Australian Ecology Series: Populations

‘Populations do not live in isolation’ – so starts Film Australia’s 1978 educational Australian Ecology Series, with the first episode, Populations. In this mesmerising and dreamy program, writer and director David E Barrow explores the way different organisms – from pelicans to flannel flowers, from termites to brolgas – band together to improve their chances of survival in the unpredictable Australian environment. The soundtrack feels futuristic, thanks to the echoing of a synth that wouldn't feel out of place in a science-fiction film, a nod to the often alien world of the animal kingdom. 

David Attenborough’s epic nature documentary series Life on Earth debuted in 1979, instantly raising the production values bar for the genre, introducing emotive storytelling, and encouraging the viewer to closely identify with its subjects. In contrast, Barrow takes a more distant approach with his work, presenting a medley of animals in short segments to illustrate his points, relying less on the emotive nature of connection and focusing on the necessities of survival. But we can still enjoy the lyrical close-ups of dragonflies, eucalyptus blossoms and sharks.