Filming in WA
Filming in WA
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Fast Facts
The employment of children in Western Australia is regulated by the Children and Community Services Act 2004 and the School Education Act 1999.
The Arts Law Centre of Australia also provides a ‘Children in the creative process' Information Sheet outlining the legal issues artists or arts organisations should consider when they contemplate working with or using children in any part of the creative or artistic process, and information sheets that apply specifically to all States or Territories within Australia.
The Department for Child Protection can also provide information or discuss concerns about a child in regards to employment.
If you are intending to bring film equipment into Western Australia for the duration of your shoot please note that goods may be brought into Australia on a temporary basis without the payment of Customs duty or taxes for a period of up to 12 months.
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is responsible for the importation of commercial goods to Australia for business purposes. Further information and contact details are available on the Australian Customs website.
Please note that if you are filming on Indigenous lands you will need to obtain a permit, see the Fast Facts page for more information.
Western Australian public holiday dates can be found at the Department of Commerce website. Western Australian school term and holiday periods are available on the Department of Education website.
From cool temperate zones to spectacular arid desert regions and monsoonal tropics, Western Australia offers a diverse range of climates.
Summer and spring in Perth, Western Australia's capital, provide the most daylight hours in Australia. Winter and autumn are mild with many days of brilliant sunshine. Perth has almost 25% less rain days than Sydney or Melbourne and less than half the amount of cloud cover.
The Kimberley and Pilbara regions located in the north west of the State have a distinct dry season (May - October) and wet season (November - April). During the wet season there is a risk of tropical cyclones.
The Bureau of Meteorology has more detailed weather information and climate averages and statistics for all major towns in WA.
Western Australia - Google maps website
Tourism map with photos - Tourism Western Australia website
Perth metro - Whereis website
Western Australian Aboriginal territories and languages - Department of Indigenous Affairs
Western Australia has world class accommodation, from international five-star luxury to B&B style guest-houses and serviced apartments. Rates are always negotiable for production crews.
The Tourism WA website has more information.
The Western Australian electricity supply is 240v AC (alternating current), 50 hertz using an earthed 3-pin plug.
| City | Flight Time (hrs) |
| Singapore | 5 |
| London | 20 |
| Tokyo | 10 |
| Bangkok | 7 |
| Auckland | 6.5 |
| Adelaide | 2.75 |
| Melbourne | 3.5 |
| Sydney | 4 |
| Brisbane | 4.25 |
Many areas of Western Australia require permits for filming. Permits are needed for all National Parks, Aboriginal Lands and many towns and cities. For National Parks contact the Department of Environment and Conservation. For further information on filming on Aboriginal lands, please refer to the Fast Fact 'Permits for filming on Aboriginal Lands'. For all other inquiries contact the local government in the area you are filming.
If you are intending to film in Australia, and wish to bring foreign personnel, each person will need to apply for a temporary work visa for the duration of their stay in Australia. Ausfilm, Australia's content attraction organisation, has further information, including an excellent Factsheet titled 'Entertainment Visas: what you need to know'.
Western Australia's Indigenous people are embracing tourism opportunities as a means of economic sustainability for their families and communities. Increasingly they are inviting Western Australians, as well as national and international tourists, onto their lands to experience Indigenous culture and lifestyle and the breathtaking beauty of remote and regional Western Australia.
Permission to visit and/or film these communities is granted through the Aboriginal Lands Trust at the Department of Indigenous Affairs. Transit Permits are designed to protect the privacy of Aboriginal communities, preserve Aboriginal heritage and culture and safeguard the natural environment. Importantly, they assist in ensuring visitor safety.
There is no cost for the permit, which is a legal requirement under the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority (AAPA). People of Aboriginal descent, members of either House of Parliament in both the State and Commonwealth Governments and others authorised by the AAPA are exempt.
Permits are granted for a period of time sufficient to allow travel through the reserve by the most direct route. Permission can also be obtained from the resident Aboriginal communities for applicants who want to travel off the main road.
Permits are not required for travel on public roads.
