Hollywood has come to Helensburgh.
With its verdant bushland and historic train tracks, the area outside Helensburgh's Glowworm tunnel has long attracted photographers, including Illawarra landscape specialist Brad Chilby.
But now US filmmakers have discovered the site. Filming is scheduled to start on Monday, 17 October near the train station for what the location crew (in a letter to Helensburgh locals) has called Forbidden Zone, but has been referred to as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Planet of the Apes: Forbidden Zone. Since Monday, October 10, security personnel have been guarding plants and other props around the old train tunnel. Neighbouring houses have been asked to rent their car spaces to those involved.
The Forbidden Zone film will be directed by Wes Ball, who also directed the Maze Runner films. It stars American actors Owen Teague and Peter Macon, as well as English actress Freya Allan.
Locals received a letter which read: “The production currently titled ‘Forbidden Zone’ are planning to conduct filming activities in Helensburgh.”
From Monday 17th until Wednesday 19th October there will be changed traffic conditions. Reserved parking starts at Vera Street and up most of Parkes Street. According to the map supplied, traffic controllers will manage commuter traffic to and from the station.
"Traffic control will be in place around Helensburgh train station to maintain traffic flow and minimise impacts from the nearby local road closures," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said.
No filming will take place at Helensburgh train station or its commuter carpark, and train timetables will be as usual. However, the spokesperson said: "Commuters are advised to allow extra time to access the commuter car park."
A spokesperson for the production company Disney Studios declined to give any more information or comment. The release date of the film is set for May 2024.
The letter finishes with: “The Australian Film and Television Industry relies on the cooperation of local communities when filming on location and your support is appreciated.”
The Glowworm Tunnel Management Committee, a sub-committee of Helensburgh and District Landcare Group, has given permission for filming at Helensburgh Station Reserve, home of the 'glowworm tunnel'.
Helensburgh Landcare's Merilyn House confirmed that no filming will be occurring inside the actual glowworm tunnel and that any tunnel shots must be done in the short tunnel across the road, near the station.
The two old rail tunnels have been gaining fame on social media, and fences were built in 2018 to protect the sensitive glowworm populations after a dramatic fall in population of the insect. (The glowworm is not a worm, but the maggots of a group of flies called fungus gnats; the local species is Arachnocampa richardsae – read more in this article by entomologist Dr Chris Reid.)
Thanks to the efforts of Landcare members – which this month launched an appeal for volunteers – Helensburgh Station Reserve was established in December 2018 after years of battling to protect the site from crowds of day trippers, noise, litter and people who set off firecrackers in the tunnels. Helensburgh Landcare then became the Crown Land Manager for the reserve, set aside for “passive recreation, heritage purposes, environmental protection” (read more here).
Read more in 'Helensburghers ready to lend a hand to Hollywood'
