Where was Black Snow season 2 filmed and is it based on a true story?

The days are getting longer and brighter, but the crime dramas are as dark and mysterious as ever - including Black Snow season 2.

The Australian show landed on BBC iPlayer earlier this month after premiering Down Under in January. This second installment sees the return of Vikings’ star Travis Fimmel as Detective James Cormack who is investigating another chilling cold case - the disappearance of Zoe Jacobs in 2003.

He’s also still attempting to find out what happened to his brother back in 1994. The twists and turns all take place against a beautiful backdrop and many viewers might be wondering where Black Snow season 2 was filmed and whether any of the interwoven plot-threads are based on a true story.

Where was Black Snow season 2 filmed?

It might seem obvious to some people that Black Snow season 2 was filmed in Australia, but so often the setting doesn’t actually reflect the filming location. We saw this with The Au Pair which was filmed in Ireland but set in the Cotswolds and France.

However, Black Snow genuinely is shot in Queensland where it’s set. Speaking to the Sunshine Coast Council back in December, producer Rosemary Blights explained how "cinematic" the Glass House Mountains were for Black Snow season 2.

"Once we discovered the Glass House Mountains we knew we had discovered the heart of the story of Black Snow 2," she said. "The mountains’ commanding presence provided a powerful and cinematic backdrop for season two’s compelling story and it was an incredible experience to film there."

Other locations used for filming Black Snow season 2 reportedly include Wold Horse Mountain Scenic Lookout, the Glass House Mountains Cultural Heritage Centre, Marshs Road, Coonowrin Road and Johnston Road. This is slightly different to Black Snow season 1, which was filmed in the north of Queensland, primarily around Proserpine.

Although Black Snow season 2 was filmed in Australia and in Queensland where it was set, the specific town that Zoe Jacobs disappeared from in the story - Moorevale - is entirely fictional.

This is like season 1, which followed Cormack’s investigations into the disappearance of Izzy Baker in 1994 from the fictional town of Ashford.

Is Black Snow season 2 based on a true story?

With so many crime dramas it’s easy to wonder whether any of the heart-wrenching events you see unfolding are inspired by real events, but Black Snow season 2 is just as fictional as the town of Moorevale. Zoe Jacobs’ disappearance in 2003 is a storyline created for the show and isn’t directly based on any real missing persons case.

Black Snow does explore certain themes that could be seen to relate to the process of investigating crimes and cold case crimes more specifically. The challenges faced by Detective Cormack as he attempts to get to the truth years later reflects how difficult it truly can be to bring a criminal to justice.

The impact of both unsolved crimes and their investigations upon family and friends is also a key focus of Black Snow. This comes through not only in terms of the cases of Zoe and Izzy, but in Cormack’s own struggles.

He has never come to terms with his brother Ritchie going missing in 1994 and in Black Snow season 2 he continues to try and discover what happened to him. It’s clear that he will never be able to rest or find closure until Ritchie’s case is solved.

Ultimately, whilst Black Snow season 2 is fictional, the storylines are still incredibly poignant and evocative in so many ways.

Black Snow seasons 1 and 2 are both available to watch now via BBC iPlayer.