Russell Crowe-backed Coffs Harbour film studios get funding for noise wall

Australia Broadcast Center

19 hours ago

Despite a $5.5 million promise, a long-awaited $650 million film-studio precinct backed by Russell Crowe on the NSW mid-north coast is likely years away from works beginning.
The NSW government announced this week it would provide up to $5.5 million to assist with construction of a "noise wall" on the boundary of the Pacific Bay Resort Studios and Village in Coffs Harbour.
Planning for the project dubbed Aussiewood was announced in 2021.
The site borders the Pacific Highway at a section undergoing major upgrades, including the construction of an new interchange as part of the bypass of Coffs Harbour due for completion in 2027.
Part of the site was resumed for the roadworks, leading to concerns of potential noise impacts on the studios.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison defended the time the state government had taken to fund the 450-metre noise wall, which is contingent on the project getting development approval.
"We understand that this is a really important project for the economy of the Coffs Coast, so it's been really getting that whole of government response."
While a key barrier to development has been removed, it will be a long time before any films will be shot at Aussiewood, according to Brad Daymond, general manager of Coastal & Golf Resorts Group, which owns the film-studio site.
The privately funded film-studio project was announced at a time Australia became a hotspot for filming big-budget films, with the backing of Coffs Coast locals Jack Thompson and Oscar winner Russell Crowe.
The development would include sound stages and on-site accommodation for stars and crew, a museum, facilities for animation, post production and e-sports and a film school.
The project has ground to a halt over the past two years, according to Mr Daymond, due to it requiring a noise and amenity wall to be built on land between the proposed site and the Pacific Highway.
"The noise wall that needs to be built is on Transport [for NSW] land, sitting 6 to 12 metres above our land," he said.
The noise wall and compensation for the land became a sticking point.
"What we are operating needs to have some quietness and some amenity about it," Mr Daymond said.
"We can't afford to have people looking in on top of the movies being made, because not all movies are made inside a studio."
Mr Daymond declined to give a timeline for the film-studio precinct to be shovel ready but said he was extremely pleased and relieved by the announcement.
"We may have lost two years in the process but we're very comfortable that we're pushing forward now.
"We're a long way down the track but we are simply in the hands of NSW Planning."