Vale Malcolm Douglas

[BigJules]

I've had a signed picture of Malcolm, with a croc draped over his shoulders for years. My own father died many years ago, so none of my friends knew him, and from time to time I would be asked if that was a photo of my dad.

I enjoyed his documentaries very much, and not less so when I picked up a great book written by a lawyer from Sydney, who was up in the Kimberley living a young man's dream, and working as cameraman for Douglas. The books paints a picture of a cantankerous bloke, and suggests there is more than a few 20L buckets working at the end of the rod in some of those epic scenes  . It's a terrific read, will find it and post the title.

This is not to denigrate his memory, I shall always think kindly of Malcolm, he did much to bring the bush into our living rooms.

[SteveandViv]

I agree Bushman. There is talk in town of a heart attack but we won't know for a while. The whole of Broome is fairly beat up about this even if he was quite a blunt man around town. will keep you all up to date as we find out more...It will be funny to not see him driving around town just as you all see him in his cruiser, dog on the seat and the ever present hat..

RIP Malcolm.

[Flemo]

Loss of another great Aussie!

I know its not him but it made my day seeing this bloke in Bali a few years ago and convincing everyone it was MD........on a surf trip!

[crackacoldie]

RIP Malcolm, the original Bushy.  You will leave a hole in our society that will never be filled.

[Wilk0]

RIP Mal

[grubbadoo1]

Here here RIP Mal, 

[Proudy]

A true pioneer he will be missed. RIP

[NewcastleKnight]

I thought I heard of his passing this morning but then thought nahhh heard it wrong.

Good luck mate and happy camping in the next life....

[Sharky]

Sad news.
My first glimps of the Kimberley was through his doccos. They had a rawness that made the top end look so wild and appealing - turns out it really is wild and appealing.
Northern Australia has lost a key advocate...

[dorey76]

Crocs and Barramundi, On the road with Malcolm Douglas. Best book ever, a true character. Loved everyone of his doco's. Very sad indeed, another childhood idol gone. RIP

[theflyingbadger]

Crocs and Barramundi, On the road with Malcolm Douglas. Best book ever, a true character. Loved everyone of his doco's. Very sad indeed, another childhood idol gone. RIP

Cheers Dorey. I've reserved it from my local library just now. I'll pick it up next week, sounds like a good read

[jeeps]

I heard that he was pinned between the cruiser and a tree, it wasn't a high speed crash. The handbrake may have given way.

[SteveandViv]

He was reaching into the car to turn it on but it was in gear. It started and as it moved forwards the door came into contact with a tree and crushed him between the door and B Piller which is where he was found with massive internal injuries. A freak accident as it turns out. No heart attack, no high speed, no nothing. just a bloody shame

[whitey1]

So sad to hear about a legends death. A great loss to the Kimberley and Australia in general. RIP Malcolm

[Farquo]

An innovator with his TV show that, with others that followed, was an inspiration to so much of the adventurous travel that we do. RIP

[Symon]

That was one bloke who I though would live to be a hundred..... he will be sorely missed.

Irwin, Douglas, Leyland.... there aren't many Australian legends left, Les Hiddins had better watch out if this is indeed a trend starting here....

[Matto]

just a bloody shame

Indeed it is. He'll be sorely missed. As others have already said, a true ambassador for the bush.

On Saturday I was watching an old Layland Bros episode where they head to the tip of Cape York. After dragging the landrover ute through the Jardine backwards, thorugh water as deep as the roof of the car, I wondered why they went back that way and didn't just take the inland road back. It dawned on me about 15 mins later that obviously there was no development road then - just the one goat track along the telegraph line.

Makes you realise the lengths that guys like Malcolm and the Leylands had it, not only travelling through those areas in conditions that would make most of us turn around, but to do so whilst lugging hundreds of kilos of very expensive and delicate camera gear along. All so we could all be a part of it in our lounge rooms, and experience this great land through their travels.

Vale Malcolm.

Matto

[MADCOW]

He certainly brought the Kimbereley to light. Especially Montgomery reef and Talbot Bay. fyi Don Burrows has played in every one of his docos I believe. It was through his tv shows that inspired us to go there and see for ourselves. The Indigenous people will also miss him terribly.

[craigtempo]

Yep

use to watch his shows when i was a kid. he was an inspiration tome and  a great many people .

R.I.P malcom 

[Darcy7]

Man I just read this and all I can say is I didn't hear anything about it.  I'm really devestated by this.

If anyone asked me who were my greatest inspirations in life, I would say my dad, the Leyland brothers and Malcolm Douglas.  I reckon most of us on this forum (especially those in our mid 30's to mid 40's) would have grown up watching their shows on TV and inspiring us to have a passion about this country and see it in its rawest form.  Not from the window of a 5 star hotel, but from the windscreen of a 4wd and under a 5 million star sky.

Malcolm was larger than life, a true gentleman, a pioneer and a story teller.  Its hard to believe he died in such ridiculous circumstances.

A real loss this....  May he rest in peace and live on in our hearts.

[darrello]

Would anyone have the movies he made?? cant afford the 1200 bucks he wants for them..
maybe do a swap??I have the complete version of BUSH TUCKER MAN series....

[morgue]

Very sad day, I went to his Croc display farm in Broome, very educational on what Crocs can and can't do, it was a real credit to the man. He was one of the true bushies and a real environmentalist who practised what he preached...pitty some of the pollies could take notice of the great man.

RIP

[D4D]

Channel 7 in MEL @ 9:30 tonight is showing 'The Wild and Dangerous Kimberley Coast'

Join Australian adventurer Malcolm Douglas as he travels through the far north region of the Kimberley Coast. A huge wilderness to some of the biggest tides of the world with over 800 islands and dangerous predators that can be deadly to the inexperienced traveller.

[theflyingbadger]

Same in Perth

[Bushman]

Sydney too