Travelling in the footsteps of my favourite Australian TV show characters

Some people might visit the opera houses and waterfronts of Sydney and Melbourne because they are some of the happiest cities in the world. Still, I am more interested in following in the footsteps of a sad hitman dad, a confused young gay man, and an obnoxious food journalist.

Ray, Josh, and Liv are some of my favourite characters from Australia’s best TV shows, and I decided to find out where the shows were filmed so that I could step into some scenes myself. I enjoy watching a show and dreaming about visiting the spot where that terrible or hilarious thing just happened. And yes, sometimes I see a beautiful place and want to go there too.

To me, Australian shows are more subtle than most American shows and funnier than most British shows. Of course, every show is different, but there are some things the Aussies get just right, like the mix of black comedy and realistic relationships.

Check out the five best Australian TV shows and where they were filmed below. Warning! I was not able to avoid spoilers.

 

 

 

Mr Inbetween (2018–2021)

This is my absolute favourite Australian show, and I recommend it to anyone who will listen. This black comedy crime series follows Ray Shoesmith, a talented hitman and a loving father to his young daughter. Ray has a quiet and weirdly likable personality, but his job complicates life and relationships.

You will love the other characters too: Freddy, the strip club owner; Ally, the girlfriend; Gary, best friend, adult film entrepreneur, and criminal sidekick. Last, as the series progresses, Britt, his daughter, grows up before our and Ray’s eyes.

IMDb rating: 8.6 ⭐

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EooRG3QhQOY

Filming locations

Mr Inbetween is filmed entirely in Australia, mainly in Sydney and New South Wales. Scenes filmed in Sydney mostly take place in the suburbs and gritty industrial areas rather than around downtown landmarks.

• Pirrama Road opposite Pirrama Park in Pyrmont, Sydney: In the series’ first episode, Ray pushes a guy off the stairs for not placing a bet for his boss, Freddy. You can climb the distinctly-looking stairs here, but please don’t fall.
• Arthur Byrne Reserve in Maroubra Beach, Sydney. This is the beachside park where Ray meets Ally for the first time and where he returns in the hope of seeing her again.
• Parraween Laundry on Parraween Street in Cremorne, Sydney: Where Ray bumps into a pregnant Ally after their breakup.
• Padstow Parade in Padstow, Sydney: The retail street where the two young louts knocked Britt’s ice cream to the ground and got what was coming to them.
• Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park, Sydney: The massive studio outside downtown Sydney is where much of the show was filmed. It has also been involved in major productions like The Matrix, Mission: Impossible 2, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars Episodes II and III, and Superman Returns.
• Hay is a small town 8 hours inland from Sydney. The rough terrain here is the backdrop for several of the violent action scenes in the show.

 

 

Please Like Me (2013-2016)

 

 

It is a creative, funny, and wholesome drama-comedy that will make you care for the characters even when they annoy you, a bit like family. The show is centred around Josh, a gay but doesn’t know-it-yet young man with plenty to figure out.

You will laugh, but you might also experience some tears, as relationships are complicated, especially when you add mental health issues. The show offers excellent storytelling and touching portrayals of life’s different stages as we explore Josh’s parents’ side.

IMDb rating: 8.5 ⭐

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgslJP0MPww

Filming locations

Please Like Me is filmed mainly in Northcote, a trendy inner-city suburb of Melbourne, just 20 minutes from the city centre by tram.

• Northcote in Melbourne is the village-like suburb where most of the show occurs. As you wander around, you will recognize many spots.
• 51 Pender Street in Thornbury, Melbourne: The Please Like Me house is here. Please be respectful, as it is an actual residence between shoots.
• Melbourne Zoo in Melbourne: Where Arnold tries to cheer up Josh; “I have never seen meerkats and a sad person at the same time. It is like a weird art installation.”.

 

 

The Tourist (2022-)

 

 

Okay, this is not a wholly Australian creation but a BBC and Australia collaboration in Australia. The international cast includes local talent, and the setting is the Australian outback. Our protagonist wakes up with no memory, trying to figure out who he is and what is going on while his past catches up with him. There are action and thriller components, but I would say that the black humour is the red thread throughout. 

IMDb rating: 7.0 ⭐

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIjbxpFvAzs

Filming locations

The Tourist was filmed in South Australia, primarily in Adelaide and the outback, which is a few hours north of the city and has an unforgiving nature.

• Flinders Ranges, a beautiful mountain range 5 hours north of Adelaide: Here, you will recognize the dusty red roads and dramatic outback scenery used in every episode. The production team even built the gas station used in the series here. 
• Port Augusta and Peterborough are two small towns about three hours north of Adelaide. Many of the show’s extras were found with casting calls in these towns, and these remote towns were used in several scenes.
• Frewville Motor Inn in Adelaide is a real-life motel used in the show when The Man struggles with amnesia and needs a place to sleep.
• Adelaide Studios in Adelaide: This is where most of the productions not filmed in the outback took place. Major films like Mortal Kombat, I Am Mother, and The Babadook have also been shot here.

 

 

Underbelly (2008–2013)

 

 

 

A bit like an Australian true-crime version of “The Wire,” this show brings us right into the Australian underworld. The show stayed so close to real events that it was temporarily banned in the state of Victoria. The government did not want the show to affect the ongoing criminal trial around several events that are covered by the show. Expect drug kingpins, shady nightclubs, and lots of violent power struggles.

IMDb rating: 8.1 ⭐

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqKLRQLLdZ0

Filming locations

Underbelly was filmed at hundreds of locations in Melbourne and Sydney, including many parts in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon and the Carlton scenes around Errol Street in North Melbourne.

• Longueville Road in Lane Cove, Sydney: This street was turned into the notorious Golden Mile, and its shops became shady locations like Pink Pussycat, Porky’s, and The Love Machine. 
• Williamstown Botanic Gardens in Williamstown, Melbourne: This is where Carl Williams gets shot in the park in season one.
• Rubicon Restaurant in Melbourne: Became Mick Gatto’s crime headquarters, La Porcella, where Carl attempted to assassinate him. It closed permanently a while back, but the building is there.
• Marvel Stadium (formerly known as Telstra Dome) in Melbourne: All jail visit scenes were filmed in the dressing rooms here.

 

 

Wellmania (2023-)

 

 

Let me tell you, I did not like the main character, Liv, for quite a while! But in some sneaky way, she grows on you during her journey of growing up all too late while dealing with personal health problems and a chaotic career. One could call it an early midlife crisis drama-comedy. The strong cast and top-quality production help make up for a slightly lacking story.

IMDb rating: 6.7 ⭐

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69ZfDTpeBTA

Filming locations

Wellmania was filmed in Sydney, mainly around the beaches in the Gadigal Country of the Eora Nation. The Gadigal people are Aboriginal people whose traditional lands cover the area south of Sydney Harbour, including the Central Business District and the suburb of Redfern.

• Bondi Beach in Sydney: Liv goes to the beach for a jog in her stylish basketball sneakers, where the kids’ dance party scenes are shot.

• Bronte Beach in Sydney: Where Liv joins the gym and where they filmed the Zumba classes.

 

 

Honourable mentions of favourite Australian TV show characters

Yes, I know this is a list of my top Australian shows. I can accept that someone else might have a different opinion, especially since Australia is quite the powerhouse for making great TV shows. Here are a few honourable mentions of more Aussie shows that have been recommended to me.

Wentworth – IMDb rating: 8.6 ⭐

It is a drama with a bit of thriller in it following Bea, who tries to survive prison after being charged with the attempted murder of her husband.

 

Rake – IMDb rating: 8.5 ⭐

It is a drama-comedy where Cleaver Greene, a Sydney barrister addicted to various substances and gambling, defends clients who, more often than not, are guilty.

 

Kath & Kim – IMDb rating: 8.5 ⭐

It is one of Australia’s most popular comedy series about the mom Kath and her annoying daughter Kim figuring out life in suburbia.

 

Offspring – IMDb rating: 8.3 ⭐

A drama-comedy centred around the neurotic doctor Nina, her messy family, chaotic life, and romantic adventures.

 

Puberty Blues – IMDb rating: 8.2 ⭐

It is a coming-of-age drama-comedy about Debbie and Sue, two teenage friends who grow up in fun, accessible, and sometimes brutal Sydney in the 70s.

 

Redfern Now – IMDb rating: 7.9 ⭐

It was a vital drama, as it was the first show to be written, acted, and produced by Indigenous Australians, It followed the troubled lives of the residents of the tough neighbourhood of Redfern in Sydney.

 

Jack Irish – IMDb rating: 7.8 ⭐

It is a dry-humoured crime drama starring Guy Pearce, a former lawyer who spent his days as a private investigator and debt collector.

 

Mystery Road: Origin – IMDb rating: 7.7 ⭐

It is a slow-burn crime drama in which young Aboriginal detective Jay Swan solves a murder. Someone called it Outback Noir.

 

Heartbreak High – IMDb rating: 7.7 ⭐

This is a reboot of a popular high school drama-comedy series from the 1990s in which outsiders Amerie, Quinni, and Darren navigate love, sex, and heartbreak.

 

Bump – IMDb rating: 7.6 ⭐

It is a feminist and wholesome drama-comedy that follows Oly, an ambitious teenage girl with a surprise baby, complicating the lives of both families.

 

Author Bio

Anders Palm

Anders is a Swedish guy who runs the travel platform Humbo and has a thing for Australia. Aussie TV shows and hip hop like Hilltop Hoods and Drapht. It could be something about the accent. His favourite travel experiences in Australia are hiking The Blue Mountains, snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, and watching an Aussie rules game in Melbourne.