Against the Wind

- Season 1

(1978)

In 1796 Ireland, the Mulvanes are oppressed by British laws and taxes. Daughter Mary seeks to rescue the family's impounded cow with the aid of beau, Michael Connor. Connor is killed. Mary's sentenced to be transported for 7 years.

Mary now a convicted criminal, boards the convict ship 'Britania' for the arduous voyage to Sydney. On board she meets Polly, the boss of the female prisoners and Greville, sinister officer of the NSW Corp

Mary and Polly survive the sea voyage and are assigned on their arrival in Sydney. Capt Greville still smarting at Mary's rebuke sets out to make her life as difficult as possible

Mary and Polly begin to settle into their various situations in the new colony. Jonathan falls afoul of the cruel overseer Pike, and pays for his slip in judgment

Time passes in the colony. Jonathon begins to have genuine feelings for Mary, thinking of the future he learns to read and write. Greville expands his empire and is prepared to eliminate anyone how gets in his way

Mary, who had originally planned to return to Ireland, decides to stay in the Colony and marry Jonathan after seeing his house and land.

Work on the land is hard and there is talk of an uprising among the convicts and Jonathan, against Mary's will, wants to help them.

The uprising has begun but the convicts are tricked and betrayed. The British troops are too powerful and the uprising fails.

Dinny, although wounded, escapes the slaughter and hides at Jonathan's house. Meanwhile, their old adversary Ensign Greville has taken over the neighbouring farm.

Dinny finds an Aboriginal wife and, as he is a wanted man, has to live rough in the bush with her. Mary gives birth to a son. Dinny is spotted by the military and shot dead.

Crops are bad at Jonathan's farm and the military want to take advantage of this and buy the crops off his farm. Jonathan finally has no choice but to sell. Later he finds out the payment is only given out in rum.

Jonathan and Will, Polly's husband, start their own illegal distillery. But when this is discovered, Will is fiercely punished.

Jonathan is sentenced to six months jail for writing a letter to the Governor exposing the corruption of the overseers after he refuses to do as the new "government" orders.