Community
2 January, 2022
Cassowary Coast-The True Star Of Irreverent Filming Production
As the curtains close on production and filming in Mission Beach for the Netflix series “Irreverent”, the Cassowary Coast has been labelled the true star of the show by the production team.
The ten part series, which follows the story of an American man forced to hide out in a small Australian coastal town, posed as the new Church Reverend, captures the beauty of the Cassowary Coast, with filming showcasing Tully, Silkwood, El Arish and the major drawcard of Mission Beach.
Portfolio holder for Community and Culture, Councillor Trudy Tschui said the production team gave beaming remarks from the unique beauty of the region, ease of interactions with Council, local contractors and businesses, and they praised the patience and engagement of the community.
“Everyone involved could not have been happier with the location as a backdrop for the story but also for the exciting activities which kept the crew entertained on their days off.”
Cr Tschui said that dollar values spent had yet to be finalised however an increase in spend and activity was easy to recognise while crew were in the area.
Expenses were spread across necessities such as fuel, food and accommodation and production also used considerable amounts of local labour and building materials. They also made good use of down time activities, through reef trips, shopping, skydiving, rafting and horse-riding and all indications from the crew suggest they would love to come back, if the show is re-signed.
“The feedback from seasoned professionals is fantastic and the Cassowary Coast is definitely open for business for other film and TV interest,” she said.
“It is wonderful to know our region left such a great impression, with crew involved already purchasing property here and others wanting to assist in conservation efforts with a significant donation given to Community for Coastal and Cassowary Conservation.
“The economic increases haven been noticed by the community and when wider audiences view Irreverent, locals will continue to benefit, and tourism interest will also grow” said Cr Tschui.
Council and the production teams have also been working closely in discussions for planning, restoration and revegetation of filming locations. Structural elements from both Porter Promenade and Reid Road have been stored or forwarded to the Gold Coast for studio filming.
Production will also be responsible for the reinstallation of the playground and pagola and Council has taken a bond to ensure that if not reinstated to satisfaction, additional works can be undertaken.
Tom Hoffie, producer of Irreverent Productions said that it had been a great experience shooting in Mission Beach and surrounds.
The local community were welcoming, understanding of the film work and local businesses had taken care of them like locals.
“I wanted to give final thanks for all involved. Look out for Irreverent on Netflix; expected in the second half of 2022,” said Mr Hoffie.
