The Dressmaker author had envisaged Dungatar – the novel’s fictional rural town setting – and the Wimmera needed to represent that image.

Luckily, Ham said the film adaption of her 2000 novel was proving to be a true representation of her writing.

‘‘It’s amazing,’’ she said.

 ‘‘The process is what I expected, but it’s better than I expected.’’

She said the Wimmera was a perfect location and the community had welcomed her.

Ham is also working as an extra on the film.

On Wednesday, she was perched on a bleacher behind Australian actress Rebecca Gibney, watching a football match scene being filmed.

‘‘They show me the scene on the monitor,’’ she said. 

‘‘I’m thrilled to bits with everything.

‘‘I have absolute faith in the producer and director.’’

As an author, one would expect Ham to be protective of her masterpiece.

But she is enjoying the process of watching the book become a movie.

She said she was initially starstruck by the celebrities bringing her writing to life, but was no longer.

‘‘They’re just here to do a job,’’ she said.

Ham looks forward to seeing the final product.

‘‘It will be quite amazing,’’ she said.