20 June 2011
A BLOKE who got his first outback television exposure in the Territory is about to become a crocodile-wrestling international TV star.
Matthew Wright, based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland has signed with Nat Geo Wild - National Geographic's US-based wildlife channel.
That would mean being in 90 million homes in 90 countries in 37 languages.
His previous fame was a single appearance on Channel 7 in 2009 showing him catching a 5.6m, 850kg crocodile in the NT.
The male croc was trapped on La Belle cattle station, about 200km southwest of Darwin.
Wright was a helicopter pilot paid to relocate rogue crocs in the Top End.
Although he spent time in various places including Cairns, Papua New Guinea and south of Adelaide, Wright headed to the Territory after school.
While he worked at Kings Canyon Resort in Watarrka National Park, he came to the attention of the local parks and wildlife staff for having "a few snakes and scorpions" in his room.
After various jobs he started mustering cattle by helicopter then wildlife relocation, which was where he came to the attention of Channel 7.
National Geographic Channel's head Geoff Daniels described him as a "wild-world action hero".
"He's like the Lone Ranger, riding in to save people and animals in distress but his horse is a helicopter and he uses a rope instead of a gun"
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