Wentworth: Where Was the Australian Show Filmed?

of Wentworth: Where Was the Australian Show Filmed? Prizmi Tripathi
Updated August 6, 2022

‘Wentworth’ is an Australian drama series that presents an all-encompassing and unfiltered account of everything that goes on inside a women’s prison. Set in contemporary Australia, the series follows the life of Bea Smith as she is thrown in the eponymous prison on the charge of the attempted murder of her physically abusive husband. After striving to adjust to the corrupt and ruthless ecosystem for a while, circumstances compel Bea to take a route she can never return from. As the series progresses, Bea makes allies, overthrows her foes, and gradually emerges as the new “Top Dog” of Wentworth.

Upon its premiere on May 1, 2013, the show received the stamp of approval of the critics as well as the audiences for being a hard-edged and modern reimagining of Reg Watson’s 1979 cult classic, ‘Prisoners,’ one that is relevant to modern times. Over the years, the show has earned many accolades and has received constant praise for its well-defined and robust female characters, raw interpersonal dynamics, atmospheric tension, and compelling narrative. Apart from that, the prison’s dreary yet realistic vibe has piqued the interest of many fans, who must be curious to know where ‘Wentworth’ is filmed. Well, let’s find out!

Wentworth Filming Locations

Considering the show’s setting, it is natural for anyone to wonder whether the women’s prison-based show is shot in a real-life correctional facility. Well, let us tell you that the makers actually took a modern approach and went for a purpose-built set in Melbourne, Australia. Over the seasons, it has undergone one major location change. Here are the specific filming locations!

Melbourne, Australia

The shooting for seasons 1 to 3 took place at an old warehouse in Clayton, which is an eastern suburb in Melbourne, Victoria. The sprawling property was transformed into a dreary set with grey walls, spooky dim-lit hallways, and flickering strip lights. Before serving as the Wentworth Detention Centre, it belonged to a pharmaceutical company. The exact location of the site is 1408 Centre Rd, Clayton South, Victoria, Australia.

However, in July 2014, the warehouse owner announced that the property was sold and would be demolished to make way for new residential construction. Following the news, the production team had to find a new location for filming. To not break the narrative flow, the writing team got to work and revised the season 3 script to introduce a fire arc in the finale of the third season. In the season 3 finale, a fire engulfs a part of the prison, forcing the inmates and the prison crew to move to a new wing.

From the fourth season onwards, the filming took place in a set constructed in Newport, Victoria, located exactly at 80 Champion Road. The new was embellished with removable walls, doors, and other fittings from the previous location. It doubled up for places where the most action takes place, namely, the laundry room, prison cells, shower block, and exercise ground in the new wing of the facility.

On Sep 4, 2020, the show’s producer, Pino Amenta, shared a few pictures after wrapping up the shoot for the series finale of ‘Wentworth.’ Alongside the pictures of the cast and crew members, Pino wrote, “Last day of Shooting on Wentworth. What a glorious experience it’s been working with such wonderful people. Will miss the whole damn thing! Very emotional day, thanks to every single one of them. Xxxx.”

The cast and crew braced the COVID-19 pandemic by adhering to the safety protocols and managed to finish off the filming for the part 2 of the eighth and final season (also known as the ninth season). Brunswick, Williamstown, and Oakleigh also served as the shooting site for several scenes in the prison drama.

Read More: Best Prison Shows on Netflix

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