Jamie Carr is a young man growing up in Bundaberg, Northern Queensland during the closing years of World War I. Jamie, who is in his final year of high school, was brought up by his grandmother. Grandma Carr is known and loved by all in the town, and does her best to help Jamie through the emotional turmoil of adolescence and a society struggling under old traditions and beliefs in a new country.

The true story of a part Aboriginal man who finds the pressure of adapting to white culture intolerable, and as a result snaps in a violent and horrific manner.

In this movie version of "Bellbird" (1967) a reporter, Philip Henderson stirs up the town further when they are already suffering with a drought.