Marta Dusseldorp gives back to Tassie in second season of Bay of Fires

Tasmania’s capacity for putting on screen productions continues to grow. Read why the creator and actor Marta Dusseldorp on the Bay of Fires series believes Tasmania is the place to film.

Creator/Producer/Actor Marta Dusseldorp and Michael Ebeid – Screen Australia Chair. Picture: Brook Rushton

Tasmania has given the cast and crew of locally filmed television drama Bay of Fires so much that they want to give back.

Nearly 200 Tasmanians work either behind the scenes or in front of the camera for Bay of Fires, which is back in Tasmania filming for a second season.

“We have identified a whole lot of Tasmanians from last season that we are promoting into bigger roles on this production,” creator, producer and actor Marta Dusseldorp told the Sunday Tasmanian.

Marta Dusseldorp and Toby Leonard Moore on location. Picture: Brook Rushton

Last week, cast and crew descended on a farm on Hobart’s fringes for filming.

Dusseldorp said it was important for the production to return to Tasmania – particularly the West Coast, where she and her husband have a property and she has become part of the community.

“I see it as a real retreat, a place to continue to dream,” she said.

“You don’t want to be a fly-in, fly-out,” Dusseldorp said, adding that they tried hard to leave behind skills and jobs after their first season.

The crew spent almost 12 weeks on the West Coast through the middle of winter and they had feedback from business owners that said it was “like an all-year summer” with the business brought in from filming.

Bay of Fires crew working on location. Picture: Brook Rushton

“I feel so deeply steeped in their embrace,” she said.

Dusseldorp is excited by the momentum of the industry in Tasmania and said it was important to have government support to grow the capacity for productions to be filmed here.

She said she “couldn’t have done it” without the assistance of Screen Australia, and Screen Tasmania who helped with grants that develop and retain Tasmanian workers.

Screen Australia chair Michael Ebeid said he would love to see more productions in Tasmania.

“I can see its beauty and potential,” he said.

The breakout drama is an Archipelago and Fremantle Production presented by Screen Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Screen Tasmania in association with VicScreen.

Season two of Bay of Fires will air on ABC TV and ABC iview in 2025.

Originally published as Marta Dusseldorp gives back to Tassie in second season of Bay of Fires