▁employed ▁a ▁largely ▁Australian - based ▁cast . ▁▁ ▁Sho oting ▁began ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁mostly ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁town ▁of ▁Ch il tern , ▁Victoria . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁some ▁film ing ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁country ▁town ▁of ▁B ing ara , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁where ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁cast ▁and ▁crew , ▁including ▁John ▁Me illon , ▁stayed ▁at ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Hotel ▁for ▁around ▁ 3 ▁months . ▁ ▁Several ▁different ▁Wel sh ▁mountain ▁pon ies ▁were ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁film ' s ▁production . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁film ▁opened ▁on ▁Christmas ▁Day , ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁at ▁the ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁theatre ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁gross ed ▁$ 9 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁week . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁critic ized ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁a ▁" fund ament ally ▁une vent ful ▁and ▁somewhat ▁p added ▁story ", ▁while ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁in ▁a ▁review ▁for ▁the ▁film ' s ▁video ▁release ▁it ▁wrote ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁" was ▁well ▁acted , ▁by ▁adult s , ▁young sters ▁and ▁p ony ... a ▁film ▁that ▁children ▁– ▁and ▁their ▁parents ▁– ▁should ▁certainly ▁enjoy ." ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁The ▁Bla de ▁wrote ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁" comb ines ▁an ▁intellig ent ▁script , ▁a ▁generally ▁excellent ▁cast , ▁and ▁good ▁production ▁values ▁in ▁a ▁film ▁with ▁broad ▁appeal ."