Celebrated Australian author Tim Winton will front documentary mini-series “Ningaloo With Tim Winton” for wildlife and nature programmer Love Nature.
Written and narrated by him, Winton will share personal stories of the animals and people drawn to the Ningaloo region of Western Australia, which is a biodiversity hotspot that survives in near pristine condition due to its extreme isolation.
The 3×50 minute series is set up as a co-production between the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Artemis Media in association with Matter of Factual.
The series is scheduled to roll out on Love Nature’s linear and streaming platforms and Sky Nature in the U,K., Germany and Italy later this year. Flame Distribution is handling worldwide distribution outside of the co-producer territories.
Pete Rees is the series director, executive producer and co-writer. Celia Tait is executive producer for Artemis Media. James Manfull is executive producer for Love Nature.
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.
“ ‘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 GM at Love Nature. “Tim Winton is a master storyteller and widely considered one of Australia’s most beloved contemporary authors. We feel honored that he is bringing Love Nature fans on his deeply personal and poetic journey.”
Winton is known for several books that have been adapted as feature films including “Dirt Music,” “Breath” and “In the Winter Dark,” and into TV series including “Cloudstreet” and “Lockie Leonard.”
“This is a deeply personal journey for me. “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,” said Winton in a statement.
Love Nature is available worldwide, via its branded linear and online platforms in 135 countries and through key content partnerships with Sky Nature (U.K., Germany and Italy), Youku (China), Starhub (Singapore), KPN and VodafoneZiggo (Netherlands). Love Nature is also available in the U.S. as a free, ad-supported television (FAST) channel on platforms including The Roku Channel, Xumo, Samsung TV Plus, VIZIO WatchFree Plus and PrendeTV in the U.S.
