For crying out loud, I’m so shocked that so many people do not know where Home and Away is filmed! My sister asked me this just last week, and I nearly choked on my tea. She’d watched the show for a good twenty years or so and she had thought Summer Bay was like somewhere up north near Queensland. Bless her heart.
Right, here’s the thing. Summer Bay doesn’t actually exist. I know, I know; all a bit of a shocker, that. The whole thing is shot at Palm Beach in Sydney. And before you even say it—no, it’s not some grotty little filming lot. This place is absolutely stunning. Posh as anything too.
What’s Home and Away All About Then?
Now, if you’ve never seen an episode of Home and Away, you’ve probably been living on Mars. It started in 1988, and it’s still going strong. That’s 37 years of Aussie drama, romance and more explosions than you can poke a stick at.
Every famous Australian actor worth their salt has been through Summer Bay at some point. The Hemsworth brothers, Isla Fisher, and Heath Ledger all started from there. Makes you wonder if there’s something in the water, doesn’t it?
My mum’s been hooked since day one. She claims she’s watched all of the episodes, and knowing her, she may very well have. Mental, when it comes down to it.
Palm Beach – Where the Magic Happens
So where is Summer Bay actually filmed? Palm Beach, mate. If the traffic gods are smiling on you, about an hour north of Sydney. Maybe two hours if Sydney throws one of its wobbles.
This is no ordinary beach. Proper millionaire territory, that is. Houses that are more expensive than most people will ever earn. The views are something else, though; they make you understand why they picked it.
I went there a few years back with my cousin Liam. He’s a complete fanatic about the show; he knows every storyline, the works. We were meant to be enjoying a peaceful day at the beach, but he didn’t stop, telling us where so-and-so got married and where what’s-his-face nearly drowned. Lost my mind but the views were beautiful.
The Famous Spots Everyone Recognises
The Beach Bit
This is where all the dramatic stuff happens. You know, the romantic walks, the big arguments, the surf rescues that somehow always involve someone fit taking their shirt off. Standard soap opera stuff, really.
Summer Bay Surf Club
That’s actually Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Been there since forever, and it’s proper nice inside. They do decent coffee too, which is more than you can say for most TV sets.
The Lighthouse
Barrenjoey Lighthouse sits up on the headland. Built back in 1881, so it’s got a bit of history to it. You’ll see it in loads of shots when they’re trying to be all dramatic and meaningful.
Various Houses
They use real houses around Palm Beach and Avalon for character homes. Imagine living there and having camera crews rock up outside your gaff every few months. I’d go spare.
Behind the Scenes Madness
Now, the outdoor stuff happens at Palm Beach, but where is Home and Away filmed when they’re indoors chatting over coffee? That’s all done at studios in Redfern.
Used to be filmed at Epping until 2010, but they shifted everything to this big technology park. Sounds dead fancy, doesn’t it? It’s basically a massive warehouse with pretend rooms built inside.
They’ve got sets for the Diner, the hospital, people’s lounges, and the whole lot. My mate works in television (nothing glamorous, just moves equipment about), and he says these soap sets are mental. They can film three different scenes in one day, all pretending it’s happening weeks apart.
No wonder the actors sometimes look confused. Imagine trying to remember whether your character’s supposed to be happy, sad, or about to discover their long-lost twin brother.
My Cousin’s Pilgrimage to Summer Bay
Remember Dave I mentioned? Well, last year he finally convinced his missus to go on one of those Home and Away tours. It cost him a fortune, but he was like a kid at Christmas.
The tour guide knew everything. And I mean everything. Dave came back with his head full of facts about which scenes were filmed where, when certain actors had been spotted, and the works.
The best bit was they actually saw some filming happening. Dave nearly wet himself with excitement when he recognised one of the newer actors. Got a photo and everything. His wife looked mortified, but Dave didn’t care.
They went to Whale Beach, Avalon Beach, and all sorts of places. Even she admitted the scenery was lovely, though she drew the line at Dave wanting to recreate some famous scene from 1994.
Planning Your Own Visit
If you fancy seeing where the Home and Away filming location actually is, here’s the deal. They mostly film Monday to Wednesday. Your chances of seeing something happen are pretty decent if you time it right.
The tour companies reckon it’s 50/50 on Mondays and Tuesdays, a bit less on Wednesdays. Not bad odds, considering.
You don’t need to book a tour, though. Just hop on a bus from Sydney; it takes about an hour and a half. The beach doesn’t cost anything, and you can grab a coffee at the surf club while you’re pretending to be in Summer Bay.
Fair warning though; Palm Beach locals are so used to filming they barely notice anymore. Don’t expect anyone to get excited about camera crews like you might.
Random Stuff You Probably Didn’t Know
Here are some bits to impress your mates down the pub:
They’re planning to film in Western Australia for the first time ever in 2026. After 37 years of Sydney beaches, they’re branching out. About time, really.
The show films about six months ahead of what you see on telly. So when you’re watching summer episodes, the poor actors were probably freezing their bits off filming in winter.
There’s always a two-week break in June or July. Perfect timing for the cast to bugger off somewhere warm and forget about Summer Bay for five minutes.
The continuity errors make perfect sense when you know they’re filming everything out of order. It’s amazing they get any of it right, really.
Common Questions People Ask
Is Summer Bay actually real?
Nope, complete fiction. But Palm Beach, where they film it? That’s very real and very beautiful.
Can normal people visit?
Of course you can. Palm Beach is a public beach. The studios in Redfern, though? No chance. They keep that locked up tighter than Fort Knox.
When’s best for spotting the filming?
Monday through Wednesday during the Australian filming season. Winter’s your best bet apparently.
How long have they been filming there?
Since 1988, when the show started. That’s nearly four decades of pretending Palm Beach is somewhere else.
Look, whether you’re obsessed with Home and Away or couldn’t care less, Palm Beach is worth a visit. Stunning scenery, decent coffee, and who knows? You might spot someone famous pretending to have a crisis on the beach.
Next time someone asks where is Home and Away filmed, you can sound dead smart telling them all about Palm Beach. Just don’t go on about it as much as my cousin Dave does. Trust me on that one.
