There’s this wild moment in a new Aussie docuseries that people seriously can’t stop talking about — a wallaby trying to escape a crocodile. Yeah, sounds like something from a movie, but it’s real, and it’s now the jaw-dropping intro to ABC’s new three-part series The Kimberley.
The crew behind the show — Nick Robinson (the producer/director) and Jack Riley (the guy behind the camera) — were actually out filming in a pretty remote part of East Kimberley after hearing from a local fisherman about crocs attacking wallabies. At first, they weren’t even sure if the story was legit. I mean, it kinda sounded like one of those bush legends, right? But then they saw it for themselves… and caught the whole thing on film.
A Wallaby, a Croc, and Then… an Eagle?
This one part of the show is just insane. So, these wallabies were super thirsty — like, really desperate for water — and they came close to this river where crocs hang out. Not the safest idea, but they didn’t have many options. And then it happened.
One wallaby falls in. Starts swimming for its life. You think that’s bad enough — but then out of nowhere, an eagle swoops in. Not kidding. According to Robinson, they saw the eagle actually chase the wallaby, and at one point, it looked like the bird pushed it back into the river. Like, what? Even scientists hadn’t seen anything like that before. It wasn’t staged. It just… happened.
They had drones up, high-speed cameras rolling — total fluke, honestly. And once they had that footage, the team had a big talk in the editing room. Should they show the whole thing? Was it too much? In the end, they went for it.
“It’s brutal, yeah,” Robinson said, “but it’s also just nature doing its thing. Crocs gotta eat too.”
Mark Coles Smith Brings His Story Home
The series is hosted by Mark Coles Smith, who grew up in that part of Australia and knows the land like the back of his hand. He’s a Nyikina man, and for him, this show isn’t just about animals — it’s about his connection to Country.
Mark really gets into it, too. In one scene, he’s rafting down the Martuwarra River and gets totally wiped out by the rapids. Apparently, he’d never even been in a pack raft before, and he flipped, like, ten times. But he wanted to do it himself, not use a double or anything, because he wanted the experience to be real — not just for the camera.
They filmed over 18 months, catching all the seasonal changes and really diving into the heart of the Kimberley — not just the wild side, but the people and culture too.
It’s Not Just Nature — It’s a Story About Country and Culture
Every episode covers something different. One follows Indigenous rangers from the Dambimangari community as they patrol the coast — they spot humpback whales, see endangered northern quolls, and explore reefs that appear only when the tides are low. That part’s just visually stunning.
Another episode heads into Wunambal Gaambera and Gooniyandi Country, showing the biodiversity of the Mitchell Plateau. But more than that, it shares the voices of local Elders like Mervin Street, whose knowledge of the land has been passed down through generations.
Robinson and Mark worked really closely on the script to make sure they got the stories right. And you can feel that — it doesn’t feel like an outsider’s view. It feels like someone who belongs there is letting us in.
And honestly, that’s what makes the show stand out. It’s not just about cool animal moments (though there are plenty of those). It’s about the land, the people, and what it means to truly know a place.
