When A Place To Call Home premiered on Channel Seven in 2013, it was clearly something special. It wasn’t just the gorgeous period detail – it was the big, bold story about a changing Australia in the 1950s.
Axed after two seasons, then revived by Foxtel, A Place To Call Home has built a devoted fan base worldwide.
“A lot of them watch the program three times consecutively when it screens,” star Noni Hazlehurst, who plays matriarch Elizabeth Bligh, says.
“They’re forensic in their examination of the characters and the show’s view of the world. The discussions they have are really rewarding. I hope it continues to unite people around the world.”
The series wraps up with the finale of the sixth season, set in the last days of the 1950s. Creator Bevan Lee has had it all planned out.
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Season Six will be the last for A Place To Call Home.
“The final season has been about healing and completion; the characters finding their individual ways to what ‘home’ represents for them,” he explains.
Bevan, 67, says the house itself, Ash Park, symbolised the changing values of Australia over time. He says it’s morphed into a “warm, loving, open and inclusive home”.
“I’m optimistic enough to hope this is the fate of Australia in times when bitter and closed minds would take us back to the bigotry of the past under the guise of a return to ‘true values’,” he adds.
So what can fans expect? Noni, 65, says she’d like them to be “satisfied” after watching it.
“I hope they feel like they’ve been on a journey that’s given them some great memories,” she says.
Here’s a final peek at the characters.
George and Sarah stick together.
SARAH AND GEORGE
This season, Sarah (Marta Dusseldorp) has faced her PTSD and finally been able to accept George’s (Brett Climo) love.
“There is only so much pain any one person can take,” Marta, 45, explains. “Sarah had reached her limit.”
“She’s now looking at a new journey, thanks to George’s career. “She’s happy to stay together as a family,” she says.
Elizabeth is trying to move on.
ELIZABETH
A recent makeover symbolised “coming out of mourning” for Elizabeth.
“She realises she’s on borrowed time,” Noni explains.
“She wants to be of value to those around her. People will be satisfied with how she resolves what she’s going to do for the rest of her life.”
Will Carolyn sort things out with Jack?
CAROLYN AND JACK
Carolyn (Sara Wiseman) and Jack (Craig Hall) have always been an unlikely couple, and Delia (Maya Stange) tested them.
“Today, when couples seem to give up on marriage too easily, I wanted to show a couple fighting to overcome many incompatibilities to hold on to their future,” Bevan says.
“Only the final episode will tell if and how they can move beyond this rift.”
Anna faces single motherhood.
ANNA AND HENRY
Anna (Abby Earl) has embraced single motherhood, but will it work out? Will Henry (Tim Draxl) commit to Harry (Dominic Allburn)?
“I wanted to use Anna and Henry to hint how Australia would slowly embrace the idea of more than one sort of family unit,” Bevan says.
So is this it for the Blighs?
“There could be another show set in the Place universe,” Bevan hints. “But the story of the Bligh family is done. When fans see the final moments, they’ll understand why I’m sure about that.”
Noni says the cast are keen for more. “I’m sure if Bevan felt like writing a one-off movie and fans felt like funding it, we’d all be up for it,” she says.
Marta says it’s “very hard” to let go of Sarah, someone she would very much like to be her friend.
“I will make sure she is my friend when I reach difficult situations in my own life,” she says.
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