Queer Cinema World Tour is our regular feature taking you to destinations behind your favourite LGBTQ2S+ film moments. This week we visit Australia’s Northern Territory, the setting for 1994’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Sure, you could comfortably pay tribute to this drag classic—in a day before RuPaul took over the culture—with a simple visit to The Imperial in Sydney’s gay-friendly Erskineville neighbourhood, the starting point of the 1994 cinematic adventure.
The character Mitzi (portrayed by Hugo Weaving) is based on Sydney drag performer Cindy Pastel, who made her name at The Imperial in the 1980s and 1990s as a performer and an HIV/AIDS advocate. These days, the bar hosts trivia night every Wednesday, bingo every Thursday, lip sync competitions on Sundays and basement dance parties Fridays and Saturdays. It remains a key stop for anyone who’s interested in Drag Down Under.
But why not replicate the road trip of Mitzi, Bernadette (Terrance Stamp) and Felicia (future heartthrob Guy Pearce in his third feature film) to Alice Springs, the gateway to Australia’s outback?
The quirky hotel the performers stay at en route is The Palace Hotel in Broken Hill, which is about a 13-hour drive from Sydney, less than half of the way to Alice Springs. The ostentatious murals and pink flamingos you see in the film are still part of the hotel’s charm. The rooms range from luxury ensuites to pub-style rooms to a backpackers’ dormitory—that’s quite a range.
The town, with a population of 17,567, hosts the annual Broken Heel Festival (September 7 to 11, 2023), inspired by its role in Priscilla; the five-day event features three stages worth of “non-stop entertainment, comedy, cabaret, live music and social activities” with some of the country’s top drag queens and kings. Mel Gibson warning: Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior was also filmed around Broken Hill, but, fortunately, there is no Mad Max survivalist festival… yet.
Nature, rather than feather boas, is what drives most tourists to visit Australia’s outback. Most famously, there’s the geographic and spiritual wonder Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock, central to the 1975 classic Picnic at Hanging Rock). Climbing on the rock has been banned since 2019, making it a more peaceful destination. Though it might have been tempting, the Priscilla gang did not go here—getting up the steep incline in heels would have been a challenge.
Instead, they headed toward the spectacular beauty of Kings Canyon, which is where Felicia lives out her dream of climbing the gorge in full drag. Hiking is still one of the main activities to try out in the park, but visitors can also sign up for the Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience, which will provide an introduction to local Indigenous culture.
If you lack your own 1976 Hino RC320 bus, which is where our heroes take refuge, get dressed and apply makeup in the film, you can find even more comfort glamping at Kings Creek Station, which is midway between Alice Springs and Uluru.
In Alice Springs itself, population 25,186, the troupe performed at the Lasseters Hotel Casino, a 4.5-star property, which was sold for AU$105 million in 2021 after AU$50 million in renovations. It’s currently being operated by InterContinental Hotel Group. There’s a plan for a new hotel on the property and a renovated casino.
Though not quite as uptight as in the 1990s, Australia’s Northern Territory isn’t overflowing with queer venues. The group Rainbow Territory provides resources for LGBTQ+ people in the region. The capital, Darwin, has a gay bar, Throb Nightclub, and an annual Pride festival in June. But remember that the territory is huge—Darwin is a 15-hour drive north from Alice Springs.
