Murder, mystery and the Tasman Sea: Tasmania stars in Netflix mystery The Survivors

Tasmania shines in The Survivors, a new Netflix series filmed across Eaglehawk Neck, the Tasman Peninsula, and Hobart. Read what the director said about bringing the story to life.

Yerin Ha as Mia, Charlie Vickers as Kieran in The Survivors. Photo: Aedan O'Donnell / Netflix

The dramatic seascapes of Tasmania’s southeast are taking centre stage in The Survivors, a major new Netflix drama set to launch on June 6.

Filmed across Eaglehawk Neck, the Tasman Peninsula, and greater Hobart, the series is a gripping murder mystery based on best-selling Australian author Jane Harper’s novel.

With the first three episodes directed by Australian director Cherie Nowlan, the production marks one of the biggest screen projects to be filmed in Tasmania in recent years — and a milestone moment for local crews and creatives.

Speaking to the Mercury, Nowlan said she was drawn to the story’s emotional weight and haunting atmosphere.

“I do love murder mysteries, but I especially love a murder mystery that’s also chasing bigger ideas,” Ms Nowlan said.

“It’s also a coming of age drama. It’s about grief and loss and keeping all the wrong things sacred.”

Set in the fictional coastal town of Evelyn Bay, the story explores the lingering trauma of a tragic event from the past, as a new murder rocks the tight-knit community.

Nowlan described the landscape as central to the storytelling, prompting the crew to commit to filming in Tasmania’s wild landscapes.

“The landscape is a key character in this story,” she said.

“Jane Harper is very good at writing landscape in such an evocative, atmospheric way.”

While most of the series was filmed on location, some complex sequences, including a dramatic cave scene, were built at Docklands Studios in Melbourne.

Nowlan said she remains a strong advocate for location-based filming.

“It’s visually much more rewarding,” she said.

“I always prefer to shoot on location … We definitely would not have wanted to shoot it anywhere else.”

Filming in late 2023 with a base of operations in Hobart, the production employed a significant number of Tasmanian-based creatives, including cinematographer Ursula Woods and actor Katie Robertson, who served as Nowlan’s assistant.

“We were really lucky because Tasmania and Hobart in particular, it’s a huge artistic hub, it’s home to artists of every persuasion,” Nowlan said.

Proud of the project, Nowlan said it was important to get Australian productions onto global streaming platforms to highlight the quality of our local creative industries.

“It ended up being more important than I thought when I said yes to the job, so I’m very proud of it,” she said.

“I’m very grateful that we’re on a global platform like Netflix. I think that’s really important to show what we can do in Australia.”

With an all star cast including Robyn Malcolm, Catherine McClements, Yerin Ha, and Charlie Vickers, Nowlan said she thinks people looking for an immersive and mysterious story will enjoy The Survivors.

“I take my job very personally and very seriously. I want people to spend to binge this thing and really love it,”

“That’s why this is the nerve wracking part. I do my bit and then I have to send it out to the world and let the audiences tell me what they think.”