"Tenderness and tension": Producer Catherine Pettman on the fragile beauty of 'Moonbird'

SBS Australia

6 hours ago

Sonny (Lennox Monaghan) holding a baby muttonbird. Credit: Jillian Mundy Filmed entirely on location on tayaritja, lutruwita (Great/Big Dog Island, Tasmania), new 6-part SBS and NITV Digital Originals series Moonbird explores the relationship between a recently sober father (Kyle Morrison; in his first leading role) and his son (Lennox Monaghan; Deadloch , Windcatcher ) who attempt to reconnect through a traditional muttonbirding season on a remote Tasmanian island. Produced by Catherine Pettman (who worked as a production manager on another SBS original, The Tailings ) and written by Adam Thompson (who has written several episodes of Logie Award-winning children's animation Little J & Big Cuz ) and Nathan Maynard (who wrote episodes of Deadloch and Stuff the British Stole ), Moonbird is a beautiful glimpse into the traditions of the Palawa people.
"As writers and storytellers we wanted to share some of this special place with the world. To share the unique landscape, culture and way of life," said writer and Palawa man Adam Thompson in a statement. Coloured by gorgeous landscapes, the short drama series observes the importance of tradition to First Nations peoples, while also revealing the dark truths of how the breakdown of culture can have disastrous effects. In an interview with SBS, Catherine Pettman discusses the myriad wonders that came with working on Moonbird , from crafting the short series alongside female filmmakers to shooting on the fragile yet mesmerising land of the Palawa people: tayaritja.
Moonbird offers a unique glimpse into the unique world of muttonbirding. What did it mean for you to create something that allows viewers to look into this tradition and were there any challenges that came about during production? I feel deeply honoured to be part of bringing this story to life — inviting audiences into the rarely seen world of muttonbirding, a tradition woven through place, family and survival. Big Dog Island, just south of Flinders Island in Bass Strait, is separated by a shifting tidal passage making access unpredictable and weather dependent. With near zero infrastructure on the island, we were challenged by a constant shuffle between barges and boats to get everything we needed on and off the island daily. Given the remoteness it was a tough shoot, but the team rose to the challenge spectacularly.
While the island in Moonbird is fictional, the shooting location, Big Dog Island, is very much real, beautiful and has a deep history entrenched in the soil. What was it like creating Moonbird amongst such important lands? Big Dog Island is extraordinary — wild, remote, and teeming with life, with hundreds of thousands of burrows covering the island, sheltering the next generation of birds. From the beginning, we knew that protecting this fragile habitat was paramount. Every step of filming was approached with care and respect — not just for the environment, but for the Palawa people and their traditions at the heart of the story. We took great care to protect the fragile habitat, ensuring every step was respectful to the land, the birds and the story we were telling.
Moonbird explores the need to reconcile the past through truth-telling, through the effort to heal fractured relationships, even as we acknowledge how hard that is within systems that continue to apply pressure. What is your most cherished memory or moment from the creation of Moonbird ? One of my most treasured memories from the film shoot was being awoken before dawn to the wild calls of the yula/muttonbird outside my tent—a haunting, beautiful sound, a clear signal to me I was a guest in a place few people ever get to experience. The island's raw, untouched beauty was unforgettable; its energy made us all feel like we were part of something deeply special. My most cherished moment, though, came on our final night. After a feast of wild island food, we gathered to reflect on the privilege of being welcomed into Adam (Thompson) and Nathan (Maynard)'s world. We'd all learned so much—not just about the land, but about resilience, heritage and care. I was especially grateful to our young actor, Lennox Monaghan, whose powerful, authentic performance as Sonny anchored the story. It was an emotional night—of joy and a little sorrow that it was ending. The island had moved us. It gave us something we'll carry forever.
While there is certainly a lot of light in Moonbird , there is also darkness, especially around how the breakdown of culture can affect Indigenous peoples. Could you talk about exploring this duality in Moonbird ? Moonbird holds a deep emotional complexity. I feel in creating the story, Adam and Nathan skillfully navigated the duality of tenderness and tension—those intimate, warm moments between a father and son working to mend their bond, contrasted with the painful reality of disconnection: from family, from culture, from self. While there is a lot of light in the story, there's also a necessary darkness. The breakdown of culture—its theft, suppression and slow erosion—has left lasting wounds. Moonbird explores the need to reconcile the past through truth-telling, through the effort to heal fractured relationships, even as we acknowledge how hard that is within systems that continue to apply pressure. The island becomes a metaphor for this struggle—a place of breathtaking beauty, yet always at risk.
I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my life here in lutruwita/Tasmania — it's an extraordinary place, and with that comes a responsibility to support stories that speak truthfully to its history. You've noted a strong female contingent working on Moonbird behind the scenes. Could you speak on how that experience felt for you and the positive impacts this had on the creation of Moonbird ? We had around 40% female crew on Moonbird and the impact of that was incredibly positive. I'm always mindful of creating opportunities for women across all departments and on this project, that balance really enriched the experience. Living and working so closely together on location, there was a strong sense of support, shared knowledge and mentorship. The diversity within the crew encouraged dynamic decision-making and genuine collaboration. It fostered a community of like-minded souls, where stories and skills were exchanged freely. Having such experienced, capable women on set—many of them role models—was a clear reminder that parity not only works, it elevates the entire production.
You have worked on multiple short films and full-length films which tackle important topics and sometimes topics that do not get spoken on enough. How did this history inform your approach to telling the important stories of the Palawa people? I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my life here in lutruwita/Tasmania — it's an extraordinary place and with that comes a responsibility to support stories that speak truthfully to its history. Over the years, I've worked on projects that seek to give voice to stories not often heard and that experience has shaped how I approach work like Moonbird . As a non-Aboriginal woman, I've learned a great deal from the Palawa community and I carry a deep respect for the knowledge and generosity so many have shared with me. With Moonbird , my focus was on supporting Adam and Nathan to bring a powerful dramatic story to television — one that's rooted in their lived experiences and cultural strength. My role was to back their vision; it was a privilege to learn from them and help bring their story into the world. SBS and NITV Digital Originals series Moonbird is now streaming on SBS On Demand.
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