Renowned, Australian author and conservationist, Tim Winton, takes global audiences to the breathtaking Ningaloo region of Western Australia
Ningaloo with Tim Winton reveals a bewildering diversity of wildlife, including one of the only whale shark aggregation sites, the world’s largest humpback whale nursery, a sea snake hotspot, and a refuge for ancient troglobites in the region’s 800+ caves
The three-part natural history series will roll out on Love Nature’s global linear and streaming platforms and on Sky Nature in the UK, Germany and Italy later this year. ABC will premiere the series in Australia
An Artemis Media production in association with Matter of Factual for Love Nature and Australia’s ABC with major production funding from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the Western Australia Screen Fund in association with Screen Australia. Flame Distribution handles worldwide sales outside of co-producer territories
(Washington, D.C. – January 12, 2022) – Love Nature, a wildlife and nature brand with linear and streaming platforms available in 135+ countries, announced today the greenlight and production of Ningaloo with Tim Winton (w/t) (3×50’; 4K and HDR), a visually evocative and editorially poetic exploration of one of the planet’s last untouched regions: the 604,500 hectare Ningaloo Coast off Western Australia. The three-part series is narrated and written by renowned, award-winning Australian author Tim Winton (Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, Breath). Winton will share stories of the animals and people drawn to Ningaloo’s isolation and landscape—a biodiversity hotspot that survives in near pristine condition due to its isolation. Ningaloo contains one of the largest fringing coral reefs on earth and is a UNESCO World Heritage site on the northwest coast of Western Australia. A co-production with ABC, Australia’s public broadcaster, Ningaloo with Tim Winton is produced by Artemis Media in association with Matter of Factual. The series is scheduled to roll out on Love Nature’s platforms internationally; and Sky Nature in the UK, Germany and Italy later this year. Flame Distribution handles worldwide distribution outside of all co-producer territories.
“Ningaloo with Tim Winton is an important Australian story that will unlock access to one of the last unspoiled landscapes remaining on the planet, while also creating an emotional audience connection to the Ningaloo Coast’s wildlife and indigenous culture,” said Carlyn Staudt, Global General Manager, Love Nature. “Tim Winton is a master storyteller and widely considered one of Australia’s most beloved contemporary authors. We feel honoured that he is bringing Love Nature fans on his deeply personal and poetic journey.”
“This is a deeply personal journey for me,” said Tim Winton. “Ningaloo has had an enormous impact on my life and work, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pay homage through new science, ancient knowledge and a shared ethic of stewardship. I’m thrilled that Love Nature has supported this venture.”
Ningaloo with Tim Winton is a story of collisions, connections and choices as Winton asks what the region’s biodiversity, deep history and indigenous knowledge can teach us about balance and protecting the planet as we move forward. Using natural history, indigenous cultural history and personal memoir, the series will highlight Ningaloo’s three deeply interconnected ecosystems, while also showing how they interact with one another and how each have evolved over time:
- The 300 km long Ningaloo Reef is internationally recognized as one of the last great ocean paradises. The world’s largest fringing coral reef and one of the longest near-shore reef systems in the world, it provides habitat for more than 500 fish, 250 coral and 600 mollusc species, as well as whale sharks, humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays, turtles and dugongs.
- The starkly beautiful and arid Cape Range is a stronghold for endangered black-flanked rock wallabies. It’s a rugged, arid environment but beneath the surface it hides an intricate network of ancient limestone caves, which act as the last refuge for ancient troglobite species more closely related to those in Mexico and the Bahamas than anything on the Australian continent today. It’s also rich in human history, with sites that date between 30,000 to 60,000 years.
- The Exmouth Gulf, known as “Ningaloo’s Nursery”, is one of the last intact arid zone estuaries in the world. . It supports vast untouched mangroves, heat-resistant corals and seagrass meadows that feed and shelter many juvenile species. A haven for newborn humpback whales and a stronghold for one of the last stable populations of dugongs on the planet, this vast waterway is a sea snake hotspot and a globally significant sanctuary for critically endangered wedgefish and green sawfish. And most startling of all, the Gulf is the only Ningaloo ecosystem to remain unprotected.
The series will highlight how the Ningaloo Reef maintains vital ecological links to the rugged Cape Range and the nursery of Exmouth Gulf. Each is connected to and supports the other. Together, they are a haven for migratory species spanning almost a third of the globe – from Antarctica to Siberia and Cape York to Cape Town.
“With Love Nature’s reputation for finding unique and compelling natural history narratives, I am so pleased to have introduced Tim Winton’s project to the Love Nature team. Tim’s first-hand experiences of the remarkable beauty and wildlife teeming in Ningaloo come to life in a lyrical and profound way. It’s quite a beautiful dance between prose, inspired experience and scientific discovery. The creative vision of Artemis Media, ABC and Love Nature is sure to delight and inspire, unveiling one of nature’s best kept secrets,” said Anne Corsak, SVP, Flame Distribution.
Ningaloo with Tim Winton is produced for Love Nature and ABC by Artemis Media in association with Matter of Factual. Tim Winton is Writer and Narrator. Pete Rees is Director, Executive Producer and Co-writer and Celia Tait is Executive Producer for Artemis Media. Executive Producer for Love Nature is James Manfull. Flame Distribution oversees worldwide distribution.
Love Nature is available in over 365 million households worldwide, via its branded linear and online platforms available in 135+ countries and through key content partnerships with Sky Nature (UK, Germany and Italy), Youku (China), Starhub (Singapore), KPN, VodafoneZiggo (Netherlands) and more. Love Nature is also available in the U.S. as a FAST (free, ad-supported television) channel on growing platforms like The Roku Channel, Xumo, Samsung TV Plus, VIZIO WatchFree+ and PrendeTV in the U.S.
Love Nature, headquartered in Washington D.C. with offices in Los Angeles, London, Toronto and Singapore, is a wildlife and nature brand that brings audiences powerful stories about the natural world that foster a deeper understanding of and connection to the planet we call home. Our award winning library of 4K natural history series and documentaries are available on Love Nature’s branded linear and streaming platforms through partnerships with top-tier pay-TV platforms and streamers, reaching over 365 million households globally in 135+ countries. Engage with us at lovenature.com / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the independent and trusted source of Australian conversations, culture and stories, delivering commercial-free, free-to-air content via a multiplatform multi-channel network. The ABC is the destination of choice for Australians seeking high-quality, distinctive and diverse content across a wide variety of genres. The ABC delivers improved digital experiences for audiences wanting content that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, across our free and easy to use platforms. ABC services include ABC TV, ABC TV Plus, ABC ME, ABC Kids, the ABC NEWS channel and our on-demand services ABC iview and ABC Kids iview.
Artemis Media is based in Fremantle Western Australia and specialises in thought-provoking, entertaining television for Australia and the international market. It is renowned for making stories that inspire, delight and inform. Artemis International was founded in 2000 by Executive Producers Brian Beaton and Celia Tait. Brian passed away in June 2016, but his passion for great television still guides the team at Artemis Media.
Established in 2011 with offices in Sydney, London and New York, Flame Distribution (a division of the Flame Media group of businesses) is a leading global distribution company specialising in high-end factual entertainment and documentary programming across a broad range of genres such as History, Science, Crime, Environment, Sport, Food/Travel, Adventure, Wildlife, Lifestyle, Kids educational and much more! With a catalogue consisting of over 560 titles and approximately 2,200 hours of programming, Flame Distribution represents over 200 content producers from around the world, applying a bespoke approach to the marketing of each select title. Flame Distribution is also involved in the development, financing and co-production of content, working closely with producers in order to create quality shows for the global TV market. Parent company Flame Media was created in 2010 by British born John Caldon (who sadly passed away early 2021), and Creative Director Lyndey Milan (Australian media personality). On June 14th 2021, in recognition of John Caldon’s service to business through media content distribution, the Australian Government posthumously awarded him an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) www.flamemedia.tv