With the town she grew up in changing all around her, Barbara is determined to change with it. Dreaming of a way out, she sets her sights on landing a job at one of the new resorts popping up all over town. Meanwhile, her partner Den is having change forced upon him. The arrival of Barbara’s daughter, Verge, just might be the thing that tips Barbara and Den over the edge.

In 1931, Alice, a white station owner, goes riding with her Aboriginal head stockman and friend, Jim. They come to an agreement about the running and ownership of the property. But many years later, Alice's great nephew Lon receives a letter announcing a native title claim in the area.

Stung into action by the suffering of the East Timorese, an 86-year-old retired haberdasher from regional Victoria decides that she can make a difference. Along with her daughter, Mavis takes her sewing machines to Timor and sets in motion her practical contribution. 

A small seaside town drifts in the wake of its painful past and the corruption of its leaders. An embattled woman is determined to expose the truth when she finds herself in possession of damaging documentary evidence.