Lights, Camera, Action!
Considering Australia’s expansive landscapes and one-of-a-kind scenery, it’s no surprise that many movies pick our island home for their next film shoot. Lucky for us, that means all over the country, you'll find filming locations – from small studio productions to major box office smashes – which are the perfect spaces for movie buffs and photography lovers to travel.
Here’s ten motion pictures that came to life around Australia, plus a super helpful G'day Parks locations gallery with suggestions of where to stay when visiting these cinematic spots.
Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
Nothing says big-budget blockbuster quite like agent Ethan Hunt defying the odds, and in Mission: Impossible 2, you’ll spot iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Sydney Tower. You can also take a guided tour of Bare Island in Botany Bay, a great filming location which you’ll recognise as the island fortress that housed Ambrose’s villainous headquarters. For just $15 per adult ($10 per child), you’ll cross the 130-year-old wooden bridge where Tom Cruise once rode his motorcycle, then learn about the real-life history of this on-screen secret lair. Then, following your tour, spend a day browsing those famous Sydney city landmarks, attractions, and restaurants!
Nearby G’day Parks
Sydney, NSW
Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Image Credit: Tourism Australia
This list would be incomplete without one of the most iconic Aussie films of all time. Drive to McKinlay, QLD to see the town Crocodile Dundee called home, and pop into the Walkabout Creek Hotel, a venue where you can enjoy a bevvy and pub meal surrounded by the original movie set and plenty of memorabilia. Meanwhile, in the Northern Territory, you’ll feel like you’ve been dropped into the film at Kakadu National Park. Trek past waterfalls, rainforest, and ancient rock art in an idyllic setting—though it goes without saying to follow safety instructions and watch out for saltwater crocs!
Nearby G’day Parks
McKinlay, QLD
Kakadu National Park, NT
Mad Max Franchise (1979 – 2024)
Image Credit: Tourism Australia
The action-packed, Oscar-winning Mad Max franchise has called Australia home for all but one of its films, with our outback doubling as ‘The Wasteland’. Soak up the cinematography of Mad Max 2 (and, more recently, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) in Silverton, NSW, near Broken Hill. Take in the sweeping views of the Mundi Mundi Lookout and drive along Wilangee Road, which formed the background of several dramatic scenes. There is even a dedicated museum full of props and film content. As for Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, head to Coober Pedy, SA, a great location where you can drive to the rugged top of The Breakaways (highly recommended to shoot sunrise or sunset hour images), pay $7 into the honesty box to see Jedediah’s home at Crocodile Harry’s, or visit the Lunar Plains, which you’ll recognise from the climactic train chase.
Nearby G’day Parks
Broken Hill, NSW
Coober Pedy, SA
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Image Credit: Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon
Australia’s outback scenery is a key charm of cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and its filming locations are yours to admire as you mirror Priscilla’s city-to-country road trip. Drive from Sydney to Broken Hill, NSW, where you can go shopping and snap a photo shoot in front of the Palace Hotel on Argent Street. Then, make your way up to Kings Canyon in the Northern Territory. Of course, it’s up to you whether you want to swap your activewear for glamourous attire on the climb!
Nearby G’day Parks
Broken Hill, NSW
Kings Canyon, NT
DISCOVERY RESORTS – KINGS CANYON
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Image Credit: Tourism Australia
Led by one of our favourite Aussie exports, Chris Hemsworth, Thor: Ragnarok was filmed almost entirely on the Gold Coast. Step into the backdrop of the battle scenes (thankfully, without the mythical warfare) in the lush rainforest of Tamborine Mountain, which you can explore by hiking, ropes courses, and even glow worm tours. For an added element of silver screen fun, why not enjoy a fantastic day at Warner Bros. Movie World? During months of filming at the studios next door, the cast and crew were reported to enjoy visiting the theme parks, so it’s a great way to feel like a movie star!
Nearby G’day Parks
Gold Coast, QLD
Storm Boy (2019)
Image Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission
Beloved 1964 children’s novel Storm Boy by Colin Thiele has been given the movie treatment twice, first in 1976 and most recently in 2019. For both adaptations, principal photography took place in the Fleurieu Peninsula and Coorong regions of South Australia, capturing the stirring beauty of these largely uninhabited natural landscapes. You can access Ninety Mile Beach by four-wheel drive or take a boat or kayak to Godfrey’s Landing. In nearby towns like Goolwa and Port Elliot, follow the Discovery Trail of filming locations, or fully soak up the scenery on a walking trail around Coorong National Park. Keep your eyes peeled for a pelican—just like Storm Boy!
Nearby G’day Parks
The Coorong, SA
KINGSTON FORESHORE CARAVAN PARK
The Castle (1997)
Image Credit: Bonnie Doon Lakeside Leisure Resort
You can’t talk about Aussie movies without mentioning The Castle! This beloved underdog story about what makes a house a home was filmed in several properties around Melbourne, including the Brunswick Town Hall, 200 Queen Street, and the Supreme Court of Victoria. Most importantly, you can discover that serenity the Kerrigans were so fond of in Bonnie Doon—the perfect location for enjoying water sports, fishing, and delightful walking trails on the edge of Victoria’s high country.
Nearby G’day Parks
Melbourne, VIC
Bonnie Doon, VIC
BONNIE DOON LAKESIDE LEISURE RESORT
MANSFIELD LAKESIDE HOLIDAY PARK
The Great Gatsby (2015)
Forget 1920s New York, old sport—Aussie director Baz Luhrmann brought the roaring twenties to life right here on his home soil. The current International College of Management (St Patrick’s Seminary) in Manly formed the exterior of Gatsby’s impressive mansion, while production built temporary sets of Nick Carraway’s house and Gatsby’s estate in Centennial Park—the ideal outdoor space for an inner-city stroll. The funeral scenes were filmed at the Waverley Cemetery, well worth a visit for its beautiful monuments, historical graves (including Henry Lawson, Lawrence Hargrave, and Dorothea Mackellar), and ocean backdrop.
Nearby G’day Parks
Sydney, NSW
The Dressmaker (2015)
Image Credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours - Tourism Australia
If you watched The Dressmaker, we’ll bet the first thing you remember is how Kate Winslet nailed the Australian accent (so good, we could almost claim her as one of our own…). But the second? The country landscapes and filming locations that elevate this dark comedy. Little River’s Mount Rothwell Conservation and Research Centre, north of You Yangs Regional Park, became the backdrop of the fictional small town of Dungatar, with the Muckleford railway station transformed into its train platform. Scenes were also shot in various locations around the country town of Horsham, featuring plenty of local extras who took part in the film shoot!
Nearby G’day Parks
Little River, VIC
Horsham, VIC
HORSHAM RIVERSIDE CARAVAN PARK
The Wolverine (2013)
Image Credit: Tourism Australia
While The Wolverine’s story takes place in Japan and Canada, several sequences are actually the streets and sights of New South Wales in disguise (like Brisbane Street in Sydney's city centre, where signs and extras created the impression of a bustling Tokyo streetscape). The city’s Chinese Garden of Friendship featured in one of the film’s fight scenes, while Picton and the Blue Mountains double as Canadian forests. Who knew Australia was so good at pretending to be other countries … you might even call it acting?
Nearby G’day Parks
Sydney, NSW
When it comes to film locations, Australia will leave you starstruck.
If you're seeking a new side to your next getaway, it's time to fill up the petrol tank and set out on your own hero’s journey. Download the G’day Parks app or browse online to find a park with sites, rooms, and cabins near these spectacular filming locations today, and experience the magic of the movies in a whole new light.
