Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

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Travis M
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Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Travis M »

Does anybody have any recent pictures of the Saaman tree featured in Swiss Family Robinson? It's located on the property of the Roberts Auto and Tyre Shop, off Windward Road, in Goodwood/Goldsborough Bay. The owner has been known to speak about it to tourists from time to time.

I'm very interested in seeing what can be done to preserve the site and its place in cinematic/Disney history..

Also, if anybody has any recent pictures of Richmond Bay/Richmond Beach and any of the other locations featured in the film, listed in a post below this one, I'd be interested in seeing them. Thanks!

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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Travis M »

Anyone??
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Jazz557
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

I took some photos of the Craig Hall waterfall in March (screenshot #9).
One of the old locals living in Runnemeade told me that originally the last tier of the Craig Hall waterfall had only two channels and a third (leftmost in the screenshot) was constructed for the movie set to make the scenery more visually appealing.
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

Hi Travis,
These two photos of Craig Hall waterfall in Moriah were taken in March 2019. The waterfall flows into the WASA (water company) water intake downstream.
There is a sign that warns ‘No swimming or washing of vehicles”. There are benches to sit and enjoy the view and the concrete steps from the Northside Road leading down to the waterfall is well maintained.
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Craig Hall waterfall in the dry season
Craig Hall waterfall in the dry season
Water flow from 2 of 3 channels in Craig Hall waterfall. The leftmost channel is man made - according to an old local living in Runnemeade, it was added for the movie.
Water flow from 2 of 3 channels in Craig Hall waterfall. The leftmost channel is man made - according to an old local living in Runnemeade, it was added for the movie.
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

This is a photo of the top two levels of the Craig Hall waterfall. It was taken in March 2019 - a good water flow for the middle of the dry season (January to May).
The cool refreshing green punch bowl pool is a no swimming area though :( - the waterfall flows downstream into the WASA (water company) Craig Hall intake.
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Top two levels of the Craig Hall waterfall with punch bowl pool above the last 3 channel drop
Top two levels of the Craig Hall waterfall with punch bowl pool above the last 3 channel drop
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

I should be back in May ...
My regular car rental guy promised to introduce me to an oldie from the Windward area who 'worked with the Swiss Family" ...
Keeping my fingers crossed!
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

I just completed a ten day trip to Tobago visiting all of the film locations used in the Disney movie Swiss Family Robinson.

Great news!

I interviewed and got to visit film sites with Mr. Cook who worked as a driver for the ‘Sparks’ (electrical) crew in charge of the major film scenes.

In 1959, Mr Cook has a just bought a new Ford Zephyr 5 seater car and was one of the taxi drivers working with Blue Haven Hotel in Bacolet Bay. According to Mr. Cook, Disney started filming in August 1959 and completed all filming in November 1959. Within, two weeks of filming, the transport manager for the Disney Production hired Mr. Cook full time to drive the ‘sparks’ to the various sets . The previous driver’s taxi kept breaking down.


So, Mr Cook saw a lot of filming of the movie! He even drove John Mills (who was staying at Blue Haven) to the set once when Dorothy Mc Guire (Mother Robinson) was using the taxi that was assigned to both of them. Ms. Mc Guire stayed at Arnos Vale Hotel.

Kevin Corcoran (Francis) also stayed at Blue Haven Hotel in Bacolet. In between shootings, he played with the hotel manager’s son and daughter who were also about nine or ten years old. The kids were always either swimming in the hotel pool, Bacolet Bay or running about in the hotel. Mr. Cook said ‘in real life, Kevin Corcoran actually behaved like Young Francis in the movie!’.

Sessue Hayakawa (pirate ship captain) and the rest of the cast stayed at the smaller hotels.

Mr Cook was able to recall lots of trivia which I hope to share in a new post. I am thinking of naming the post:

‘Swiss Family Robinson movie set revisited 60 years later - A do-it-yourself photo tour’.

Mr Cook pointed out areas where the tiger scenes were shot and where the snake fought Fritz ... or as Mr Cook described it ... Fritz fought the snake - the snake was super tame!
Last edited by Jazz557 on Sat May 25, 2019 5:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

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Jazz557
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse (Goodwood, Goldsborough Bay)

Post by Jazz557 »

I posted some treehouse photos (Goldsborough), shipwreck photos (Shipwreck Bay, Belle Garden) and the beach with the river and the small fort (Richmond Bay) ... here’s the link:
https://www.instagram.com/jazzali557/

Hoping to share a lot of anecdotes in addition to photos on the new post
‘Swiss Family Robinson movie set revisited 60 years later - A do-it-yourself photo tour’.

I would love to get some feedback from you guys ...
Thanks ...
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Re: Swiss Family Treehouse, Goldsborough

Post by Jazz557 »

Here are the links to my 2019 photos and maps in the Forum for the Swiss Family Robinson 1960 movie.


SWISS FAMILY MOVIE SITES REVISITED - a revisit 60 years later, of filming locations used by Walt Disney in the movie:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13142



SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON FILM LOCATION - DO IT YOURSELF TOUR GUIDE MAPS:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13146
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