Feature - The Great White Whale Film to Breach in Maleny

by Dale Jacobsen

The Great White Whale is the result of a decade-long labour of love for filmmaker Michael Dillon, with its gala premiere happening in Maleny.

What does Maleny have in common with Antarctica, Great White Whales, and an award-winning film? Two men who dedicated their lives to their professions, their environment and their community – Warwick Deacock OAM and Jon Stephenson AM.

We begin their story in 1963 when, along with Dr Grahame Budd, they made the first serious attempt to climb Australia’s highest mountain – not Mt Kosciusko, but a heavily glaciated, blown-out volcano named Big Ben, which forms the centrepiece of sub-Antarctic Heard Island. Whilst the island is located far south of the Australian mainland, it is part of Australian territory. Standing 500 m above Kosciuszko, it is also Australia’s only active volcano.

The men were lucky to survive, as the mountain tried to kill them in five different ways. The weather was fine on their ascent, but Jon feared it would not hold. His experience in crossing Antarctica with Sir Vivian Fuchs’ Transantarctic Antarctic Expedition in 1958 had taught him to be prepared, and so he suggested they build a snow cave – just in case. That snow cave saved their lives.

Warwick Deacock and his climbing partner, Dr Grahame Budd, determined they would conquer the mountain one day – they saw themselves as a modern-day Captain Ahab, obsessed with overcoming their Moby Dick. From some angles, Big Ben does resemble a “Great White Whale.”

They carefully selected a crew they could trust, then chartered a yacht, the Patanela, and sailed to the Island – a 4000-kilometre journey each way, through the world’s wildest seas. They succeeded on their second attempt.

Roll the story forward four years and a young teenager, Michael Dillon – undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh Award – met Warwick Deacock. Warwick had helped introduce the Award Scheme to Australia, and Michael became the first Australian to receive the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Michael’s connection with Warwick continued when they undertook one of the first commercial treks to the Everest Region four years later. Warwick was filming the trip, using the same camera he had used on Heard Island. Michael acted as Warwick’s assistant and is now the proud owner of that Bolex 16 mm camera.

Michael’s move into filmmaking resulted in an outdoor and adventure filming career that has spanned more than 50 years. His award-winning films include Everest Sea to Summit, which received a record eight Grand Prizes at International Mountain Film Festivals. In 2022 Michael was awarded The Grand Prize by the International Federation of Mountain and Adventure Film Festivals for lifetime achievement – the first time this award had been given to anyone from the Southern Hemisphere.

The story of those brave Heard Island men, who ascended Big Ben before Everest had been conquered, stayed with Michael. There remained clear, high quality historic footage, and he felt it was a story that needed to be told. Eventually, he and Grahame Budd sat down with the expeditioners to have them tell their stories before the camera.

To everyone’s surprise, one of the crew, John Crick, stood up and began singing the story. John’s deeply moving words became absorbed into the soundtrack of the film.

The Great White Whale is the result of a decade-long labour of love for Michael. It is currently touring theatres throughout Australia and overseas, and has won many awards, including Grand Prize and Best Director awards at the International Mountain and Adventure Film Festival in Bilbao, Spain, last December. It is now to breach spectacularly at its Gala Premiere at Maleny on Friday night, October 18 (6pm for 6.30pm start).

The venue for the event will be the Maleny Community Centre. This important hall is owned by the community, not the local council, and MCC are currently trying to raise funds for repairs and painting of the building. The late Warwick Deacock was the president of MCC for a number of years, and it is a fitting tribute that proceeds of this film will go towards the fundraising venture. There was always great community interest in fundraisers for his Antarctic adventures.

Also fittingly, Michael Dillon will be introduced by Sara (Bucher) Stephenson, of Maleny Cheese Factory (who are sponsors for the event). Sara is the daughter of Jon Stephenson who accompanied Warwick Deacock on the first attempt. He played a supportive role in the fledgling stages of setting up the Maleny Cheese Factory in the 1990s, preparing the first batches of marinated feta. Sara speaks fondly of gatherings at her home with Warwick and Antonia Deacock, Grahame Budd and her dad Jon, where they played music together.

Michael will give a talk before the screening, then will host a Question-and-Answer session after the film.

Tickets can be purchased through Trybooking at:.trybooking.com/CUNLO and at the door, the cost is $15 ($10 concession).