After years of being ignored in favour of other filming locations, Australia finally has its place in the market after hosting a number of high-end Hollywood films including Thor: Ragnarok, Alien: Covenant and Pacific Rim: Maelstrom.
After several years hampered by a strong dollar, Australia has enjoyed an international production boost thanks in part to the practice of issuing big- budget productions a special one-off support payment on top of the country’s main filming incentive.
The government has long faced pressure to increase its Location Offset percentage, but the one-off payment seems to have worked as an officially short-term alternative.
Australia is also making its mark in terms of innovative production and visual effects, with international hit The Lego Movie made by Animal Logic in Sydney. Period drama The Age of Adaline, starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford, completed visual effects work in Brisbane after shooting in British Columbia.
Queensland was chosen for the ability to shoot 95% of the film in the same place. South-east Queensland had just the right mix of both urban and country looks. All the locations chosen matched specific Californian looks.
Gareth Price, Location Manager on San Andreas
The climate of Australia varies widely, but by far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. 40% of the landmass is covered by sand dunes. Only the south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate varying between tropical rainforests, grasslands and part desert.
