Nestled deep in the Australian Outback, 500 kilometres down the Stuart Highway from Darwin, is the town of Larrimah and its 11 eccentric residents. When one of them mysteriously disappears into thin air, the remaining residents become suspects and a long history of infighting is unveiled.
But six years on from December 16, 2017, the day Larrimah man Paddy Moriarty, 70, and his kelpie Kellie left their house for the last time, his disappearance remains a mystery. Despite extensive searches, public appeals and a coronial inquest, police appear no closer to unravelling the truth. Larrimah — already a dysfunctional tangle of disputes and disagreements — remains in a state of disarray.
What happened to Paddy and his dog? Was he really fed to a pet crocodile? Could he actually have been baked into a meat pie?
There is now a growing library of content chronicling the tiny town of Larrimah's eccentric inhabitants, exotic pet predators and absurd feuds.
There've been dozens of news flashes all over the country ...
... then came a six-part hit podcast ...
Part 2 Off the Rails
Part 3 Humble Pie
Part 4 End of the Line
Part 5 True Word
Part 6 Last Drinks
... an ABC television series ...
... and then a book by the same people who produced the podcast.
Now, with "Last Stop Larrimah", directed by American Thomas Tancred, streaming on Netflix and HBO worldwide, the town's journey from total obscurity six years ago to cultural ubiquity is complete.
"Last Stop Larrimah" is like an Australian "Lord Of The Flies" but with more flies, being played out by a cast of adult alcoholics who willingly chose to spend their days and nights on the outer edges of civilisation.
It almost makes you proud to be Australian!
Due to ill health, in October 2018 long-time owner Barry Sharpe sold the Larrimah Hotel to Tennant Creek businessman Steve Baldwin. Turning over around $400k annually (mostly to locals?), Barry was hoping for $500,000 for the freehold but settled for an undisclosed lower price. It has since gone digital: click here for its website and facebook page.
