In a remarkable television endeavour, SBS, in collaboration with Blackfella Films, is set to launch a three-part documentary series, Meet the Neighbours.
Premiering on 1st November on SBS On Demand, the series airs every Wednesday at 7:30pm. It chronicles the journey of eight families from various cultural backdrops as they transition from city life to reside in Maryborough, Victoria, for three months.
Hosted by Myf Warhurst, the series delves deep into the complex issues confronting regional Australia, ranging from inadequate housing and skill shortages to the lag in essential service investments.
As Warhurst, herself a product of a small town, reflects on her personal ties with regional Australia, she concurrently gauges the experiences of these new entrants. The larger objective? To extrapolate lessons from Maryborough’s experience to the broader challenges facing numerous Australian towns.
“Meet the Neighbours is extraordinarily ambitious and has the potential to kickstart an important national conversation about the challenges facing parts of regional Australia.
It’s another example of the way we tackle big issues through our innovative documentaries at SBS,”
remarked SBS Head of Unscripted, Joseph Maxwell.
Maryborough, with a modest population circling 8,000, traces its roots to a prosperous Goldrush era. But today, its standing is somewhat polar opposite. The town, once a melting pot of cultures, now ranks among the least diverse and most disadvantaged in the country, with a rapidly aging populace.
This documentary takes cues from the Welcome to Central Goldfields pilot project. With the backing of the local council, Maryborough community, and AMES Australia – experts in aiding migrants’ regional settlement – the objective is clear. It’s about assessing if infusing fresh talents, like healthcare experts, teachers, chefs, truckers, and even cricketing pros, can rejuvenate a dwindling town.
Blackfella Films’ duo, Producer Darren Dale and Series Producer and Writer Jacob Hickey, shed light on the disparities between regional and metropolitan Australia.“
“The intention of Meet the Neighbours is to shine a light on what is a divided, two-speed and unequal Australia, and what some solutions to this disparity might be.”
Emphasising the project’s significance, Screen Australia’s Head of Content, Grainne Brunsdon, stated,
“Meet the Neighbours is an exciting new series from the award-winning team at Blackfella Films, who have a strong track record of creating powerful documentaries that spark important national conversations.”
Echoing the sentiment, VicScreen CEO, Caroline Pitcher, expressed,
“Meet the Neighbours documents a bold social experiment, igniting a powerful dialogue about migration and community across the country.”
For diverse audiences, Meet the Neighbours will stream on SBS On Demand in five languages: Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. There’s also an audio description feature for those with visual impairments.
This gripping narrative, backed by SBS, Screen Australia, and VicScreen, promises to catalyse a nationwide discourse on the future of regional Australia.
