WORK IN PROGRESS

LONGGRASS SHORTGRASS

Two women collide on film in a personalised insight into the lives and opinions of Longgrass and Shortgrass lifestyles. Longgrass representing indigenous family groups who have camped out in public space within Darwin city for generations. Shortgrass representing the rapid growth of apartment towers with harbour views - a new urban life styler who now call Darwin home.  
Sharing one town, living conflicting cultural lifestyles, each offers their opinions about the other. A short documentary located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia’s capital of tropical living.

Due for release in early 2008.

Shortgrass: Robyne Burridge with husband Ron at Vesties Beach.

Longgrass - Tammie Garbu Garbu with sister Jedda at Malak shops.

Lights Out WITTENOOM

A documentary film – 52 minutes.

Brief Outline

In the remote Pilbara region of Western Australia, at the door step of the world renouned Karijini National Park is the apparent ghost like town of Wittenoom.  
Warning signs positioned at each end of the town proclaim a health hazard to anyone that enters. The handful of remaining residents refuse to leave the former asbestos mining town, site of the greatest industrial disaster in Australia. Meanwhile indigenous people continue to use Wittenoom Gorge and town facilities.

Background

During mining operations between 1943 and 1966 the Wittenoom workers and their families, visitors, tourists, consultants and Government officials were exposed to lethal levels of blue asbestos a thousand times higher than occupationally regulated at the time.
In the 1980’s the West Australian governments decision to close the town was led by the high profile campaign to secure compensation for hundreds of Wittenoom workers and their families dying from mesothelioma and other lung diseases.

As part of a plan to “phase down activities in the town”, Western Power has been told not to renew it’s license to supply the town’s power this year. The 10 or so residents will effectively loose their power from July 2006. Residents are digging in, saying they will set up alternative power sources and refuse to leave.

This story follows individuals and families through the communities struggle to maintain their chosen place of residents and lifestyles in a town whose name means poison to most other Australians.

This is a long term project with it’s beginning in 2006 when the 10 remaining residents lost their power and a number of residents where forced to leave. The West Australian government persists in it’s determination to rid Wittenoom of all residents. While the attitude of the government only strengthens the 6 remaining residents resolve to stay.    

Meg and Frank Timewell - Wittenoom.

Mario and Frank at Wittenoom

Roli at home - Wittenoom

Filmmaker Stella Smith with resident Paul Fitzgerald.