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In the archive
Australian content on television

All-time top-rating Australian feature films on television, 1980–2009

Five-city metro average (rating 10 and over): 2001–2009
Sydney and Melbourne (rating 20 and over): 1980–2000

2001–2009

Rank Title Year Network Rating1
1 Paperback Hero 2001 7 13.8
2 The Wog Boy 2002 7 11.5
3 Looking for Alibrandi 2003 9 11.4
4 The Castle 2001 9 11.2
5 The Dish 2003 10 10.5
6 Crocodile Dundee 2003 9 10.5

Source: OzTAM; compiled by Screen Australia.

Notes:
All people, five-city metro average, 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2009.
Ranked by rating. Programs with the same rating are ranked by unrounded total number of people viewing, if known.
Although not identified as such, the screening listed may be a repeat screening of the program. Repeats are indicated when known.
Any comparison of ratings data should take into account that different methodology was used to compile top-program lists before January 2005 and that a different audience measurement system applied before January 2001. See About the data for more information, including definitions of terms.
1. Rating is equal to TARP (Target Audience Rating Point).

Top

1980–2000

Sydney television | Melbourne television

Sydney television
Rank Title Date screened Network Rating1
1 Strictly Ballroom 23 Oct 94 7 43
2 The Man from Snowy River 17 Mar 85 9 39
2= Picnic at Hanging Rock 1 Jun 80 7 39
4 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith 8 Jun 80 10 37
4= Crocodile Dundee 20 Mar 94 9 37
6 Muriel's Wedding 21 Sep 97 9 36
7 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 15 Jun 97 7 34
7= Caddie 19 Oct 80 9 34
7= Crocodile Dundee II 30 Oct 94 9 34
10 Babe 22 Nov 98 7 32
10= Dead Calm 4 Aug 91 9 32
10= The Year My Voice Broke 4 Sep 88 10 32
13 Break of Day 13 Jul 80 9 30
14 Mad Max 3 Jun 84 10 29
14= The Picture Show Man 7 Sep 80 10 29
14= Storm Boy (1) 19 Oct 80 7 29
17 Gallipoli 1 Jul 84 10 28
17= Puberty Blues 4 Nov 84 7 28
17= The Sum of Us 10 Mar 96 7 28
20 The Castle 14 Nov 99 9 27
20= Phar Lap 3 Nov 85 7 27
22 The Big Steal 19 Jul 92 7 26
22= Breaker Morant 17 Feb 85 7 26
22= Lightning Jack 29 Sep 96 9 26
22= The Piano 8 Sep 96 7 26
22= The Pirate Movie 20 May 84 10 26
22= We of the Never Never 21 Apr 85 9 26
22= Young Einstein 10 Feb 91 7 26
29 Dating the Enemy 23 May 99 7 25
29= The Getting of Wisdom 21 Sep 80 9 25
29= Inn of the Damned 20 Jul 80 7 25
29= Sirens (Australia/UK) 16 Mar 97 7 25
33 Fortress 18 Nov 87 10 24
33= Green Card (Australia/France) 14 Feb 93 7 24
35 The Man From Hong Kong 30 Jan 89 10 23
35= Shine 28 Jun 98 7 23
35= Travelling North 5 Mar 89 7 23
38 Bony 5 Sep 90 7 22
38= Proof 18 Jul 93 10 22
38= Shame 26 Mar 90 7 22
41 All Men Are Liars 24 Nov 97 9 21
41= Emerald City 29 Jul 90 10 21
41= Gross Misconduct 20 May 95 9 21
41= Looking for Alibrandi 9 Feb 03 9 21
41= The Highest Honour 9 Aug 89 7 21
41= The Man From Snowy River II 18 Feb 90 10 21
41= Minnamurra 17 Mar 91 9 21
41= Snapshot 15 Jun 80 10 21
41= Sunday Too Far Away 28 Feb 80 7 21
50 Careful, He Might Hear You 13 Oct 85 7 20
50= Razorback 30 Oct 85 7 20
50= Tim 29 May 85 7 20
50= The Umbrella Woman 14 May 89 10 20
50= The Year of Living Dangerously 19 Jul 87 7 20

Top

Melbourne television
Rank Title Date screened Network Rating1
1 Picnic at Hanging Rock 1 Jun 80 7 46
2 The Man from Snowy River 17 Mar 85 9 42
3 Muriel’s Wedding 21 Sep 97 9 41
3= Strictly Ballroom 23 Oct 94 7 41
5 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 15 Jun 97 7 40
5= The Castle 14 Nov 99 9 40
5= The Getting of Wisdom 21 Sep 80 9 40
8 Crocodile Dundee II 30 Oct 94 9 36
9 Crocodile Dundee 20 Aug 94 9 35
10 Gallipoli 1 Jul 84 10 33
11 Dating the Enemy 23 May 99 7 32
11= Phar Lap 3 Nov 85 7 32
11= We of the Never Never 21 Apr 85 9 32
14 The Big Steal 19 Jul 92 7 30
14= Bony 5 Sep 90 7 30
14= Caddie 19 Oct 80 9 30
14= Shine 28 Jun 98 7 30
18 Babe 22 Nov 98 7 29
18= The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith 8 Jun 80 10 29
18= Mad Max 14 Oct 84 10 29
21 Break of Day 13 Jul 80 9 28
22 Death in Brunswick 1 Aug 93 10 27
22= Green Card (Australia/France) 14 Feb 93 7 27
24 Struck by Lightning 20 Jul 92 7 26
24= The Year My Voice Broke 4 Sep 88 10 26
26 The Piano 8 Sep 96 7 25
26= Shame 26 Mar 90 7 25
28 Squizzy Taylor 27 May 84 7 24
28= Tim 25 May 85 7 24
28= Winter of Our Dreams 16 Sep 84 7 24
31 Careful, He Might Hear You 13 Oct 85 7 23
31= Fortress 18 Nov 87 10 23
31= Heatwave 12 Mar 84 10 23
31= Lightning Jack 29 Sep 96 9 23
31= Malcolm 25 Sep 88 7 23
31= Proof 18 Jul 93 10 23
31= Raw Deal 27 Jul 80 7 23
31= Sirens (Australia/UK) 16 Mar 97 7 23
31= The Sum of Us 10 Mar 96 7 23
40 Black Robe (Australia/Canada) 10 Apr 94 7 22
40= Buddies 28 Jul 85 10 22
40= The Club 23 Sep 84 7 22
40= Don’s Party (2) 5 Nov 80 10 22
40= The Empty Beach 24 Jan 91 10 22
40= Father 11 May 92 7 22
40= The Man from Snowy River II 18 Feb 90 10 22
40= Razorback 22 Sep 85 7 22
48 An Indecent Obsession 15 Mar 87 9 21
48= The Pirate Movie 22 Jul 84 10 21
48= Romper Stomper (2) 3 Dec 95 10 21
48= Spotswood 20 Mar 94 7 21
48= The Wog Boy 18 Aug 02 7 21
48= Young Einstein 10 Feb 91 7 21
54 All Men Are Liars 30 Nov 97 9 20
54= Archer (1) 3 Nov 85 10 20
54= Breaker Morant 17 Feb 85 7 20
54= Evil Angels 5 Apr 92 9 20
54= Looking for Alibrandi 9 Feb 03 9 20
54= The Lighthorsemen 1 Oct 89 7 20
54= Mr Reliable 1 Aug 99 7 20
54= The Dish 18 May 03 10 20
54= The Naked Country 11 Sep 89 7 20
54= The Picture Show Man 7 Sep 80 10 20
54= Snapshot 15 Jun 80 10 20

Source: AGB McNair ratings 1980–1990; ACNielsen ratings 1991–2000.

Notes:
Household viewing, 1 January to 31 December 1991–2000, survey periods only 1980–1990.
Includes only the highest-rating screening per title.
All films screened at 8.30 pm except where indicated:
  (1) 6.30 pm
  (2) 9.30 pm
Films not surveyed in Sydney but on the Melbourne top list are The Empty Beach, Heatwave and Don's Party.
Films not surveyed in Melbourne but on the Sydney top list are The Man from Hong Kong, Inn of the Damned and Sunday Too Far Away.
Ratings figures have been rounded; titles have been ranked based on this rounded figure, with those of equal ranking listed alphabetically.
Any comparison of ratings data should take into account that different methodology was used to compile top-program lists before January 2005 and that a different audience measurement system applied before January 2001. See About the data for more information, including definitions of terms.
1. Rating is equal to TARP (Target Audience Rating Point).

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About the data