The Clearing on Hulu is an adaptation of J.P. Pomare’s book In the Clearing. According to The Guardian, the series is a fictionalized account inspired by a cult that operated in the shadows of regional Victoria between the 1960s and 1980s.
This eight-part series features Teresa Palmer (Take Me Home Tonight), Miranda Otto (Fires), and Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential).
Based on real-life accounts, the cult would manipulate and brainwash young women to please high-ranking officials within the group. Tragically, these young girls were forcefully adopted into the cult, ultimately leading to their demise.
Where was The Clearing on Hulu filmed – a breakdown of filming locations
Lake Eildon, Lake Eildon National Park, Australia
Most scenes filmed involving the cult were shot around picturesque Lake Eildon. According to the Victoria Parks website, the Lake Eildon National Park, situated in the Central Highlands region of Victoria, has a protected area of over 27,750 acres—this national parked approximately 111 kilometers northeast of Melbourne in the northern foothills.
As per the Lake Eildon website, it is a renowned inland waterway for recreational boating, with 25% of boating activity occurring there compared to 58% in Port Phillip Bay and coastal areas. The lake boasts 515 kilometers of shoreline and can store six times as much water as Sydney Harbour.
Additionally, a fascinating fact is that Lake Eildon is the only waterway in Victoria where houseboats are permitted.
Several shots, mostly exterior, were captured around the lake to showcase its natural beauty, including the low mountain ranges of the Dandenong, located just south of Melbourne. The lake has a depth of 76 kilometers, and during the early 21st-century droughts, the rooftops of homes became visible when the town of Darlingford flooded.
This led to what we now know as Lake Eildon.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melbourne is the Australian state of Victoria’s capital and the country’s second-largest city. Known as the “live music capital of the world,” the community is brimming with creativity. Melbourne has a lively annual cultural event and festival scene, including Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Melbourne is a city with a little more than five million people. The city is the 2nd most visited city in the country and the 73rd most visited in the world, with over three million visitors from outside Australia annually. The city is world-famous for its culinary and coffee scene and is known for the birth of Australian Rules football.
Notable films shot in Melbourne are Mad Max, The Lion, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Darkness Falls, and Where the Wild Things Are.
