. ▁ ▁Cast ▁Tom ▁Bur lin son ▁as ▁Ball ard , ▁a ▁g ri zz led ▁ 4 1 st - century ▁soldier ; ▁Nik ki ▁C og hill ▁as ▁Anne , ▁a ▁ 2 0 th - century ▁ge ologist ; ▁Car rie ▁Fish er ▁as ▁Pet ra , ▁a ▁ 4 1 st - century ▁historian ▁with ▁a ▁special isation ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th - century ' s ▁technology ▁and ▁custom s ; ▁Dean ▁Stock well ▁as ▁B oss , ▁a ▁ 4 1 st - century ▁city ▁official ; ▁Tim ▁Robert son ▁as ▁Serge ant ▁Mc Car thy , ▁a ▁p rag m atic ▁ 2 0 th - century ▁Australian ▁police ▁officer ; ▁Jim ▁Hol t ▁as ▁Raf fer ty , ▁an ▁alarm ist ▁ 2 0 th - century ▁Australian ▁police ▁officer . ▁ ▁Production ▁Brian ▁Hann ant ▁had ▁been ▁drawn ▁to ▁the ▁rock ▁formation ▁at ▁Wil pen a ▁P ound ▁in ▁South ▁Australia ▁while ▁making ▁Mad ▁Max ▁ 2 . ▁This ▁inspired ▁him ▁to ▁write ▁a ▁script ▁with ▁John ▁B ax ter ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁According ▁to ▁B ax ter ▁the ▁script ▁was ▁originally ▁called ▁Time ▁R ider , ▁about ▁a ▁ge ologist ▁who , ▁while ▁investig ating ▁magnetic ▁anom al ies ▁around ▁Wil pen a ▁P ound ▁in ▁South ▁Australia , ▁encourag es ▁a ▁man ▁from ▁the ▁future , ▁who ▁is ▁a ▁sc out ▁sent ▁back ▁in ▁time ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁home ▁for ▁his ▁people , ▁purs