0:00:13 > 0:00:15Deep in the heart of central Australia
0:00:15 > 0:00:17lives a family like no other.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23Meet Brolga, the world's most renowned kangaroo mum,
0:00:23 > 0:00:27a six foot seven Aussie who dedicates his life
0:00:27 > 0:00:30to giving orphaned kangaroos a second chance at life.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36It's a one-to-one relationship, you and the baby.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And they look up to you like you're their mum.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43The orphaned joeys live with Brolga and his wife Tahnee
0:00:43 > 0:00:47until the day they are ready to be released into the wilds
0:00:47 > 0:00:49of Brolga's 80-acre sanctuary.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55But recently, Brolga's unconventional family life
0:00:55 > 0:00:57has become even more complicated
0:00:57 > 0:01:01as he's taken on a whole new bunch of animal characters.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05WOMBAT BREAKS WIND
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Wasn't me!
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Brolga's got a lot to learn about the chaotic side of raising emus.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15BIRDS WHISTLE
0:01:15 > 0:01:18You come back and find the place is like a disaster zone!
0:01:18 > 0:01:23There's the daunting challenge of releasing his three orphaned camels,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Jasmine, Cameron and Theo into the sanctuary.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Me and Tahnee are actually quite nervous about the move.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Just hoping that everything is going to go all right.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38And will a serious injury prove to be a major setback
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to his dream of creating a wildlife hospital
0:01:41 > 0:01:43in the shape of a kangaroo?
0:01:45 > 0:01:51When you're injured, you realise how difficult life can be.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Your life is just thrown on its head.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15It's early morning at the sanctuary,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and the kangaroos are waiting for Brolga to arrive
0:02:18 > 0:02:20with their daily bucket of feed.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31But today, Brolga is running late.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33He's got a badly injured knee
0:02:33 > 0:02:37after crossing paths with the leader of the kangaroo mob, Roger.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48I was out in the sanctuary,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and then me old mate Roger clocked eyes on me,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and he wanted a piece of me, there's no doubt about that.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56So I bolted.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I was running faster than Usain Bolt to get away from him.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01And he was right behind me,
0:03:01 > 0:03:06and as I turned around trying to catch a sight of Roger,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08of where he was, and at that time
0:03:08 > 0:03:11I fell over a termite mound hidden in the grass.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Straight away I knew I'd done some damage.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19As I got up, my knee actually gave way and I was in a lot of strife.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23So I went to the doctor later on, and he said, "Gee, mate!
0:03:23 > 0:03:26"What have you had, a motorbike accident?".
0:03:26 > 0:03:28I said to him "No, mate.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30"That's Roger.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34"Roger, my alpha male kangaroo."
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Brolga's injury required surgery.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43But he knows the risks of keeping a big male kangaroo like Roger
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and has to accept them.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Roger is family, after all.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Roger is a bit like a delinquent son.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57He's always aggressive.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59But Roger's my best mate,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and he's a part of me, as hopefully I'm a part of him.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06He's what the sanctuary is all about.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11I've got six weeks I'm not allowed to do any running.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15I said to the doctor who told me that,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18"Mate, it's not going to be as easy as that."
0:04:19 > 0:04:21I've got Roger out in the sanctuary.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Roger is fiercely protective of his harem of female kangaroos
0:04:27 > 0:04:31and the reason he's so aggressive towards Brolga
0:04:31 > 0:04:33is because he sees him as competition.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40He's going to take full advantage of my injury.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43As soon as he gets the chance, he's going to think,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45"Ha, ha, ha, I've got you right where I want you!"
0:04:47 > 0:04:48He's going to nail me.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Just let me go past.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54Come on.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55Not now.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Brolga is all too aware,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02one kick from Roger's powerful legs could be fatal.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03No! No!
0:05:03 > 0:05:07That's the very real reality of a big alpha male like Roger.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10He's got the power to totally disembowel you.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14Hey, hey!
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Stop it, stop it!
0:05:17 > 0:05:21The recent injury has been a serious wake-up call.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Brolga urgently needs to find a solution
0:05:23 > 0:05:25to dealing with Roger's aggression.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Come on!
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Being on crutches is proving a real inconvenience
0:05:33 > 0:05:37as Brolga currently has more animals than ever to care for.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Along with the kangaroos at his sanctuary,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43there are now three emus that he's moved to an enclosure
0:05:43 > 0:05:44at the back of his shack.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50As well as the demands of the three orphaned camels,
0:05:50 > 0:05:55Cameron, Jasmine and Theo, who are living at his house.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58CAMELS GRUNT LOUDLY
0:05:58 > 0:06:00On top of caring for all these animals,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Brolga's in the process of building a wildlife hospital.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Cameron!
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But his injury has undermined these plans,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and he's had to put works on hold until he's fully recovered.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22We're lucky in our modern life, we've got great doctors and nurses
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and hospitals that take care of us.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Out here in Alice Springs, in the Outback,
0:06:27 > 0:06:28there's no wildlife hospital.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32It's times like now...
0:06:33 > 0:06:37..that really makes me think how important this wildlife hospital
0:06:37 > 0:06:39is going to be.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42When you're injured, you need help.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46There's got to be someone looking out for you.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Oh, you are naughty, aren't you?
0:06:55 > 0:06:57You're a fat naughty one, yes!
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Down in Alice Springs, Cynthia Lynch,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04who works with Brolga in rehabilitating kangaroos,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07is desperate for the hospital to be completed.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15In her back yard, she's inundated with over 20 orphaned joeys,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19many of whom are suffering from skin infections or fractured limbs.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It's an all-day job, it never seems to stop.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Cynthia and her fellow carers do their best
0:07:26 > 0:07:28to treat their sick and injured joeys in the sink,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30or on the kitchen table,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32but what they're longing for
0:07:32 > 0:07:35is a dedicated place to take the strain,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and give their orphaned animals proper veterinary care.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40There we are.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42That's a good boy.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43He's a bit calmer now.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Brolga's hospital is an absolute dream.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49These little guys will benefit so much from it.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53So I just keep saying, "Bring it on, bring it on!"
0:07:53 > 0:07:54The sooner the better, yeah!
0:07:54 > 0:07:57The surveys we've done over the last few years,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01we've realised that the need is not going to go away,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05and that these little guys are just going to keep coming in,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08so we need to do the best we can do for them.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10You can never say no to an animal.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13It's not their fault they're in the situation they're in.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17So if we've got something set up that we hope to be able to continue,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21long after I'm not around, or maybe Brolga's not around either,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24we can put something into the area for the future,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27and this is what we're really looking at doing.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Do you want your dummy? All right.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32You're getting a bit big for it really, Jack.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57After more than a month on crutches,
0:08:57 > 0:08:58Brolga's knee is on the mend.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Today, hospital building is getting back on track
0:09:04 > 0:09:07with work beginning on the erection of the roof and walls.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09How you doing, Brolga?
0:09:09 > 0:09:12How long do you reckon this is going to take to put up, mate?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Oh, probably a week or so.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16- A week?- Yeah.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21The long-term plan is for the hospital
0:09:21 > 0:09:24to be made to look like a red kangaroo when viewed from the air,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28but completion of the design is still a long way off.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33We're going to shape it out in the shape of a kangaroo.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- There'll be a big tail over there and a head over there...- Cool!
0:09:37 > 0:09:40And the entrance will be like maybe in the pouch!
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Yeah? Cool!
0:09:45 > 0:09:48This is something I've been planning on for a long time.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51I've been really thankful to people around the world
0:09:51 > 0:09:53that they've donated to the cause,
0:09:53 > 0:09:58and it's those donations that have actually led to this point
0:09:58 > 0:10:02where we're actually going to see something going up.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10To help fund the running costs of the hospital,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Brolga's hoping to attract more paying visitors
0:10:13 > 0:10:15by diversifying his sanctuary
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and introducing new species of animals.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20HE WHISTLES
0:10:22 > 0:10:23HE WHISTLES
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Three months ago, Brolga adopted three emu chicks.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29And having outgrown his house,
0:10:29 > 0:10:33they've been brought to live in a pen at the back of his shack
0:10:33 > 0:10:37in preparation for their release to the wilds of his sanctuary.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44Emus are the second largest flightless bird in the world.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48And...a very important animal in Australian culture.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52They are...one of two animals that are on our national emblem -
0:10:52 > 0:10:54that's the kangaroo and the emu.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00These three emus were like the joeys that I get,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02they...they really needed a home.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05They were, I suppose you can say, orphans.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08They're remnants of an old emu farm.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Emu farming was very popular here for quite a long time,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14but as an industry it's collapsed.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16And the man was trying to get rid of them,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19so I got them sent to Alice Springs.
0:11:22 > 0:11:27Unlike the joeys, the emu doesn't give you much love in return.
0:11:27 > 0:11:33They don't look up at you with these eyes of endearment,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36they look at you with these sort of big staring eyes,
0:11:36 > 0:11:37these sort of big, goggly eyes.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41In a way, they're quite funny and sort of can look into your soul.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Sometimes I'll be in the shack
0:11:50 > 0:11:55and out of nowhere - pop! - up pops this head
0:11:55 > 0:11:57like a jack-in-the-box.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00This emu sticks his head up...
0:12:00 > 0:12:03wanting to know what's going on.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05And that's the funny thing about emus,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07they don't want to be left out.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09If something's going on,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11the emu has to know about it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Raising emus is not without its complications.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22These flightless birds are highly inquisitive,
0:12:22 > 0:12:23and Brolga has discovered
0:12:23 > 0:12:27that they're not always particularly well-behaved.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Emus are really curious.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33They are fascinated by anything different,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37anything new, out of the ordinary.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I turn my back on them for five minutes,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41or leave the door open,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45they'll come inside and just start playing with everything.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Everything's, like, new.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00It's like, "Oh, wow! What's that?
0:13:00 > 0:13:02"Oh, I'll pick that up and play with that."
0:13:02 > 0:13:04And before you know it, you come back
0:13:04 > 0:13:07and you find the place is like a disaster zone.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09There's stuff everywhere.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12They've pulled things off the bench,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14there's toilet roll all around the ground.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I can only imagine they were having a party when I was away.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19CHITTERING
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Having wreaked havoc at the shack,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Brolga has decided the day has come to open the gate
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and give the emus their first taste of freedom.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37HE WHISTLES
0:13:48 > 0:13:51I love all animals and...
0:13:51 > 0:13:53It's not just mammals, I love birds as well,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56but I don't like having birds in small cages.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00So these emus will be able to live out their lives at the sanctuary.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02And I'm hoping the emus
0:14:02 > 0:14:04will just be able to blend in with the kangaroos.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06BROLGA WHISTLES
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And for anyone who comes and visits,
0:14:09 > 0:14:13they can get to see an iconic Australian animal.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17Seeing an emu walk out in the plains is...a beautiful thing to see.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30VEHICLE BEEPS
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Brolga's been working hard to bring
0:14:37 > 0:14:40other native Australian animals to his sanctuary.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Today, he and his mates are building a Fort Knox-like enclosure
0:14:44 > 0:14:47for an orphaned southern hairy-nosed wombat.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Wombats are burrow-digging marsupials,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and are renowned for being escape artists.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56For this reason,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Brolga and his team are building the foundations out of concrete.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02VEHICLE BEEPS
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Each one of these concrete blocks probably weighs a tonne.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08And some people say, "Gee, it's a bit of overkill, isn't it?
0:15:08 > 0:15:11But it's not. Wombats are like little bulldozers,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13they can dig through a brick wall.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17So you need to build something that's really indestructible.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Something that they just can't penetrate with their big claws.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23It's one of the greatest challenges
0:15:23 > 0:15:27I think I've ever had, to house a wombat.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35It was a month ago that Brolga first met
0:15:35 > 0:15:39an orphaned wombat recovering from a broken leg.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43He's called Pete, and his parents were shot by hunters.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48He's got a face like a big pig,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51a body like a little bulldozer.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54And...absolutely remarkable,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56I just...I just love him. I love him heaps.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00His carer, Marie, has reached the point
0:16:00 > 0:16:02where he's outgrown her home.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05And because Pete can never go back to the wild,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Brolga's going the extra mile
0:16:07 > 0:16:09to provide Pete with a home at his sanctuary.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16What I'm doing is basically building a swimming pool,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and then going to fill it in full of dirt.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21So these big concrete blocks,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24the top of them is actually going to be ground level.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29So when Pete the wombat's in here and he's digging around,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33he'll come up against the smooth-sided concrete wall,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35so he can't dig out.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43He needs pipes to go down,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45like he's tunnelling underneath the ground.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50This is going to go all the way...through to his den.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54He actually needs a little room where he can sleep.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57And I'm even going to have to get an air conditioner and heater
0:16:57 > 0:16:59to have it at constant temperature,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02cos it would normally be five metres underground.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08I've dreamt of having a wombat ever since I was a kid.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12This, to me, is a real personal dream.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16On top of housing wombats,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Brolga has other preoccupations.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Over at his house, he and his wife Tahnee
0:17:24 > 0:17:28have spent the last two years raising three orphaned camels
0:17:28 > 0:17:31called Cameron, Jasmine and Theo.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35The plan is for them to join Pete and the emus at the sanctuary.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40We love having them at the back door,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42they are just like part of the family.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Yeah, it is time for them to go, they are outgrowing the back yard.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48They're starting to...almost to strip the bark off the trees
0:17:48 > 0:17:50and push up on the house.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Cameron is now 750 kilos,
0:17:54 > 0:17:58so he's way too big to have around the house.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So, after some basic obedience training,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06the day has come to take them to their new home.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07And to sweeten their mood,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Brolga has a special treat in store.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16This is the camels' favourite food in the whole world -
0:18:16 > 0:18:17carrots.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Jasmine's got a badly damaged mouth,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24probably from not being well looked after by her former owner.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26She can only have little carrots.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Can't you? You can only have little carrots.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33So it's a bit of a treat before the big move.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Me and Tahnee are actually quite nervous about the move, so...
0:18:39 > 0:18:42..just really hoping everything is going to go all right.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45So this'll settle the camels down, hopefully,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48and we'll know that we've done everything we can
0:18:48 > 0:18:51to make 'em feel at ease and comfortable.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02The sanctuary is a couple of kilometres
0:19:02 > 0:19:04from Brolga and Tahnee's house.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07And having consulted a camel expert,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10they've decided that the best and safest way to get them there
0:19:10 > 0:19:13is by tying them to the back of a pick-up truck,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17and to use the vehicle to guide them on their way.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Good boy. Good boy.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24BIRDSONG
0:19:26 > 0:19:29The camel was brought into Australia
0:19:29 > 0:19:31from Afghanistan, Pakistan
0:19:31 > 0:19:34in the mid to late 1800s.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Good boy.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37And the early explorers found
0:19:37 > 0:19:39that horses weren't coping well with the conditions.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41We needed an animal
0:19:41 > 0:19:44that would be able to survive better in the harsh outback,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46which is mostly desert country.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Camels are well suited to desert country,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51and used to bring supplies up
0:19:51 > 0:19:54to this very isolated, remote part of Australia.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59And they helped colonize and explore the outback.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07But by the early 1920s,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09we'd explored the outback,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12we had started to build tracks and roads.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16And then motor vehicles came in and...they were much more reliable
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and could carry more weight than a camel.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22So the poor old camel became obsolete and then was set free.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28You know, they were the Rolls-Royces of the desert.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31In the late-1800s, when we really needed them,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34they were the most sought-after asset you could get.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36And then when we didn't need 'em any more,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39we just ditched 'em with no respect.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41It's like having your best mate
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and then turning your back on him later on when he needs your help.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46That's good.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49That's it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Today, we have now got hundreds of thousands
0:20:53 > 0:20:57of feral camels roaming the outback.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03And those camels have become classed as a real environmental pest.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07I'm concerned when an animal is classed as a pest,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10because its welfare is often overlooked.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13That's it. Good one.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18The plan is to use Cameron, Theo and Jasmine,
0:21:18 > 0:21:23and whatever other camels come along, as educational animals.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Let's use them in a positive way
0:21:25 > 0:21:28to show people they're a marvellous animal,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30don't take 'em for granted, don't be unfair or cruel to them.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Get people to look after them properly.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Hold up.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Hold up.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Hey.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Hey! Good boy!
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Good boy!
0:21:43 > 0:21:45- Oh, look at that! Oh! - Come on, my darling.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Brolga wants the camels to spend a week or two in an enclosure,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52giving them time to adjust to their new surroundings,
0:21:52 > 0:21:56before finally being released into the wilds of the sanctuary.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00This is a halfway home for the camels.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It's all new being out in the bush.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It's something they've never experienced before,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07but it's in their nature.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10So I've built this so we can go home
0:22:10 > 0:22:13and feel comfortable that they can't get out,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16cos it's such a solid structure.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20This will give them an area to get used to the sounds
0:22:20 > 0:22:24and the sights and the big open beautiful outback sky.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27And then when we feel that they've settled in,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30we can let them go.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Let them out into the bush.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40With camels, emus, wombats and hospital building to cope with,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Brolga's got a lot on his plate.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46And having just recovered from his recent injury,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48he can't afford any further setbacks.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51But there's a problem.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Roger, the dominant alpha-male kangaroo,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01is still as dangerous as ever,
0:23:01 > 0:23:04and has to be isolated in a separate enclosure
0:23:04 > 0:23:06whenever there are visitors.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Roger never lets me alone.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11I can never have five minutes of the day,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14if I'm out in Roger territory,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18where Roger's not trying to attack me.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Just relax. Come on!
0:23:23 > 0:23:25I'm your mum, for God's sake!
0:23:25 > 0:23:27BROLGA SIGHS
0:23:27 > 0:23:28Come on!
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Let's just take it easy, mate.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32OK?
0:23:32 > 0:23:34BROLGA GROANS
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Brolga's keen to find a way of enriching Roger's life
0:23:38 > 0:23:41during the time he's separated from the mob,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44which will, hopefully, also make him less aggressive.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Hey!
0:23:48 > 0:23:52I'm seeking advice, and the best advice I can get is from...
0:23:52 > 0:23:54This is the kangaroo Bible.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58This is what I turn to whenever I need...advice.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02And the expert who wrote it - a friend of mine, Lynda Staker -
0:24:02 > 0:24:05she's not always on the phone.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08So... Now, there's a section here about enrichment.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Enrichment is where you actually give a captive animal
0:24:11 > 0:24:13something to do.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16There's nothing more that Roger likes doing
0:24:16 > 0:24:18than...attacking something.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23Here it says we can give them a stuffed toy, like a teddy bear.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Imagine Roger with a teddy bear!
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Erm, a punching bag even.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Just the other day, Roger attacked his feed bucket.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Now, this is a metal feed bucket
0:24:35 > 0:24:39and he put it in a headlock, basically a chokehold,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and he squeezed the life out of it.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46So...kangaroos have extreme power.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50And I want Roger to use that power and use that aggression
0:24:50 > 0:24:53when, hopefully, I give him a teddy bear or a punching bag.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55You know, a bit like anger management.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Time to put the words in Brolga's kangaroo Bible to the test.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06This is what we call enrichment.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It's in the book. I want you to fight the teddy, not me.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Focus on him. On him. Look.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15OK?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Come on! Forget about me, all right?
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Go back to ted. That's it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25- BROLGA SIGHS - Come on!
0:25:30 > 0:25:32BIRD SQUAWKS
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Early on, things aren't exactly going to plan.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41No. No.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I think this is going to take a while.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59That's it.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03After some gentle encouragement,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07it appears that Roger's beginning to focus his attention
0:26:07 > 0:26:08on the teddy bear.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11But only time will tell if this is the solution
0:26:11 > 0:26:13to dealing with Roger's aggression.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Downtown in Alice Springs,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25two adult kangaroos have been abandoned in a back yard.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Their owner has upped sticks and left town,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35and Brolga's been called to the rescue.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42The roos have been raised here since they were joeys,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46and because they've lived their entire life in captivity
0:26:46 > 0:26:49they cannot be released to the wild.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52So Brolga is stepping in to offer them a home
0:26:52 > 0:26:55in the safe haven of his sanctuary.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Brolga usually rescues baby kangaroos,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09taking on adults presents a different set of challenges.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11- HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE - Hello!
0:27:13 > 0:27:16- Hello. - HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Moving big kangaroos like this is very difficult.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22It is going to be a bit stressful for them
0:27:22 > 0:27:25leaving the only environment they've ever known.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29What I have to do is win the kangaroos' trust.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33The roos are both female.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Jaffa is ten years old
0:27:35 > 0:27:38and she's the first to come and check Brolga out.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Soon after, it's eight-year-old Columbine's turn
0:27:44 > 0:27:46to meet her new owner.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52These two kangaroos are obviously tame animals
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and have been extremely well looked after,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56but they don't know me.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00And kangaroos are very... almost nervous
0:28:00 > 0:28:04around meeting something and someone new.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07So it's really important that I take the moving of them
0:28:07 > 0:28:10really slow to win their trust.
0:28:14 > 0:28:15HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Brolga stays with Columbine and Jaffa for over an hour,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31but then there's no escaping what needs to be done.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38With Jaffa relaxing in the sun,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Brolga makes his move.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46HE GROANS
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Catching kangaroos requires skill.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Grabbing them by the tail is the best way to get hold of them,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54as it causes minimum distress.
0:28:54 > 0:28:55HE GROANS
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Kangaroos are not supposed to be kept as pets.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08Jaffa and Columbine have never experienced...
0:29:08 > 0:29:12anything, really, but a town back yard
0:29:12 > 0:29:16and the confines and the restrictions.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Now they're going to go out to my sanctuary,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22where they'll have open pastures
0:29:22 > 0:29:27and a forest to hide in and sleep under the trees during the day.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30That's the real environment for kangaroos.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31BIRD SQUAWKS
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Back at Brolga's shack,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41it's time to give Jaffa and Columbine
0:29:41 > 0:29:43their first taste of freedom.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:29:45 > 0:29:48These two kangaroos have only ever known each other.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51They haven't even seen another kangaroo.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Kangaroos are very much a family animal,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58so I'm really looking forward to getting them out to the bush
0:29:58 > 0:30:01where they can see others of their own kind.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Build up new friendships and, who knows,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06maybe a little bit of love.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10It's not long before Jaffa's out the door looking at her new home.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15But Columbine seems a lot more cautious.
0:30:17 > 0:30:18Look at that.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21You don't know what to make of it, do you?
0:30:22 > 0:30:23HE LAUGHS
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Jaffa's just jumped the fence.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Oh, she's out into the sanctuary now.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Columbine finally makes it out through the shack door.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37What can you see outside?
0:30:37 > 0:30:39That's the outback.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42That's where you should have grown up.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47Unlike Jaffa, Columbine is less sure of her new surroundings.
0:30:47 > 0:30:48BIRDSONG
0:30:48 > 0:30:51She's going to need some gentle encouragement from Brolga
0:30:51 > 0:30:54to make the leap out into his sanctuary.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Hey. Come on!
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Good girl!
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Good girl. Come on.
0:31:09 > 0:31:10Columbine, come on. That's it.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Good girl. Come on.
0:31:15 > 0:31:16Come on.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18HE LAUGHS
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Don't go back in there.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25Good girl! Look at that.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33Finally, Columbine and Jaffa
0:31:33 > 0:31:35have the freedom of the outback.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Letting the kangaroos go...
0:31:41 > 0:31:44is the best time for me.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50Now they're doing what makes me... so proud,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53watching kangaroos bound through the open grassland.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56To me, it's the sense of freedom.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00To watch them run off...
0:32:00 > 0:32:02there's nothing better.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18It's a big day.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Brolga's left the sanctuary and travelled 1,500 kilometres
0:32:22 > 0:32:24to the Ceduna Rescue Centre,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27where Pete, the southern hairy-nosed wombat,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30has been recovering from his broken leg.
0:32:30 > 0:32:31BARKING
0:32:31 > 0:32:34It's run by Val Salmon and her volunteers,
0:32:34 > 0:32:37who dedicate their lives to caring for wombat orphans
0:32:37 > 0:32:44who've lost their parents in traffic accidents on the highway.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Val's house is a warren of wombats,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and at any one time, there may be as many as 20 joeys
0:32:50 > 0:32:53occupying her house.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58The best way to hold 'em is to put this hand around them,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00like I've got here underneath their backside.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- Yeah.- And the other one around there.- Yeah.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- And that way you've got them secure. - Is that right?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- Or is it like that?- Yeah, that's it.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09- So you're sort of cradling them like a newborn baby.- Yeah.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11How's that?
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Yeah, that's it. That's worked.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20Before Brolga can take Pete
0:33:20 > 0:33:23on the long journey north back to Alice Springs,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26Val wants to do a final assessment of his injury.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Yeah. Yeah.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Now the cast is off, he can have a good run around.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Yes, he can. We'll see how he goes.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41- Are you going to be all right for this, eh?- You ready, Pete?
0:33:41 > 0:33:42You reckon he's ready?
0:33:42 > 0:33:45- Yes. Let's put him down and see what happens.- Go on, mate.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Look at that.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57- Wow! Look at him. He looks... he looks brand-new again.- Yep.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Not even limping, Pete.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01You've done a really good job with him.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Yeah, I'm happy with him.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Every day you'll be amazed, once you get Pete,
0:34:06 > 0:34:10- you'll be amazed at what he does and all the different things.- Yeah
0:34:10 > 0:34:13They've got a real character, they're very intelligent.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19- But he's going to get bigger than this, isn't he?- Yeah.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21He's only 16 kilos now
0:34:21 > 0:34:25- and he will end up around 35-40 kilos.- Oh, will he?
0:34:25 > 0:34:27He'll be a big boy.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Here he comes. Hey!
0:34:32 > 0:34:34He's quite quick, isn't he?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41He's such a beauty. He, like, glistens in the sun.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43Yeah, he is a beautiful animal.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45He's the king of the castle.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Yum! You want some?
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- You want a treat? - PETE BREAKS WIND
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Wasn't me.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03- HE SIGHS - Geez! Funny boy.
0:35:03 > 0:35:04Come on, this is your favourite.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07HE LAUGHS
0:35:07 > 0:35:09I'm just trying to make friends with Pete,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13cos...in a moment he's going to have his medication.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15And...then after that,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19I'm going to be looking at taking him back to the sanctuary.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22So, er...
0:35:22 > 0:35:24this sweetcorn is his favourite food.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27But, God, I tell you what, he is a handful.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29He's just all power.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34To hold him like this, it feels like I'm holding on to one big muscle.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Want to try again?
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- CRUNCHING - Ah, there you go. Yum, yum, yum.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Yum, yum, yum.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44That's it. Look at that.
0:35:44 > 0:35:45That's good. That's good.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Look at it, he's eating it like a beaver chewing through wood. Here.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52- HE SIGHS - Yum.
0:35:52 > 0:35:53Yum.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56With a good snack of sweetcorn in his belly,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58it's time for Pete's medicine.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01- Righto, mate.- Precautionary pain relief to make his long trip
0:36:01 > 0:36:05back to Brolga's sanctuary as comfortable as possible.
0:36:05 > 0:36:06BOTH LAUGH
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Is it nice-tasting medication, do you think?
0:36:08 > 0:36:10It's banana flavour, so...
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- Oh, is it?- Yeah.- He should like it.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Don't bite it. Don't bite it. Good boy. Good boy.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16HE SIGHS
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Little bit more. Little bit more.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22- BOTH LAUGH - Jesus! God!
0:36:22 > 0:36:25- I think he's snapped it in two. - HE LAUGHS
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Do you think that could be his last dose of medication?
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- I reckon it will be.- Yeah. - I don't think he needs any.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- I think there's not much wrong with him now.- Oh, good.- Eh, Pete?
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Having travelled for two days straight,
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Brolga and Pete have finally arrived back at the sanctuary.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Because Pete's species is endangered
0:36:52 > 0:36:54and he can never be released back to the wild,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Brolga's spared no expense and effort
0:36:57 > 0:36:59in creating an enclosure that will allow him
0:36:59 > 0:37:03to dig and burrow to his heart's content.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Oh, this...this is really an exciting moment for me,
0:37:09 > 0:37:13cos...for as long as I can remember it's been kangaroos
0:37:13 > 0:37:16and now we've got a totally different animal.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19I'm really looking forward to letting him in here.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Me and my mates have gone to so much trouble to house him
0:37:22 > 0:37:25and build this beautiful enclosure.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29So, there's no time like the present, eh, Pete?
0:37:29 > 0:37:33After a long drive, I reckon you're going to be wanting to get out.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35HE SIGHS
0:37:35 > 0:37:38This is it, mate. I hope you are going to be happy here.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- Hey! Hey! - HE LAUGHS
0:37:41 > 0:37:44How are you going?
0:37:45 > 0:37:46There you go.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Look at that!
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Good boy.
0:37:50 > 0:37:51Look at all this!
0:37:51 > 0:37:53HE LAUGHS
0:37:57 > 0:38:00It may not look like the Taj Mahal,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03it may not be that beautiful enclosure that you see
0:38:03 > 0:38:08in one of those fancy zoos, but this is very much suited to him.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12It's got lots of dirt that he can play around in and dig up.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15And I hope he starts making tunnels and settles right in.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18You can go under the ground.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22You've got eight metres of tunnels underground for you, mate.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29HE SIGHS
0:38:29 > 0:38:35Well, Pete...has come straight out of his carrier
0:38:35 > 0:38:39and had a bit of a scratch and gone straight down under...underground.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Straight down into the tunnel.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43I suppose, what do you expect of a wombat?
0:38:43 > 0:38:45I mean, they do live underground.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55Over the past few months,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58builders have been busy constructing Brolga's hospital,
0:38:58 > 0:39:02which will care for and treat not only orphaned kangaroos,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05but all Australian wildlife in need.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09The basic shell is now in place
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and work is beginning on fitting out the interior.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16DRILL WHIRS
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Surgery, toilet,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23laundry, kitchen.
0:39:27 > 0:39:32I love all animals. Always have, ever since I was a little kid.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35I set up the baby kangaroo rescue centre in 2005.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38And ever since then, I've sort of felt
0:39:38 > 0:39:42there's not an appropriate place for injured wildlife.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45They never get the same care that we get.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48You know, we've got hospitals, medical clinics for people,
0:39:48 > 0:39:53but, like, out here in the outback there's no hospital for animals.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58So it's always been in my mind and my dreams to...to build something.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01So, this is actually happening. You know, it's happening now.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Outside, Brolga and his mate Hamish
0:40:07 > 0:40:10are marking out the footprint of the hospital
0:40:10 > 0:40:14that when viewed from the air will look like a giant red kangaroo.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- If we connect all of these dots... - Yep.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24..basically, we should be able to make a perfect red kangaroo.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25- So like a dot-to-dot?- Pretty much.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30I haven't done that since I was a kid. Tip of tail to the head...
0:40:30 > 0:40:33We're going to be looking at about a 55-metre kangaroo.
0:40:33 > 0:40:34BOTH LAUGH
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- It's going to be a big boy. - I never expected it to be that big.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- That should do it.- OK.- No worries.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50The hospital opening can't come soon enough.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55In Alice Springs, Cynthia has yet another orphan kangaroo
0:40:55 > 0:40:57in need of treatment at the local vet.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Cos you can feel the actual fluid.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03He's a young adult and his release to the wild has had to be delayed
0:41:03 > 0:41:06because he's developed a nasty abscess.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13What I think the best option would be
0:41:13 > 0:41:15is to make a small incision, OK?
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Put some local anaesthetic in there so he doesn't feel it,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22and make a small incision into that swelling.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24- Mmhmm.- Drain the puss out that's in there,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- and then you'll have to manage it at home...- Yes.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30- ..with regular flushing with a dilute iodine solution.- Yeah.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- One, two, three.- Go.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33Taking the kangaroos to the vet
0:41:33 > 0:41:37is a common occurrence and very time consuming.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39It's one of the reasons
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Cynthia's so keen to get the hospital up and running.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44SHAVER WHIRS
0:41:44 > 0:41:47I think one of the big things with having the hospital
0:41:47 > 0:41:50is that your vet can come out and they can see all of them in one go,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53instead of having to run in and out to the vet every five minutes.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56That will cut down a lot of our time
0:41:56 > 0:41:58and the animal has to benefit from that.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01And that's what we're looking at, where the animal comes first.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08Draining the abscess is followed by flushing out the wound.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- We're going to flush it out, is that right?- Mm-hmm.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13We're going to flush the thing out?
0:42:13 > 0:42:18- If you can flush it with 30ml twice a day, that would be very good.- Yes.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20- That's that one.- Good boy.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Once we've got the hospital,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26we'll have dedicated space to do things.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29If we're treating an eye, if we're cleaning up wounds,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32re-bandaging, we'll have a dedicated washing area
0:42:32 > 0:42:36for the ones that have alopecia and have skin conditions.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38So everything'll be there in the one spot.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Come on.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44'That's where the hospital will, I think, make a big, big difference.'
0:42:44 > 0:42:46THUMPING
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Is that the way you feel about it? Yeah, all right.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- Want some flyspray?- You do the others and I'll do this.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57It's been two weeks since Brolga and Tahnee
0:42:57 > 0:43:01moved their camels from their home to the holding pen.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Jasmine...
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Now they're being prepared to be set free
0:43:05 > 0:43:08to roam in the wilds of the sanctuary.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12- Hey. - GRUNTING
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Wow! I just saw straight down... the throat of a camel.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18I could just about see his heart.
0:43:18 > 0:43:23We're going to...put ropes on them now and lead them out...
0:43:23 > 0:43:25lead them out to the bush.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27And then, when we feel the time is right,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30- we'll let them off, eh?- Yes.- Yeah.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32So, yeah, very, very exciting.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35Isn't it? Are you excited? I'm hugely excited.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37Walk up. Walk up.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Walk up. Good boy.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58Life's about new experiences,
0:43:58 > 0:44:01and these camels have been new experiences for us.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06This journey that I and Tahnee have taken over the last couple of years,
0:44:06 > 0:44:08with taking on orphaned camels,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11is something that we look upon in our life
0:44:11 > 0:44:14as one of the highlights, without a doubt.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17Look at you!
0:44:17 > 0:44:19You're free camels!
0:44:19 > 0:44:20HE LAUGHS
0:44:20 > 0:44:23You too! Look, you're free.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25There you go, look.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30We're going to be here with you, don't worry. We'll be here with you.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Straight to the bushes.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40I love my sanctuary.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42And to see camels out there...
0:44:42 > 0:44:44My little babies are now grown up,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46they're now being real camels -
0:44:46 > 0:44:48it's such a beautiful sight.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50You know, they're there to be free.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03- Well, it's good to see them like this.- Hmm.- Isn't it?
0:45:03 > 0:45:07- And they naturally went for the witchetty bushes and the food that they are meant to eat.- Yeah.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10No, it's exciting stuff. It's exciting to see them.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15- Theo's hopefully going to settle down a bit. Remember when I went to pick him up?- Hmm.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18Little baby camel getting torn apart by dogs out in the bush.
0:45:18 > 0:45:19It was such an awful thing to see.
0:45:19 > 0:45:24- To see him now, I mean, I didn't think he was going to pull through. - Yeah. He's...beautifully natured.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28He's so gentle and he's a happy little camel,
0:45:28 > 0:45:30despite what he's been through.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32And then Jasmine, I mean,
0:45:32 > 0:45:34- there's nothing we can do about her crooked face.- Hmm.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38- But...- She's got a big hump and she's happy.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41- She's got two boyfriends. - Oh, little brothers.
0:45:41 > 0:45:42BOTH LAUGH
0:45:42 > 0:45:46Cameron's sort of become the father figure for the other two orphans.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50- So, I mean, it's just a fantastic story.- Yeah, it is. It is.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08With the camels settling in,
0:46:08 > 0:46:11Brolga's come to check on Roger the dominant male
0:46:11 > 0:46:13to see what difference, if any,
0:46:13 > 0:46:16the teddy bear has made to enriching his life.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21The teddy certainly seems to stimulate Roger,
0:46:21 > 0:46:24but the million-dollar question...
0:46:24 > 0:46:26has it made him any less aggressive?
0:46:30 > 0:46:32BIRDSONG
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Whoa!
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Whoa!
0:46:42 > 0:46:44It clearly hasn't worked!
0:46:44 > 0:46:48He wants to grab me and rip me up.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50He still wants to kill me.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Although Brolga's attempt to divert Roger
0:46:56 > 0:46:58with the teddy bear has completely failed,
0:46:58 > 0:47:01there's been an interesting development.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06Roger's recently been showing
0:47:06 > 0:47:09signs of attraction towards Columbine,
0:47:09 > 0:47:12the female kangaroo that Brolga rescued from the back yard
0:47:12 > 0:47:14in downtown Alice Springs.
0:47:22 > 0:47:27I've seen Roger taking a real interest in Columbine.
0:47:27 > 0:47:31And she's come right up to Roger's enclosure,
0:47:31 > 0:47:34pushing herself against the wire,
0:47:34 > 0:47:37and Roger's come over and started sniffing her.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39And she's staying there.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42And if she walks along the fence, Roger follows her.
0:47:48 > 0:47:52Straight away, when I saw that, I thought, "Hey, she's on heat."
0:47:52 > 0:47:55And she's saying to Roger, "I want to be mated."
0:47:58 > 0:48:00To help things along,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Brolga's bringing Columbine to Roger's enclosure.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08He's aware this might be her last chance to have a joey.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Are you going to meet Roger?
0:48:10 > 0:48:12HE GROANS
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Columbine is an old lady.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19She's coming to the end of her breeding life
0:48:19 > 0:48:22and she's never even seen a boy kangaroo.
0:48:22 > 0:48:26If she can have a little baby, you know, experience motherhood,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28it would be beautiful.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Roger's attracted to the scent
0:48:33 > 0:48:37of Columbine's reproductive tract that's called the cloaca.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38SNIFFING
0:48:38 > 0:48:42By continually following her and regularly checking her scent,
0:48:42 > 0:48:45he's able to detect when she reaches peak fertility
0:48:45 > 0:48:48and is receptive to mating.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53Roger's courtship is beautiful to watch.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56You know, he's not pushing the girl,
0:48:56 > 0:48:58he's not straight into mating.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Roger is really taking it easy.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07He'll walk up to her and try to pat her on the bum.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13If she moves forward, he'll just keep following.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18And keep following and keep following.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27When the time's right, she will just, basically, sit still
0:49:27 > 0:49:30and say, "OK, mate...I'm ready."
0:49:34 > 0:49:36GRUNTING
0:49:43 > 0:49:45GRUNTING
0:49:45 > 0:49:48I'm really hoping - I mean, fingers crossed -
0:49:48 > 0:49:53that, in 33 days' time, which is the gestation for the red kangaroo,
0:49:53 > 0:49:57Columbine might get a little baby in the pouch.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03That's what to me really makes the kangaroo such a beautiful animal -
0:50:03 > 0:50:06the little baby sticking its head out of mum's pouch.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20HE SIGHS
0:50:20 > 0:50:24Back at the site of Brolga's wildlife hospital, work continues.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33Brolga's fellow kangaroo carers from Alice Springs
0:50:33 > 0:50:37are making preparations for the arrival of the local vet.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44Animal patients requiring treatment are stacking up
0:50:44 > 0:50:48and Brolga's keen to get them seen to as soon as possible.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50- Small steri strips.- Steri strips.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54It's early days for the hospital, but I'm really excited.
0:50:54 > 0:50:59We've got some supplies that people have generously donated to us.
0:50:59 > 0:51:01Some of 'em are a bit out of date,
0:51:01 > 0:51:03but just bandages and things like that.
0:51:03 > 0:51:08But with the help from Cynthia and other like-minded wildlife carers,
0:51:08 > 0:51:10we can make a go of it now.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14It finally feels fantastic
0:51:14 > 0:51:18to at last be able to unpack these things and...and feel
0:51:18 > 0:51:20as if maybe we're getting a hospital.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24All these dreams we've had for so long are starting come to reality.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26And...it's a good feeling.
0:51:26 > 0:51:27A very good feeling.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34Today, we can actually invite the vet to come into our place
0:51:34 > 0:51:40and we can start a whole new chapter in our lives,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43and that's the opening of the Kangaroo Hospital
0:51:43 > 0:51:45to its first animal patients.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48A hospital. About time, eh?
0:51:48 > 0:51:50You're right. I thought I'd be under the grave
0:51:50 > 0:51:52before they'd gone and finished!
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Nah, nah, you're not going anywhere.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57Six foot under by the time they got to doing it.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59- LAUGHTER - Come on, baby girl.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02Right, patient number one.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05- Beautiful.- I can see sand has got into it.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07It's a cut. You can see the bone.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11That's fine. They don't have a lot of spare tissue on their legs.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15It's mostly just skin overlying the bone
0:52:15 > 0:52:17- and their tendon and ligament structures.- Yep.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21- So it's not the end of the world when you can see bone.- Yep.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24- I think it's still a bit tender. - It is a little bit.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27- She's very brave, though.- She is.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30So, we'll pop a nice sterile dressing on it
0:52:30 > 0:52:34to keep the sand and the flies and the dirt out of it.
0:52:36 > 0:52:38I am over the moon. Absolutely over the moon.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40It's just everything I've wanted.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44It's been a long time coming and although we are
0:52:44 > 0:52:47pretty level-headed people, we're pretty happy.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Next up is an orphaned rock wallaby
0:52:49 > 0:52:53that Cynthia soon hopes to release back to the wild.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57- We want you to give him the tick of approval.- A final once over.
0:52:57 > 0:53:02- A final nellie. He got caught up in a fence.- Mm-hmm.- A chain fence.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05He was lucky that somebody saw two eagles circling around,
0:53:05 > 0:53:09found him, and he'd scrapped right down to the bone.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11OK. So he's nice and pink,
0:53:11 > 0:53:15so you've obviously been using the antiseptic and anti-fly spray.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19- He's got good mobility in that joint.- Yes.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22Which means he shouldn't have too much trouble getting around.
0:53:22 > 0:53:27And that's healed beautifully and it's no longer an infection risk.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29So, he looks pretty good to me.
0:53:31 > 0:53:32Whoops-a-daisy.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36Over a morning session, Brolga and Cynthia
0:53:36 > 0:53:39get other orphans checked out by the vet.
0:53:44 > 0:53:45This is the start of a venture
0:53:45 > 0:53:49that will treat and rehabilitate thousands of animals in the future.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52- You hold it so that it's flat. - All right.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54So that's nice and straight.
0:53:54 > 0:53:59I always think back to a lot of the...the joeys we've lost,
0:53:59 > 0:54:02you know, the babies we've lost over the years
0:54:02 > 0:54:05that had to be put to sleep because there was no help there.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09That's what drives me today.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11That's what drives me deep down...
0:54:11 > 0:54:14is the ones that we've lost.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16And I felt they should have had better.
0:54:16 > 0:54:17So...
0:54:20 > 0:54:22..we'll do better.
0:54:22 > 0:54:23We'll do better.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26- Back to bed!- Back to bed?
0:54:26 > 0:54:27There you are.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30- In you go.- Up you go. There you go!
0:54:36 > 0:54:41The last patient on the list is Pete the southern hairy-nosed wombat.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44Over the past month, he's lost a lot of hair
0:54:44 > 0:54:47and Brolga's concerned this is affecting his health.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Just watch him - he's a bit bitey.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55- A bit bitey and a bit kicky.- Yep.
0:54:55 > 0:54:56You're all right, bud.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00These guys are really, really prone to getting mange.
0:55:00 > 0:55:04- Yep.- His hair is just a bit moth-eaten looking there.- Yeah.
0:55:04 > 0:55:10- Yeah.- But he's got no sores and he's got no weeping bits,
0:55:10 > 0:55:14so, hopefully, with some anti-parasite treatment
0:55:14 > 0:55:17- he should be...he should be all good.- Good. Good.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20- OK. He's not going to love it.- No.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23- Ah, brave boy, Pete.- Good boy.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25- There you go.- Good boy, good boy.
0:55:25 > 0:55:31So it's a quick injection to...treat those mange mites.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Yep. Yeah, he's a handful.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37- He is 20 kilos of pure muscle. - Of muscle.- Muscle.- Solid muscle.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40'I'm going to have to watch Pete.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42He's a bit like...an experiment.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45'We're going to keep a close eye on him.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47'And...if he can make it through
0:55:47 > 0:55:51'this very long hot summer without any problems,
0:55:51 > 0:55:53'I think we'll be safe to bring in more wombats.'
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Yum! You love your sweet potato, don't you?
0:55:57 > 0:56:00'And I have actually put in an order
0:56:00 > 0:56:02for two girlfriends for Pete
0:56:02 > 0:56:04'in the coming year or so.
0:56:04 > 0:56:09'They can have babies and...help their species prosper,
0:56:09 > 0:56:11'because they are an endangered species.'
0:56:15 > 0:56:19A day after the first animals had been successfully treated,
0:56:19 > 0:56:23workmen arrive at the sanctuary to help realise Brolga's dream
0:56:23 > 0:56:25of creating the footprint of the hospital
0:56:25 > 0:56:29in the shape of Australia's most iconic animal.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44The idea of the kangaroo shape is something different
0:56:44 > 0:56:48than a rectangular hospital like every other building.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51This is art on a grand scale
0:56:51 > 0:56:54and, hopefully, it'll be the talk of the outback.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02It's taken months of planning.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05There's been times where I've been scratching my head
0:57:05 > 0:57:09and concerned that making what is probably the world's largest kangaroo on the ground...
0:57:09 > 0:57:11It just seemed too difficult.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13Everything's been a concern.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16Can we afford to bring these machines in?
0:57:16 > 0:57:18You know, can I afford to buy the white rocks?
0:57:18 > 0:57:22Everything has been to a budget down to the last dollar.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26I'm thinking, "Wow... Can I actually pull this thing off?"
0:57:27 > 0:57:29Today, I've been smiling all day.
0:57:29 > 0:57:33It's great. It's more than great,
0:57:33 > 0:57:35because it's turned out so well.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43If you're 30,000 feet above us in a plane flying over Alice Springs,
0:57:43 > 0:57:47you should be able to see this iconic animal...
0:57:47 > 0:57:50the red kangaroo...
0:57:50 > 0:57:52bounding through the bush.
0:57:54 > 0:57:56This is a statement to the world...
0:57:56 > 0:57:59We love our wildlife and let's look after it.