When filmmaker Justin Kurzel began speaking with location manager Chris Reynolds about the central jungle setting featured in Curio Pictures’ and Prime Video’s The Narrow Road to The Deep North, Reynolds knew immediately that the Illawarra region, located south of Sydney, was the perfect backdrop for his vision.

“He wanted the look of the forest to suit the mood of his [Kurzel’s] filmmaking, but also of the key character of Dorrigo Evans. He wanted a dark forest that drops off into nothingness,” explained Reynolds.

While their initial conversations occurred while Kurzel was overseas for work, on return to Australia, Reynolds immediately took the filmmaker, who directed, co-created and produced the series, to Otford Farm, located 40 minutes south of Sydney.

“The big starting point for The Narrow Road to The Deep North is the forest and the railway… straight away, as soon as he went there [Otford Farm] he said ‘Yep, that’s it.’”

While New South Wales is known for iconic locations including the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour, striking beaches and desolate desertscapes, the state’s huge variety of forests have been the backdrop for multiple notable projects including The Narrow Road to The Deep North and 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

While working on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Reynolds did extensive scouting of jungle and river locations both north and south of Sydney with supervising location manager Colin McDougall. One location they ended up shooting at was in the Central Coast region, north of Sydney.

Reynolds notes, “Both of the projects [The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes] had a similar brief – that slightly darker forest.

“Knowing the scale of [Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes], I immediately thought of Glenworth Valley… they [the producers and director] loved the look of it – it’s dense and thick. And Glenworth Valley is a great partner for filming; they were really motivated and engaged. They have all the facilities set up, they’ve got the roads built and they’ve got the paddocks ready.”

The diversity of forest landscapes on offer provides a large range of options for filmmakers looking to shoot in NSW. There are many notable pockets that are located within driving distance of Sydney.

“We have the big, tall timber rainforests, which have undergrowth and tall trees down the South Coast of NSW. In the Blue Mountains themselves there are great subtropical rainforests, but it also has a cooler climate when you get to the high ranges around Mount Wilson and those areas have rainforest and it can get very dark.

“The area also has an old pine forest, which has 100-year-old trees which attracts foreign productions as it looks like nothing else in Australia – it gives a very European or North American look.

“You also have the forest of the Snowy Mountains, which has gnarled snow gumtrees and has such an eerie presence.”

Reynolds also notes that distance from major cities does not hinder a project, when it’s shot in New South Wales.

“The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes were shot regionally and the reception was amazing… the councils were supportive, and obviously we had the support of Screen NSW.”

Filming in NSW

As NSW’s screen agency, Screen NSW aims to assist, promote and strengthen the NSW screen sector by delivering funding and support programs that attract investment, innovation, and employment opportunities to the state. Screen NSW administers key incentives including the Made in NSW Fund, a program which supports the advancement of NSW as a major production destination, and the Post, Digital & Visual Effects Rebate which supports companies carrying out PDV work in NSW. Both incentives can be combined with Australian Government incentives.

A film friendly state, it is the NSW Government’s policy to streamline processes and provide the highest possible level of co-operation with filmmakers to encourage screen production and maintain NSW’s position as a premier destination for screen production in Australia.

For additional information on filming in NSW, the team at Screen NSW can assist you with information on locations, including bespoke location packages, technical and creative talent, studio space, postproduction, and visual effects facilities and on all aspects of filming.