Set in 1971 rural Australia, introverted Leo is a metalworker at his small town's local plant. After his wife vanishes, leaving him to care for their two young children, he is bereft - barely able to cook a decent meal or keep the household running. So when a recently-arrived Italian colleague suggests that his sister, Maria, act as surrogate homemaker, Leo reluctantly accepts. But can one woman's warm, nurturing presence fill the void left by another, and can Leo yield to the winds of change?