What it's like to let go and have your book adapted for TV
Chris Hammer wrote the book Treasure & Dirt, but he had no idea how the TV series was going to end, and had to watch it himself.
For Chris Hammer, seeing his novel Treasure & Dirt brought to life as a TV series was an overwhelmingly surreal experience. The journalist and best-selling author watched as the six-part crime drama unfolded, with his characters Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan taking center stage. Though the series ended unpredictably, Hammer knew they would be left to unravel the mystery in the desolate opal mining town, where locals would prefer the truth remain buried.
Adapting novels for television is a common practice in the Australian television industry. Recent examples include Sally Hepworth's The Family Next Door, Miles Franklin's My Brilliant Career, and Jane Harper's The Survivors, all of which have been turned into successful TV shows. However, Hammer's experience with Treasure & Dirt was far from guaranteed. After the rights to the story were optioned in November 2023, it remained a mere possibility that it would ever make it to the small screen.
Despite the uncertainty, the series finally began filming in Coober Pedy, South Australia, in October 2025. Hammer, who had little involvement in the production, still managed to catch a glimpse of the set and was left absolutely fascinated by the process. He had hoped to contribute to the writing of the third season's episodes but ultimately watched the show from the comfort of his own home.
While some storylines were trimmed or altered, Hammer encouraged viewers to read the book to experience a vastly different narrative.
The TV adaptation of Treasure & Dirt also put a spotlight on the fictional, desolate opal mining town of Nulla. The show emphasized the strangeness and uniqueness of this town, making it feel like the series' third lead character. Actors Michael Dorman and Liv Hewson, who portray the detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan, were drawn to the project due to the show's promise of something fresh and new, which they describe as a "Trojan horse" that introduces viewers to an entirely new world while maintaining familiar beats and images.
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