CAMPERDOWN

As the team stepped into the 90’s, Trackdown entered a defining new chapter with the construction of a purpose-built studio complex in Camperdown, located inside the Yoram Gross Studio building.

This was the first time the team had the opportunity to design and build a professional recording environment from the ground up—an enormous leap in capability and ambition. The move deepened Trackdown’s relationship with Yoram Gross Film Studios, where they worked on animated projects including Blinky Bill and Dot & the Kangaroo, positioning the company firmly within the world of screen production and accelerating its pivot toward audio post.

This era also cemented Trackdown as an early technological pioneer. Under Simon Leadley’s guidance, the studio became one of the first in Australia to embrace a full DAW workflow, experimenting with Sound Designer (the early precursor to Pro Tools). Tim Ryan and Les Fiddess laid up sound effects for the feature film Fatal Bond—released in 1991—placing these innovations early in the decade, long before non-linear digital editing became industry standard. This bold adoption of emerging technology set Trackdown apart and shaped its future direction. 

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Music remained a core part of the studio’s identity. The new Camperdown facility hosted major album projects, including Midnight Oil, produced by Nick Launay, whose sessions benefited from the upgraded rooms and expanding engineering talent. Around this time, Trackdown also formed a significant partnership with Iva Davies of Icehouse. Iva contributed his Otari 24-track tape machine and mixing console, while Simon and Geoff added Dolby SR—collectively transforming Trackdown into a truly competitive and professional destination for both bands and screen composers.