Sarah Chadwick (born 11 August 1960) is an Australian television actress best known for her role on The Flying Doctors as Dr. Rowie Lang, and for her role as Marion Barber in the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. as well as Trish Westaway, on Packed To The Rafters the mother of Sammy Rafter Jessica McNamee and the mother-in-law of Nathan Rafter Angus McLaren
Early life Chadwick attended Catholic high school Brigidine College Randwick, in Sydney. Before she took up acting at the age of 25, Chadwick worked as a receptionist at the offices of the Nine Network. From 1986, she studied at National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), in Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Acting) in 1988.
Career Chadwick gained early acting experience performing in stage productions at Sydney's Genesian Theatre.
After early guest roles in E Street and Rafferty's Rules in 1989, Chadwick landed the recurring role of Dr Cathy Mitchell on medical drama, G.P. that same year. After a year, she decided to leave the series, as she felt it was "time to move on". Following this, she secured her best known role as main character Dr. Rowie Lang on another medical drama The Flying Doctors, from 1991 to 1992.
In 1991, she was a guest presenter on the long-running children's programme, Play School.
From there, Chadwick played three further lead characters in three short-lived television series – 1992 sitcom Late for School as Kathy Price, 1995 children's series, Glad Rags as Patricia 'Trish' Forbes. and 2001 sitcom, Flat Chat as Sarah. In 1999, she played Mashowna in the adventure miniseries Journey to the Center of the Earth, opposite Bryan Brown and Jeremy London.
From 2008 to 2013, Chadwick had a recurring guest role in Packed to the Rafters, playing Trish Westaway. She also played the two recurring guest characters of Vanessa Unley and Diana Walford in long-running soap opera, Home and Away in 2011 and 2017, respectively. She guested in several other popular Australian dramas including Blue Heelers, All Saints, MDA, Water Rats and Wildside as well as the ABC miniseries The Damnation of Harvey McHugh.
Chadwick's film work began with a role in 1993 thriller, Gross Misconduct opposite Naomi Watts and Jimmy Smits. That same year, she played Tess in the 1993 TV movie, You and Me and Uncle Bob. This was followed by her role as Marion Barber (the ex-wife of Hugo Weaving’s character) in 1994 Australian comedy classic, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. She later appeared as Andrea Byrne in the 2009 TV movie, A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne, based on the true story of Australian model Caroline Byrne, who died in 1995.
Chadwick has appeared in stage productions of Stella by Starlight at the Ensemble Theatre and The Cherry Orchard at New Theatre, both in Sydney. She has most recently starred in a 2024 production of The House of Bernarda Alba, playing the role of Bernarda. She is set to appear in Ensemble Theatre's The Social Ladder in 2026.
In 2013, Chadwick was working as an administrator for fellow G.P. alumnus Denise Roberts, at Screenwise, her Sydney-based acting school.
Personal life Chadwick was previously married to film and television writer, Harry Cripps, who worked opposite her in Late for School and as her director on Flat Chat. She also performed in Cripp's play Tanya and Kit, for La Mama in 1994.
Filmography Film Title Year Role Type 1993 Gross Misconduct Laura Thorne Feature film 1994 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Marion Barber Feature film 2008 From Inside a Girl's Room Film short 2011 Short Beach Film short 2012 Circle of Lies Luise Dixon Feature film
Television Title Year Role Type 1989 E Street Amanda 1 episode Rafferty's Rules Mrs. Finnegan 1 episode G.P. Dr. Cathy Mitchell 13 episodes1991 A Country Practice Carol Baker 2 episodes Play School Guest Presenter 2 episodes 1991–1992 The Flying Doctors Dr. Rowie Lang 46 episodes 1992 Late for School Kathy Price 13 episodes 1993 You and Me and Uncle Bob Tess TV movie 1994 The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Kathryn Season 1, 1 episode1995 Glad Rags Patricia 'Trish' Forbes 13 episodes Law of the Land Loretta 1 episode 1997 Water Rats Yvonne Carlisle 1 episode 1998 Wildside Jan Reilly 1 episode 1998; 2005 All Saints Karen Stoner / Francesca Norman 3 episodes1999 Journey to the Centre of the Earth Mashowna TV miniseries Airtight Newsreader TV movie 2001 Flat Chat Sarah 13 episodes 2002 Bad Cop, Bad Cop Deborah Sidebottom 1 episode 2002 Tanya and Floyd Tanya Pilot 2003 MDA Dr. Sarah Christie 1 episode 2005 Blue Heelers Acting Sgt Lindy Schroeder 3 episodes 2005–2006 HeadLand Diane Forbes 5 episodes 2006 Monarch Cove Vanessa Reade 1 episode 2008–2013 Packed to the Rafters Trish Westaway 15 episodes 2009 A Model Daughter: The Killing of Caroline Byrne Andrea Byrne TV movie 2011 Crownies Justice Stanton 1 episode 2011; 2017 Home and Away Diana Walford / Vanessa Unley / Diana 15 episodes 2016 Janet King Justice Stanton 1 episode 2022 Remember My Name Fay Umback 5 episodes
Theatre Title Year Role Type 1985 Plaza Suite Genesian Theatre, Sydney 1992 Love Letters Melissa Gardner Sydney Opera House 1994 Tanya and Kit Tanya La Mama, Melbourne The Man Who Came to Dinner Genesian Theatre, Sydney The Judgment of Helen 2007 Stella by Starlight Stella Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2014 Keeping Up Appearances Short+Sweet 2016 The Cherry Orchard Lyubov Ranevskaya New Theatre, Sydney 2022 SLAP. BANG. KISS. Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2024 The House of Bernarda Alba Bernarda Flow Studios, Sydney with Frantic Muse Productions 2026 The Social Ladder Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
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