Dustfall
2026 Australian drama series
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Dustfall is an Australian six-episode drama miniseries for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, released on 11 October 2026 on ABC Television. Starring Anna Torv and Juliet Stevenson, the series is based on the 2022 crime thriller novel The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis.
Belinda Chayko
Beatrix Christian
Dianne Taylor
| Dustfall | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Created by | Dianne Taylor |
| Based on | The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis |
| Written by | Stuart Page Belinda Chayko Beatrix Christian Dianne Taylor |
| Directed by | Emma Freeman |
| Starring | Anna Torv Juliet Stevenson Lila McGuire Peter Fenton Bert La Bonté Ling Cooper Tang Kate Box Martin Sacks Conrad Coleby Jay Ryan |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Anna Torv Emma Freeman Deborah Balderstone Xavier Marchand Daisy Gilbert Dianne Taylor |
| Producers | Deborah Balderstone Xavier Marchand Daisy Gilbert |
| Editors | Julie-Anne De Ruvo Angie Higgins |
| Running time | 55 minutes |
| Production companies | Soapbox Pictures Moonriver |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC TV |
Plot
Detective Tig Pollard returns to her hometown of North Gap, after spending years in the city, to investigate a sexual assault case where an 18-year-old is found naked in a cane field with no memory of how she got there. A ring of drink spiking and assaults is uncovered and a main suspect turns up dead, prompting Pollard to dive deeper into the case and the stories of the lives of those affected. In a quest to uncover the truth, a face from Pollard's past resurfaces, forcing her to confront secrets from times gone by.[1][2]
Cast
The cast was announced on 20 November 2025 the same day as the series was announced at the ABC Upfronts.[1]
- Anna Torv as Tig Pollard[1]
- Juliet Stevenson as Oliva Pollard[1]
- Lila McGuire as Talia Walker [1]
- Peter Fenton as Andy D'Silva[1]
- Bert La Bonté[1] as Remi Jolicoeur
- Ling Cooper Tang as Bernadette Quinn[1]
- Kate Box as Fiona Kelly[1]
- Martin Sacks as Tony Morrison[1]
- Conrad Coleby as Ross Kelly[1]
- Jay Ryan as Simon Prendergast[1]
- Harry Gilchrist as Blake Campbell[3]
- Gemma Chua-Tran as Maya Luu[3]
- Alice Ansara as Shayna Griffin[3]
- Zoe Phillips as Edie Kelly[3]
- Theo Haitana as Finn Morrison[3]
- Ben Knight as Mitch[3]
- Kirsty O'Connor as Ronnie[3]
- Ed Wightman as Greg Filmore[3]
- Luke J Morgan as Lachie Barrett[3]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Emma Freeman | Belinda Chayko, Beatrix Christian, Stuart Page | October 11, 2026 |
Production
Dustfall is based on the 2022 crime thriller novel The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis.[2]
On 20 November 2025, the series was first announced at ABC Television's 2026 Upfronts event with the 2026 drama slate, which also included the series Treasure & Dirt for the network.[4] On the same day, the BBC announced that they had acquired the rights to air the show in the UK.[5][6]
The six-part miniseries[3] is produced by Soapbox Pictures and Moonstone, with director Emma Freeman and producer Deborah Balderstone at the helm.[3][7] The production secured funding through Screen Australia and Screen Queensland, with production taking place on the Gold Coast, in Queensland.[8]
Release
Reception
Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian rated the series 4 out of 5 stars, saying "Dustfall has an emotional pull not commonly found in detective dramas" and calling it "a rock-solid, socially conscientious drama, imbued with weight and thought."[10]
Anthony Morris from Screen Hub gave it 4½ out of 5 stars saying "Dustfall doesn't always make for comfortable viewing, but a series this determined to have something to say – and which says it so articulately and skilfully – is a rare pleasure."[11]
Craig Mathieson from Sydney Morning Herald gave the series a perfect 5 star review said “The praise for this show, which should be ranked among the finest the ABC has produced, comes not just with superlatives, but an acknowledgment of the responsibility displayed: to not turn away, to not offer easy reassurance. You’ll be enthralled, you’ll be gutted.”[12]
Terry Pontikos from Australian Financial Review gave it 4½ out of 5 and called it "must-see TV". Pontikos praises Torv's performance, saying it's delivered with "mastery and nuance".[13]