wounds, and the possibility of long-awaited closure.
A formidable ensemble cast rounds out the series, including Cameron Daddo (Home and Away, How to Please a Woman, Models Inc.), Tony Armstrong (End Game with Tony Armstrong, ABC News Breakfast), Courtney Act / Shane Jenek (Australian Idol, RuPaul’s Drag Race), Rob Collins (Total Control, Cleverman), Shakira Clanton (Stoned Bros, Dark Place), Ash Ricardo (Party Tricks, Offspring), and Michael Theo (Austin, Love on the Spectrum).
Rural Crime Unit Production credit: A Northern Pictures production for the ABC. Major production investment from the ABC and Screen Australia, in association with the South Australian Film Corporation. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Created by Darren Ashton and Adam Zwar. Written by Adam Zwar, Darren Ashton, Christine Bartlett, Erica Harrison, Eloise Healey, Joshua Tyler, Kim Ho. Produced by Joe Weatherstone. Directed by Darren Ashton, Erin White. Executive Producer Matt Vitins. ABC Executive Producers Rebecca Anderson, Rachel Okine. Co-produced by Shannon Wilson-McClinton. Distributed internationally by Banijay Rights Limited.
