Picnic at Hanging Rock: Unsettling and Relevant 50 Years On

Picnic at Hanging Rock, released 50 years ago, challenges colonial control over the Australian landscape and remains unsettling today. The film explores the tension between the land and colonial power, echoing the failure of the Indigenous Voice referendum. The story of schoolgirls who mysteriously vanish on a Valentine's Day excursion in 1900 is an eerie portrayal of place, silence, and disappearance, solidifying its place in the Australian Gothic tradition.

Peter Weir’s "Picnic at Hanging Rock," released 50 years ago, continues to resonate with audiences due to its eerie atmosphere and mysterious narrative. The film, based on Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel, tells the story of a group of private schoolgirls and their teachers who visit the nearby Hanging Rock on Valentine’s Day in 1900. During the excursion, three students and one teacher mysteriously disappear, leaving no clear explanation. This unexplained disappearance has become a central theme, challenging the idea of colonial control over the Australian landscape [1].

The film’s narrative is deeply rooted in the Australian Gothic tradition, which explores dark aspects of Australia’s history. "Picnic at Hanging Rock" is a powerful story about colonial fear and uncertainty. The unexplained disappearance of the schoolgirls plays off the idea that European thinking and logic can’t fully understand or master the Australian landscape. The film invites viewers to think differently about Australia’s identity, suggesting that the landscape itself remembers the past and actively resists the stories colonizers have tried to tell about it [1].

Hanging Rock, also known as Ngannelong, is a striking volcanic formation north-west of Melbourne. For the Dja Dja Wurrung, Woi Wurrung, and Taungurung peoples of the Kulin Nation, it is a deeply important cultural and spiritual place. The film’s mystery of white schoolgirls who disappear sits on top of older, deeper traumas – those of dispossession and the forced removal of Indigenous people from their lands. While the film appears dreamlike and mystical, Ngannelong’s sacredness challenges this romantic view, reminding us that the land holds its own stories and history [1].

"Picnic at Hanging Rock" can be seen as a reflection of the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty and reconciliation in Australia. The failure of the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament shows how divided Australia remains over these issues. The film’s refusal to provide resolution forces viewers to sit with the discomfort of what’s left unsaid, much like the unresolved questions surrounding Indigenous rights and colonial history [1].

The cinematography of Russell Boyd is key to the film’s unsettling mood. Shifting light and strange angles create a sense of uncertainty, with the bush often overpowering the characters. This fits with the concept of "ecological cinema," where nature has its own voice and resists colonial control. The film contrasts the tidy world of Appleyard College, representing colonial order, with the untamed mysterious landscape of Ngannelong. The girls’ disappearance unravels the school’s order, exposing how fragile colonial power really is [1].

In conclusion, "Picnic at Hanging Rock" remains a powerful and unsettling portrayal of place, silence, and disappearance. The film’s exploration of colonial tension and Indigenous struggle continues to resonate today, inviting viewers to think critically about Australia’s identity and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. As Australia grapples with its colonial past and the future of Indigenous rights, "Picnic at Hanging Rock" serves as a reminder of the deep-seated issues that still need to be addressed.

References:
[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-10/picnic-at-hanging-rock-50-years-old-film/105628154