A new trailer has landed for “Australia: A History”, the upcoming three-part documentary series fronted by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, set to air on Sky News Australia next week. The series promises to chart the nation’s journey from its ancient Indigenous beginnings to its status as a modern democracy—through the eyes of one of its most divisive former leaders.

The former PM's perspective

Scheduled to premiere over three consecutive nights from Monday, October 13, at 7.30pm AEDT, the series positions Abbott not just as presenter but as interpreter and guide, bringing a “deeply personal” view to the key events that shaped the country. The timing is notable: in a year marked by national debates over identity and history, a series led by a former Prime Minister is bound to attract attention—and, no doubt, contention.

Sky News is billing it as a “special television event,” one that takes viewers from Arnhem Land’s ancient stories to the colonial clash at Sydney Cove, through to the multicultural transformation of suburbs like Cabramatta. Along the way, Abbott revisits touchstones like the Eureka Stockade, the gold rushes, and the waves of postwar migration that reshaped the country.

I’ve really enjoyed working with the @SkyNewsAust team on the doco accompanying my history of Australia. The producers and crew have done a really outstanding job, using archival footage and stunning visuals to bring Australia’s story to life. pic.twitter.com/bBqKjDJbyl

— Tony Abbott (@HonTonyAbbott) October 9, 2025

At the heart of the series is a question Abbott himself poses: “How can our shared story bring us together?” It’s a timely one, with the documentary promising interviews with a broad range of Australians—Indigenous leaders, historians, sporting champions, politicians from both sides, and descendants of the First Fleet. Among those featured are Governor General Sam Mostyn, former PM John Howard, Olympic gold medallist and ex-senator Nova Peris, entrepreneur Anthony Pratt, and renowned dancer Li Cunxin.

The series sets out to celebrate Australia’s “diversity, grit, and ideals,” and Sky News CEO Paul Whittaker calls it “an important and timely account” uniquely told by a former Prime Minister. Abbott, for his part, is characteristically bullish: “It was hardly an auspicious beginning but Australia has developed from convict dumping ground to a nation that’s the envy of the earth… To be an Australian is to have won the lottery of life. The better we know our national story, the more surely we’ll keep it that way.”

This is not the first time Abbott has sought to shape Australia’s historical narrative. The series is inspired by his book of the same name—“Australia: A History”. As the trailer debuts, so too does the conversation about whose stories get told and how. The series arrives at a moment when the nation is wrestling with its past—grappling with questions of reconciliation, migration, and what unites a country built on ancient traditions, colonial upheaval, and multicultural reinvention.

“Australia: A History” will stream on demand and air on Sky News Australia from October 13-15. Viewers can expect not just a history lesson, but a contribution to the ongoing national conversation—one led, for better or worse, from the very top.