In 1920s Australia, Paddy Carmody (Robert Mitchum) is a roaming Irish sheepherder who loves his nomadic lifestyle. His wife, Ida (Deborah Kerr), and young son, Sean (Michael Anderson Jr.), don't share his wanderlust, and family tensions come to a head after Ida persuades Paddy to settle down with a steady job. Meanwhile, the family's boarder (Peter Ustinov) has to contend with the rigors of outback life and the attentions of a hotel-keeper (Glynis Johns) looking to land a husband.