The very habitat that the Friends of Belmont are fighting to save has attracted a group of children trying to re-create their own society. Cloud Nine Entertainment is currently filming its newest show, ‘The New Tomorrow’, in the park.

Having already completed its first week of shooting – using local actors and support people, as well as the local backdrop – Cloud Nine says everything is on track to film through to September. But if parts of Belmont Park were to be sold, there might be no more such projects for the area.

“The nature of the habitat in Belmont Regional Park means it can be used for filming like that being done by Cloud Nine for its new television series,” says Friends spokesman Richard Sadleir. The Friends of Belmont have been fighting to keep the park’s natural setting. This could be at risk if Landcorp privately sells its farm, which forms part of the park. Mr Sadleir says the park’s wild areas make it suitable for that type of project, and referred to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ as another example of filming that could be done in areas like Belmont Regional Park because of the unspoilt backdrop. Being filmed around the Wellington area – including Belmont Regional Park, Whitemans Valley and the company’s Lower Hutt studios – ‘The New Tomorrow’ is a children’s sci-fi adventure series following the same premise ‘The Tribe’.

In ‘The Tribe’ children must re-create their own society in a world left without adults. Aimed at children aged eight-12, ‘The New Tomorrow’ follows the fortunes of the Barbs, a primitive bunch of kids; the Ants, a disparate bunch of children clinging to the past; and the Privileged, described as a "slightly decadent, hedonistic gang". In contrast to ‘The Tribe's’ dis-used shopping mall setting, ‘The New Tomorrow’s’ backdrop is snow-capped mountains, streams and rolling landscape. The series is currently scheduled to air later in the year on Channel FIVE in the UK and Network Seven in Australia.

By Vivienne Ball