So named the Western given its narrative focus on the expanding frontier of America’s famed and fabled wild west, the beloved genre has evolved to be defined more by its thematic heft, rugged characters, and its captivating yet coarse style. As such, different countries the world over have been able to explore Western stories in their own fascinating and unique ways, with Australia’s “meat pie Westerns” producing many underrated gems that are outstanding exponents of the genre.

With its harsh though picturesque sun-scorched landscapes that present a sweeping, brutal beauty of nature, Australian cinema has embraced the allure of the Western with rewarding results. These 10 pictures particularly depict the very best of the west from the great southern land, standing as gritty and captivating films that all fans of the genre ought to seek out.

10 'Red Hill' (2010)

Director: Patrick Hughes

An enticing amalgamation of different genres that settles as being a neo-Western thriller with hints of mystery that evolves into action, Red Hill is an ambitious picture to say the least. It follows rookie police officer Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten), who moves to a small town with his young family for a fresh start. However, he soon finds himself in the midst of an intense manhunt when a convicted felon escapes from prison and begins targeting the police force.

With a purposefully slow start that gradually builds into an all-out fight for survival layered with a developing, underlying subplot, Red Hill is an engaging and grounded modern Western that finds great power in its imagery and tone. Bolstered by a neat spin on revenge cinema while also boasting some creative death scenes, it thrives as a simple Aussie Western executed incredibly well even if it lacks some originality.

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9 'High Ground' (2020)

Director: Stephen Johnson

Earning acclaim as both a riveting action spectacle and a socially important meditation on colonialism and its impact on Indigenous culture, High Ground marks one of Australia’s boldest and most recent Western triumphs. It focuses on two men, one a veteran of WWI, the other a young Aboriginal man in need to help to track down his uncle, who just so happens to be one of the most dangerous men in the area. As the two work together, revelations alter the nature of their relationship with severe consequences.

The film was celebrated by critics for its meticulous attention and dedication to respecting Indigenous culture and history, even weaving true events into its otherwise fictional story. Also bolstered by astounding cinematography, High Ground thrives as an engrossing piece of historical fiction that embodies the revisionist Western tag to deliver a vitally important action story with an admirable endeavor to pack a huge thematic punch.

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8 'The Rover' (2013)

Director: David Michôd

With its vast wilderness and its rust-caked rural settings, the Australian outback marks a perfectly coarse and rugged environment for modern day Westerns, with 2013’s The Rover even transpiring in the near future. Set 10 years after an economic catastrophe brings about societal collapse, it follows a rough drifter whose car is stolen by a gang of thieving thugs. Working with an injured member of the gang who was left behind, he tracks down the vehicle while forming an uneasy bond with his accomplice.

Thriving off the back of compelling performances from Robert Pattinson and Guy Pierce, its bleak, dystopian tone holds a brutal hopelessness that makes for an arresting viewing experience. While its post-apocalyptic story world perhaps could have been better explored, the concentrated focus on the two leads makes for a dour character-driven drama that, at its best, is a mesmerizing mixture of Western grit and end-of-the-world dread.

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7 'Ned Kelly' (2003)

Director: Gregor Jordan

Whereas America has its far-famed and romanticized outlaws, Australia’s notorious gunslingers were referred to as bushrangers, and none can lay claim to being as iconic or heralded as Ned Kelly. Starring Heath Ledger as the eponymous bushranger, the biographical Western tracks the progress and rise to notoriety of the Kelly gang, whose violent clash with corrupt police officers sees them become the target of national law enforcement, leading them to carry out heists as they careen towards a decisive confrontation in the town of Glenrowan.

While the film errs on the side of glamorization of Kelly with too much intensity to delve into the complexities of his gang’s still hotly debated actions with any nuance, Ned Kelly still excels as a rewarding historical Western with an engaging story of a man taking on a corrupt system. Ledger’s charisma is on full display, while a stacked ensemble cast bring strong supporting performances to the fold.

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6 'Mystery Road' (2013)

Director: Ivan Sen

A gritty crime mystery that functions as a revisionist neo-Western, Mystery Road uses its remote Queensland setting to perfection, as it does Western tropes and themes of justice and the ongoing impact of Australia’s history. It focuses on a recently promoted Aboriginal detective as he investigates the murder of an Indigenous teenage girl whose body was found under a bridge near the rural town of Winton. He is forced to work alone as others express no interest in solving the case.

An arresting slow burn, Mystery Road explores a litany of modern social issues while cleverly using the evocative and enthralling aura of Western drama to hook viewers in. Complemented by the stunning visuals that rural Queensland has to offer, as well as a gripping central performance from Aaron Pedersen, it marks a highlight of modern Australian cinema and was rewarded with an equally impressive sequel in the form of 2016’s Goldstone, as well as a spin-off television series.

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5 'The Tracker' (2002)

Director: Rolf de Heer