Survey - The Town that Lost a Miracle

Television (Full Length) – 1972

In this 1972 documentary, writer James McNeish visits Opononi to examine the life and controversial death of Opo the dolphin. Working from McNeish's idea, director Barry Barclay uses Opo’s 1950s visit to the Hokianga as the basis for a probing essay on people and other animals. Witnesses recall Opo "oomping away"; they include Hokianga local Piwai Toi, Rudall and Ramai Hayward, and author Maurice Shadbolt (both Shadbolt and the Haywards captured Opo on film). Opo is provokingly not shown on screen. Michael King called Miracle "without a doubt the most interesting and evocative" entry yet in the Survey series.

It was the most haunting thing of all that summer: watching Jill swim backwards and forwards with Opo. They were like partners in a ballet ...
– Maurice Shadbolt recalls dolphin rider Jill Baker