WIZARDS OF OZ HAD TO BEAT BACK SIZZLING SYDNEY SUN

Although Beatrix Potter’s creations are most commonly associated with her famous Lake District home at Hill Top, she actually wrote her first tales of Peter Rabbit when she was still living with her parents in Kensington in London. Although some filming – mainly scenic – was done in the Lake District, most of the movie was made in Sydney, Australia, where parts of the Lake District and even London’s Paddington station were re-created. Two beautiful rustic English cottages, complete with a lavender garden and vinecovered walls modelled on Hill Top, were built from scratch in Sydney’s Centennial Park for Bea’s home and the McGregor house. The filmmakers then had to work hard to make the

beating-hot Australian summer look like the more tepid English version. A moveable screen cut out the harsh light of the Australian sun, so it felt more like a lighter English summer, but Sydney was going through a heat wave during shooting and that made filming conditions difficult. Between takes Domhnall and Rose had hair dryers pointed at them to dry up the sweat while six gardeners worked on the all-important vegetable patch to ensure it didn’t wilt in the 40°C temperatures. A lot of work for one cheeky bunny!