Quolls’ popularity set to soar after release of wildlife documentary Quoll Farm

A year spent on an abandoned farmhouse has resulted in an enchanting, insightful and visually spectacular documentary about one of Tasmania’s most covert critters.

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ASK any Tasmanian to tell you what they know about the Tasmanian devil and they’re bound to bombard you with facts about the feisty marsupials. After all, there have been countless documentaries and fundraising appeals for these native carnivores.

They’re also a firm favourite at wildlife parks. And, of course, there’s also the much-loved Looney Tunes character that our humble devil inspired.

Meanwhile, wallabies, wombats and echidnas also rank among our most well-known wilderness dwellers – and are all a common sight when taking a walk, or a drive, in nature.

But, when it come to quolls, most of us are not so familiar or knowledgeable.

Which is exactly why naturalist and filmmaker Simon Plowright decided to spend a year on an abandoned farm in North-East Tasmania, uncovering the hidden world of the eastern quoll.

Buster, one of the residents at Quoll Farm and star of a new documentary Quoll Farm set in Tasmania’s North East, about the secret life of quolls. Picture: ABC

The 61-year-old, who has cinematography credits on David Attenborough productions, has worked on numerous films featuring devils. After completing a film with cinematographer Nick Hayward in 2016 called Last Devils, the duo wanted to work on another project together to showcase more of Tasmania’s unique wildlife.

Eastern quolls – which are smaller and less aggressive than our spotted-tail quoll – had long fascinated Plowright. He was drawn to the attractive, charismatic Tasmanian marsupial as it is found nowhere else on Earth (it is considered to be extinct on mainland Australia with the last sightings in Sydney in the early 1960s) and is rarely caught on film in any real detail – and rarely in the wild.

So he went on a hunt to find a location where quolls were abundant and relatively easy to film.

Filmmaker Simon Plowright spent a year living on an abandoned farm in the state’s North-East capturing the antics of quolls. Picture: ABC

And he stumbled upon an abandoned farmhouse near St Marys, in the state’s North-East, where he spent a year living alongside quolls, to create an enchanting, insightful and visually spectacular documentary called Quoll Farm.

The hour-long production follows the story of Clover, Buster, Sasha and other resident quolls, giving viewers a glimpse of what life is like for these often-misunderstood creatures.

“I don’t know how many devil productions I’ve been involved in over the years and the poor old quolls always get missed out,” Plowright says.

“But I’ve always been fascinated by them.”

“After I finished Last Devils in 2016 I made up my mind to try and make a quoll film. But it came down to really finding a good location. I asked around – I just asked lots and lots of people. And this one place just kind of stood out – those who had been near it said there were lots of Eastern quolls there. And it wasn’t that far from where we live [in Bicheno], which made it logistically reasonable.”

Three young eastern quolls that feature in the Quoll Farm documentary by Simon Plowright. Picture: ABC

Plowright says he couldn’t believe his eyes when he first visited the abandoned farm. As he drove around the property at night, everywhere he looked, quoll eyes shone back at him.

He says he and Hayward (Quoll Farm's co-producer and cinematographer) – “almost became like nightshift workers”, filming quolls in the dark, and sleeping during the day.

“The house that we lived in was a freezing cold place,” Plowright recalls.

“We’d go out filming and have four to five jackets on and three layers of trousers.”

“It was challenging in that regard. But the wildlife was always beautiful.”

Plowright says he was essentially a visitor in a house inhabited by quolls, and lived in a non-intrusive way while watching their antics.

“Some people get the idea that these are tamed quolls or we should make pets out of them … and I’m absolutely against that,” he says.

“I was lucky enough to find a house where quolls were living and I moved into their space, not the other way around.”

Funding for the project came from various places, including the ABC, Smithsonian Channel, ZDF/Arte, NHK, Screen Australia and Screen Tasmania, with the documentary to be shown in various parts of the world.

Composer Maria Grenfell and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra provided the musical score, while others involved in the project include co-producer Simon Nasht and editor Darren Flaxstone.

Buster the ever-curious quoll in the old farmhouse kitchen at Quoll Farm. Picture: ABC

Plowright’s obsession with wildlife began at the age of eight, when he started taming wild fox cubs in his home country of Wales.

“This required enormous tenacity and perseverance, spending many hours sitting outside the burrow convincing the cubs to play around me,” he recalls.

“I went on to document every fox burrow, badger sett and bird nest for miles around.

“My love and knowledge of flora and fauna became a passion, which developed into a lifelong occupation.”

Plowright has held many job titles over the years – he’s worked as a fencing contractor, a wildlife tour operator (he once owned East Coast Natureworld at Bicheno) and an environmental consultant.

Buster takes a seat at the Quoll Farm kitchen. Picture: ABC

He has also assisted many national and international broadcasters find appropriate species and filming locations for TV shows, including the BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet, The Crocodile Hunter and American SeaWorld.

Plowright came to Tasmania in 1981 – his dad was a farmer in the state’s North-West – and he has been passionate about documenting, and protecting, Tasmania’s wildlife ever since.

“As our lives increasingly encroach on the natural world, it’s more important than ever we learn to live with, rather than against, nature,” he says.

A quoll in the toilet of a derelict cottage in the documentary about the secret life of quolls. Picture: ABC

“As a filmmaker, I feel I must share my knowledge and foster understanding of nature in a way which will encourage others to engage with wildlife.

“When a person has a positive experience with a wild animal they unwittingly become a conservationist.

“My hope is that this film will help this misunderstood charismatic character be accepted as a friend rather than a foe and be welcomed as a partner in the landscape.

“Also, as the reality of climate change becomes apparent, I believe audiences are eager to hear and understand that it is a challenge for all species, not just us humans.

‘’There is still hope, but we need to act now before it’s too late.”

Quoll Farm will air on Sunday at 7.40pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.

Move over meerkats, there’s a new cutie in town

TASMANIA will be showcased to the world in a first-of-its-kind, locally produced wildlife documentary.

Quoll Farm tells the story of the state’s little-known and highly endangered marsupial, which had taken up residence in an abandoned farmhouse in Tasmania’s North-East.

The film follows a quoll family and writer-director Simon Plowright who lived among them for a year.

Screen Tasmania provided $55,000 in funding for the production, which was co-produced by Bicheno-based production company, Wild Creature Films.

Buster, one of the residents at Quoll Farm and star of a new documentary Quoll Farm set in Tasmania’s North East, about the secret life of quolls. Picture: ABC

“The production generated an economic injection of around $580,000 into the local economy and employed six Tasmanian production crew,” Arts Minister Elise Archer said.

The film features a soundtrack performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, recorded in Hobart’s Federation Concert Hall.

An ensemble of 10 musicians performed the original score by acclaimed Tasmanian-based composer, Maria Grenfell.

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra harpist Meriel Owen and cellist Martin Penicka were part of the TSO ensemble that recorded the soundtrack for Quoll Farm. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Cinematographer Nick Hayward predicted the popularity of quolls would soar after the release of the documentary.

“Simon [Plowright] spent a year living amongst them and learning about them – he discovered a deserted farm near St Marys and quolls were in abundance there,” he said.

“I think after this goes out to the world, quolls will be the new meerkats – they’re prettier and more interesting than meerkats.”

Quoll Farm will premiere on the ABC this Sunday at 7.40pm.