An orphaned sister and brother are left stranded in the Australian Outback, where they encounter a young Aborigine on a ritual journey, who leads them across the wilderness. However, his concern for their dilemma ultimately leads to tragedy. Nicolas Roeg's drama, starring Jenny Agutter, Lucien John, David Gulpilil, John Meillon and John Illingsworth.

Under the pretense of having a picnic, a geologist takes his teenage daughter and 6-year-old son into the Australian outback and attempts to shoot them. When he fails, he turns the gun on himself, and the two city-bred children must contend with harsh wilderness alone. They are saved by a chance encounter with an Aborigine boy who shows them how to survive, and in the process underscores the disharmony between nature and modern life.