Set in the 1860s, the series is a Western filmed in Australia, and stars Peter Graves as Christopher Cobb. The series is inspired by the life of Freeman Cobb, founder of Australia's first stagecoach line, Cobb and Co. The real Freeman Cobb did not carry a pistol, nor did he use a stockwhip to settle disputes. The series stands out from other television Westerns of its era in using only Australian actors as guest stars, rather than character actors from American Westerns. The series was created by Michael Noonan and Michael Plant, and produced by Maury Geraghty and Ben Fox at the Artransas Studios, Sydney Australia. Post-production was completed in the United Kingdom.
The series was created by writers Michael Noonan and Michael Plant. Noonan had created and written a British TV series shot in Australia called The Flying Doctor. Whiplash was a similar international production. The show was mostly financed by Lew Grade's ITC productions, but was aimed at the international market, leading to many Americans in key creative roles. Post production was done in the UK. Co producing partners included Australia's Artransa Park Studios and Britain's ATV.
Casting
Star Peter Graves was best known at the time for the TV Western Fury. Australian actor Anthony Wickert played Cobb's employee, Dan Ledward. Several white actors appeared in blackface although there were a number of aboriginal actors cast as well.
Production
Filming started in October 1959. The majority of filming took place at Artransa Park Studios in French's Forest, Sydney, with location work at Score. The producer was American Maury Geraghty with Ralph Smart a executive producer. Graves told the Sydney Morning Herald that
Nearly all the American Westerns are shot within 30 miles of Hollywood and a lot of that scenery is becoming mighty familiar to TV viewers. Now this scenery here Is refreshing — something entirely new to folks overseas. "We're trying to keep right away from that word 'Western' by labelling the series a romantic adventure. In the film I don't wear a gun belt for instance. When I have to use a pistol I stick it in my belt. "But don't get the idea there's no action—there's plenty, but we're trying to get away from that old Western stuff.
A mining town was built at Oxford Falls worth £30,000 and the budget was a reported £500,000. Because three separate countries were involved, production was initially difficult. The production team was restructured from episode six onwards, after which Geraghty and Smart were fired and Ben Fox was appointed producer with Leslie Harris as executive producer. Filming recommenced on 4 March 1960. The budget of the series was a reported £650,000. In May 1960 it was reported the unit of 22 actors and crew had left Sydney for Alice Springs to film sequences over ten days including scenes at Ayers Rock, the Macdonnell Ranges and the Ormiston Gorge. By this stage ten episodes had been shot and the series sold to ATN Channel 7. Fox said that both American and British television groups were "likely to be very interested in buying the series." By October Graves was back in the USA. He said they had a problem finding actors. "Those we got were very good, but there just wasn't enough of them," he said. Lionel Ware was in charge of horses. Studio scenes were shot at Artransa Studios in Frenchs Forest, Sydney. Ben Fox later said "All the violence in Whiplash is motivated violence. There is a definite reason for, it. But even then you could hardly say at is a violent series." He also said in November that the mining town set in Frenchs Forest was going to be turned into a Disney land style park and that he hoped to come back to make a feature film.
