In 4039, a city of survivors from the Neutron Wars travels through time and space escaping the Jen-Diki, a race of cyborgs intent on wiping out humanity.

After a police officer, MacCarthy, activated Ballard's tracking device despite his protests, an advance party of Jen-Diki arrive in Australia.

There were elements of satire: conceived as descendants of contemporary polluters, our Jen-Diki were variously the remnants of a mining conglomerate or of a labour union.

[6]Hannant and Baxter received two Australian Film Commission grants and had their script optioned to two local production companies.

They eventually sold it to Chateau Productions, and succeeded in raising finance from New World Pictures and with the help of Antony I. Ginnane at Hemdale Film Corporation.

Hannant left the film during post-production ("one step ahead of being fired," according to Baxter[6]) and some extra scenes were shot by the editor.

Baxter says the final film bore little relation to the original script: There was a minimal love story, no contrast in life styles.

The main role, in which we envisioned a mature international actor with a reputation in science fiction and action films (the prospectus specified "Scott Glenn or equivalent") was then by local boyish lad Tom Burlinson.

[12] David Stratton later wrote that: The story of The Time Guardian is an object lesson in how the deal-driven 10BA Films could be white-anted by the non-creative people.