Rebecca Gibney Leads New ABC Drama Rural Crime Unit Filming for 2027
Production has begun in Adelaide on six-part Australian crime drama Rural Crime Unit, starring Rebecca Gibney, Morgana O'Reilly and Philip Lynch.
Rebecca Gibney is returning to Australian television drama in Rural Crime Unit, a six-part crime series that has begun filming in Adelaide ahead of its planned 2027 release on ABC TV and ABC iview. The broadcaster confirmed production on 28 October 2026, introducing an ensemble led by Gibney, Morgana O'Reilly and Philip Lynch.
The new series combines unusual rural police investigations with a longer-running mystery involving a tragedy from ten years earlier. It is produced by Northern Pictures and aims to balance the humour of a close-knit community with the secrets its residents have kept hidden.
What is Rural Crime Unit about?
The drama follows experienced local police officer Rita, played by Morgana O'Reilly, and city newcomer Nick, played by Philip Lynch. Together they investigate incidents ranging from missing livestock and crop circles to industrial theft, while navigating the complicated relationships of a town where people know one another's business.
Beneath those individual cases lies a larger mystery tied to a decade-old tragedy. The investigators' work gradually forces the community to confront events that have never been fully resolved.
Who does Rebecca Gibney play?
Gibney plays Jolene, Rita's mother, a successful trucking business owner and influential local figure. She is generous and well connected, but her determination to protect her daughter can also become an obstacle in Rita's police work.
The role gives Gibney an important position in the town's relationships without making her one of the two lead detectives. ABC has presented Jolene as a formidable matriarch whose authority reaches far beyond her family.
Which other actors are involved?
The ensemble includes Cameron Daddo, Courtney Act, Tony Armstrong, Rob Collins, Shakira Clanton, Ash Ricardo and Michael Theo. Their casting broadens the show's connections to familiar Australian television personalities, but their individual character storylines have not all been revealed.
When and where can viewers watch?
Rural Crime Unit is scheduled to premiere on ABC TV and ABC iview in Australia in 2027. The broadcaster has not announced a precise release date or a UK distribution arrangement.
The series was created by Darren Ashton and Adam Zwar and is being distributed internationally by Banijay Rights. With filming now underway, further casting, character and release announcements are expected as production develops.
