Inside the Fence
Directors: Daniel Clarke and Amy Pysden
Country of Origin: Australia
2019
Australia’s self-proclaimed maverick of the conservation movement, Dr John Wamsley, built the nation’s first predator-proof fence; a unique ecosystem known as Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary that challenged conventional thinking about zoos. The sanctuary, notoriously built without government approval, became one of Australia’s top tourist destinations in the 1980s and 90s. Its indomitable founder – the man who became world-famous for wearing a dead cat as a hat to highlight the threat of feral animals – is adamant Warrawong’s forced closure was politically motivated. Through revealing interviews and stunning archival photography, Inside the Fence reveals the remarkable legacy of Wamsley’s inexorable mission to save Australia’s most precious native species.
Amy Pysden and Daniel Clarke
Dr. John Wamsley
Producer: Daniel Clarke and Amy Pysden