Screen Queensland is proud to present the Gold Coast region, the Whitsundays and Darlington, in the Scenic Rim region of South East Queensland.

Netflix Original feature Spiderhead, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Oblivion, Tron: Legacy) and starring Australia’s own Chris Hemsworth, is in post-production now after filming in Queensland.

The majority of the production took place on the Gold Coast region, one of Australia’s top film destinations, as well as the Texas-like Darlington countryside located inland in The Lost World valley, Scenic Rim. Filming also took place in the Whitsundays, a popular tourist paradise along the north-east coast of Queensland, lending the film a large sense of scope.

Producer Tommy Harper said the climate and access to a range of locations reminded him of filming in his home state in the US. 

“It feels very at home for me. In California you can have a lot of different locations in one place, and I feel like Queensland in particular is just like that. The great thing about this area is you can be on the beach, you can do waterwork, you can be in the desert, you could be in the country and feel like you’re in Texas you can be in a rainforest and feel like you’re in Hawaii.”

Tommy Harper, Producer, Escape from Spiderhead

The production shot on location at Hinze Dam in the lush Gold Coast hinterland, and Tallebudgera Valley, both located 30 to 40 minutes from downtown Gold Coast.

Harper also emphasised that Queensland’s COVID-safe status is only one aspect of the overall appeal of the film-friendly destination. “I love the crews here, I feel safe here. I think for doing a movie here, for me, in a pandemic, I couldn’t be in a better place. Even if I wasn’t in a pandemic I’d be very fortunate to be here.”

Kylie Munnich, CEO of the state screen agency Screen Queensland, said it was no wonder Spiderhead chose the sunshine state to film. 

“Queensland has so much to offer in terms of locations, climate, experienced crew and top facilities like the Gold Coast Convention Centre, Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast and Screen Queensland Studios in Brisbane. We thank Tommy Harper and Netflix, and invite productions to contact us to discover just why Queensland has been selected as the location for 8 out of the 12 international productions secured into Australia since July 2020.” 

Kylie Munnich, CEO, Screen Queensland

City of Gold Coast’s Film and Television Adviser, Gabrielle Jones also thanked Netflix for bringing the production to the Gold Coast: “It was terrific to be able to assist the quick ramp-up for this production and to welcome the team to the Gold Coast. It was the first major production to shoot at the Gold Coast Convention Centre and, with our crews ready and COVID safe, Spiderhead is an important film for the local industry and the City.”

Screen Queensland’s Production Attraction program offers a selection of incentives and grants for national and international producers, with projects that have a minimum AU$3.5 million Queensland Production Expenditure (QPE). The incentive can be combined with either the Australian Government’s Location Offset and Incentive, Producer Offset or PDV Offset. This can also be used in conjunction with the City of Gold Coast incentive, for productions that spend a minimum AU$1.5 million on the Gold Coast.

For more information about Queensland locations, facilities and incentives:

To learn more about the City of Gold Coast incentives: