Toowoomba Wellcamp stars in David Wenham film Spit

A controversial $230m accommodation centre built during the pandemic has been cast as the perfect location for an immigration detention centre in David Wenham’s latest film. Here’s where you can see it on the big screen:

Johnny Spitieri (David Wenham) in Spit. Picture: Supplied

A controversial $230 million quarantine facility in Toowoomba is getting its moment on the big screen despite continuing to languish empty on the outskirts of the city.

In April last year, the Wellcamp quarantine accommodation facility was filled with lights, cameras, crew and actors filming Spit, a sequel the much-loved classic Australian film Gettin’ Square.

Spit follows the trajectory of small-time criminal, mullet cloaked Johnny Spitieri (Spit), played by David Wenham, a character who won hearts around the world as disaster-prone inmate in Gettin’ Square. 

David Wenham and Chris Nyst in the upcoming film "Spit". Picture: Supplied

Returning after 20 years with a new identity to Australia, Spit finds himself in an immigration detention centre, with his Australian entry scenes shot at the Wellcamp Airport.

His presence back in Australia stirs up old enemies who are out to settle scores.

Gettin’ Square writer and Gold Coast lawyer Chris Nyst was motivated to write the initial outline of Spit after the last decade of political immigration debate juxtaposed Australia’s “national ethos around mateship and egalitarianism”.

“It really seemed a bit crazy to me, we’re pretty much all immigrants in this country,” he said.

“I thought, I’d like to do a little script around that, but something light, not very heavy-handed.”

As a practising criminal lawyer, writing fiction has given him a creative outlet where he describes his characters as “amalgams of people”, characters so relatable they could be anyone’s workmate, friend, or family member.

Gettin' Square and Spit writer Chris Nyst on the set of "Spit"

The character of Johnny Spit “just walked into that outline from nowhere”, making an ideal character to “teach immigrants how to be good Australians”, he said.

“People identified with this guy because he was a battler, with a human side to him and he aspired to be something better,” he said.

After being constantly stopped on the street by people “wanting to talk to him about Johnny Spit”, David Wenham called him up out of nowhere and suggested a sequel, Mr Nyst said.

“I said well funny that – and pulled out my outline,” he said.

Toowoomba’s “clinical” 1000-bed quarantine facility built in 2021 by the Qld Government, has been the perfect location for Spit’s immigration detention centre, where he teaches other immigrants his version of mateship, he said.

He also said the film included well-known landscapes from around Queensland, which added a “richness to the film” beyond what he imagined from the outline.

Hayyan (Sami Afuni), Baktash (Ayik Chut) and Jihad Kalif (Arlo Green) on scene at "Spit". Picture: Supplied

Toowoomba’s quarantine facility helps differentiate from his time in prison, which was shot at Boggo Road Gaol in Brisbane.

Mr Nyst said Toowoomba, along with the rest of Queensland has “so many things to offer filmmakers” and would definitely recommend the quarantine facility to other filmmakers in the future.

Spit includes the returning creatives from Gettin’ Square writer Chris Nyst, director Jonathan Teplitzky, producer Trish Lake, and actors David Wenham – as Johnny Spitieri – David Roberts, David Field, Helen Thomson and Gary Sweet.

It also includes a mix of new talent including New Zealand’s Arlo Green, and Toowoomba Sudanese writer and actor Ayik Chut.

You will be able to catch the starring role of the Wellcamp facility at a special Q&A filming with David Wenham at the Toowoomba Strand, 6.30pm, Tuesday, February 11.

For tickets and bookings visit: movies.transmissionfilms.com.au