A Country Practice was one of the longest-running Australian television drama series. It ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping, Sydney. It also ran from April to November 1994 for 30 episodes on Network Ten. The Channel Seven series was also filmed on location in Pitt Town, (outskirts of Northwest Sydney) while the Channel Ten series was filmed on location in Emerald, Victoria.
Though sometimes considered a soap opera, the storylines of the show's two one-hour episodes screened over any one week formed a self-contained narrative block. The storylines were meant to have a primary appeal to adult and older youthful audiences, and in particular they had greater appeal to children from middle class backgrounds.[1] As it did not have the open ended narrative of a traditional soap opera, it was technically a series [2]. Nevertheless many storylines were developed as sub plots for several episodes before becoming the focus of a particular week's narrative block. Overall, the programme "so emphasised the ongoing storylines of its major characters as to make the distinction between series and serial more or less meaningless" [2].
In addition to being broadcast in Australia, it also ran on the ITV network in the United Kingdom, as well as in many European countries and Hong Kong. It was also carried on a variety of Canadian stations, both during the show's lifetime and after. It was estimated that at its height, the show received a worldwide audience of five to six million each week.
The show followed a medical practice in the small fictional New South Wales country town of Wandin Valley. The show's stories focused on the staff of the practice and the hospital and their families, and through weekly guest characters - frequently patients served by the practice - various social and medical problems were explored. The series examined such topical issues as youth unemployment, suicide, drug addiction, HIV/AIDS, and terminal illness as well as Aborigines and their place in modern Australian society. Apart from its regular rotating cast of characters, mainly among the younger personnel, A Country Practice also had a cast of semi-regulars who would make appearances as the storylines permitted.
A Country Practice has also become well-known for its number of guest stars appearances, including Baz Luhrmann, Smokey Dawson, John Meillon, Sir Robert Helpmann and even the Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke made a cameo appearance in 1986. Nicole Kidman, Toni Collette and Simon Baker also had guest-roles in the series before going on to international fame.
The series is also the third most successful series in the history of the Logie Awards having won 29 times. Brian Wenzel was the first actor to win such an Honour for his role as Sergeant Frank Gilroy. By the end of the series Brian Wenzel and Shane Porteous were the only original cast members.
