1990

S1.E1 ∙ Western Australia: Out West, Down Under

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The Cousteau team, aboard the Alcyone, travel to Western Australia, where they learn about lobster harvesting, pearl farming and the fragile sea-grass ecosystem.

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S1.E2 ∙ Australia: Continent of Dreams - Part 1. People of the Dry Sea

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

Australian aboriginals say the world was sung into existence by giant ancestors who roamed the earth during the Dream Time - a time of magic predating history. If that is so, then the vast Australian outback is an ancient symphony. Journey with Mel Gibson to a vast and arid land that is in fact the parched remains of a prehistoric sea now populated with kangaroos, lizards, and dingoes.

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S1.E3 ∙ Australia: Continent of Dreams - Part 2. People of Fire and Water

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

In Australia's Kakadu National Park, introduced species such as water buffaloes and mimosa thickets threaten the wetland habitat necessary for the survival of the native crocodiles, birds and other animals. As the crew traces the Murray River to Southern Australia, encroaching salt water threatens not only the river, but also farming in the Victoria area. Last, Flinders Chase National Park, on Kangaroo Island is visited, a refuge for kangaroos.

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S1.E4 ∙ Australia: A Continent at Odds - Part 1. Fortunes in the Sea

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

The northwest coast of Australia is home to a dazzling array of marine life - and the site of human drama. Impoverished Indonesian fishermen, their homeland depleted of oceanic wealth, ply Australian waters in rickety boats. With handmade goggles and a gulp of air, they dive for the sea's bounty. But Australia's aboriginal people, who depend on the same waters are determined to conserve these valuable resources. Mel Gibson narrates this exciting exploration of the clash between human needs and the earth's needs.

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S1.E5 ∙ Australia: A Continent at Odds - Part 2. Tasmania, Australia's Awakening Island

Wed, Dec 31, 1969

After underwater exploration in Bass Strait, Jean-Michel Cousteau leads the Cousteau expedition aboard the windship Alcyone, a type of rotor ship which utilizes the Magnus Effect for its propulsion, from its anchorage in Adventure Bay, Tasmania, up the Gordon River. In the temperate sea, kelp forests nurture the fascinating, stick-thin Tasmanian sea dragon. On land, Tasmanian devils refute their reputation for ferocity. Mutton birds, who migrate an astonishing 18,000 miles a year, are prey for tiger snakes. And contemporary Tasmanians awakened to the duty of environmental stewardship challenge the logging industry that has devastated much of their island's beauty. Mel Gibson narrates this film voyage to under Downunder: the island of Tasmania.

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