The homestead called home by Nicole Kidman’s character, Lady Sarah Ashley, has been dismantled.
Gus Tampalini, the general manager of an indigenous organisation in WA’s Kimberley, on whose land Faraway Downs stood, said it had deteriorated over time, after being exposed to the elements.
“We told Tourism WA we didn’t want it and they said they didn’t want it,” Mr Tampalini said.
“We told them that it was on our site and they had to get rid of it. They asked us to do it, so we did, between three and six months ago.
“When it was dismantled, nothing was tagged – it was a shemozzle.”
Tourism WA decided more than a year ago not to pursue a plan to retain Faraway Downs as a tourist attraction, despite a report which predicted it could attract as many as 90,000 visitors annually if restored with an Australia movie theme.
Happy Australia Day! As a treat, check out cast members from the film Australia, Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman along with fellow Aussies Olivia Newton-John, Russell Crowe, Keith Urban and the QANTAS choir singing Australia’s unofficial national anthem, ‘I Still Call Australia Home’ at the Sydney Opera House.
Pre-empting the free to air screening of Australia on local television, bazmark.com have published these words direct from Baz Luhrmann about the historical inspiration for the film.
“The plot of ‘Australia’ is a work of fiction…a romantic epic. While not a documentary, the historical canvas on which we paint the love story is drawn from fact. In constructing the story, we had a set of rules which were strictly adhered to: as long as it does not fundamentally change the truth, if it’s better storytelling achieved through a conjunction of time or a changed circumstance, then we would do this this if it was better storytelling and clearer to the audience. We were aware at all times that the audience is there to have an emotional experience. Although the events in the story are imagined, each one of them has a factual reference that we unearthed during an extensive two year period of research.”
- Baz Luhrmann, January 23, 2011
In addition they’ve added a very extensive section on their website detailing how factual events in history have influenced certain parts of their movie magic.
With the queen of talk shows visiting Australia the country has had a lot of media exposure at home and abroad. Following the final installment of Oprah Winfrey’s four part series ‘Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure’ channel ten made the sensible move of airing the film Australia on free to air tv for the first time. As a result this attracted a lot of carry on viewers. Years after the film’s cinematic release it was great to see so many of visitors passing through the site.
For some like John, they were even moved to reach out and let the creators of the film know just how much they loved the film.
I have just had the honour of watching your movie “Australia” and feel compelled to pass on my congratulations to Mr Luhrmann and all those who played a part in producing such an incredibly moving and cultured film . Rarely do I go to see movies and rely solely upon the TV screening but this would be the first film in 25yrs that I would have felt Blessed to view on the big screen .
I am amazed at the sensitivity with which the writer has told the story of life’s journey on so many levels and given acclaim to the Spiritual culture of our Aboriginal people.
***
My sincere thanks to Mr Luhrmann for his sensitivity and genius to deliver such an incredible movie and to the cast and support team that assisted. The plot was sublime and insightful, the camera work artistic and the acting extraordinary. I find myself lost for words and inadequate to deliver this message of profound gratitude and amazement at the depth of this story line but hope my sentiments can be forwarded on none-the-less .
This movie certainly makes me proud to be Australian and is a great gift back to our Aborigine who have been so heavily savaged by western influence.
Yours Respectfully,
John
Thanks to John and all our recent visitors for your patronage and positive feedback.
The official site for Australia the movie is no more, so that leaves australiamovie.net as the primary source. However Bazmark.com has had a revamp and you will occasionally find news about old projects there as well as Luhrmann’s forthcoming film, The Great Gatsby.
A recent message on the Bazmark site is regarding the horrible flooding that has taken place in Queensland, Australia. It is a sentiment/request we would like to share and pass on:
“We live in an amazing country,
but it’s one that has recently been wrought by devastation.
Please help those in need by donating
to the Premier’s Flood Appeal”
As the lead VFX company for Australia, Animal Logic was awarded the task of designing and creating the key VFX shots that take place within the port town of Darwin. This entailed creating a CG Darwin, complete with harbour, wharf and ships that had to be re-dressed across the three time periods seen in the film: ‘Cattletown’, ‘Militarised’, and ‘Post-bombed’.
The Animal Logic team brought to life a CG Wharf modelled from lidar scans of Darwin wharf as well as various larger-than-life ships, creating the “heightened reality” of a romanticised Darwin. Referencing colour palettes from vintage photographs and classic epic films, the splenderous 1930s landscape provided an exciting canvas for the wide aerial shots and set extensions created.
In addition, CG cattle were added to boost the numbers in the cattle yeards, the cattle race and during the “triumphant return” when Sarah droves cattle into Darwin. These shots involved the combination of multiple plates shot accross three locations: the cattle town set in Bowen, Darwin harbour and the bluescreen wharf set on a stage in Sydney. The CG FX work includes the harbour water, huge burning smoke plumes, burning oil tanks, funnel smoke, fog, clouds, wakes, flames, atmos and cattle dust.
As seen in excerpts above, you can view a fantastic gallery of images, credits and additional information at the Animal Logic website Australia section.
Australia has had a busy long weekend in the Australian media. On Sunday Channel 9 featured a 30 minute Making of Australia feature and on Channel 10 Hugh Jackman appeared on talk show, Rove.
Upcoming on Tuesday 14th of April those with subscription tv, be sure to tune into Foxtel’s Sky News at 1pm to watch a very candid edition of Showbiz in which Baz Luhrmann finally has his say on the critics, the tourism campaign and the box office results. Check local listings for specific times, it will also be re-aired on Friday.
The homestead called home by Nicole Kidman’s character, Lady Sarah Ashley, has been dismantled.
Pre-empting the free to air screening of Australia on local television, 
As the lead VFX company for Australia, Animal Logic was awarded the task of designing and creating the key VFX shots that take place within the port town of Darwin. This entailed creating a CG Darwin, complete with harbour, wharf and ships that had to be re-dressed across the three time periods seen in the film: ‘Cattletown’, ‘Militarised’, and ‘Post-bombed’.
The Animal Logic team brought to life a CG Wharf modelled from lidar scans of Darwin wharf as well as various larger-than-life ships, creating the “heightened reality” of a romanticised Darwin. Referencing colour palettes from vintage photographs and classic epic films, the splenderous 1930s landscape provided an exciting canvas for the wide aerial shots and set extensions created.
In addition, CG cattle were added to boost the numbers in the cattle yeards, the cattle race and during the “triumphant return” when Sarah droves cattle into Darwin. These shots involved the combination of multiple plates shot accross three locations: the cattle town set in Bowen, Darwin harbour and the bluescreen wharf set on a stage in Sydney. The CG FX work includes the harbour water, huge burning smoke plumes, burning oil tanks, funnel smoke, fog, clouds, wakes, flames, atmos and cattle dust.