Long Weekend 1979

Peter John Hargreaves and Marcia Briony Behets, along with their dog Cricket, set out for a weekend camping trip to a secluded beach. A palpable tension threads between the couple, and it seems each may have a lover; Marcia is reluctant about the journey but agrees to go anyway. On the way, Peter’s discarded cigarette butt sparks a small fire, and he inadvertently runs over and kills a kangaroo, casting a shadow over the trip from the start.

Upon arrival, they establish camp at the edge of a wooded area near the shore, and their presence begins to leave a harsher mark on the landscape. The weekend grows increasingly hostile as they engage in reckless acts that threaten the local environment: the theft and destruction of an eagle’s egg, the killing of a dugong, what appears to be the slaughter of a flock of birds, and senseless partial cutting of trees. The mounting friction between them intensifies, and it becomes clear that a painful secret—Marcia’s abortion after an affair—fuels much of their mutual resentment.

As tensions simmer, nature itself seems to retaliate against the toxic dynamic of the self-absorbed pair. An eagle and a possum launch direct attacks on Peter, signaling that the land is turning hostile. Desperate to escape, Marcia steals Peter’s car and leaves him alone as night falls. In response, Peter arms himself with a spear-gun and fires at a noise he perceives in the darkness, hoping to defend himself.

The following morning reveals a brutal consequence: Marcia’s body is found impaled by the spear, and Peter discovers his car abandoned within a web-like tangle. He drives away but must eventually abandon the vehicle when it becomes mired in mud. After hours of wandering, he reaches the main road and signals for help. As he attempts to flag down a passing truck, a sulphur-crested cockatoo attacks the driver, causing a loss of control that leads to Peter’s death.