ABC’s Rippon Lea studios closes its doors one last time

WHEN the doors close at ABC’s Rippon Lea studios for the last time this week, an era will end for Australian television.

TV personalities Johnnie Walker, Peter Couchman, Doug Sharp and Sue Donovan farewell ABC’s Rippon Lea studios. Picture: Jason Edwards

WHEN the doors close at ABC’s Rippon Lea studios for the last time this week, an era will end for Australian television.

COUNTDOWN WITH MOLLY MELDRUM RETURNING TO ABC ON SUNDAYS

But, while the lights have faded and the cameras stopped rolling, the memories of some of TV’s most iconic moments will live on in the hearts and minds of almost everybody who was ever a part of it.

Former ABC presenter Sue Donovan with her son, Jason Donovan.

Former presenters Sue Donovan and Peter Couchman and directors Doug Sharp and Johnnie Walker were among former staffers who wandered through the centre this week before the network shifts its entire production to Southbank.

It was here some of Australia’s first dramas, children’s programming and live formats were aired to a nationwide audience.

The ’60s soapie Bellbird, period drama Power Without Glory and kids show Adventure Island were numbered among the shows that gave writers, presenters, actors and production crews a chance to cut their teeth in a fledgling industry.

ABC TV program ‘Adventure Island’.

“It was really a chance for people to learn from the ground up,’’ Mr Couchman said. “That’s a rare thing in the industry now.”

From Cindy Lauper to Silverchair, hundreds of musicians wandered — or sometimes stumbled — down these hallways. Politicians too.

Almost every Australian prime minister stared down the lens as their careers peaked or tumbled.

“Robert Menzies was partial to a scotch before he went on,” Mr Walker said.

A scene from 1960s soapie ‘Bellbird’.

There was the odd love match or two — Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness were among the couples who came together at the Rippon Lea studios, meeting during filming for the hit show Correlli. In more recent years popular shows filmed at the centre included music program Recovery, drama Seachange and comedy classic Kath & Kim.

Comedian Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell was the last program filmed there in recent weeks.

‘Countdown’ host Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum, in 1974.

Molly Meldrum hosted trailblazing music program Countdown at the studios for 13 years but admitted he was actually numbered among the protesters who rallied against the ABC from building at the site.

The network acquired a slice of land at the back of the historic Rippon Lea estate and locals weren’t happy about it.

“A lot of people were against the piece of land being used, so yeah, I joined the protest to stop it going ahead. Little did I know it would become my second home.”

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