Maps of Movies
Mad Max (1979)
Where Mad Max says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A dystopian outback that is really suburban Melbourne: a pumping station, a gold-rush town and a coast road
View on the map
Scenes and places
The opening chase on Highway 9 (1979)
A berserk biker kills a rookie officer and speeds away, and the Main Force Patrol's top pursuit man, Max, is sent after him.
Set in Highway 9 — The road where the film opens with a police pursuit.
A country road west of Melbourne; the 'Highway 9' name appears only on a film sign.
Filmed at Little River Road, Little River (Little River, Melbourne area, Australia) — Little River Road stood in for the film's 'Highway 9'; the point is the town, not a measured spot on the road. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The Main Force Patrol headquarters (1979)
At the garage Max is shown his new V8 Pursuit Special, while his bosses quietly admit it is meant to keep a weary Max on the force.
Set in Main Force Patrol headquarters — The police base where Max gets his new black Pursuit Special.
A former pumping station in Melbourne's west, now part of the Scienceworks museum.
Filmed at Spotswood MMBW Pumping Station (now Scienceworks), Spotswood (Spotswood, Melbourne area, Australia) — The exterior of the police headquarters. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The gang takes over a town (1979)
Toecutter's gang runs riot, vandalising property, stealing fuel and terrorising the locals; a young couple who try to flee are attacked.
Set in A country town — The town the bikers ride into to collect their dead friend's body.
A former gold-rush town in central Victoria.
Filmed at Clunes railway station, Clunes (Clunes, Melbourne area, Australia) — The station and parts of the main street were used for the town scenes. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Goose's motorbike ride (1979)
After the gang's young protege is freed, Goose's police bike is sabotaged and locks up at speed.
Set in The road beyond the MFP base — The road where Goose rides his police bike.
A flat, windswept coast west of Melbourne.
Filmed at Point Wilson Road, Point Wilson (Point Wilson, Melbourne area, Australia) — The bunker, the site of Goose's ride and the gate were filmed around Point Wilson. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Max and Jessie's house (1979)
Set in Max and Jessie's home — The family home where Max weighs up his job.
A beach town on the Great Ocean Road. One source only.
Filmed at 310 Great Ocean Road, Fairhaven (Fairhaven, Melbourne area, Australia) — The beachfront house; coordinates are for the town, not the house. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The scrapyard stop (1979)
On a break from the force, the family stops to fix the spare tyre; Jessie takes her son off for ice cream.
Set in A scrapyard on the road trip — The stop on the family trip to fix a spare tyre.
A northern Melbourne suburb. One source only.
Jessie's ice cream stop (1979)
Jessie takes her son to get ice cream and is accosted by Toecutter and his gang.
Set in A beachside store — The store where Jessie goes for ice cream with her son.
A beach on the Geelong side of Port Phillip Bay. One source only.
Filmed at Eastern end of Avalon Beach, Avalon (Avalon, Melbourne area, Australia) — The store scene; the building is now private property, and the coordinates are the suburb. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The quiet cove (1979)
Set in A quiet bay — A calm stretch of beach where Jessie rests with the dog.
Bayside Melbourne. One source only; position approximate.
The road out of Little River (1979)
Set in A country road — A road near the end of a long pursuit.
A rural road southwest of Little River. One source only.
Filmed at Old Melbourne Road, Little River (Little River, Melbourne area, Australia) — A road southwest of Little River; the coordinates are the town. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Characters
- Max Rockatansky — The Main Force Patrol's top pursuit man, tired of police work.
- Jessie — Max's wife, travelling with their infant son.
- Goose — Max's fellow MFP officer, Jim Rains.
- Toecutter — Leader of the biker gang that terrorises the region.
Questions answered on the map
- Where was the Mad Max police headquarters really filmed?
- Which real town did the Mad Max gang terrorise?