BBC’s Fast Track explores Perth’s rapid growth
PERTH’S millionaire and property boom is to be the focus of a BBC TV show.
PERTH’S millionaire and property boom is to be the focus of a BBC TV show.
The British broadcasters were in WA this week filming the city and some regional centres for global travel news show Fast Track.
Producer Dawn Lake said Perth’s high proportion of millionaires and rapid growth had caught the attention of the program makers.
“Our aim was to explore how the mining boom had influenced the rapid growth of Perth and WA and what efforts were being made to attract more tourists to the region,” Ms Lake said.
“We wanted to show our audience something new. Perth and WA are less well known than the East Coast. Perth has experienced a rapid rate of change in the last few years and is interesting because of its relative ‘isolation’ and its proximity to Asia.”
The BBC honed in on Perth property revamper Sasha deBretton as one of the new self-made entrepreneurs with her Million Dollar Makeovers company.
“We filmed in an East Perth penthouse I renovated that went up $1.5m in value, then they filmed me at the fashion festival,” Ms deBretton said of her brush with global fame.
“It was a really good day/night and the documentary will be very very interesting.”
“Perth has one of the highest proportion of millionaires in the country, including Sasha,” said Ms Lake.
“We looked at how new boutique hotels like The Terrace are springing up across the city, and we talked to Perth artist, Stormie Mills about the development and influence of culture in the city. We also met one of he new wave of young Chinese professionals flocking to the country.”
The crew also travelled to Kalgoorlie, Broome and the Kimberley. “The main focus being the development of tourism and culture, as well as our experiences travelling around the state,” she said.
And what was her verdict of booming Perth?
“I was impressed but the positive ‘can do attitude’ of just about everyone I met,” Ms Lake said. “The buildings around the port and the development of Elizabeth quay are very impressive as are the restaurants around Brookfield place and hotels around the CBD such as The Terrace and The Richardson. The view from King’s Park onto the city says it all.”
The episode is due to air on BBC World News on November 15 and 16.