American Kate Adamson marries an Australian cattle rancher, Tom Hannon, and flies herself and her two children to the outback of Australia to live with him. Unfortunately the rancher is killed in an accident before they arrive. Penniless and unable to return home, Kate and her two children, Tina and Marty, stay at the debt-ridden ranch with Tom's two teenage daughters. At first they plan to return to America but quickly become committed to saving the ranch from being taken over by a local land baron. Troubles abound as the Australian outback is suffering from the worst drought in ages and cattle are dying. With the help of the land baron's estranged son, Nick Stenning, they overcome many obstacles and find fresh water beneath the ranch. Nick and Kate fall in love, Nick reconciles with his father at his father's deathbed, and the land baron's evil daughter - who is behind the harassment of Kate and the destruction of her ranch house (among other things) - is arrested. Everyone lives happily ever after in the outback.
This is a three-hour movie which is needlessly stretched out with lots of scenery, irrelevant scenes, and pointless dialogue. It could easily have been made more interesting and tighter by eliminating the fluff. It was obviously a showpiece for Linda Evans, riding the height of her Dynasty fame.
The acting is fine by the Australian actor Jack Thompson as Nick and Jason Robards as the land baron. Peter Billingsly is good as Kate's son Marty and Meredith does a great job in her limited role as Kate's daughter.
Meredith plays sassy teen daughter Tina who doesn't want to leave America and her friends. She plays her role like a typical teenager would if they were uprooted to the middle of nowhere. Once in Australia she complains and complains about everything - she just wants to go home. Hers is the voice which most of us would relate to - we wouldn't make the sacrifice and stay in this primitive environment, we'd return home to our friends and modern conveniences. But Meredith's role is rather small and not developed - the focus here is on Linda Evans or, when it's time to focus on one of the kids, Peter Billingsly. Meredith does have one good scene in which she is very upset when she receives a letter from her boyfriend in the states breaking up with her. She has a "bonding" moment with one of the Australian daughters as they talk about the breakup. But in a movie this long, Meredith certainly should have had more screen time.