australian television information archive

The Journey Begins (Part 1)

Episode 1.01
Written by Jim Henshaw & Peter Mohan
Directed by Richard Franklin

This tale begins in the jungle with a man, William Maple White, running for his life in the dark and pouring rain. The beast pursuing him, whatever it is, must be enormous by its speed and sound. Just as the man seems likely to escape, he falls down a muddy slope and is quickly pounced upon. The man, a scientist, is brought to the camp of George Challenger, explorer and scientist. Although the injured man dies from his vicious wounds, his death is not in vain. In his notes are discoveries of a prehistoric world. Jump to London, weeks later, where the distinguished scientist George Challenger is trying to convince his fellow scholars at the London Zoological Society of the existence of the prehistoric world. It is here that we meet the rest of the eventual expedition — Lord Raxon, the hunter, the reporter Ned Malone, Marguerite Krux, an heiress funding the expedition, and the skeptical scientist Professor Summerlee.
The expedition travels up the Amazon River and through the jungle following the map White's notebook. They are attacked by tribal headhunters and make a daring escape in a hot air balloon piloted by Ned Malone. A terrible thunderstorm causes them to crash on the eerie plateau of The Lost World. Here they meet Veronica, a beautiful young woman who has raised herself since her parents disappeared when she was just eleven years of age. Veronica's parents have left her the legacy of their treehouse and a lifetime of work on the flora and fauna of The Lost World.

Guest Starring: William DeVry as Ned Malone
Featuring: Laura Vazquez as Assai, George Henare as Chief Jacoba, Lani John Tupu as Chief Guide, Robert Coleby as Maple White, Laslo Racz as Chief.

Stranded (Part 2)

Episode 1.02
Written by Jim Henshaw & Peter Mohan
Directed by Richard Franklin

Veronica, an untamed beauty raised in the jungle by her parents, has taken our group in and offered them shelter. After seeing what jewels the native girl Assai has, Marguerite secretly offers Veronica as a bride to Assai's father, leader of the local Zanga tribe. In exchange for Veronica, Marguerite will receive jewels and the group's passage off the plateau. The savage Apemen, however, attack the Treehouse, taking Assai captive and injuring Veronica. As the others look for Assai, Marguerite follows through on her plan but when Veronica realizes what's happening, Marguerite's plan goes astray and she herself is in danger of not only never getting off the plateau, but not leaving the village alive.

Guest Starring: William DeVry as Ned Malone
Featuring: Laura Vazquez as Assai, George Henare as Chief Jacoba, Lani John Tupu as Chief Guide, Robert Coleby as Maple White, Laslo Racz as Chief.

More Than Human

Episode 1.03
Written by James Thorpe
Directed by Colin Budds

Running from the jaws of a ferocious T. Rex, our adventurers fall into a raging whirlpool, emerging in another region of the plateau where they encounter a tribe of Lizard Men, whose savage leader Tribune wishes to see Roxton fight for his life in the Pit. Marguerite steps in to tantalise Tribune while Challenger wracks his brains for a way to outsmart the lizard men and make their escape.

Guest Starring: Jerome Ehlers as Tribune
Featuring: Wayne Pygram as Noru, Victor Parascos as Solomon, Chevonne Duncan as Cynara, Scott McLean as Adam

Note: Wayne Pygram also appears in episode 2.09, "The Games", as the lizardman Captain Tark

Nectar

Episode 1.04
Written by Durnford King
Directed by Colin Budds

Summerlee faces certain death after being stung by a giant bee. Veronica enlists the help of an old sage to locate an antidote for the insect's toxic venom. Recruiting Roxton and Malone, the three head out in search of the cure, the nectar of the Queen Bee, which is found only in the heart of a giaganitc hive. As Summerlee fights for his life, Marguerite and Challenger guard his sickbed from a group of Apemen.

Guest Starring: Catherine Wilkin as Adama, Simmone McKinnon [sic] as Elura

Note: Catherine Wilkin is married to Peter McCauley who plays Challenger.

Cave of Fear

Episode 1.05
Written by Alison Lea Bingeman
Directed by Catherine Millar

Running low on gunpowder and facing death without it, Challenger, Malone and Veronica must traverse an ancient burial ground in search of one of its components, sulphur. When warriors in black and white paint suddenly attack them, Challenger is captured and taken away. That night the rest of the party sneak into the warrior village. They reach the main hut and crash through the door only to find Challenger sipping tea with a beautiful blond woman, Cassandra, a former member of London's High Society. She was the wife of an explorer who died on the Lost World twelve years earlier and has since become the warriors' queen. Cassandra explains that Challenger has committed a mortal sin in violating the burial grounds and must remain her prisoner. But, there is one way to free him — enter the Cave of Fear and return with her husband's bones so that she can bury him. Do that and Challenger can go free. They have two days.

Guest Starring: Rebecca Gibney as Lady Cassandra Yorkton, Elizabeth Alexander as Mrs. Krux
Featuring: Julian Garner as William Roxton, Paul Sonkkila as Alfred Lapprand
Also Appearing: Paul Shedlowich as Warrior #1, Arthur Vechtriz as Warrior #2

Salvation

Episode 1.06
Written by Catherine Porciuncula
Directed by Richard Franklin

Christecs, a people lost in time who practice a hybrid of Conquistador Inquisition, Catholicism and Aztec paganism, brand Summerlee a witch after he revives a yung girl assumed dead after drowning, and along with Challenger, is put on trial where they must convince their inquisitors of their innocence or face being burned at the stake. Meanwhile, a violent argument erupts between Marguerite and Malone after he finds her reading his journals — giving Roxton the task of trying to keep some semblance of peace in the Treehouse.

Guest Starring: Julian Arahanga as Pintario, Lani John Tupu as Tolmac
Featuring: Antonio Tehaioha as Darak, Rio Nugara as Alvar, Brad McMurray as Jante, Adrian Brown as Lonzo
Also Appearing: Robert Diaz as Young Man, Taylor Beadle-Williams as Young Girl

Note: Adrian Brown and Rio Nugara appear later in episode 2.06 as Head Zanga and Zanga #1 respectively, Brad McMurray appears in episodes 2.01 and 2.03, while Robert Diaz appears again in episode 2.13

Blood Lust

Episode 1.07
Written by James Thorpe
Directed by Richard Franklin

While scouting the plateau, Roxton is bitten by a crazed young man and is infected with a vampiric disease. Needing fresh blood to survive, Roxton attacks Marguerite and Challenger before disappearing into the arms of a mysterious woman who understands his need for fresh blood to survive. Marguerite and Challenger search for Roxton, not realizing that he is, in fact, hunting them. Meanwhile, Malone becomes ensconced in a fight to the death with a native who has become rather smitten with Veronica after having seen her in his dreams, and who now intends to take her as his bride.

Guest Starring: Shanyn Asmar as Calista, Elton Hayes as Niko
Also Appearing: David Fawkner as Man

Out of Time

Episode 1.08
Written by Guy Mullally
Directed by Catherine Millar

A strange fog rolls in, bringing Roxton, Malone and Marguerite face to face with a group of Druids who have become lost in the fabric of time. When Marguerite is told she is the reincarnation of a Druid priestess, she, Roxton and Malone are sent on a quest to recover two emeralds that have the power to return the Druids to their own time. When Veronica finds an abandoned baby, she decides to raise it as her own, but when the child is abducted from the treehouse by apemen, Veronica leads Challenger and Summerlee into the bush to recover the child only to make a startling discovery.

Guest Starring: Rod Mullinar as Bokra
Featuring: Ruby Ross-Alkhamisi as Baby, Annette Van Moorsel as Chameleon, Zelie Thompson as Ape Woman

Paradise Found

Episode 1.09
Written by Morrie Ruvinsky
Directed by Michael Pattinson

An old man struggles to run through the jungle, his eyes filled with fear. Pounding feet are chasing him down. He nears the treehouse just as an apeman leaps from the jungle and knocks him down. Challenger grabs his rifle and fires on the creature killing it. Veronica runs over to where the ancient one is lying. Around his neck is a small silver locket with the pictures of Veronica's parents inside. Sinta dies speaking her name. Veronica explains that Sinta was her parents' guide eleven years ago. How did he get to be so old when he was only nineeen when Veronica last saw him? In the pocket of the old man they find a hand drawn map. Their journey leads the group to a hidden archway cut into a rock face. It is guarded by a giant horned lizard which they manage to move away and pass the archway. What they find is a world beyond their understanding. A world that is seductive enough to push loyalty to its breaking point with temptation. A paradise of beauty, art, drama and food. They also discover that the beast guarding the doorway was not there to keep people out… but to keep them in.

Guest Starring: Christopher Morris as Kirin, Amanda Douge as Talibo
Featuring: Aaron Catalan as Dalziel, Hannah Durack as Liana
Also Appearing: George Gualberto as Sinta, Laurence Hodge as Old Man, Dawn Klingberg as Old Woman

The Beast Within

Episode 1.10
Written by Scott Kraft
Directed by Catherine Millar

Responding to the frightened screams of a young woman, Malone walks into a booby trap and is struck by a poisoned dart causing him to come to an untimely demise. A Shaman absorbs his death and Malone is restored back into the land of the living. However, the leader of the Shaman's tribe decrees that balance must be restored by the taking of a life before the birth of the tribe's new healer. Malone intervenes to save the life of the shaman who has become filled with evil spirits as a result of his lifetime of absorbing other people's illnesses. When the Shaman escapes into the jungle, Malone, Challenger and Roxton must hunt him down or forfeit the life of Summerlee. Meanwhile, Marguerite and Veronica continue to battle one another after falling into an abandoned well after fleeing an attacking dinosaur.

Guest Starring: John Waters as Lento, Stephen Leeder as Yura
Also Appearing: Juanita Marie as Asu, Helen Anne Christinson as Young Woman

Creatures of the Dark

Episode 1.11
Written by Gilbert Shilton
Directed by Colin Budds

Running into a tribe of headhunters, Veronica, Challenger, Marguerite, and Malone seek refuge in an abandoned mine. Once inside the mine, a series of tremors collapses the entrance to the mine shaft, separating Veronica, who escapes unscathed, from the trio left trapped inside. Veronica returns to the treehouse to fetch Summerlea and Malone to help in the rescue. Meanwhile, Challenger, Marguerite, and Malone are on the verge of suffocating inside the sealed mine when they are rescued by a group of underground dwellers — but their hope for a safe exit is short-lived as the people's all-knowing Oracle will not trust the trio, Marguerite in particular, to keep their existence a secret from those who would wish to plunder their gold-filled caves. To complicate matters further, when Challenger discovers they are inside and active volcano, he must convince their captors that all of their lives are in danger.

Guest Starring: Kate Fitzpatrick as Garza, Carl Snell as the Oracle
Also Appearing: Remi Broadway as Joshua

Note: Carl Snell appears again in episode 1.19, "Resurrection"

Tribute

Episode 1.12
Written by Michael Taversham
Directed by Colin Budds

While searching for a possible water route off the plateau, Roxton, Challenger and Veronica become embroiled in an age old dispute after coming to the aid of a young woman being chased by a warrior on horseback. When the price of their interference gets too high, Roxton and Veronica decide to help the passive villagers wage a war against their long-time oppressors. Meanwile, back at the Treehouse, Summerlee, Marguerite and Malone spot a German biplane and have high hopes for rescue — and learn of yet another chapter in Marguerite's wicked past.

Guest Starring: William McInnes as Hans Dressler, Jason Chong as Roac
Featuring: Carmen Duncan as Kalya, Paul Zebrowski as Cassius, Amelia Barrett as Tarya, Burgess Abernathy as young man

Absolute Power

Episode 1.13
Written by Frank Encarnacao
Directed by Ian Gilmour

Our adventurers find the ruins of an ancient temple and at its center, Challenger is amazed to find the crude etching of an atom. Curious to unlock the mystery, Challenger places a nearby crystal sphere into the "keyhole" of the atom. Suddenly a blinding white light engulfs Challenger, leaving him near death. As Challenger's friends fight to save his life, we see an alternate reality, where Challenger emerges from the light unscathed and with extraordinary powers. When the vicious Dirkon and his band of Slavers kidnap Veronica, Challenger easily defeats them. Unfortunately, after this Challenger's arrogance increases tenfold with his powers with murderous results. With Challenger near death in one world, and his friends dying in the other, the two worlds begin a collision course with destiny.

Guest Starring: Anthony Simcoe as Dirkon, Dinah Shearing as Anna Summerlea

Camelot

Episode 1.14
Written by James Thorpe
Directed by Colin Budds

When Marguerite catches the eye of fourteen-year-old boy-king Gawain, he decides that she should be his bride and she is left with the choice to either marry him or die. Veronica fetches Malone and Roxton to try to free Marguerite and before long, they become embroiled in a power struggle between Gawain and Vordred, Gawain's Grand Vizier who wants to kill the boy-king and seize the throne for himself. While Marguerite tries to protect Gawain from Vodred, Roxton and Malone are sent on a quest to slay a T-Rex and events culminate with Roxton engaging in joust with Vordred to decide the fate of the Kingdom.

Guest Starring: Jeremy Sims as Vordred, Matt Newton as Gawain
Featuring: Karen Crone as Esme, Damien Garvey as Ugo

Unnatural Selection

Episode 1.15
Written by Kris Dobkin
Directed by Catherine Millar

The discovery that one of Challenger's old friends from London is living on the plateau with his daughter causes Challenger some concern considering he was at the girl's funeral fifteen years ago. Furthermore, Veronica's disappearance coupled with encounters with armed, intelligent apemen, lead Roxton and Challenger to uncover the secret genetic experimentation being carried out by Dr. Hargrove.
Meanwhile, a faint image in a photograph helps Summerlee, Marguerite and Malone locate an elderly woman, who claims to be an exiled fairy queen, who may have access to a radio transmitter — however she is only willing to divulge it's location in exchange for help in breaking her curse — all she requires is a few drops of blood from a virgin.

Guest Starring: Steve Jacobs as Dr. William Hargrove, Michala Banas as Renata, Melissa Jaffer as Fairy Queen

Time After Time

Episode 1.16
Written by Joseph Mallozzi & Paul Mullie
Directed by Catherine Millar

While out hunting with Veronica, Roxton accidentally shoots a young woman who appears suddenly in a flash of light. Returning to the treehouse, Summerlea helps Roxton nurse her back to health. Meanwhile, Marguerite, Malone and Challenger discover a tablet that points to a possible way off the plateau. After making their way to some ancient ruins, the trio are attacked by armed warriors but a stranger arrives to help fend off the attackers. As events play out for the two groups, the two mysterious new arrivals tell separate tales of what they are doing on the plateau. They both purport to be from the future and Marguerite is the focus for each of them — one wants her dead to stop her unleashing a deadly plague, while the other wants to ensure she returns to London.

Guest Starring: Claudia Karvan as Catherine Reilly, Simon Bossell as James Kemper

Prodigal Father

Episode 1.17
Written by David Tynan
Directed by Colin Budds

Roxton, Malone, and Marguerite rescue a man from certain death, and soon make the startling realisation that the man is Tom Layton — Veronica's long-lost father, who has escaped his life as a slave working in the mines and is now on running from Kartas, a merciless bounty hunter who is stalking him. The group return to the treehouse where Veroncia is reunited with her father — but is this man really who he appears to be?

Guest Starring: Kit Taylor as Tom Layton/Largo, Warwick Comber as Kartas

Birthright

Episode 1.18
Written by Frank Encarnacao
Directed by Catherine Millar

Fleeing a group of cannibals deep in the jungle, Marguerite, Challenger and Malone come across a mummified corpse. When the mummy spring to life, and identifies itself as Ramses, brother of Nefertiti, Marguerite, Challenger and Malone decide to help him unseat Nefertiti, who had Ramses buried alive, to return Ramses to powerãbut have they aligned themselves with the right side in the conflict? Meanwhile, after finding a ravaged nesting site, Roxton, Summerlea and Veronica are relentlessly pursued by a T-Rex that thinks Summerlee is responsible for the deaths of her babies.

Guest Starring: Steve Bastoni as Ramses, Nicole Nabout as Nefertiti

Resurrection

Episode 1.19
Written by James Thorpe
Directed by Colin Budds

While searching for a mountain pass off the plateau, Roxton and Marguerite are attacked by Norse warriors with Roxton being run through by a sword and Marguerite carried off. Near death, Roxton's life is restored by a mysterious child and he sets off to rescue Marguerite, who herself is about to be sacrificed on a ritual alter. After saving Marguerite, Osric returns to see Roxton upholds his end of the bargin, insisting that Roxton kill a man who has been a long time adversary of the boy. Meanwhile, Ned and Veronica are left to defend the Treehouse from a group of bandits who are determined to claim it as their own.

Guest Starring: Ron Haddrick as Bergin, Carl Snell as Osric
Featuring: Jeremy Callaghan as Osric (Man), Peter Knapman as Hector, Nadja Kostic as Ursula, John Walkin as Bruno

Note: Carl Snell appeared previosuly in episode 1.11, "Creatures of the Dark", as the Oracle

Prophecy

Episode 1.20
Written by Scott Kraft
Directed by Catherine Millar

After Roxton and Malone save the life of a wayward gypsy fortuneteller, she tells the group what lies in each of their futures. Later that evening, she robs them of their possessions and disappears, leaving them weaponless in a jungle full of Apemen. When they finally catch up with her, she's been held up by a group of bandits, forcing them to infiltrate the bandits' camp to recover their belongingsãand giving Malone the opportunity to come face-to-face with his destiny. Meanwhile, Challenger and Summerlee come to the realisation that the raptors that have been stalking them appear to be getting smarter.

Guest Starring: Nicholas Eadie as Kaysan, Chelsea Gibb as Isadore
Uncredited: Eric Thill as Bandit, Taya Seidler as Woman

The Chosen One

Episode 1.21
Written by Jon Cowan
Directed by Michael Offer

Roxton is bestowed with the honour of safely ensuring the delivery of a young leader and a slain mans quarterstaff to their final destination. Along the way, the group must battle the evil Goths who seek destroy the boy's tribe, and Roxton finds himself taking a personal interest in seeing that the boy fulfil his destiny as the saviour of his people. Meanwhile, back at the Treehouse, Malone finds himself falling for Kaya, a beautiful young woman whose sudden appearance has Veronica struggling with more than her own jealousy.

Guest Starring: Alan Dale as Phelan, David Hoflin as Gideon, Dino Marnika as Cyan, Benjamin Blaylock as Lucas
Featuring: Boris Brkic as Davos, Zoe Coyle as Kaya, Anna-Maria Winchester as Lor

Barbarians at the Gate

Episode 1.22 (season finale)
Written by James Thorpe
Directed by Catherine Millar

Challenger and Summerlee think they may have discovered a rare opportunity that will allow their group to escape from the plateau in the balloon. At the last moment, Malone decides to stay behind with Veronica and he watches as the others life off into the sky. Drakul and his army of Raiders see the balloon in the sky and shoot it down, beginning a game of cat and mouse. Meanwhile, Malone and Veronica are forced to make allies with their former enemy Tribune in an attempt to stop the evil Drakul and his Raiders from killing them all.

Guest Starring: Jerome Ehlers as Tribune, Marshall James Napier as Drakul, Kristian Schmid as Thane
Featuring: Kenny Ransom as Ashur, Don Batte as Raider