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Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’: See the movie, take the tour?

Baz Luhrmann’s World War II-era epic “Australia,” starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, won’t hit theaters until next week. But you can book face time with the film’s real star: the country’s ravishing, rugged East Kimberley region. Just make sure you see the real thing.

The tourism industry in Australia, banking on the biggest boost since “Crocodile Dundee” splashed onto the big screen, has cranked out dozens of tours and itineraries billed as inspired by the action-adventure romance. Many of these explore Australia in diverse ways, but not all take you to the actual film sites. Here’s a quick guide:

The real places: “Australia” was shot last year mainly on Sydney soundstages and in a suburb; the Queensland town of Bowen; Darwin in the Northern Territory; and the remote East Kimberley region of Western Australia, where the crew was based in the small town of Kununurra, Twentieth Century Fox publicists say.

Some reel sites really aren’t, says Tourism Australia, which published a useful guide and map. While Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin stars as itself, its Government House is actually Strickland House, thousands of miles away in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse. Some of the movie Darwin’s landmarks are actually in Bowen, hundreds of miles away.

The real tours: The Kimberley’s sweeping landscape of jagged peaks, plunging canyons, vast scrubland and fiery red soil steals the show, judging from a screening I attended this week. Among trips that take you there are iExplore’s Kimberley Air Safari and the Gibb River Road & Bungles self-drive package from Discover West Holidays.

More information: For other “Australia” tours and itineraries, check out Tourism Australia, Tourism Western Australia (good info on the Kimberley region) and Australia.orbitz.com.

— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor

[Photo: The Drover (Hugh Jackman) and Sarah (Nicole Kidman) enjoy a rare moment of tranquillity in the midst of their journey across Australia. Credit: James Fisher / Twentieth Century Fox]

This entry was posted on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 6:00 am by Jane Engle and is filed under Arts & Culture, Celebrity, Luxury Travel, News, Tips & Advice, Pacific & Australia, Tours & Cruises. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.

4 Comments on “Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Australia’: See the movie, take the tour?”

Bruce Says:
November 25th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Am yet to see the film but found a return flight for under $600USD on the V Australia website. A new Australian airline launching in 2009.
Pat Says:
November 27th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I also found an Australia Movie tour with Intrepid Travel.
Anonymous Says:
December 4th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Whether you hated it or loved it – all you’ve been hearing about is Australia.

However, you may not know that this movie is merely a rip off of the classic, Tasmania: The Movie. We encourage you to skip Baz Luhrmann’s saturated interpretation of the arid Outback for the more colorful and scenic landscapes of Tasmania. Baz can’t come close to capturing the heart and soul of my favorite island.
Janet Says:
December 6th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I really could care less what the so called movie critics may or may not have to say about this movie. I loved it thoroughly; from the acting to the cinematography. Everything about the movie made me “feel” the range of emotions. I think this movie is reminiscent of the way movies used to be made. I think there still is an audience for more of the same!