thornbird playing the piano

I was soooooo engrossed w/ linux.conf.au, and sooooo tired I didn't get a chance:
New Zealand is the background of the book 'Thornbird' that was made into TV movie.
The book's a bit dense in volume, but like other best sellers of the type, it's pretty much a page-turner.
The title is mysterious, and the background set in wild frontier of New Zealand sheep ranch, over three generations.
While looking at sheep on every big and small green hill, I did occassionally thought of the book and of the movie.
Darn, time goes too fast and my fingers hurt as is with too much typing, and that's my poor excuse at letting this vital info slip.

On the same note, it's also the background of movie 'The Piano' that won (I think) Holly Hunter the Oscar and introducing that cute little girl who's college-bound now. Her accent in that movie was pretty cute, and I do wonder if my assumption of the movie being set on New Zealand background then would the natives shown in the movie be Maorian? ^^ Not much of touring done, I'm glad I at least know natives of New Zealand are called Maorian.

Queenstown, the town that made NZ a famous tourist spot with "Lord of the Ring" series, is yet 4hrs drive away from Dunedin, thus I'm not at all familiar w/ preserved movie set.

Green hills, and sheep every where, it was a beautiful country.