Nine gears up for 'The Strip"

As mentioned by Rod Welford in the post below, The Strip is described by the Nine Networks as "the hub of the Gold Coast, inhabited by the bold and the beautiful, the rich and the desperate and all those simple battlers who have followed their own dreams of paradise. The lure of a wonderful wealthy lifestyle has brought those who have it, those that want it, and the criminals who will take it if they can.

"Keeping a watchful eye over The Strip and the glittering Gold Coast is the elite Main Beach CIB, the small detective unit headed by Inspector Max Nelson (Frankie J Holden), Detective Frances Tully (Vanessa Gray) is a local detective and her new partner Detective Jack Cross (Aaron Jeffery), is a tough cop from the South, newly arrived in the hope of patching up a broken marriage with his ex wife, DPP Prosecutor Marcia Cross (Alice Parkinson).

"Cross and Tully are supported by plain clothes Constable Jessica Mackay (Simmone McAullay), a forensics investigator who moved across to the CIB unit, and fast talking rookie, Tony Moretti (Bob Morley).

"Everyone wants a piece of Paradise. Especially the crooks The CIB team struggle to preserve the veneer of prosperity the Gold Coast represents against the encroaching tide of crime, murder, mystery and vice." Source: The Nine Network....

Nine's Sea Patrol gets a third season

Queensland’s Minister for the Art and other stuff Rod Welford announced today the Nine network would begin production of the third series of Sea Patrol in September 2008.

Mr Welford said, "The 13-part series will return to shoot on location at Mission Beach in Far North Queensland and also at the Warner Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast from September.

"The Bligh Government is providing production, development and investment funding for the third series through the Pacific Film and Television Commission (PFTC).

"The third series has a $17 million budget and looks set to create around 400 jobs

"With veteran television producers Hal and Di McElroy (Blue Heelers, Water Rats) at the helm, Sea Patrol is a high quality Australian television series," he said.

"The success of a program like Sea Patrol is evidence of the high quality of production talent in Queensland and also the variety and beauty of our locations.

"Queensland has proved itself as a location of choice for TV and film producers.

"This reputation will be further enhanced when drama series The Strip, another Queensland-based production which has received PFTC production incentives, makes its much-anticipated debut on the Nine Network later this year."

The two previous seasons of Sea Patrol were met with a rare fondness by Aussie viewers.

Sea Patrol aired on Mondays at 8.30pm, previous seasons cast included John Batchelor, Saskia Burmeister, Matthew Holmes, David Lyon, Lisa McCune Jay Bunyan, Kristian Schmid, Ian Stenlake, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Steve Bisley, Kirsty Lee Allan, Josh Lawson and Morgan O'Neill.