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AN
INTRODUCTION FROM CROCODILE MICK
Unlike
most books and stories about crocodiles, these stories are about my life in
Weipa as a Crocodile Poacher and Hunter and some are from every day happenings
in the day-to-day living in the bush off the land. This is why I called my first
collection of stories ‘Hairy Moments and Strange Happenings.’ A very appropriate name! The
bush has always been in my life right from the start. Right when I was in
Tasmania in the late 50s my father and mother were involved in a company who
specialized in building dams and power stations so it meant a bush upbringing. I
adapted to this lifestyle like a duck to water with my father and an array of
uncles and cousins that were into all facets of fishing and hunting, so
naturally I have been hunting and fishing from as far back as I can remember. By
the age of 10, I could shoot any gun and hit 99% of all targets in the field and
could catch a fish in a muddy hole if not with a fishing line a set line and if
no success, I could tickle the fish with my hands and catch it that way. I
hunted everything from rabbits to deer and fished in salt water and fresh water
all over Tassie. I was getting itchy feet and a break up in my first marriage
was just the opportunity I needed. A
long time mate of mine always talked about the Gulf of Carpentaria full of
different fish, pigs, scrub cattle and of course crocodiles. That made my ears
prick up so off I went. I headed north to Cairns. That was it for a while I
chilled out in the Cairns party scene the day of the Big O and the Barbary Coast
what a rage that was, partying from when we finished work building Fremantle
class navy patrol boats at the local ship building company. I partied from in
the afternoon around five or six; ‘till the same time the next morning go back
to where I was living at the time, shower up and go to work. I needed a change
and needed it fast my body and pocket couldn’t sustain that sort of a flogging
for very much longer. Then
a stroke of luck happened. I was talking to a bloke down the street and he told
me about a job at the employment office for a plumber in Weipa in the Gulf of
Carpentaria so straight down to the office I went and made some inquiries. I
landed the job and I was out of Cairns in a week. Heading for Weipa on a plane.
The place looked unreal, rivers everywhere; I thought Cairns was hot when I
stepped out on the tarmac the heat waves were unbearable, it was hot in the mid
thirties, I can assure you of that. After
a couple of roofing jobs I soon acclimatized to the heat I worked for a company
subcontracting for Comalco for around ten months until I branched out on my own
I called my company the (WOP) Weipa’s Own Plumber. I worked for myself for
some 14 months during that time I had met and
employed a plumber by the name of German Jack Kiel, an
ex crocodile hunter. I
had already been out hunting with the German and every time Jack would recall of
some of his stories, I would get less and less interested in plumbing then one
day I packed my gear up and left mainstream society for the best adrenalin
pumping time of my life I saw some very strange things and had countless of
close calls with death. If
you have any doubt about any of my stories I have
proof of every one of them. I
hope you can share in some of my experiences. And
enjoy them and have a good laugh. My
first story I’ve called ‘You’ll Do Me Boy!’
YOU’LL
DO ME BOY!
This
story is how the German and I got together and what started, my career in crocs.
I was walking back from the local drinking house with a carton of beer over my
shoulder and was approached by a stocky, grubby, bent nosed bloke. He
said “You haven’t got a six pack for a dirty old fisherman?” I
said, “Only if you pay me back!” “No
worries,” he said. I
turned to my friend as we went down the road and said, “Who was that?” She
said, “That was German Jack.” “Fair
dinkum!” I said, “I want to meet him and see if he would take me croc
hunting.” She
laughed. “What’s
wrong?” “He
won’t take you hunting.” Two
weeks passed and I ran into him again. I said, “Where’s my six pack?” “That’s
right!” he said, “I haven’t got any money.” Straightaway
I said a trip up the river croc hunting; if I covered costs would that be all
right. He broke into a laugh. “Alright,” another laugh coming up, he said,
“bring a drum of fuel, a dozen beers and a bottle of vodka on Friday night
0600 hours.” “No
worries, I’ll be there.” Friday
night came – I was ready. Along
came Jack “Let’s
go,” I said. Give
me a beer first,” he replied; then off we went
into the blackness. This was a totally new experience for me. I have been in
boats all my life, but not dinghies in the middle of the night. It wasn’t long
before we spotted a croc. “See
the eyes glowing bright red?” Sure
enough there it was, first time I have ever seen a crocodile in the wild. As we
approached, I grabbed the .22 rifle. Jack
said, “No you don’t. If you want to hunt with me, you jump this one. He is
only 6½ footer.” “You
don’t expect me to jump on him do you?” “Yes
I do. Do you want to hunt or not? Just jump on his back and grab him around the
neck and don’t let go.” Up
I got. “I
must be fucking insane,” I said to myself and
with that, over I went, straight onto his back. A Perfect landing.
It felt very different – I thought the skin would be slippery, but it
wasn’t. After about two minutes of rolling and gasping with the animal, I had
control of him. I
screamed out to Jack, “What am I going to do? I can’t swim with him for much
longer!” Jack
laughed and yelled, “Just stand up!” I didn’t even know the water was only
a couple of feet deep, so I stood up. Jack grabbed the croc from me. “He
is a good’n – 6½ footer, you’ll do me boy.” “You’re
fuckin’ mad!” I
was only joking when I said ‘jump on him’ that was it for me. I wanted more.
So I finished up my jobs and left society. That
was the start of the best ten years of my life. Ten years of solid adrenalin
pumping action…. with the real Crocodile Dundee. All
good things have to come to an end: Jack Kiel was brutally murdered in the local
Stubby Hut in Weipa for two cartons of beer. I
miss you Mate and I think of you regularly! Click on the cart below to purchase this book:
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