BARRIER REEF
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EPISODES: 39.
LENGTH: 30 mins.
FORMAT: Colour, Film.
PRODUCTION: 1969 - 1970 Fauna Production.
ORIGINAL SCREENING: 1971 - 1972 (earlier overseas).
RUNNING ORDER: Official.
NETWORK: 0-Ten.

CAST:
Captain Ted King.......JOE JAMES
Tracey Deane.......ROWENA WALLACE (eps 18 - 39)
Diana Parker.......ELLI MACLURE (eps 9 - 20)
Steve Gabo.......HAROLD HOPKINS
Kip Young.......KEN JAMES
Jack Meurauki.......GEORGE ASSANG
Elizabeth Grant.......SUSANNAH BRETT (eps 1 - 8)
Dr. Paul Hanna.......IHAB NAFA (eps 1 - 17)

CREW:
Producers.......LEE ROBINSON & JOY CAVILL
Executive Producers.......JOHN McCALLUM & BOB AUSTIN
Director underwater sequences.......RON TAYLOR

EPISODE TITLES
1. Rendezvous
2. Galleon
3. Something Beginning With M
4. Strange Cargo
5. The Pewter Chalice
6. The Cannon Of Nemora
7. The Pirates
8. Old Gold Final Susannah Brett
9. Slipway First Elli Maclure
10. When Big Fish Die
11. Russians Are Red
12. Cyclone
13. Assignment In Shute
14. Thursday Girl
15. Nothing But The Truth
16. White Death
17. Echoes From The Past Final Ihab Nafa
18. A Matter Of Money First Rowena Wallace
19. Scotch On The Rocks
20. God Bless Her Final Elli Maclure
21. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
22. Sea Fever
23. Shark Bait
24. The Tripod
25. Coconut Ice
26. Moon Shot
27. The Speckled Stone Fish
28. The Old Skipper
29. Sell Out
30. Black Diamond
31. The Tunnel
32. Sanctuary Cay
33. The Missile
34. His Majesty Regrets
35. Voices In The Deep
36. Pilgrims Progress
37. Oysters Never Tell
38. Bird Cage
39. The Fence

1. Rendezvous

Sir John Hargreave.......John Warwick
Gordon Lewis.......John McCallum
Professor Martin.......Tom Farley

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......John McCallum & Lee Robinson
Director.......Paul Maxwell

Synopsis: A high ranking Government official makes a secret visit to the Endeavour to determine whether General Trust Corporation may use it's Minus Five equipment to commercial advantage without affecting the natural heritage of the Great Barrier Reef. The project is placed in jeopardy when, riding in the mini-submarine, he nearly loses his life. Dr. Paul Hanna, of the Government Science Council, joins the team on board the Endeavour.

Notes: Segments filmed in Canberra.

Airdate: Melbourne 12/2/71

2. Galleon

Conde De Cassalis.......Don Pascoe
Sir John Hargreave.......John Warwick

Script.......Lee Robinson
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A Spaniard tricks the Minus Five team into using their equipment to locate a sunken galleon which, he says, carried a fortune in gold. His real reason is to prove a Spaniard discovered the Australian coast before Captain Cook.

Airdate: Gippsland VIC 1/10/71, Orange NSW 5/3/72

3. Something Beginning With M

Stewart Gamelin.......Allan Lander

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Neill Phillipson
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: An industrial spy gets aboard the Endeavour to photograph the top secret equipment, but he turns out to be not such a bad bloke when he realises his methods endanger Captain King's life.

Airdate: Melbourne 19/2/71, Albury NSW 5/5/71, Orange NSW 26/7/71

4. Strange Cargo

Bob Davenport.......Robert Bruning
Edwards.......Kevin Miles
Sgt. Davies.......Don Reid

Script.......Lee Robinson
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team discover a murdered man in Barrier Reef waters, and he is buried on a small, lonely island. He is to be exhumed by the police, but when Sgt. Davies goes to the grave the body is missing, and the Minus Five team land in a strange network of intrigue.

Notes: This is the only episode to feature Robert Bruning as Bob Davenport in what was originally planned as a semi-regular role.

Airdate: Gippsland VIC 8/10/71

5. The Pewter Chalice

Kelly Clarke.......Tina Cornioley
Sister Magdalena.......Christina O'Brien
Sister Angela.......Judith Fisher

Script.......Lee Robinson
Director.......Brian Faull

Synopsis: Two nuns ask the Minus Five team to help them recover a sacred chalice lost in a wreck off the Great Barrier Reef, but Captain Ted King reluctantly declines assistance as the Endeavour is under orders for another assignment. The nuns risk their lives when they decide to attempt the salvage job themselves.

Airdate: Melbourne 9/4/72, Gippsland VIC 24/9/71

6. The Cannon Of Nemora

Joan Norris.......Helen Morse
Kenneth Norris.......Peter Adams

Script.......Michael Wright & Ron McLean
Director.......Brian Faull

Synopsis: The Minus Five team has salvage rights to a vessel sunk off the Barrier Reef in the 1800's, but when they arrive they find divers down below. The gold disappears and it seems it has been stolen from under their noses. A cannon from the wreck and an old log book must be found before the mystery can be solved.

Airdate: Gippsland VIC 29/10/71, Mt. Gambier SA 9/3/72

7. The Pirates

Rod.......Tristan Rogers
Chris.......John Wood
Tony.......Damien Parker

Script.......Joy Cavill
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: Tense moments mix with comedy when three students capture the Endeavour and, thinking the crew are spies, plan to hand them over to the police.

Notes: John Wood's first television role.

Airdate: Gippsland VIC 22/10/71

8. Old Gold

Insp. John Harden.......Ken Goodlet
Harry Jenkins.......Gerry Duggan
Ford.......Les Berryman

Script.......Lee Robinson
From an original story by.......Andre Maestracci
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: Old Harry tells Steve Gabo about two million dollars of gold coin carried on a plane lost during World War 2, which he has been trying to locate for years. The Minus Five team begin a search and find more than they bargained for - two skeletons, and two armed men who could be murderers, but who are in fact Commonwealth Police.

Notes: Final episode with Susannah Brett.

Airdate: Gippsland VIC 15/10/71, Ballarat VIC 10/3/72

9. Slipway

Kelly Clarke.......Tina Cornioley
Ruth Curtis.......Pat Sullivan
Hyles.......Ric Hutton

Script.......Lee Robinson
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Endeavour puts into a slipway in Townsville for inspection and maintenance, and the crew welcomes Diana Parker, the charming new operator for the Minus Five equipment. But there are shocks in store for all as Diana is discovered to be an impostor, and one of the diving crew narrowly escapes death.

Notes: First episode with Elli Maclure as Diana Parker.

Airdate: Melbourne 26/2/71, Sydney 16/10/71, Adelaide 7/9/71, Tamworth NSW 12/9/71

10. When Big Fish Die

Script.......Brian Faull
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: Exploring an underwater oil field near the Great Barrier Reef, the mini-submarine crew strikes new danger - an ear-splitting, high-frequency sound that kills fish, and even disables the Minus Five electronic equipment.

Airdate: Melbourne 5/3/71, Canberra 29/7/71

11. Russians Are Red

Capt. Rudolf Chenov.......Peter Aanensen
Igor Mosyiev.......John Roddick

Script.......Ted Roberts
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team become involved in political intrigue when a defector from a Russian ship asks them for political asylum in Australia. Steve Gabo takes his side, until he learns the Russian is not a refugee, but a thief.

Airdate: Melbourne 7/11/71, Gippsland VIC 7/5/71

12. Cyclone

Susan Prescott.......Janet Kingsbury

Script.......Lee Robinson
Director.......Lee Robinson

Synopsis: The Endeavour runs before Cyclone Ada, which devastates tourist resorts on the Great Barrier Reef and towns on the North Queensland coast. After the disaster, the Minus Five team return to the area to search for survivors, and play an important role in rescue work.

Notes: Filming of the episode 'Slipway' was almost completed when Cyclone Ada struck. Two new episodes, 'Cyclone' and 'Assignment In Shute', were written around the cyclone and its aftermath.

Airdate: Melbourne 26/9/71, Wollongong NSW 19/12/71, Gippsland VIC 30/4/71

13. Assignment In Shute

Mrs. Holmes.......Janet Kingsbury
Dave McPhie.......Don Crosby

Script.......Joy Cavill
Director.......Lee Robinson

Synopsis: The Endeavour crew are assigned to search for a fishing launch sunk during the cyclone. They plunge into a murder mystery when in the cabin they find a body with a knife in his back.

Notes: This episode, together with episode 12 'Cyclone', was especially written following Cyclone Ada. Shute is a harbour town near Proserpine that was particularly hard hit by the storm.

Airdate: Melbourne 10/10/71, Sydney 13/11/71, Albury NSW 19/5/71

14. Thursday Girl

Melanie.......Nora Tfieng

Script.......Brian Faull
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A beautiful young girl from Thursday Island stows away on the Endeavour, claiming Jack Meurauki has promised to marry her. Hiding the girl from the Captain proves a major problem.

Airdate: Melbourne 24/10/71, Sydney 27/11/71, Gippsland VIC 19/3/71

15. Nothing But The Truth

Bob Castle.......Lex Mitchell
Hayes.......Lyle Hillway

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Keith Martin
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: Minus Five picks up uranium readings which appear and disappear. A trawler hauls in a catch of fish which could be radioactive, but a more important 'catch' is contested with spear guns under the ship as the Endeavour crew stumble upon uranium smugglers.

Airdate: Melbourne 17/10/71, Sydney 20/11/71, Gippsland VIC 23/4/71, Orange NSW 13/9/71, Wollongong NSW 9/1/72

16. White Death

Guy Bodel.......Ron Coleman

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Brian Wright
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Endeavour is assigned by the government to chart unknown channels in the Barrier Reef. A man once badly mauled by a white pointer shark seeks revenge in the shark's breeding ground and endangers the lives of the Minus Five divers.

Airdate: Melbourne 31/10/71, Sydney 4/12/71, Gippsland VIC 26/3/71

17. Echoes From The Past

Script.......Peter Maxwell
Director.......Neill Phillipson

Synopsis: The Minus Five team is commissioned by the Royal Australian Navy to locate and chart a mine field off the Barrier Reef. During the trip, Captain Ted King risks his life to rescue one of his crew trapped in the mine field, while mines are breaking loose from the rusted cables and menacing the ship.

Notes: Final episode with Ihab Nafa.

Airdate: Melbourne 3/10/71, Sydney 6/11/71, Gippsland VIC 2/4/71, Tamworth NSW 3/10/71

18. A Matter Of Money

Morgan.......Vaughan Tracy
Howard Bell.......Terence Cooper
Captain.......Lyle Hillway

Script.......Brian Faull
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Endeavour's attractive new scientist learns a bitter lesson in security when she innocently arranges passage to Townsville for a colleague. Customs officer Morgan and the Minus Five team are held at gunpoint by the passenger who demands the surrender of counterfeit money plates which have been discovered attached to the ship's hull.

Notes: First episode with Rowena Wallace as Tracey Deane.

Airdate: Melbourne 14/11/71, Sydney 18/12/71, Gippsland VIC 21/5/71, Orange NSW 4/10/71, Wollongong NSW 5/3/72

19. Scotch On The Rocks

Michael O'Flaherty.......Al Thomas
Hamish McGregor.......Harry Lawrence

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Susan Fuller
Director.......Howard Rubie

Synopsis: A wreck with a cargo of whisky hangs precariously on a ledge on the Reef. A puritan Scotsman plans to destroy the cargo, and a drunken beachcomber warns the Minus Five team, who are working to retrieve a new navigational aid from the wreck. The navigational aid must be assessed, for if it is defective it could endanger the other five ships it has been issued to, but their work is hampered by the old Scotsman who is determined to destroy the whisky before it can cause any evil.

Airdate: Melbourne 28/11/71, Gippsland VIC 9/4/71

20. God Bless Her

Michael O'Leary.......Noel Ferrier
Sgt. Bloxmore.......Lyle Hillway

Script.......John McCallum
From a story by.......Michael Kitchenside
Director.......Howard Rubie

Synopsis: A mad scientist, intent on preserving the Barrier Reef from exploitation, plants explosives aboard the Endeavour as the crew wait to welcome the Royal Britannia during the Royal Visit to Townsville.

Notes: Final episode with Elli Maclure.

Airdate: Melbourne 21/11/71, Canberra 16/9/71, Gippsland VIC 28/5/71

21. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Anthony Brooks.......Keith Lee
Sir John Hargreaves.......John Warwick
Miss Hindahara.......Misao Kamijo Molinaro

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Bill Lambert
Director.......Lee Robinson

Synopsis: A Japanese submarine sunk during World War 2; a Shinto burial service; and the unusual interest displayed by a Member of Parliament plunge the Minus Five team into a new mystery on the Barrier Reef.

Airdate: Melbourne 12/12/71, Sydney 26/2/72, Gippsland VIC 16/4/71

22. Sea Fever

Gail Smith.......Judy Morris
Derek Potter.......David Foster
Prof. Barnard.......Peter Carver

Script.......Ron McLean
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A strange illness threatens the life of three people on the Great Barrier Reef when an old scientist loses control of dangerous research into the effects of radiation on the cycle of marine life.

Airdate: Melbourne 6/2/72, Gippsland VIC 9/7/71, Shepparton VIC 12/3/72

23. Shark Bait

Raymond Clarke.......Tony Ward
Peggy Clarke.......Sue Costin
George.......Reg Gorman

Script.......Ted Roberts
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A wealthy fisherman hunts for a world record size shark, and baits an area with bloody meat. One of the Minus Five divers becomes trapped by a thrashing shark pack attracted by the bait.

Airdate: Melbourne 23/1/72

24. The Tripod

Hooper.......Peter Reynolds
Lynch.......Alister Smart

Script.......Lee Robinson
From an original story by.......Harry Woollerton
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The owner of an illegal fishing fleet is desperate when the Minus Five team find a strange tripod on the sea bed which is his early warning system. He sends out a bogus distress signal to lure the Endeavour away from the area.

Airdate: Melbourne 5/3/72, Gippsland VIC 2/0/8/71

25. Coconut Ice

Dr. Sedgewick.......Ron Haddrick

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Susan Fuller
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The idea of icebergs in the tropical waters of the Barrier Reef at first amuses the Minus Five team, but the situation becomes grim when the icebergs prove to be real and a threat to shipping. Captain Ted King asks the inventor of the icebergs on board the Endeavour to join the team.

26. Moon Shot

Professor Martin.......Tom Farley

Script.......Lee Robinson
From an original story by.......Neill Phillipson
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A deadly, radioactive 16½ inch cylinder, released into the sea near the Great Barrier Reef from the crippled spacecraft Apollo 13, must be recovered and contained before the whole area becomes a graveyard. The assignment is given to the Minus Five team.

Notes: Rowena Wallace does not appear in this episode.

Airdate: Melbourne 5/2/71 (premiere), Sydney 25/9/71, Orange NSW 19/7/71

27. The Speckled Stone Fish

Sgt. Dwyer.......Ben Gabriel
Joe Francis.......Richard Meikle

Script.......John McCallum
Director.......Eric Fullilove

Synopsis: A bizarre attempted murder by the Mafia can only be prevented by a marine biologist and the Minus Five team working together. They must catch a deadly stone fish alive so that an antidote can then be made to save the dying man.

Airdate: Melbourne 12/3/72, Gippsland VIC 27/8/71

28. The Old Skipper

Capt. Lindstrom.......Eric Reiman

Script.......Ted Roberts
From an original story by.......Douglas Craig
Director.......Eric Fullilove

Synopsis: An ageing sea captain, original skipper of the Endeavour, determines to scuttle the ship so they can die together. Alone with him on the ship, Tracey Deane tries to change his mind.

Airdate: Melbourne 27/2/72, Canberra 23/12/71, Gippsland VIC 13/8/71

29. Sell Out
Slater.......Redmond Philips
Monroe.......Kurt Nischelwitzer

Script.......Brian Faull
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: One of the Minus Five team acts as bait to catch a company official selling classified information about a newly discovered nickel field on the Barrier Reef.

Airdate: Melbourne 5/12/71, Sydney 19/2/72, Gippsland VIC 14/5/71

30. Black Diamond

Mike Stewart.......Malcolm McLeod
Ron Grampian.......Vic Ley

Script.......Joy Cavill
From an original story by.......Valerie Taylor
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team find an unconscious diver in the water and another on the sea bed. Attempting a rescue, one of the team gets nitrogen narcosis and tries to give a shark boxing lessons.

Airdate: Melbourne 30/1/72, Canberra 25/11/71, Gippsland VIC 6/8/71, Orange NSW 18/12/71, Kalgoorlie WA 30/3/75

31. The Tunnel

Script.......Lee Robinson
From an original story by.......David Brogden
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: When the roof of a cave below the Great Barrier Reef collapses and traps one of the Minus Five divers, the others have to work against time to rescue him.

Airdate: Sydney 11/12/71, Melbourne 9/1/72, Tamworth NSW 23/12/71

32. Sanctuary Cay

Black.......Tony Bazell
Travis.......Stewart Ginn
Wallace.......Robert Quilter

Script.......Joy Cavill
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team clash with big business wanting to exploit a tropical island, even though it would mean the extinction of millions of protected seabirds.

Airdate: Melbourne 2/1/72, Gippsland VIC 11/6/71, Orange NSW 22/11/71

33. The Missile

Commander G. Finch.......Terry McDermott

Script.......Lee Robinson
From an original story by.......Harry Woollerton
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A live missile embedded in the coral reef makes a dangerous proving ground for a celebrated Royal Australian Navy diver who has lost his nerve.

Airdate: Melbourne 26/12/71, Sydney 11/3/72, Gippsland VIC 16/7/71

34. His Majesty Regrets

Gilda Flemming.......Valerie Taylor

Script.......Ross Napier
From an original story by.......Malcolm McLeod
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A monster turtle and a blonde diver girl form a strange alliance to frustrate the Minus Five team's latest assignment.

Airdate: Melbourne 20/2/72, Gippsland VIC 23/7/71, Orange NSW 9/1/72

35. Voices In The Deep

Script.......Brian Faull
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: Foreign voices are heard by Kip over the radio as he searches below the Endeavour for one of his tools. The Minus Five team are challenged by strange divers who accuse them of spying.

Airdate: Melbourne 13/2/72, Gippsland VIC 30/7/71

36. Pilgrims Progress

Pilgrim.......Willie Fennell
de Vuess.......Owen Weingott
Wilcox.......Lex Mitchell

Script.......Ross Napier
From an original story by.......Fay Adams
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: A desk-type security agent involves the Minus Five team in a dangerous duel with jet-boats when two men are discovered tapping an undersea cable and selling information to a foreign power.

Airdate: Melbourne 16/1/72, Gippsland VIC 25/6/71

37. Oysters Never Tell

Charlie Williams.......Chuck Kehoe

Script.......John McCallum
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team play cops and robbers with a pearl smuggler, and one of the team becomes trapped in an underwater cave.

Airdate: Melbourne 26/3/72, Gippsland VIC 10/9/71

38. Bird Cage

Annette Conway.......Judy McBurney
Alan Conway.......John Bonney
Doug Conway.......David Foster

Script.......Ross Napier
From an original story by.......Harry Woollerton
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team become involved in a lover's quarrel, which quickly turns very serious when the girl involved is trapped in a cage on the sea bed, and all evidence points to attempted murder.

Airdate: Melbourne 19/3/72, Gippsland VIC 3/9/71

39. The Fence

Script.......Brian Faull
From an original story by.......Harry Woollerton
Director.......Peter Maxwell

Synopsis: The Minus Five team need all their skill to locate and rescue Kip Young, who has been overcome by the energy force of a sonic fence which was laid to warn submarines approaching the Great Barrier Reef.

Airdate: Melbourne 2/4/72, Sydney 4/12/72, Gippsland VIC 17/9/71

Joe James and Rowena Wallace.