So what exactly is it that brings the extended Pritchett family to Australia for a special Modern Family episode?  Australian heritage!

It turns out Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) is claiming to be part Australian because his late mother gave birth to him here while on a stopover and Phil convinces wife Claire and the entire extended family to join him on a trip to Australia to discover more about his Aussie heritage – which also includes a severe allergic reaction to Vegemite.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald who were on set checking out filming yesterday, the script is sprinkled with “what presumably Americans think Australians sound like; a strangulated cockney ‘accent’ – “oooooiiiirrright moite'”

It seems radio personality and former Australia’s Got Talent judge Kyle Sandilands was approached to appear but turned the offer down (because he said he isn’t an actor) while Cate Blanchett had scheduling conflicts from taking up an offer presented to her.  New Zealand actor Rhys Darby (Flight of the Concords) will be seen as a Kiwi talk-show host while soapie stock Peter Phelps (Stingers) will be playing a ‘crocodile dundee’ inspired character.

Filming is currently taking place in Sydney before moving off to Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef for two more days of filming.

For more photos of the Modern Family cast in Australia, check out PopSugar