Come behind the scenes with Lisa Millar as Back Roads takes on the mighty Snowy River

Australia Broadcast Center

3 days ago

When Lisa Millar and the Back Roads crew set out to film along the mighty Snowy River, they knew there could be some logistical hurdles involved.
"As soon as I got into the water I was immediately reminded that this was not gentle," Millar said.
"This is a landscape that can turn on you at any time and that is what was proven to us several times throughout the trip."
The week-long trip took Millar and the crew of four from one end of the Snowy to the other.
Beginning in the mountains of NSW, the group finished their journey in the coastal town of Marlo, Victoria, where the river meets the ocean.
It also involved not one, but two trips into the river by Millar.
"It was an experience that first time - the kayaking - and then when I was in the double [raft], the question was how do you keep equipment dry?"
The solution required a little out-of-the box thinking.
"A trick that [sound operators] do is they put the microphone in a condom, because it's waterproof," Millar said.
"I took a photo of it because it was quite funny!"
But the crew's challenges didn't end when the kayaking trip did.
"There were a lot of times when there were added challenges for the camera crew particularly when you are going into places where you can't take your own vehicle," she said.
"Like when we went down with the buggy."
Millar said there was one day where the plan was to venture down a track called Betts Creek into a particularly remote area to do a piece to camera by the river.
While the track starts out in lush tree fern and mountain ash forest, it soon becomes steep and rocky.
But it's the red clay sections that, with even the smallest rainfall, bring people unstuck — as the team found out.
Despite all the checks and precautions, the Snowy proved it's not to be messed with.
"I was like, 'I'm just gonna finish this piece to camera' and they're like, 'We need to get out of here now'.
"As it started to drizzle, the red dirt started to turn into that claggy glue, so there was a real urgency for us to get up and out of there. And that's when we blew a tyre.
"Camera operator Stu Heppell and one of the guides began the slow walk uphill to get a phone signal while the rest of us stayed with the buggy, grateful we'd packed snacks and a sense of humour."
Heppell and the tour guide eventually made it far enough up the hill to call for help and another buggy came to the rescue.
"It was another reminder that the Snowy has the reputation it deserves — that it can be incredible, but it can also be incredibly unpredictable," Millar said.
"Even with all of the processes we put in place … you're still reminded of your own vulnerability and your own smallness when you are in that kind of landscape."
Even with the unexpected hurdles, Millar was taken aback by the experience of not just the environment, but the people that live and work along the river.
She said she was inspired by the "endless passion" they had, even when they were pushed to their limits.
She's hoping that, like her, people walk away with a renewed love and awe for the region.
"My take away from it all is that I have travelled around the world, for fun as well as work, and yet I just didn't have the appreciation of what was on our own doorstep."
Stream the new season of Back Roads free on ABC iview or watch Thursdays at 8pm on ABC TV.