Belt from TV series ‘Castaway’ returned to its Bonny Hills maker

A LEATHER belt gifted to one of the cast and crew of the ABC TV series “Castaway” has been returned to its maker, Ross Bennett of Bonny Hills.

Castaway was a 1974 Australian drama about a group of shipwreck survivors on an island in the Pacific in the 1840’s.

While the first episode was filmed on Narrabeen Beach in Sydney, subsequent episodes were filmed at Miners Beach Port Macquarie with rainforest scenes captured at Sea Acres.

Other scenes were filmed on Shelly and Town beaches.

Upon conclusion of Castaway, the production company engaged “Little Vinegar Leather Works” of Bonny Hills to produce leather belts as mementoes for the cast and crew.

Recently, one belt was returned for inclusion in the archived collection entitled “Remembering Castaway – 50-years on”.

The collection has been drawn together by Mike Dodkin, a former National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWA) officer. It celebrates the release of the 13-episode drama series, which was filmed in 1973 and screened on Australian television in 1974.

The collection will be held in Port Macquarie Library.

For the 50th anniversary of the series, a reunion was held in October of last year at The Glasshouse.

It brought together Director Frank Arnold, Oscar and BAFTA winning cinematographer John Seale, and indigenous actors Gary Morris and Graham Quinlan.

The public was treated to watching episode five, “The Other Side of The Island”.

The return of the belt has brought back many memories for all involved.

By Bill HARROW