Historic Tassie mansion could feature in McLeod's Daughters reboot

Clarendon Estate - a 30-minute drive from Launceston - has caught the eye of McLeod's Daughters creator Posie Graeme-Evans, who has been working on a 'prequel' feature film for several years.

The seven-acre homestead is run by the National Trust and boasts a striking pillared facade and hedged turning circle.

A statement from the National Trust Tasmania said while a deal was far from being confirmed, there was legitimate interest in the property.

"Posie Graeme-Evans, writer of McLeod's Daughters, has expressed interest in the property as a location for Scottish and Tasmanian scenes for her McLeod's Daughters prequel under development," it read.

Graeme-Evans has a long affiliation with Tasmania.

The writer, producer and director attended Fahan School in Hobart and has lived in the state on many occasions, including most recently at a property in the Huon Valley.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting updates on the new McLeod's Daughters film since Graeme-Evans took to Instagram in mid-2020 to proclaim: "THE STORY CONTINUES".

"We're developing a feature film," she wrote.

"It's called 'The McLeod's of Drovers Run' and I started writing the story a couple of months ago. Today we heard that we've got backing from Screen Tasmania and the Tasmanian Government to write the very first stage of the movie. This is such a vote of confidence in McLeod's.

"We're just at the beginning, the very beginning, but we're on our way. No promises but I have such a good feeling about this."

McLeod's Daughters ran on the Nine Network between 2001 and 2009, with early seasons of the show attracting about 1.5 million viewers per episode.

It was pulled in 2008 after rating numbers dropped significantly.

Should it go ahead, the McLeod's Daughters production will join a number of recent films and TV shows to be filmed in Tasmania.

Visit Northern Tasmania chief executive Tracey Mallett said screen productions had proven effective in raising the profile of Tasmanian properties and products that people "don't necessarily think of" when they think of Tasmania.

"I think Clarendon House is an excellent example," she said.

"It's a beautiful heritage piece that represents the heritage story of Tasmania, but that doesn't always come first and foremost to a visitor's mind.

"So if a TV show was able to showcase that and pinpoint a destination in Tasmania that people weren't aware of, I think it opens up avenues to other travellers."

Mrs Mallett said Channel Seven's Adventure All Stars, which was filmed in Launceston last October and will air in July, had already helped boost the state's profile.

"One of the participants who's quite an influencer in the Gold Coast area, she wrote a number of blogs about her experience while she was here.

"We have seen just from that blog people [are] getting excited about planning a trip to Tasmania because of someone who's been there, filmed there or told the story about filming a TV show there."

The news comes at an exciting time for Clarendon.

According to the National Trust, the property is going through something of a renaissance.

The Trust is looking to secure a "high-end food and beverage operator" to cater for small and large-scale events at the estate including weddings, functions and the operation of a cafe during the museum's open hours.

Talks are also under way to establish an annual Victorian picnic to coincide with Evandale's national penny farthing championships.

Concentrated maintenance works have focused on beautifying the landscaping, and inside the building, work has been ramping up to fix the ongoing problem of rising, falling and penetrating damp.

Northern property manager Ken Richards and a group of volunteers spent last winter removing internal and external mould.

"The air at Clarendon is so much sweeter these days," Mr Richards said.

He encouraged anyone interested in volunteering at the estate to get in touch.

"We are aiming to make volunteering fun and Clarendon as a social hub for Northern Tasmania," he said.