Packed To The Rafters: articles


pttr cast

TV home ... The real life street in Concord where Packed To The Rafters is filmed.

Why this street is Packed to The Rafters

A SUBURBAN street in Sydney's inner west is becoming the equivalent to Melbourne's Ramsay Street following the massive success of the television drama Packed To The Rafters.

Concord's leafy but unremarkable Riverview Street is the location for the hit show about the lives of the Rafter family.

"Our little street is becoming very popular,'' said resident Frances Pirrello.

"Obviously people drive by to see what is going on but we don't mind that. It doesn't worry us. They just drive along, look at the house and drive off again.''

Packed To The Rafters premiered on Seven last month and has attracted an average audience of nearly two million viewers every Tuesday night, making it the highest rating show of the year.

The series follows the lives and challenges confronting the Rafter family, led by parents Julie (Rebecca Gibney) and Dave (Erik Thomson).

Ready to become "empty-nesters'' after 25 years of marriage, the couple are forced to put their plans on hold when their two eldest children - Rachel (Jessica Marais) and Nathan (Angus McLaren) - move home.

Nathan's wife, Sammy (Jessica McNamee), also moves in.

Youngest son, Ben (Hugh Sheridan), rents the home next door with housemates Nick (George Houvardas) and Melissa (Zoe Ventoura).

While external shots are filmed in Concord, internally they are done at Seven's Epping studios.

Riverview St residents visited the Epping set last week, checking out the replicas of their houses.

Seven has rented the Rafter family home on Riverview St for three years but no one lives there.

It does, however, appear well-lived in. The small rustic home is freshly painted and the grass is fake - so that it always looks green.

By Jonathon Moran
September 28, 2008
The Sunday Telegraph