Archive for April, 2007
The very first images from the set of Australia have now been revealed! Just Jared has posted eight images from the set featuring Baz Luhrmann, Hugh Jackman, Barry Otto, and Ben Mendelsohn. These images were taken on Thursday, 26 April 2007 at Strickland House, Sydney. According to the website, Nicole Kidman has also started filming, although there are no images online of her yet. It has also been reported that filming will last until October 2007. Check out our Gallery section for four of the photos, and visit the Just Jared website for the rest. Hopefully we will see more on set photos soon!
Source: Just Jared
April 29th, 2007
Filming of Australia has begun in Sydney this week at Strickland House. The historic, 150-year-old mansion will double as Darwin’s Government House in the movie. Rehearsals have been taking place at Strickland House this week, with filming officially starting on Monday, 30 April 2007. Filming is expected to take place here and at Fox Studios for approximately two weeks before the movie shoot moves to Bowen. New cast members have also been announced - John Jarratt (Wolf Creek), Bruce Spence (Star Wars: Episode 3), Essie Davis (Charlottes Web), Sandy Gore (Farscape), and Crusoe Kurddal (Ten Canoes).
Sources: The Sunday Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald
April 28th, 2007
Bowen is bustling with excitement as the town prepares for filming to begin there around 10 May 2007. Stockyards, shacks, old-fashioned cottages, shops and even a hotel have been erected in the Front Beach area, and these sets will help the town double for Darwin in the film. The sets will soon be closed off to visitors in advance of the shoot. Meanwhile, special thanks to BowenGirl for providing us with more scans from the Bowen Independent, which has revealed that Russell Crowe was in town this week to wish the town well in its involvement with Australia. It has also been revealed that around 1500 shorthorn cattle are set to take part in the shoot, and they’ve begun rehearsals! A replica circuit of the one they will have to follow through the town and on the movie sets is to be set up at the Bowen Turf Club for them to practise before the shoot begins next month. The cattle will be herded into the town on Sunday and will be a common sight grazing around Bowen until they are called upon to make their movie debut! Check out the scanned articles in our Gallery section.
Sources: Sources: Townsville Bulletin, Bowen Independent
April 27th, 2007
Visit our Gallery section to check out brand new Bowen location photos provided by local resident, BowenGirl. These images are exclusive to both this website and our affiliate website, Baz the Great. BowenGirl has previously supplied us with images of the town, and now, with just three weeks to go until filming begins, Bowen is buzzing with activity. Sets are being constructed, and the Front Beach area is quickly being transformed into Darwin’s ‘old town’.
April 21st, 2007
Tourists from as far away as New Zealand have already started arriving in Bowen to check out the movie sets being constructed in the Front Beach area. The town has put a call-out for movie guide volunteers for during the shoot, to which there has been a huge response. Bazmark have already come up with a uniform for volunteers which features a t-shirt with the Bazmark logo, as well as the movie title Australia and Bowen. Selected volunteers will be familiarised with the movie sets and have meals with the crew! They will also be kept up to date with what’s happening on each day of the shoot and then be able to share this information with the public. The public will not be allowed on the sets, and some days there may be nothing happening, while other days there will be action out on set or on the streets. It will be up to the volunteers to keep visitors up to date. Read more by visiting our Gallery section to view the scanned article provided by local resident, BowenGirl. While you’re in there, check out the first photo showing Australia stars Brandon Walters and David Gulpilil practicing horse riding in Centennial Park, Sydney.
Source: Bowen Independent
April 20th, 2007
11-year-old Brandon Walters has been announced as the latest addition to the Australia cast list. He had never heard of Nicole Kidman or Hugh Jackman when he auditioned for the starring role of a young Aboriginal musterer. His mother said that he was spotted last year and, “We got a letter from the director (Luhrmann) saying he was very, very interested in him.” Brandon and his family were flown to Sydney this month, and he has begun rehearsing at Fox Studios. Brandon has also had voice coaching and has learnt how to ride a horse, as along with the cattle drover, his character will be enlisted by Lady Ashley to assist with the cattle drive in the film. Meanwhile, another extras casting session has taken place in the town of Ayr. Bazmark Films were in town on 14 April and around 200 people tried out. The casting director said, “People were very keen. We were extremely happy with the result. I definitely think there will be some Ayr people in it – there is no doubt about that.” It had previously been reported that another extras casting session would take place in Bowen before the end of April, and we can only assume that this might still take place, but as yet no further details have been announced.
Sources: TheWest.com.au, Townsville Bulletin
April 19th, 2007
New cast members have now been confirmed! Ben Mendelsohn (Neighbours, The Secret Life of Us), Ray Barrett (All Saints, Hotel Sorrento), and Bill Hunter (Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom) will all star in the film. We do not yet know their character names, but Ben Mendelsohn will star as the “third romantic lead”, which strongly suggests he will play Lady Sarah Ashley’s ill-fated husband. Barry Otto had previously been rumoured to be involved with the production, and he too has now been confirmed. Four indigenous actors have also been named - Lillian Cromble, Ursula Yovich (Jindabyne), David Ngoombujarra and David Gulpilil. As we had anticipated, Australia looks set to have an all-Australian cast!
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
April 16th, 2007
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