1 x 52 minute documentary
Completed in 2001

Producer: Marcus Gillezeau & Ellenor Cox
Writer / Director: Marcus Gillezeau
DOP: Geoff Longford
Editor: James Manche
Composer: Felicity Fox
Webcast Director: Christopher Watson

Already Screened: Channel 7 Australia, ZDF Germany, AVRO Holland

QuickTime 1' 34"
TRAILER
Up to 3min download time.
File size - 1.1 Mg

QuickTime 1' 34"
TRAILER
Up to 5 min download time.
File size - 2.5 Mg

Synopsis

The film tells the story of one of history’s smallest but bravest ships - 'The Duyfken' (or Little Dove) It pioneered Spice Island trade routes, fought battles with ships three times her size and, sailing to the edge of the known world, discovered the last habitable continent, Australia.

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of this ‘giant step for mankind’ our faithfully reconstructed Little Dove is sent forth as a time machine heading back through the history of the Indonesian Archepelego to the moment when her daring Dutch captain William Janszoon first stepped ashore nearly two centuries before Captain Cook to make first contact with the Aborigines.

His successor Captain Peter Manthorpe takes us through the tantalising but troubled waters of the Spice Islands searching for clues from historic sites and Aboriginal descendants of the tribes with Dreamtime memories that reveal the truth of the real discovery of ‘Terra Australis Incognito’

The re-enactment voyage began in Fremantle, Western Australia in April 2000, where the authentic replica ‘Little Dove’ was joined by veteran tall ship skipper Peter Manthorpe, his hand picked crew, Maritime Historian Nick Burningham, Marine Biologist Paul Hough and Filmmaker Marcus Gillezeau.

Over the next four months the film records their unpredictable adventures as they challenge the elements and battle high seas on their voyage through Indonesia to their final landfall on Cape York Peninsula, Australia.

Lack of sleep, cramped conditions, primitive sailing techniques, the threat of monsoons as well as the need to carefully plot a course through waters poised to descend into civil war, did not dampen the spirits of this intrepid group intent of rewriting Australia's history books.

On this modern day high seas adventure we drop below the waterline with marine biologist Paul Hough to discover new coral and eel species on the mythical island of Banda.

They uncover a bizarre stash of cannons abandoned by pirates in the forgotten isles of Solor with Nick Burningham and are honoured with animal sacrifices and traditional dances on Wetar.

They narrowly escape an influx of potentially hostile refugees on the isolated island of Tual and finally arrive, battered by monsoonal winds, at the Pennefather river in Australia to a reconciliatory rendezvous with the local indigenous people.