Screen Australia is selling the former Film Australia studio and office facilities in Lindfield on Sydney’s upper north shore.
Recently rezoned for residential use, the property is expected to attract significant market interest, the agency says.
The Eton Road property was a purpose-built film and television facility used by Film Australia as well as independent production and film service companies, for more than 30 years.
Many Australian filmmakers started or advanced their careers at the Lindfield site during the production of thousands of titles, mostly documentaries, that gave audiences snapshots of life in Australia.
Film Australia emerged in 1973 from the Commonwealth Film Unit, which in turn evolved from the Australian National Film Board, established in 1945 to produce documentary films.
One of Film Australia’s first successes was writer-director David Haythornwaite's 1974 short film A Steam Train Passes. One of its last productions was Peter Butt's Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler? in 2006.
The Film Australia Collection held at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia houses more than 5,000 titles which chronicle more than 100 years of Australian history.
After the 2008 merger of Film Australia, the Australian Film Commission and the Film Finance Corporation into Screen Australia, the studio facilities were no longer required.
Under Ku-ring-gai Council’s Local Environment Plan, the site's zoning allows for a mix of low/medium density residential development.
Colliers International will conduct a six-week international marketing campaign to attract prospective buyers through open tender with settlement expected around September/October.
It will be for the government to decide how much, if any, of the sale proceeds will go to Screen Australia.
The agency paid tribute to the work of Jorge Schneider, Margaret Slarke and Josie Cabral, the remaining staff at Lindfield.