The sublime scenery of Gunlom Falls in Kakadu, as featured in Crocodile Dundee. Picture: Tourism NT
LONG before Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, a low-budget Australian film was writing the rule book for destination marketing.
Crocodile Dundee, which premiered in Sydney on April 30, 1986, not only put the Australian outback on the map, it created a new tourism destination in Kakadu, and turned the fearsome saltie into a major tourist drawcard.
The brainchild of star Paul Hogan and producer John Cornell, the $8.6 million film went on to become one of the most successful in Australian history, finishing second only to Top Gun at the US box office that year.
The plot was fairly straightforward: American reporter Sue Charlton, played by relative newcomer Linda Kozlowski travels to Walkabout Creek in search of a bushman rumoured to have lost half a leg to a crocodile.
There she meets Mick Dundee — Hogan — whose legs are intact, but he nevertheless charms her with his courage and bush bravado.
Although Hogan’s humour and his chemistry with Kozlowski ensured the film’s success, the stunning landscapes of the Northern Territory played a key part.
From romantic waterfalls to endless outback vistas, award-winning cinematographer Russell Boyd created the sort of advertisement for the Top End tourism bosses could only dream of.
30th anniversary of Crocodile Dundee — view to Nourlangie from Anbangbang Billabong, Kakadu National Park.Source:Supplied
Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan says 30 years later, the scenery is the only part of the film that hasn’t dated.
“The actors may have aged, the fashions may be a little dated but the spectacular scenery of
the Northern Territory and rugged Kakadu landscapes have certainly not lost any of their magic appeal,” he says.
Little did Crocodile Dundee director Peter Faiman know how important the relatively low-budget film would be for the region.
“You can never tell in this business but we were all optimistic of it being well-received,” says Faiman.
“We had a great team working on it, an incredible location, John Cornell orchestrated the whole thing and Paul did create an incredible character.
“It was very much an extension of who he is and that made it really legitimate.”
Film director Peter Faiman in Sydney with the Crocodile Dundee knife. Picture: News CorpSource:News Corp Australia
Despite the ruggedness of the land and inherent risks of filming in such a remote area, Faiman says they never felt unsafe.
“We were certainly very, very careful about where we swam but there are very clear instructions on where you shouldn’t swim,” he says.
“After three months of filming in the outback we flew directly to New York and the difference could not have been more striking.
“One day we were in the quiet of the Australian northern outback with its brilliantly clear skies, then we were on Fifth Avenue and the noise was phenomenal. There were as many cars on the road as there are stars in the night sky.”
Filming in NYC was a culture shock for the crew after the tranquillity of Kakadu. Picture: News CorpSource:News Corp Australia
Location scout and assistant director Craig Bolles recalls being delighted to film in an area very few people had encountered.
“No one went up to the East Alligator River — we had to cut roads into there, but because I’d spent a lot of time in Arnhem Land I had a permit to go in,” says Bolles.
“I found amazing places, almost better than Gunlom Falls but there was the whole croc issue where I had to be 100 per cent sure they could swim in the pools without being eaten.”
Croc “guru” Grahame Webb was brought in to oversee filming and in the interests of safety, a mechanical crocodile was used for the scene where a croc jumps out of a billabong and grabs Sue’s water bottle.
Mick Dundee wrestles the croc, and Hogan reportedly offered to take on a real saltie — a story Faiman confirms.
“He might’ve as a bit of Leo Wanker bravado,” he laughs, referring to another Hogan character.
“There was a lot of discussion as to how it would be done, it was an important part of the movie.”
In 1988, Crocodile Dundee II returned the spotlight to Kakadu and Arnhem Land, providing even more priceless publicity.
A hotel built in the shape of a crocodile helped accommodate the tourism boom after Crocodile Dundee. Picture: David Hancock of SkyScansSource:Supplied
Not as successful as the first film, the sequel still managed to make nearly $200 million, and finish sixth at the US box office for the year.
Tourism NT chief executive Tony Mayell says to this day Crocodile Dundee and Kakadu average 135,000 Google searches a month, a figure that’s been growing in the lead up to today’s anniversary.
“The film helped put Australia on the map, let alone Kakadu,” says Mayell.
“It still resonates with people and there is still a strong appetite around the globe for it.”
Whether there will ever be a remake of Crocodile Dundee is the subject of some interest to tourism bosses keen to again see their patches given the big screen treatment.
The film Australia, largely bankrolled by Tourism Australia, failed to match the success of Crocodile Dundee. Picture: AFP/Madeleine CooreySource:AFP
For now the chair of Kakadu Tourism Rick Allert is hopeful the 30th anniversary will be enough to revive interest in the vast and culturally rich part of the country, that has struggled to maintain visitor numbers enjoyed in the 10 to 15 years after Crocodile Dundee.
“It’s a huge area, we could cater for thousands more visitors without spoiling the experience for them,” says Allert.
“People can gain easy access to it, it’s less than three hours drive from Darwin.”
Road access has improved, facilities dramatically upgraded and tours diversified to give visitors a chance to experience all aspects of Kakadu from the indigenous heritage to the incredible wildlife.
“With the help of Paul Hogan’s iconic film, we hope to significantly boost Kakadu’s tourism fortunes this year,” Allert says.
“It’s a unique destination in the true sense of the word unique and there’s never been a better time to follow in Crocodile Dundee’s footsteps and discover what makes Kakadu special.”
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