In the original miniseries, the outback scenes were shot in southern California. In The Missing Years, the outback scenes were shot in the actual outback of Australia.
Richard Chamberlain was the only original cast member to reprise his role from the original miniseries.
The Missing Years is regarded as a 'midquel' as the events of the story covers 19 unaccounted years between Dane's birth and Ralph's return to Australia in the original 1983 miniseries.
Richard Chamberlain (Ralph De Bricassart) was the only cast member of the original mini series The Thorn Birds to appear.