Luke Hemsworth cast in new Tourism Australia ‘Dundee’ ad

TOURISM Australia has cast Luke Hemsworth — the older brother of Hollywood stars Chris and Liam — in the latest phase of its $36 million Dundee campaign.

EXCLUSIVE

TOURISM Australia has cast “the original Hemsworth” in the latest phase of its $36 million Dundee campaign.

Luke Hemsworth, the older brother of Chris and Liam Hemsworth, plays tour guide on the ‘set’ of the fictional remake of the classic Paul Hogan film — building on the success of Tourism Australia’s Superbowl ad, which featured his superstar siblings and a host of big name Aussie exports.

The 37-year-old Westworld actor will take US viewers on a ‘backlot tour’ of Australia, which is to be pitched as a purpose-built set for the fake reboot of the Dundee movie.

Luke Hemsworth has a starring role in the second phase of the Tourism Australia campaign.

Tapping on red rock formations in the heart of the Northern Territory, Luke jokes the ancient landscape is actually crafted in carbon fibre; while narrating vision of whale sharks in WA and other wildlife as clever animatronics cinemagoers would normally see on the big screen.

Sydney’s Vivid festival, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef and South Australia’s Kangaroo Island all feature as ‘locations’ US tourists should visit.

Speaking from his home in Los Angeles, the older Hemsworth played up the sibling rivalry with his famous younger brothers, who both starred in the first commercial, but now make way for him in the next instalment.

The Westworld star jokingly played up the sibling rivalry between him and his younger brothers.

“I taught them how to walk and talk, how to act and now I’m teaching them how to be Dundee,” he told News Corp Australia, joking the rivalry between the brothers was anything but friendly.

“There’s nothing jovial about it, every time we get together, it ends in a bloodbath. Usually Chris or Liam’s, not mine,” he laughed, before adding: “no, seriously, we’re all best friends and enjoy giving each other a bit of stick. This [gig] is just another set of ammunition.”

Flying home to film part of the commercial, two hours west of Alice Springs, was a nostalgia trip for Hemsworth, who reminisced about living in an Aboriginal community when his parents packed their kids in the car and road-tripped to Central Australia.

“I think it was a Renault 20 or Renault 14, on one of the first trips ... this tiny little car, with the boys loaded up and the mattresses on the roof.”

The Hemsworths first went bush when Luke was a two-year-old but remembers returning “when I was about eight or nine.”

“I have incredible memories of going to school, where me and Chris were the only white kids in this indigenous town. We have photos of us, with our white blonde hair, surrounded by these beautiful little black fellas.”

Flying home to film part of the commercial, two hours west of Alice Springs, was a nostalgia trip for Luke Hemsworth.

The experience, he said, “gave us a very unique perspective and just reinforced how beautiful the people were and how funny they were and how special their art and music and dancing was. It’s those incredible parts of that culture that should be shared.”

Returning to the Northern Territory for the first time in 20 years as part of this new $8 million campaign, Hemsworth “really didn’t expect to be affected as much as I think I was. I got back [to LA] and immediately said to my wife, ‘we have to go there and specifically to [Central Australia] because I want my kids to experience that part of the world, as much as they can, as I did, as we did as kids, me and Chris,” he said.

The genetically blessed Hemsworth brothers are hot property in Hollywood. Picture: Getty

“Maybe because I’m Australian and a little bit biased, but I do think there’s something very vast and old and special about that part of the world. To get the chance to share that with America, with the world, and get them over there ... it was a perfect couple of days.”

The new video campaign will run for the next three months, to coincide with the peak travel booking season for the US; as well as other key markets, including the UK.

The Superbowl telecast was hailed as an enormous success, reaching a global audience of 9 billion and media coverage valued at over $85 million.

Travel agencies in the US reported a 30 per cent interest in bookings after its launch, with visitor visa applications from the US up 11.5 per cent in the first half of this year.

Federal tourism minister, Simon Birmingham said the latest ad would ensure Australia stayed front of mind for US travellers.

“Whilst Americans love Australia, the challenge for us is to convert interest into action and get potential visitors on a plane headed Down Under,” he said.

With “a favourable exchange rate, increased aviation capacity and attractive airfares, now is the perfect time for this next phase of [marketing] activity in the US.”

Tourism Australia’s managing director John O’Sullivan said “this next chapter gives a fun, new take on the narrative by going behind the scenes of Dundee to share a richer and deeper showcase of the experiences that can be enjoyed in Australia.”