The Location Thread

[pluto]

I don't like how big they are making the caravan park look in this week's episodes as it doesn't tie in with the show's history. They are using way too many caravans, wood cabins, a few gazebos (there was originally only one white one) and if the hill Marilyn and Miles were walking down is supposed to represent the old hill coming down from the house they have got it all wrong as it was too big and the original never had vans on it. Also, the laundry block is way too big.

If the rumours of them rebuilding the original Sumer Bay House are true, then I would like them to rebuild an exact replica of it, and the caravan park. The caravan park was always just a small area, and even the bit used in 2007 when Alf knocked Pippa down was more true to life than the bit they used this week.

I quite agree with you here, the new loaction they have recently been using for the Caravan park (a real life caravan site) is far too big in size compared to the original, and even subsequent versions. It's far too 'posh' and glamorous for a small seaside caravan park. I think this choice was a mistake and a shows a real lack of continuity to the history and supposed location of the caravan park. I hope if they do rebuild an exterior Summer Bay House set, that, as you say, they make it more in line with what long term viewers think of as the Caravn park, making it smaller, more intimate and less glam.

Last year Cameron Walsh said they were supposed to start building the house in January but nothing has been mentioned since. I really do hope they go through with this. I loved the exterior shots of the house and it would be great to have the caravan park back on a long term basis and we might even get to see Colleen's mobile home!

thats true its been donkeys years since we've seen Colleens mobile home - they seem to do less and less in the vans now generally or so it seems, apart from when the van was set alight with Jeff inside last year I can't think of any meaningful scenes set in any recently. I too used to love the 'outdoor' Summer Bay House scenes. They just used the same stock shot these days, I'm sure they could at least vary that a little.

[Dan F]

Hey, it says that Macquarie Uni was used to film Summer Bay High locations in the mid 90's...I was just wondering where they filmed the high school these days?

Thanks

We've recently completed photography of all the Summer Bay High locations (the ones still standing anyway), along with a reshoot of the correct part of Macquarie Uni, so I'm hoping to get these up on the site in the near future.

[Dan F]

Given the recent discussions of it, ter06 mirroring my thoughts on the new caravan park, the Summer Bay House location page has had a long needed update - including a view of how the original house looks now after its rebuild.

[Snapp]

a view of how the original house looks now after its rebuild.

Was it rebuilt to the exact same plans as the original house? It looks to be except of course for the famous red roof.

[Dan F]

I believe its pretty much the same with a few alterations here and there - they stated that they wanted to keep the original form and appearance of the building as much as possible, even using photographs in order to reconstruct some of the details on the canopy.

[alexx]

Thanks for the update! I hope the replica house is still being built!! It would be so cool if they were able to actually replicate the house and Caravan park together exactly as it was in terms of layout etc for the sake of history too.. I think its really important and the location has been so missed. If they were able to do that it would transform the 'feel' of the show positively.

I agree with those who have noted how different the caravan park location looks currently - I dont like how huge it appears to be and it hasn't got the charm the original had. The one they used during 2007-early 2008 was the best in terms of similarity i.e the sand, the wooden fence, smallish caravans etc but now it just seems too busy. On the flip side, I can see that they have really reintroduced the park as a prominent location like it used to be and just imagine if it were still the old location, it would have been fantastic to have this Miles/Rabbit storyline playing out there!!

Edited April 11, 2010 by alexx

[Dan F]

As far as I can see (though I've no ideas on the legalities of it concerning building design etc.) they have no excuse to not reproduce an exact replica if they put their minds to it. They have plenty of reference material and other resources available to them. I could confidently say that if I was architect minded, I would have enough sources to replicate the exterior by myself, so they should have no problem.

[ter06]

Thanks for the update Dan, I didn't realise that a new house had been built since the last one burned down.

[whispered_envy]

Hey, it says that Macquarie Uni was used to film Summer Bay High locations in the mid 90's...I was just wondering where they filmed the high school these days?

Thanks

We've recently completed photography of all the Summer Bay High locations (the ones still standing anyway), along with a reshoot of the correct part of Macquarie Uni, so I'm hoping to get these up on the site in the near future.

Ah! Awesome! Thanks very much!

[Dan F]

Hey, it says that Macquarie Uni was used to film Summer Bay High locations in the mid 90's...I was just wondering where they filmed the high school these days?

Thanks

We've recently completed photography of all the Summer Bay High locations (the ones still standing anyway), along with a reshoot of the correct part of Macquarie Uni, so I'm hoping to get these up on the site in the near future.

Ah! Awesome! Thanks very much!

Having recently located the latest building they're using for the school hall (we think!), we've put the school updates on a hold until we can add a photo of that to the existing photos we have of that location - hopefully it may be within the next month or so - and that way we can upload all the school locations within a few days of each other.

Another update today, a location from 2009 which appears to have been forgotten now.

Big thanks to QA as ever who's been taking the majority of these pictures - we're having trouble keeping up with her! (not that I'm complaining!)