Gods of Wheat Street, The (ATOM Study Guide)

The Gods of Wheat Street is a television drama series of six one-hour episodes that transports the audience into the world, hearts and humour of the Freeburns, a modern Aboriginal family of local legends. Set in a fictionalised version of the northern New South Wales town of Casino, the series explores the trials and tribulations of the Freeburn family. Each episode spans a few hectic days with a touch of magic and enough deadpan humour to help the characters rise above obstacles that would bring mere mortals to their knees – and get on with the important matters of love, family and football.

Head of the family before his time, Odin Freeburn is being pulled in all directions. As a sixteen-year-old by twenty years ago, he promised his dying mother he would keep the family together. Now he has one brother in jail, another brother is in love with the daughter of the family enemy and his wife has run away to the city, leaving him to raise their two daughters. His employer has just died, his sister-in-law is in love with him, and the spirit of his mother Eden has come back on a mission to protect the important destiny of the Freeburn line … just a normal day for Odin Freeburn.

But there are schemes against him and pressure is mounting for Odin. Can he let go of his past in time to save the future?

Curriculum links
For students in Years 11–12, The Gods of Wheat Street has relevance to units of work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Australian History, Cultural Studies, English, Literature, Media Studies and Family Studies.