Actor’s new role takes him around Australia
Broome actor Brandon Walters has expanded his repertoire, starring in a new children’s television show screening Saturdays and Sundays on ABC 3.
Walters is best known for his star turn as Nullah in the Baz Luhrmann epic Australia and subsequent appearances on Tourism Australia commercials In Bushwhacked!, shot in some of Australia’s most spectacular remote locations, he shows skateboarding city-slicker Kayne Tremills his life in the bush, encountering amazing native wildlife along the way.
While hunting dangerous spiders, killer sharks and venomous snakes – as well as friendly turtles – the boys seek help from Aboriginal leaders and get involved in indigenous rites, smoking ceremonies and totem dances.
They had to do many “scary” things during the series, Walters said, including micro-chipping a deadly tiger snake, satellite-tagging a saltwater croc and swimming with a great white shark.
They also ate “delicious” goanna and kangaroo tail, which was “pretty good”.
Travelling on segways, remote controlled skateboards and highpowered speed boats, the pair visited some of the remotest corners of Australia in the Central Desert, South Australia, Arnhem Land, Kakadu, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Walters said it was hard being on the road for so long, but he always had a member of his family with him – and a tutor.
“I missed my family and friends.
I live in WA and I was away sometimes for five weeks at a time . . . so that was quite hard,” he said.
“We had some great laughs … I am very proud of it. My favourites were the warm places — I don’t like the cold.”
He said co-star Tremills was a “legend” who made him laugh and was heaps of fun.
“Once Kayne and I were walking in southern Queensland and a carpet python got cranky and tried to attack the ranger,” he said.
“Then he had a go at the cameraman … we all jumped.”
