From ashes to emus: The ecological renaissance of Tower Hill explored in upcoming feature length documentary

A documentary celebrating the volcanic geology, cultural history and environmental revival of Tower Hill and Victoria’s southwest coast has gained momentum after the project was approved for fiscal sponsorship by Documentary Australia.

Filmmaker and photographer Martin Stringer, who lives on Djab Wurrung Country near Ararat and Hamilton, is expanding his short film Koroitj – Tower Hill: Stories from a Volcano and the Belfast Coast into a feature-length documentary. 

The approval for fiscal sponsorship now means that members of the public can make donations to support the project’s development.

Koroitj is the traditional name of Tower Hill, located between Port Fairy and Warrnambool. 

The film is currently in production, with “widespread distribution” in Stringer’s sights by 2026.

Backed by further funding from the South West Foundation, Stringer said the new project will go far beyond its original 2021 Port Fairy Film Festival debut.

“The original short documentary offered a powerful but brief insight into Tower Hill’s extraordinary volcanic geology, Indigenous heritage, and remarkable ecological restoration,” he said.

The short film has an immersive style, featuring cinematic drone shots of Tower Hill, the Belfast Coast and their striking scenery, native birdlife and animals, as well as ambient nature sounds, traditional Indigenous music and singer-songwriter Shane Howard performing his original song Tarerer, inspired by this landscape he grew up in.

It describes the area around Tower Hill and the Belfast Reserve as once being akin to “the Kakadu of the south”.

The documentary follows the story of Tower Hill’s eruption more than 37,000 years ago, which carved out the maar crater and buried the Bushfield Axe, an artifact discovered under volcanic ash in the 1940s that offers evidence of Aboriginal occupation before the eruption. 

Stringer said existing archaeological and geological research had helped shape the film’s narrative.

“While we haven’t made new scientific discoveries ourselves, our research has greatly deepened our understanding and appreciation of Tower Hill’s rich geological and cultural history,” he said.

It was a volcanic tour with geologist Mike Raetz that first sparked Stringer’s interest. But it was the people who deepened it – Traditional Owners, conservationists and locals who had helped replant Tower Hill in the 1960s after the site’s biodiversity was affected during colonisation.

Today, the crater teems with emus, koalas and birdlife, thriving in the renewed environment.

The expanded documentary will also include the Great Ocean Road, the Twelve Apostles and the return of Southern Right Whales to the nearby coast.

For Stringer, the goal is more than just raising awareness. 

“This film highlights the growing movement where Traditional Owners, scientists, artists and communities come together to restore landscapes and honour cultural heritage,” he said. “It urges us all to imagine a more resilient future.”

Community members can support the project by sharing their stories with Stringer, attending screenings and donating through Documentary Australia. 

“My hope is that this documentary will foster a renewed sense of pride, connection, and stewardship among community members toward Tower Hill and its surrounding landscapes.”

To find out more about the project or support its development, visit https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/koroitj-tower-hill-stories-from-a-volcano-and-the-belfast-coast/

Header: Martin Stringer, with Shane Howard and Mike Raetz. Image credit: Martin Stringer