20th Anniversary Collection: Brolga the 'kangaroo mum'

Australia Broadcast Center

2 days ago

Chris 'Brolga' Barns knew early on he wanted to make a living working with animals.
When he was 17, he landed a job at a new zoo in Broome, where he was to be 'the bird guy'.
One lonely night, while in the house provided for the keepers by the zoo, Brolga heard coughing from one of the bedrooms.
The source was an orphaned joey named Josie.
Just like a baby, she needed four-hourly feeds, and help going to the toilet.
The experience of helping Josie started Brolga's unique connection to kangaroos.
After a time, he began to rescue the joeys left alive in their mothers' pouches after the large animals had been hit by cars.
Word spread about his passion for orphaned joeys, and he started an education centre in an old double-decker bus.
In 2013 the BBC made a documentary about Brolga, Kangaroo Dundee , which became a worldwide hit.
Brolga and his wife Tahnee now run a hospital and rescue centre outside Alice Springs.
Further information
Originally broadcast October 2018.
Read more about Brolga's Kangaroo Sanctuary.
2025 update: since Sarah's original conversation with Brolga, the mighty Roger has passed away, at the age of 12.
A new Australian movie, Kangaroo , based on Brolga's life and the sanctuary, is due for release in September.
Standout story – Belinda Terry
Hear Belinda Terry, 'Nocka' Peoples, Cheryl Thompson, Elizabeth 'Thumper' Clark in a special night of storytelling from Muttaburra.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/muttaburra-stories-conversations-in-the-shearing-shed/7788918
You can read all about the Conversations origin story on the ABC News website.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-03/richard-fidler-reflects-on-20-years-of-conversations/105495784