A new television series on a national sporting icon is set to be filmed in Sunshine.
Goolagong, a three-part mini-series, follows the true story of national sporting icon Evonne Goolagong Cawley – the first Aboriginal woman to play professional tennis and one of Australia’s favourite female sporting heroes.
Victorian Creative Industries Minister Colin Brooks made the announcement that the series is being filled across locations in metropolitan and regional Victoria including Kyneton and Woodend.
“Evonne Goolagong Cawley is one of Australia’s most loved sporting champions and one of our all-time tennis greats,” he said.
“We’re proud to support this mini-series which will bring the tennis legend’s inspiring story to the screen, with a team of extraordinary First Peoples storytellers.”
Filming will take place in Sunshine, Kyneton, Woodend, Tallarook, Seymour and Seaford, as well as tennis matches being filmed at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club and Royal South Yarra Lawn Tennis Club. A purpose-built set of Wimbledon’s Centre Court is also currently under construction.
Set to broadcast on the ABC and produced by Victorian company Werner Film Studios, part of BBC Studios, Goolagong has been developed with the support and participation of Evonne.
Indigenous screen leaders including director Wayne Blair, writer Steven McGregor, and co-producer Danielle Maclean, join producer Joanna Werner and writer Megan Simpson Huberman to bring this long-awaited dramatic portrait of Evonne Goolagong Cawley to the screen.
Rising star Lila McGuire plays Evonne Goolagong Cawley with Marton Csokas as her coach Vic Edward, Felix Mallard as her husband Roger Cawley, and Luke Carroll as her father Kenny Goolagong.
Ms Werner said it was a privilege to bring this story to life.
“From the outset, it was important to us that this series be developed with authenticity and in close collaboration with Evonne herself, and we are thrilled that she is an Associate Producer of the series along with Roger Cawley,” she said.
Ms MacLean said First Nations voices are at the heart of this project.
“Goolagong will be filmed on the lands of the Boonwurrung (Bunurong), Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, and Taungurung Peoples of the Kulin Nations,” she said.
“We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of these lands and pay our respects to Elders past and present. From the very beginning, we have engaged in meaningful consultation to ensure the series honours First Nations culture, community and Country as we know this process will only enrich the production.”
