Bowen Independent

May 25, 2007

movie town bowen Mix comes naturally

By Charles Cepulis

Mixing with movie stars seems to come naturally to Bowen people.

Members of the cast of Australia have been popping up all over town.

Nicole Kidman was spotted dining at the Grand View Hotel last Wednesday night with son Connor Cruise.

She also watched part of the State of Origin game there, although which side she was barracking for is not known.

"She has loyalties to both New South Wales and Queensland," her publicist Wendy Day diplomatically told the Bowen Independent yesterday.

Ms Day said Kidman, who has already visited a local pie and fish and chip shop, was enjoying being in Bowen and promised she would get out to meet more locals.

Co star Hugh Jackman this week enjoyed a day off filming by taking his family to the beach at Horseshoe Bay.

And David Wenham, who plays a cattle station manager in Australia, was spotted grocery shopping at Woolworths last week, strolling casually up and down the aisles, grabbing some fresh fruit and other staples.

Meanwhile, people attending Bowen’s first Seafood Festival tomorrow are being advised it is unlikely any of the stars of the movie will be able to attend.

All the cast and crew are filming tomorrow, Bazmark II publicity officer Edweana Wenkart said.

"We don’t want any false expectations that we will have people there when we actually can’t," she said.

"While we are trying everything possible, we are going to be filming on Saturday."

Ms Wenkart said the invitation was there for anyone from the cast to visit the festival.

"But unfortunately there is no one here that is not filming," she said.

Today and tomorrow is also the last chance for people to see the shorthorn cattle in the town’s streets.

Location manager Mary Barltrop said filming of the cattle in Bowen was expected to be completed tomorrow.

"Some of them will then, I believe, be taken up to Kununurra," she said.

"The rest, I believe, are going to be sold."

With the cattle leaving, the stockyards at the Front Beach will be replaced by a tent city.

"Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is when we start turning the Bowen set into militarised Darwin," Ms Barltrop said.

However, she discounted reports circulating that the sets would be blown up as the bombing of Darwin scenes are filmed.

"I don’t know if we are going to be really blowing anything up," Ms Barltrop said.

"I am not aware of any plans for big explosions," she said.

"But we will have the pre bombing and post bombing looks.

"There might be a few small gas bars of fire effects."

Ms Barltrop said the film crew was delighted with the conditions in Bowen.

"The weather is absolutely perfect," she said.

"We are loving it."