Mandurah Story
Set against the scenic backdrop of Mandurah, Western Australia, Mandurah Story is a crime drama which delves into the demanding and often intertwined professional and personal lives of local doctors, lawyers and police officers (see below for character descriptions; cast in brackets). Similar to its US counterpart, the series focuses less on high-octane action and more on the human element, exploring the emotional and psychological stresses of working within the legal, medical and law enforcement systems.
This series is loosely based on Chicago Story, a short-lived US crime drama that premiered on NBC in March 1982 and ran for 13 episodes. The series was similar to Hill Street Blues in that it was less about action scenes and more about the stresses of working in law enforcement and medicine.
THE DOCTORS
- Asher Keddie as Dr Emma Lee: A compassionate and skilled general practitioner at the Peel Health Campus. Dr Lee is deeply committed to her patients, often blurring the lines between professional duty and personal concern. Her empathy is both her greatest strength and her biggest vulnerability as she frequently finds herself entangled in the complex medical and ethical dilemmas that walk through the hospital doors.
- Rodger Corser as Dr Ben Carter: An ambitious and highly-driven trauma surgeon. Dr Carter’s pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to medicine often clashes with Dr Lee’s more empathetic style. He is a workhorse, dedicated to his career and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the operating theatre but his relentless focus on his job often strains his personal relationships and forces him to confront the moral ambiguities of life-or-death decisions.
THE LAWYERS
- Richard Roxburgh as Jim O’Reilly: A veteran prosecutor at the Mandurah Courthouse. Jim is a respected figure in the legal community, known for his sharp wit and unwavering dedication to the law. While he’s a formidable opponent in the courtroom, he’s also a man wrestling with a changing legal landscape and the personal toll of constantly seeking justice. He believes in the system, but years of experience have left him cynical about its shortcomings.
- Yerin Ha as Sarah Chen: A passionate and outspoken defence lawyer. Sarah is Jim’s primary rival and intellectual equal. She is fiercely dedicated to her clients, believing that everyone deserves a fair defence, regardless of their alleged crime. Her commitment to fighting for the underdog often puts her at odds with Jim, creating a dynamic tension that drives much of the legal drama.
- Thom Green as Liam Scott: A newly minted junior lawyer navigating the complexities of the legal world. Liam is full of idealism and eager to prove himself, but he quickly learns that the reality of the legal system is far more grey than the black-and-white principles he learned in law school. He often finds himself caught between the competing philosophies of Jim and Sarah, forcing him to decide what kind of lawyer he wants to become.
THE POLICE OFFICERS
- Stephen Peacocke as Detective Sergeant Mark Evans: A seasoned detective with a calm and methodical approach to his work. Mark is respected by his peers for his keen eye and ability to connect the dots in complex cases. He’s a family man who finds it difficult to leave his work at the station, often bringing the weight of the city’s crimes home with him.
- Jessica De Gouw as Detective Senior Constable Erin Hayes: Mark’s partner, Erin is sharp, intuitive and not afraid to bend the rules to get the job done. She is driven by a strong sense of justice, but her impulsive nature sometimes puts her at odds with her superiors. Her personal life is as complicated as her cases and she struggles to find a balance between her duty and her desire for a normal life.
- Rob Collins as Senior Constable Dave Williamson: A beat cop who sees the raw, unvarnished reality of Mandurah’s streets every day. Dave is the show’s moral compass: an honest and hard-working officer who is often the first to arrive at a scene and the one who bears witness to the human cost of crime. While his role may seem less glamorous, his perspective offers a crucial ground-level view of the city’s struggles.
Mandurah Story would be seen on the ABC in 2026.
