When Audrey died I needed a lot of support from people I knew, and I received it. I had said at the time that the crew from the Working Dog had saved me and I don’t resile from that statement. It was great being offered roles, to get me out of the house, for a start. What I couldn’t know was how interesting the work that was offered to me was going to be. I was about to start the busiest and possibly most professionally challenging seven years of my life.

With the family receiving my Order of Australia

In the week after Audrey died, a huge bunch of flowers arrived. They came with a lovely note from the people at Working Dog, who sent their deepest sympathy. The next day this glorious script turned up for a film called ‘The Castle.’ And it turned out to be the greatest therapeutic experience for me. It was a very interesting part. He’s the mysterious person who offers the unexpected help well into the story. 

And then, of course, Paul Cox offered me that wonderful role in 'Innocence'.It was a great experience, that. And also, we were saying something fairly important, that people's inner feelings and things do stay very powerful ... presumably, right 'til the end.

One of my all-time favourite roles 'Innocence'

Then on top of it all, Alan Hopgood asked me to do this rehearsed reading of 'The Carer,' which we did in October 1999. And I've done that on and off for five years. I love the humour in it. I don't know whether it's because I had a very close-up look at the sad side of being a carer, that I emphasised the comedy as much as I could. The more the audience laughed, the more it helped me, I suppose, too.

The film 'Jindabyne' came along as well. Wonderful. I loved that. Playing the local Catholic priest, worked with Ray Lawrence. But then at the same time, 'Irresistible' came along with Susan Sarandon. Not 'Susan Saranden'. She said, "It rhymes with abandon, Susan Sarandon." And that was wonderful. I played her father in that one, with Sam Neill. It was a lovely experience.

I suppose, 60 years into my career, it is time to look back at my work and my life, even if they’re both still going strong. I don’t have any huge ambitions left. I just want to keep doing what I’m doing. It’s interesting, not long ago; a morning radio presenter in Melbourne was talking about important advice. They rang me, so I gave them one of John Saul’s great thoughts. ‘Look after the work,’ John said, ‘and the career takes care of itself.’ I first heard that nearly 60 years ago. I’m still repeating it now. And it will be true for as long as I love, and beyond.