Aged 17, Chris 'Brolga' Barns was meant to be the 'bird guy' at a new zoo in Broome. A cough in his keeper's house alerted him to a kangaroo joey called Josie, who needed four-hourly feeds and help with the toilet. From then on he was hooked.
Brolga knew early on he wanted to make a living working with animals.
After meeting Josie he began to rescue other 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
This episode was produced by Nicola Harrison. The Executive Producer was Pam O'Brien.
This episode of Conversations touches on kangaroos, wildlife care, Alice Springs, orphaned joeys, kangaroo joeys, epic life stories, origin stories, zoos, roadkill, outback Australia and the outback.
To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
