Western Australia’s ambition to become a leading destination for film and television production has taken a major leap forward with the completion of Perth Film Studios, the state government announced today.
The almost $300 million facility has been delivered on time and on budget, marking a significant milestone in the Cook Government’s plan to diversify the economy and position Perth as a creative powerhouse for national and international screen production.
Premier Roger Cook said the studios represent a new era for the WA screen industry. “This studio complex is absolutely world-class, and I look forward to seeing it welcome the first of many national and international productions as we begin a new era for the WA screen industry,” he said.
A studio built for the big screen
Located in Perth’s north-east corridor, the state-of-the-art complex features four massive sound stages totalling more than 8,200 square metres of production space — the equivalent of more than 31 tennis courts. With 40-metre clear spans, the studios can accommodate large-scale productions that previously would have looked elsewhere.
The facility’s backlot is the largest in the southern hemisphere at 23,200 square metres, making it 22% larger than the turfed surface of Optus Stadium. This expansive outdoor filming area opens up opportunities for productions that require extensive exterior sets and staging.
Supporting the sound stages are two annexes, workshops for set and prop construction, and 8,500 square metres of office and administration space. The complex includes hair, makeup and costume facilities, production offices, staff amenities, and a theatre screening room — everything needed for a self-contained production hub.
Building with local materials
The construction itself has been a boon for the local industry. Contractors used 160,000 cubic metres of locally sourced sand to level the site — enough to fill 64 Olympic-sized swimming pools. More than 1,670 tonnes of locally acquired and manufactured steel went into the structure.
The facility also celebrates local Aboriginal culture through public artworks by Lea Taylor and Buffie Punch, including an entry statement and yarning circle. These incorporate motifs inspired by Mia Mia shelters, water, fire, and the native banksia leaf, connecting the modern studio complex to Country.
Creating pathways in the screen industry
Perth Film Studios forms the cornerstone of the Western Australian Screen Industry Strategy, designed to create career pathways for WA’s talented creative professionals. The facility will provide work and training opportunities for actors, camera operators, costume and set designers, sound and lighting technicians, video editors, makeup artists, and numerous other roles in the screen industry.
The state government has invested $233.5 million in construction and a further $57 million to support management and operations over the first ten years through an agreement with Perth-based company Home Fire.
Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk emphasised the real opportunities the facility creates. “It will provide real career pathways, provide work and training for actors, camera operators, costume and set designers, sound and lighting technicians, video editors, makeup artists and many other roles,” she said.
The completion of Perth Film Studios positions Western Australia to compete for major productions and build on the state’s strong history of location-based and regional filming, creating new opportunities for the local screen industry and economy.
