Stormy Petrel was an early attempt at Australian television drama. A mini-series/period drama, the 12-episode series told the story of William Bligh, and aired in 1960 on ABC. Other period drama series produced by ABC in the early 1960s included The Outcasts, The Patriots, and The Hungry Ones. Additionally, in 1964 the broadcaster aired The Purple Jacaranda, a mini-series/serial with a contemporary setting. Telerecordings of the series are held by National Archives of Australia.
