A Bundaberg-based filmmaker has been given the greenlight on a second season of new reality show, Aussie Snake Wranglers.
The deal was made after a positive response to Season One, which rated number one on Foxtel for factual programming and follows the day-to-day adventures of Australia’s biggest snake catching team.
Associate Media founder Dave Quarrell said the idea for the show came to him after a chance encounter on the set of a fishing show.
“Five years ago, I was filming for a fishing show and the host was able to line up filming at Weipa [Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve] with the Irwin’s for a week,” Dave said.
“I met one of their crocodile handlers, Stuart McKenzie, who was starting a Sunshine Coast snake handling business.”
Dave said he went along on a snake catching call out and immediately saw the potential for a television series.
“It turned out to be a massive eastern brown snake. It came straight at us and we had to jump over playground equipment to get out of its way… it was a massive adrenalin rush.”
Each episode in the 16-part series follows a core cast of snake catchers as they respond to distress calls from the public between Brisbane to Gympie and west to Kingaroy.
Dave said they never know what species they will find when they arrive and try to get to the properties within 30 minutes of being called as snakes disappear so quickly.
Now with a second season of Aussie Snake Wranglers in the pipeline the crew is hard at work filming six days a week, with Dave putting their success down to two key ingredients.
“What I think the magic of the show is, there’s a couple of things, one is its location in sunny Queensland. Beaches, rainforest, real people.
“Then also the fact that we’re protecting people, native animals, and pets.
“Plus, the show doesn’t waste time with unnecessary fluff, it’s just bang, bang, action the whole way through.”
“The only negative feedback we’re getting is that the show is too short!”
Dave sold the show idea to Breakout Productions in partnership with the South Australian Film Corporation, with the stipulation that he remains on the crew as a shooter-producer.
Breakout Productions producers Colin Thrupp and Steve Geddes are also originally from Bundaberg, as well as shooter-producer Johnny Nicol.
“In season two the whole challenge will be to take what we did last year and make it better.”
Aussie Snake Wranglers Season One is currently on-air Tuesday nights at 8.30pm AEST on National Geographic or available on-demand.
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