The first season of the long-running Australian outback drama McLeod's Daughters began airing on 8 August 2001 and concluded on 22 March 2002 with a total of 22 episodes.

Claire, now in charge of the property, is placed in a desperate position when she discovers her farmhands have breached her trust, as they did her father, and fires them.

However, Nine initially rejected any plans to pick up a series, stating that they did not believe a female-driven drama would appeal to audiences.

In a further attempt to negotiate a deal, Nine decided to make a compromise to order three more telemovies, to no avail.

When Nine decided to proceed with the series, they purchased the 55-hectare property in Kingsford, South Australia in 1999, which included the decrepit 145-year-old sandstone homestead.