Children of Fire Mountain

Children of Fire Mountain, set among the steaming geysers of New Zealand's thermal- region, was first shown in Australia on September 1981. It took two
months to construct the "village" where the drama is set, and that the geyser we see in the main street was man-made.
Children of Fire Mountain tells the story of a simple dilemma: the little town nestling beneath the volcanic "Fire Mountain" is to be overpowered by a huge tourist complex, planned by an English millionaire, Sir Charles Pemberton.
When the plotting interloper arrives in the village, he is accompanied by his granddaughter, Sarah Jane, and the prim Miss Proctor, Sarah Jane's governess.
The local children, both "pakeha" and Maori, are not impressed with Sarah Jane. Apart from being overdressed and out of place, she is critical of the village and a bit of a skite in school. But eventually she finds a way of being accepted by Tom and Davey, Hema and Kiri, the local gang.
There is the growing suspense rumbling from the mountain itself: will the volcano take its own revenge?
Children of Fire Mountain was scripted by New Zealand-born Melbourne writer Roger Simpson, who was also responsible for Gather Your Dreams and Hunter's Gold.
The script editor was Graeme Farmer, now also living in Melbourne, who worked on the Aussie ABC series called Home.