This TV Special was produced for the Australian Bicentennial in conjunction with the New Zealand Film Commission Short Film Fund.
Publicity for this production frequently emphasized the minute population of the outback South Australian country town of Beltana stating it was around five or seven to as much as twelve.
The 'Opera in the Outback' live operatic performance itself ran for about two hours.
Coinciding with the 'Opera in the Outback' event was a horse racing meet - the 110th Beltana Picnic Race Meeting - where a new racetrack had been constructed.
The 'Opera in the Outback' event attracted about 8 to 10 thousand spectators depending on the estimate or media report.