Australia The Movie
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008Researching A Movie in Australia
By: Phoenix Arrien
Greetings from the Kimberley, a vast wilderness in the northwest of Australia. I am researching the locations for Baz Lurhmann’s multi-million dollar epic ‘Australia’. The world will be hearing plenty about this movie in the next few months as he of ‘Moulin Rouge’ fame releases his baby in many countries.
I am awestruck by the scenery out here. Great gorges, sweeping mountain ranges, wide wild rivers, mangrove swamps, coral reefs, islands and forests that go on for days. Stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman also had plenty to say about this awesome place so I will join them in the accolades - balanced by a few negatives such as the ‘industrialisation’ of the Kimberley.
For unfortunately several companies, including Inpex (a Japanese energy company) and Woodside Ltd, have submitted proposals to develop the region’s Browse Basin gas field to the State and Commonwealth governments.
Certainly energy is an issue for everyone however the impacts of industrialisation, including proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, would go a long way to destroying one of the last large and remote coastal wilderness areas left in the world.
Back to the subject of ‘Australia’ the movie, I am also heading to Bowen on the east coast in a few weeks. This is where Baz also filmed some scenes. Bowen is right by the Great Barrier Reef (another controversial endangered area) and next to rainforest so I will try and tread lightly.
It should be a fantastic experience. Bowen was set up as Darwin the 1940’s so just having been to Darwin I am interested in seeing the ‘old Darwin’.
More about the movie: www.australiamovie.net
