Major Leslie James HiddinsAM, known as "The Bush Tucker Man" is a retired Australian Army soldier and war veteran who is best known for his love and knowledge of the Australian bush. Hiddins is recognized by his distinctively modified Akubra "sombrero" hat and big grin.
Military service
As a soldier with the Australian Army, Hiddins did two deployments in South Vietnam between 1966 and 1968, the first as a forward scout in the infantry. In 1987, he was awarded a Defence Fellowship to research survival in northern Australia. He was the principal author of the Australian Army's military survival manual. As part of this research, Hiddins was introduced to the Kakadu plum by the Aboriginal people, who had used the plant for thousands of years. He claims that the analysis finding it to have the highest concentration of Vitamin C of any known natural substance in the world was made on fruit he provided. Hiddins retired from the Australian Regular Army in 1989 with the rank of Major but continued to serve with the Army Reserve until 2001, working with Indigenous Australian communities in northern Australia.
Bush Tucker Man
This research turned into the TV series The Bush Tucker Man. The series involves Hiddins driving around in a Land Rover Perentie, with his trademark hat, finding and describing native Australian bush food or "bush tucker". Hiddins appeared in two ABC TV series of Bush Tucker Man, and the series Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Survival. He also appeared in the TV documentaries Pandora – in the Wake of the Bounty and The Batavia. His other publications are Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Exploration and Survival, Bush Tucker Man – Tarnished Heroes, Explore Wild Australia with the Bush Tucker Man, Bush Tucker Fieldguide. In 2000 Hiddins published four books specifically for children: The Coral Coast, The Top End, The Tropical Rainforest, and The Living Desert. He has released two CD-ROMs, From the Rainforest to Cape York Peninsula and From Arnhem Land to the Kimberley Ranges. The National Museum of Australia in Canberra has a Bush Tucker Man display with some of his original bush gear. In 2001, Hiddins led an effort to establish a wilderness retreat, exclusively for war veterans, on a 9 sq km parcel of government land along the banks of the Normanby River at "Kalpowar Station", adjoining Lakefield National Park in Cape York Peninsula. The remote and relatively inaccessible area, devoid of amenities of any kind, was named "Pandanus Park". After years of conflict with government over their illegal occupation, the group secured a 15-year lease when the entire Kalpowar Station was returned to Aboriginal title in 2005. Ray Mears made a BBC programme about and with him, shown on BBC Two in June 2009 as part of his Ray Mears Goes Walkabout series. In 2019, Hiddins began re-engaging the world with his curiosity by starting a dedicated to the Australian outback and bush tucker.
Awards and honours
In 1987, Hiddins was awarded membership of the Order of Australia. On 28 March 2008, Hiddins was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by James Cook University's Faculty of Science, Engineering and Information Technology:
"in recognition for his outstanding and distinguished contribution to Australia and the northern Queensland community through his work on the ABC TV series Bush Tucker Man, his time in the defense force where he worked with indigenous communities and establishing a bush retreat in Cape York for Vietnam veterans to enjoy."
TV programmes
Series:
Bush Tucker Man, Series One – ABC
Episode 1: Arnhem Land Episode 2: The Wet in Port Keats Episode 3: Desert Episode 4: Prince Regent Gorge Episode 5: Rain Forest Episode 6: Coastal Episode 7: Doomadgee Episode 8: Aurukun
Bush Tucker Man, Series Two – ABC
Episode 1: Wet Season Episode 2: East To West Episode 3: Kimberley Episode 4: Top End Episode 5: Wildman Episode 6: Coastal Story Episode 7: Desert Story
Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Survival – ABC
Episode 1: The Coffee Royal Affair Episode 2: The Cannibal Convict Episode 3: The Great Misadventure Episode 4: The Best of Them All Episode 5: The Dutch Settlement Episode 6: Gold Fever Episode 7: The Passionate Prussian Episode 8: Into The Vilest Country
Books
Bush Tucker Man Series
*Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Exploration and Survival
