When Furiosa hit Hay: town's taste of Hollywood about to hit screens

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga began filming in June 2021 and is now just weeks away from being released in cinemas, production crews filling up the accommodation while they filmed on location for around four months in 2022.

South Hay Hotel owner, Ben Thomson reflected on the experience of having the crew as his main clients as they were working on stunts and action sequences nearby.

"You're pretty excited when you hear this sort of film is going to be brought into town, they did a lot of the stunt work and stuff out here," Mr Thomson said.

"We actually became really good friends with quite a few of them... the grips crew, like the guys that do the camera movement and the dollies."

Owner of the Riverina Hotel, David Sloan had nothing but good things to say about the crew when they rolled into town.

The connection to Hay still ripe in the minds of those who were part of the film and those, like Mr Thomson and Mr Sloan, who helped make them feel welcome.

"They were fantastic people from here, there and everywhere, but they all travel around together on the same crew for those sort of big movies," Mr Thomson said.

"They spend a fortune in town... filled up every piece of accommodation and most of the pubs and clubs are full most nights."

In a pleasant twist, some members of the crew didn't forget the friendly faces from across the Hay bar after they left.

"I was in Sydney in a hotel... and just out of the blue one of the fellows that were in it, he recognises me and comes up, they actually gave us a big hug," Mr Sloan said.

"The young makeup girls... said to me this is a different world to our world in Sydney and we just love it, they just love the town of Hay, the friendliness.

"That's the impact Hay had on them."

Mr Thomson remembered seeing some of the crew's unique gear in town after they wrapped up filming.

"They were packing up on the day they were leaving some guys turned up with a crane out the front of the pub and we got a couple of cool photos.

"It's on the back of a Dodge Ram and it can push itself out about 30 feet and it's got a heap of cameras on it.

"It's a one of a kind machine, there's only one guy in the world that makes them."

Mr Sloan took a trip out to the filming locations at One Tree to try and to catch a glimpse of the production, but his approach didn't quite go as planned.

"I went out for a bit of a look and told them I was a motorbike delivery parts driver... I'm not into motorbikes and they knew it," he said.

"The security bloke on the gate said to me 'you used to have a pub in Deniliquin years ago didn't you?' and I said matter of fact I did.

"So I shook hands and said 'mate I'm coming out here for a bit of a look'. I didn't see actually see them filming but I got out there... I've seen all the equipment and everything.

"It was bloody great."

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is set to be released in Australia on May 24.