Queerstralia

Queerstralia is an Australian TV series by Guesswork Television Production for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The series hosted by award-winning comedian and self-proclaimed “professional lesbian” Zoe Coombs Marr and directed by Stamatia Maroupas combines comedic and documentary techniques to explore queer history of Australia.

Over three one-hour episodes themed around belonging, identity and law, Zoe covers everything from lesbian convict gangs to the gay bushranger Captain Moonlite; the 78ers and gay bashing at the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 1978, and the AIDS response in Australia.

The series features interviews with comedian Hannah Gadsby, actor Magda Szubanski, historian Dr Yves Rees, activist Peter de Waal, former footballer Ian Roberts, feminist and filmmaker Barbara Creed and showrunner Tony Ayers.

All 3 episodes of Queerstralia were released in 2023. Episode one: The Law featured on Gogglebox Australia.

Episodes

 * Episode 1: The Law
 * Episode 2: Gender and Identity
 * Episode 3: Community and Belonging

Cast

 * Zoë Coombs Marr
 * Magda Szubanski
 * Ian Roberts
 * Nayuka Gorrie
 * Rhys Nicholson
 * Hannah Gadsby
 * Georgie Stone
 * Tony Ayres
 * Narelda Jacobs
 * Aunty Dawn Daylight
 * Dr. Yves Rees
 * Peter De Waal
 * Dr. Todd Fernando
 * Dino Hodge
 * Den Altman
 * Julie Peters
 * Tony Briffa
 * Anthony Brandon Wong – narrator

Production
Interviews between Coombs Marr and interviewees featured various locations, such as The Peel (Collingwood), The Fox Hotel, Altona, Cascades Female Factory.

Critical reception
Micheal Idato, of The Sydney Morning Herald, gave Queerstralia 4 out of 5 stars. Idato commended the series on "deliver[ing] a robust, and nicely irreverent, telling of Australia's queer history".

Queerstralia was a MIPCOM Cannes Diversify TV Award Finalist for Representation of LGBTQIA+ Non-Scripted.