Alone Australia fans were left outraged by the decision to film the series overseas: “So this is Alone New Zealand?”

SBS survival series Alone Australia has returned to screens and this time the contestants have been tasked with trying to endure the freezing climes of New Zealand’s South Island.

In the grueling show, 10 survivors are thrown into the desert, where they must survive their competition for a chance to win $250,000.

But fans were left outraged by the decision to film the Australian show on the other side of the ditch.

‘Why is it called Alone Australia if it’s in New Zealand? Are they claiming the whole country now?’ wrote one fan.

“I’m trying to understand how #AloneAustralia is being filmed in New Zealand,” another commented.

So this is Just New Zealand. “Australia is such a big country, surely you could have found somewhere in our own country that was a real Australia on its own,” another user fumed.

The SBS Australia Instagram account responded to the various comments, validating the network’s decision.

“If you’ve seen other seasons of Alone you’ll know that they’re not necessarily filmed within the same country and in fact are filmed everywhere – it’s mainly about the contestants being from Australia,” they said in a statement. .

‘The American version of Alone has been filmed everywhere, including Canada, Patagonia and even Mongolia!’

In the first season, contestants braved the challenging conditions of Tasmania during a “polar explosion”.

However, SBS head of unscripted programs Joseph Maxwell said The Guardian last year that Tasmania’s strict hunting regulations led producers to look for a new location for this year’s season.

“We loved the innovation we saw in Tasmania, but there are pretty strict hunting regulations there,” he revealed.

He added that New Zealand’s spectacular scenery convinced the producers.

“By choosing New Zealand, we can introduce bows and arrows, which brings completely new strategies and skill sets… and it’s an absolutely stunning place,” he said.

‘Tasmania had a real claustrophobic intensity, New Zealand is a place of grandeur. “It’s absolutely stunning,” she stated.

Only Australia airs Wednesdays at 7:30pm on SBS.