A sobering look at bushfire season and Australia’s environmental future

By Isabelle Harris

Nov 3, 2021

Destruction: A cautionary reminder of Australia’s past bushfires and what they could look like in the future.

The catastrophic Black Summer bushfires thrust images of scarred landscapes, lost homes and displaced people into the public spotlight.

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Documentary Australia Burns... Silence of the Land was nearly entirely created by Shane McLachlan, who wrote, directed, shot and edited it, while also self-funding the entire project from start to finish.

It serves as a poignant reminder of an impending environmental and climate crisis through chronicling the 2019-20 bushfire season.

The season remains one of the worst on record, in which an estimated 18.6 million hectares of eastern Australia was burnt, 3000 homes were lost and 34 people were killed.

Unlike previous reporting, which has mostly shown harrowing firefighter interviews and burnt bushland, this documentary examines the cause and dire future ramifications.

McLachlan's undeniable passion for this subject matter, alongside a sprinkling of political activism, makes this a provoking and insightful examination of the past, so we can do better for the future.

The documentary first appeared at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival in July this year, but is now airing on free-to-air television for the first time.

It has been critically acclaimed for its honesty and raw nature, with many describing it as a “must-watch”.

Australia Burns... Silence of the Land airs on Sunday, November 7 at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS HD.

By Isabelle Harris

McPherson Media Group