Since August 13 2026, a new costume romance series is available on Netflix that, with its elegant and “bygone” atmospheres, will certainly not disappoint fans of Bridgerton. Let us discover together the locations of My Brilliant Career and how lavish noble mansions, expansive vineyard-adorned estates, and refined historic centers were adapted for the screen to resemble late 19th‑century Australia.
What it’s about
Based on the eponymous novel by Miles Franklin, My Brilliant Career is set in the late years of the century. Sybylla Melvyn (Philippa Northeast), the protagonist, is a girl of modest origins who dreams of a career as a writer. The family does not seem to share this vision; they instead have in mind a marriage of convenience intended to save everyone from past debts, so they send her to live with her wealthy maternal grandmother.
Once there, Sybylla continues to oppose the clichés about the role of women and the expectations that want her to be married, a mother, and the keeper of the domestic hearth, and, above all, to imagine the novel of her own life. When she falls for Harry, a predictable love triangle emerges with the affluent Frank Hawdon, who is identified as the best suitor.
Where the series was filmed
To best recreate the atmospheres of colonial Australia, the new Netflix period drama was filmed in the southern part of the country.
Penola
Among the filming locations for My Brilliant Career is, for example, Penola: a rural town on the Limestone Coast where time seems to have stood still and the main attractions are still the old cottages inhabited by settler families. There is a street, Petticoat Lane, declared a national heritage site where, nestled among equally distinctive red eucalyptus trees and rose gardens, one can admire the town’s most historic façades.
Right near Penola — a spot many have flagged as a potential set-jetting destination given the anticipated success of the Netflix series in a “Bridgerton‑style” mood — lies Yallum Park, the estate transformed on screen into the home of Sybylla’s affluent grandmother, Mrs. Winifred Bossier.
It is one of the best-preserved Victorian villas in the area: inside, wallpapers, fireplaces, stained glass, and porcelains remain those original late-19th‑century pieces with which it was built. Outside, the lavish garden hosts plant species from around the world. It is said that the house, now privately owned and viewable by appointment, hosted, among other illustrious guests, even King George V.
Barossa Valley
Among the places where the series My Brilliant Career was shot, especially for exterior scenes and sweeping nature views, is the Barossa Valley, one of the world’s largest wine regions where visitors stroll among vineyards, attend themed festivals, or join tasting events organized by many local wineries. Shiraz, a full-bodied and spicy red wine, is the true specialty of the region.
Adelaide
Less than an hour’s drive from the Barossa Valley is Adelaide, another filming location for My Brilliant Career. In its historic center, between period buildings and a laid-back Australian city vibe, the more urban‑set scenes were filmed.
In Adelaide lie the Adelaide Studios, which served as the production base and where many of the series’ interiors were recreated.
Gawler, Para Para Mansion
Staying in the area, among the sites used for filming the Miles Franklin adaptation, is Para Para Mansion: a residence built in Gawler during the 1850s–1860s for a wealthy gold‑industry entrepreneur who later fell on hard times. Saved from demolition, the estate continues to fascinate visitors with its lavender field, the grand ballroom, and countless other details of old aristocracy. In the series, it serves as the backdrop to Sybylla’s debut into high society.
