A uniquely Australian tale about equality, friendship, family and community set in the Southern Highlands is about to come to life on TV screens across the nation.
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Filmed across Robertson, Burrawang, Sutton Forest and Bundanoon, 'The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race' tells the story of returned doctor Penny, who is dismayed that women aren't offered the same prize money in the potato race.
Locals will recognise places such as the Bundanoon Soldiers Hall, Burrawang Hotel, The Big Potato, and the Friendly Grocer in Robertson.
Melanie previously told The Southern Highland News she was "thrilled" to have her play filmed in the town that served as the inspiration.
"I'm excited to be able to tell the stories of people who live in regional places up on the screen and for it to be filmed in my beloved hometown of Robertson," she said.
Melanie's parents, Heather and Neil Tait sold the Friendly Grocer and The Big Potato in 2022.
The 'Appleton Ladies' Potato Race' was inspired by a real-life event.
"I always say that it was inspired by something that happened in real life," Melanie said.
"It's about a doctor called Penny who grew up in Appleton, which is what Robertson is called in the movie.
"She's returning home to take over a local doctor's surgery, and she discovers that the local potato race prize money is different between the men and the women.
"And she goes about trying to chane it and sort of sets off a bit of a cultural meltdown in the town."
Directed by Lynn Hegarty, 'The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race' was produced by Andrea Keir and Lisa Duff, who were equally thrilled to film in the Southern Highlands.
"It was vitally important [to film in the Southern Highlands]," Lisa said.
"It was non-negotiable.
"We knew there were cost implications to travel, but there's no way we could have told that story anywhere else.
"It is organically a Southern Highlands story.
"It's just beautiful with those Robertson landscapes and Southern Highlands landscapes.
"We are extremely grateful to have had so many dedicated local extras. We had all the local businesses, caterers, and ancillary businesses to make a feature film.
"There was just so much goodwill and generosity, towards this film from the town that it was quite overwhelming."
Lisa said she was drawn to the play because the protagonist was female.
"Melanie's play has all the elements to make a terrific Australian drama," Lisa said.
"We were excited by the local connection. It's a personal story to Melanie, which meant that all of those nuances, humor and characters were something that she drew from her life experience.
"I think we're just coming into a time where female stories are celebrated.
"It's something that I'm very passionate about.
"A lot of those characters have struggles in their lives, and just having that beautiful triumph at the end looking was important."
Producer Andrea Keir said the film was exactly how she had envisioned it when she first saw Melanie's play at the Glebe Street Theatre.
"I saw the play and thought it would make a lovely movie," she said.
"I was looking for something that resonated with me. I wanted to make something that was quintessentially Australian.
"I couldn't be happier with the results and with Lynn Hegarty. She was just a wonderful director."
Before she filmed in the Robertson, Andrea was warned that Robertson was "one of the wettest places in Australia."
"All shoots have their challenges, and this just ended up so well," she said.
"I thought, 'I'm sure we'll be fine', and we ended up with blue skies every single day.
"We were blessed."
Like Lisa, filming in the Southern Highlands was vital for Andrea.
"Robertson was just beautiful," she said.
"There were these beautiful rolling hills, green grass, and cows, and I just loved it."
Andrea also had nothing but nice things to say about the locals who jumped in to be extras in the film.
"The people were so fabulous. They were amazingly gracious and welcoming," she said.
"There was one day where we didn't have enough extras in the Bundanoon Soldiers Hall, and so I got on the local radio station and asked for locals to fill the hall," she said.
"I couldn't believe it. People were driving, and they just parked their cars and asked what they needed to do to fill the hall.
"It was great having real people from the town."
The scene where the main character Penny made an impassioned plea in Bundanoon Soldiers Hall was Andrea's favourite scene to film.
"I loved that scene," she said.
"It came together for me because that's what it was all about was about; equality.
"Even though it wasn't beautiful rolling hills, it was an important scene."
Andrea was also full of praise for Melanie, who wrote extra scenes and expanded the play into a feature film.
'She did a wonderful job," she said.
"It was really expanded, and she did that professionally. It really worked well."
The film features Claire van der Boom, Katie Wall, Genevieve Lemon, Tiriel Mora, and Robyn Nevin.
The cast also includes Andy Ryan, Rohan Nichol, Cecelia Peters, Darren Gilshenan, John Batchelor, and John Gaden.
You can watch 'The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race' on Channel 10 on July 26 at 7:30 pm.
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Vera Demertzis
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
