From coma to cinema - Will Williamson's Ned Kelly journey

The film will now have an official premier at Hurstbridge, just north-east of Melbourne, on October 10.

Will and his fellow producers are currently in talks to have the film shown across Melbourne and, hopefully, beyond after that.

Will grew up in a musical family, with brother John becoming a successful country music artist.

“My mum was very creative. She was a gem,” Will said.

“She and Dad sang duets and they were brilliant ... Dad had a magnificent voice.”

Through his dad, John had an opportunity to perform Old Man Emu on a TV talent show as a child, which kick-started his musical career.

Will, on the other hand, found a passion for music and the performing arts, being a part of the Goondiwindi Choral and Dramatic Society.

In his 20s Will performed in various stage shows including Annie Get Your Gun, My Fair Lady and South Pacific.

But it was tragedy, later in life, that led to Will being fascinated by the Ned Kelly story.

In 1981 Will and his wife Virginia moved to Toowoomba, Queensland, with their two children Sima and Hamish.

One evening, Will and Virginia had gone out to see a movie. On the way home, they drove over an unsignalled rail crossing.

Their car was hit by an unlit goods train. Virginia broke her arm, but Will broke ‘many’ bones.

“The doctors phoned my parents the next day saying they didn’t expect me to survive,” Will said.

“I spent three days in a coma and, during that time, I connected with Ned Kelly’s spirit.”

When Will woke up he said it was a big surprise to all who were caring for him.

As Will recovered from his injuries he read lots about Ned Kelly.

Will had already done some research on Ned and his gang after an incident in a field when he was farming, in his mid-20s.

“I looked up and saw a big stump. But I thought it was Ned Kelly standing there,” he said.

Upon further inspection, he realised it was an optical-illusion.

“But then I saw the Mick Jagger (Ned Kelly) movie had just come out,” he said.

“So I went to see what it was all about.”

Intrigued by the film, Will then bought his first Ned Kelly book.

“It blew me away,” he said.

That, combined with his experience in the coma, less than a decade later, would shape Will’s later life.

“I always wanted to come and live in Kelly country,” he said.

Will made that happen and he now resides at Swanpool.

In 2024 Will released a CD of songs also called Surrender Be Damned, with the help of his son Hamish, an accomplished pianist and singer.

His dream was to turn that album into a short musical film.

In July 2026 that dream came true, with his showing at Swanpool Cinema.

“The feedback from the audience was unbelievable,” he said.

“They loved it. I’ve already been asked to write a sequel, to finish the story.

Will said he was early into that process.

“It could take a year,” he said.