Is the town of Porpoise Spit a real place?
The first time you saw the beachy town of Porpoise Spit, you probably wondered, “Where was Muriel’s Wedding filmed? Is Porpoise Spit actually a real town?”
Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no. As its unusual (and frankly goofy) name might suggest, Porpoise Spit is not a real town. However, the larger region where the fictitious town is is Queensland’s Gold Coast. The region is a major tourist area, drawing Australian and international travelers alike, and full of high-rise condos, tourist hotels/resorts, and malls.
According to Variety, they shot the film partially in Coolangatta, the Queensland hometown of the film’s writer and director, P.J. Hogan. He chose this location because much of the film was based on his own life (Muriel’s character is even based on his older sister!) and he wanted to add that extra layer of authenticity and personal relevance.
In addition to many of the movie’s beach scenes, Coolangatta is the setting of the triumphant scene when Muriel and Rhonda leave Porpoise Spit. According to The Courier Mail, “To recreate this scene, drive past the Pines Shopping Centre — don’t forget to shout ‘goodbye mall!’ Then head to Marine Parade and shout ‘goodbye tourists, see you surfies’ as you pass the Ocean Plaza. For the big finale turn down McLean St, go straight through the roundabout and shout ‘goodbye Porpoise Spit’ as you go over Musgrave St hill.”
Although Porpoise Spit isn’t a real place, that doesn’t mean you can’t recreate many of its most iconic moments!
What other locations does “Muriel’s Wedding” feature?
Still have more curiosity about the (multiple) answers to the question “Where was ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ filmed?”
There are quite a few different locations throughout the movie, according to IMDB. We’ll list most of them here rather than discussing each one individually:
- Coolangatta, Queensland:
- Surfers Paradise, Queensland: Another location for quite a few beach scenes
- Tweed Heads, New South Wales: Another location used for the town of Porpoise Spit
- Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland: Hibiscus Island, where Muriel and Rhonda sing ABBA’s “Waterloo” and win the talent competition
- 18 Octavia Street, Narrabeen, Sydney: The Heslop family home
- Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney: “Muriel and Rhonda get jobs in Sydney; Muriel at Videodrama, number 135 and Rhonda in the dry cleaners’ across the street at number 100”
- St Mark’s Anglican Church Darling Point: Where Muriel got married to South African swimmer David Van Arkle (according to Beyond the Movies)
For a visual representation of these and other significant locations used in the film, check out this useful map courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia’s Australian Screen website.
Check out how and where to find the best event venues on the Gold Coast here!
