Mount Thomas - Real Locations Used

Real Locations Used

The majority of exterior scenes were filmed in Wyndham, Williamstown and from time-to-time at Castlemaine, all in the state of Victoria. Castlemaine, in the Victorian Goldfields region 90 minutes north of Melbourne, played Mount Thomas in the major aerial shots of the town.

To contain production costs location scenes needed to be shot close to the South Melbourne studios of Channel Seven, so coastal Williamstown (20 mins south west of the city) - noted for its Victorian and Federation architecture - was chosen. The railway yards of adjacent Newport were the location for the Mount Thomas rail yards, and the scene of numerous crimes. The nearby basalt plains around Werribee were suitable to represent farming and bush country.

The shots looking north were filmed from the Burke & Wills monument towards the former Castlemaine Gaol (now closed). The southern shots were filmed at the Castlemaine Gaol looking over the Castlemaine Railway Station (Melbourne-Bendigo line) towards the Post Office clock tower.

Coincidentally the exterior of "The Imperial Hotel" is a former local pub called "The Imperial Hotel" (which was marked up with beer signage for cut away scenes). Today it is a decaying second hand clothes and antiques store - and the interior has no resemblance to Chris Riley's pub. Even more strangely, "The Imperial" is right next door to the real Castlemaine Police Station (although this has never been featured in the show) and also across the road from the Castlemaine Courthouse.

The first Mount Thomas Police Station was actually the former Williamstown Police Station where the majority of the Mount Thomas street scenes were filmed. Early in the series the building was sold and converted to a residence and was specially decorated for filming.