English actors Trevor Howard, John Castle and Susannah York were especially imported from Britain to appear in this Australian production. This blew out the production budget around $200,000 (Australian). Reportedly, the fees in Australian dollars for each of these actors were $48,000, $32,000 and $125,000 respectively.
The shipwreck incident depicted in this film from which it is based in real life occurred on 22nd May 1836 off the Barrier Reef coast of the Australian state Queensland in Australia.
Susannah York signed to do this movie in February 1976, about a month before the start of principal photography.
English actress Charlotte Rampling and Australian actress Wendy Hughes were both considered for the lead role of Eliza Fraser which in the end was cast with Susannah York. Rampling met with director Tim Burstall but she did not feel comfortable doing the part as it was a comedy and she had not been a comic actress. The Roadshow company of Australia wanted an international film star to headline the picture and thus with Hughes being Australian her potential casting got vetoed. Director Tim Burstall said of them: "They had what we call in the business 'a touch of the Hollywoods'."
Originally budgeted at $750,000 (Australian), the film went over budget by $450,000, making it the first Australian-produced film with a budget of over $1 million.