Tasmania Sanctuary Stars in Paramount+ Wildlife Series

A childhood dream is about to reach millions of screens worldwide.

Tasmania's Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, located near Hobart, will star in an eight-part docuseries called The Animal Sanctuary, coming to Paramount+ later in 2026. The show follows director Greg Irons, his partner Mel, and their dedicated team as they rescue and rehabilitate Australian wildlife.

Irons has been connected to Bonorong since childhood. Every birthday, he chose the sanctuary as his celebration destination.

At age seven, he told his mom he'd own the place one day. In 2009, that prediction came true.

The sanctuary coordinates over 20,000 animal rescues annually and has become one of Tasmania's most popular tourist destinations. Over the years, multiple production companies approached Irons about filming a series, but he waited until the timing felt right.

After building a new hospital and expanding his team, Irons finally said yes. The production comes with heavyweight backing from US studios known for acclaimed documentaries, Australian production companies, and support from the Tasmanian government.

The director of photography is Fraser Johnston, Irons' former schoolmate. Johnston had pitched the idea to Irons for years before connecting him with American producers.

The Ripple Effect

This series does more than showcase adorable animals. Irons sees it as an opportunity to educate global audiences about conservation in Australia, which has lost over 20 mammal species in the last 200 years.

"I describe Tassie as the Noah's Ark of Australian wildlife," Irons said. "We're sort of like this last stand for all these species that used to be on mainland Australia."

The show won't sugarcoat the reality of wildlife rescue. Irons wants viewers to understand how everyday human actions can harm animals without people realizing it.

Seven media students from the University of Tasmania received 12-day placements on the production, gaining hands-on experience in filming and post-production. First-year student Amber Coad, 19, called the opportunity "incredibly valuable and hard to come by."

By nurturing both animals and young filmmakers, the project is building Tasmania's creative industry while sharing urgent conservation messages with the world.