Kaia Wright: The glamorous influencer behind Outback Wrangler Matt Wright
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and his model wife Kaia have built an idyllic life in the Top End on the back of their hit show's success - but it now all hangs in the balance.
He is the fearless crocodile whisperer who has carved out an international TV career showcasing Australia's wildlife in the wake of the tragic death of Steve Irwin.
And she is the glamorous mother-of-two social media influencer who combines croc wrestling with beauty tips - and has her own 5.5-metre pet crocodile called Tripod.
They had a sprawling home in the remote NT outback which they shared with 15 rescue crocs, three pigs - Pepsi, Truffle and Cola - two dingoes, Ernie and Albie, seven snakes and a collection of green tree frogs.
But the couple's thriving empire was thrown into turmoil when one of his helicopters plummeted from the skies, killing his mate and TV sidekick Chris 'Willow' Wilson.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and his model wife Kaia have built an idyllic life in the Top End on the back of the hit show's success - but it all now hangs in the balance
Kaia Wright is the glamorous mother-of-two social media influencer who combines croc wrestling with beauty tips - and has her own 5.5-metre pet crocodile called Tripod
Wright, 43, has faced a nine-month police and air crash investigation into the February 28 accident on the croc-infested King River swamps on West Arnhem land, 500km east of Darwin.
But his towering 183cm-tall wife Kaia, 33, has never left Wright's side throughout the ordeal, after they first met in fairytale fashion eight years ago.
Kaia was sipping champagne on a boat off Western Australia's Rottnest Island in 2014 as she rued her shocking love life to some close friends.
'I'll just hope an angel will fall from the sky,' she told them.
And then fate stepped in.
'Randomly, this chopper just flew in and landed in front of us,' she later told Stellar magazine about that first meeting with her future husband.
'He was all booted up. He changed into some shorts and jumped out.'
Kaia and Matt Wright (pictured with son Banjo, 4) first met when the TV star suddenly landed his helicopter near her while she was with friends on a boat off Rottnest Island in 2014
Kaia Wright's Instagram is a unique combination of outback wildlife and beauty products
They exchanged numbers on the first date - she put his next to 'Big Kid', he put hers next to 'Legend' - and a whirlwind romance followed.
They got engaged in 2016 and married in 2017.
Kaia had grown up in WA's Kimberley region where her parents worked in community development in Broome and Derby before she attended high school in Perth.
She studied journalism at university in Sydney - and later wrote her husband's best-selling life story - before moving into advertising.
She now combines her family role with TV demands and a burgeoning social media following which is closing in on 100,000 people who are kept updated on her thrilling and glamorous life in the outback.
Her Instagram account is a unique combination of outback wildlife and beauty products, leaping from one subject to the other in every other picture.
Kaia Wright's followers on social media are constantly updated on her thrilling and glamorous life in the outback
It details her outback life, wrestling crocs one moment, then extolling the latest hair care product the next as a brand ambassador.
Its popularity has soared on the back of Wright's National Geographic adventure show which has been running for 10 years.
The series is shown in 100 countries where Wright's daredevil exploits have made him a household name for many.
Its success has now sparked a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix for the first 10-episode season of his new show, Wild Croc Territory, with a second season planned.
The new production sees Wright combine his onscreen adventures with a lucrative off-screen executive producer role, alongside his wife's agent Nick Fordham, brother of 2GB's Ben Fordham.
They also run Top End Safari Camp, 120km south of Darwin, a luxury $895 a night glamping experience in ritzy tents to give tourists a taste of Wright's outback life.
The Wrights also run Top End Safari Camp, 120km south of Darwin, a luxury $895 a night glamping experience in ritzy tents to give tourists a taste of Wright's outback life
Wright's Outback Wrangler show on National Geographic has been running for 10 years and is shown in 100 countries
The couple are also building a lavish new luxury designer-home in Darwin which was revealed in an artist's impression (pictured) posted on social media by their architect
The couple are also building a lavish new luxury designer-home in Darwin.
'For us it's pretty interesting living between so many different worlds,' she told Escape magazine in September.
'We'll have to go to events and do the whole city thing, but it makes you appreciate so much more what you have up here.'
But as police moved in to start making arrests over the deadly February 28 crash, the Wrights left their wilderness paradise home to relocate to Queensland's Gold Coast.
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ShareNeil Mellon, an off duty NT Police sergeant, is accused of flying to the crash scene with Wright shortly after the accident.
He was arrested on August 25 and faces 31 charges relating to the crash.
On September 20, helicopter pilot Michael Burbridge - who was first on the scene of the accident - was also charged in connection with the crash.
Nine months to the day after the deadly crash, on November 28, a warrant was issued for Matt Wright's arrest over the tragedy.
Kaia Wright has been pregnant through throughout the investigation and had just given birth to their daughter, Dusty Faith, a sister for their four year old son, Banjo.
Kaia Wright has been pregnant through throughout the investigation into the death of Chris 'Willow' Wilson and gave birth 10 days before a warrant was issued for her husband's arrest, exactly nine months after the deadly crash
Ten days after giving birth Kaia Wright was back by Wright's side when they flew from Sydney to Darwin on Tuesday for the star to face court
But just 10 days after giving birth, she was back by Wright's side when they flew from Sydney to Darwin on Tuesday for the star to face court.
She was even seen filming the ugly media scrum at Darwin Airport as Wright's bodyguards clashed with the waiting press pack.
Journalists spotted Kaia running alongside the scuffle while apparently recording the dramatic scenes on her phone.
The footage has yet to appear on her social media feed.
Kaia Wright had grown up in WA's Kimberley region where her parents worked in community development in Broome and Derby before she attending high school in Perth
Kaia Wright was seen filming the ugly media scrum at Darwin Airport as Wright's bodyguards clashed with the waiting press pack (pictured)
OUTBACK WRANGLER TIMELINE
On February 28, Chris 'Willow' Wilson and Seb Robinson were part of a three-chopper egg collection expedition (map pictured) to the remote King River swamps in West Arnhem Land
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
7:03am Pilot Seb Robinson and egg collector Chris 'Willow' Wilson are on one of three Robinson R44 helicopters which set off from Noonamah on a crocodile egg collection operation on West Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, about 500km from Darwin. Each chopper has one pilot and one egg collector. They fly for 90 minutes to a drum refuelling site in the bush near Mount Borradaile.
8.30am Choppers fly from drum refuelling area to the King River staging area, 20 minutes away. Mr Wilson allegedly shares a picture of the fuel gauge showing it was almost full to their shared WhatsApp group.
Around 9am Choppers split up to go to their various egg collection areas. Two head 12km north-east and collected eggs from nine nests between 0911 and 1014.
10.14am The other two crews realise they've not heard from Robinson and Wilson and chief helicopter pilot - and director of Remote Helicopters Australia - Michael Burbidge, 44, goes to look for them.
10.36am It finds the wreckage of their helicopter, 30km south of South Goulburn Island. Mr Wilson, 34, is dead 40m from the wreckage and Mr Robinson, 28, is seriously hurt with spinal injuries on the ground next to the aircraft. Their chopper has collided with trees and terrain. The second chopper briefly takes off again to make radio contact and raise the alarm.
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright allegedly flies to the crash scene with off-duty police sergeant Neil Mellon and Darwin publican and crocodile farmer Mick Burns. Mr Burns has not been charged with any offences.
The chopper (pictured) was found upright but badly damaged. Trees nearby showed signs of being damaged by its rotors, but there was no fire at the scene
12.30pm A CareFlight helicopter arrives at the scene and airlifts the pilot to Maningrida, where he was transferred by plane to Darwin.
APRIL 19, 2022: The Australian Transport Safety Bureau release their initial findings into the crash, with the full report expected in the first quarter of 2023. It finds the helicopter's engine stopped prior to impacting the ground. Just 250ml of fuel was in the fuel bladders which were both intact, but the report notes fuel may have drained into a nearby creek as the fuel system was damaged in the crash. There were no other obvious signs of mechanical failure and no fire at the scene.
AUGUST 25, 2022: Father of three Neil Mellon, 47, is arrested shortly after he arrives for work at Darwin police station. Police raid his home and allegedly find illegal wildlife, fireworks and firearms.
AUGUST 26, 2022: Mellon is charged with 31 offences, including attempting to pervert the course of justice and stealing and unlawfully accessing data. His charges also relate to weapons, firearms and wildlife offences, as well as alleged destruction of evidence in relation to a major crash investigation.
Later the same day, his wife Sandi, also a serving NT police officer, posts accusations on Facebook, unrelated to the crash, about a former close female friend which were later deleted.
Mellon is understood to have since resigned from the police after 27 years' service.
SEPTEMBER, 2022: Outback Wrangler and father of four Matt Wright, 43, relocates with his pregnant wife Kaia from Darwin to the Gold Coast in Queensland.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022: Helicopter pilot Michael Burbridge - who was first on the scene of the tragedy - is charged in connection with the crash. He is accused of destroying evidence, conspiracy and attempting to pervert the course of justice, and providing a false statement.
NOVEMBER 28, 2022: NT Police issue an arrest warrant for Wright and he's told to present himself at Darwin police station within 48 hours to face at least six serious charges concerning the crash. They relate to his actions before and after the crash and allege he tampered with evidence.
NOVEMBER 29, 2022: Wright checks in for an 8.15am flight from Sydney to Darwin with his wife and their newborn daughter Dusty. He is charged in the afternoon with a string of offences in relation to the chopper crash.
NOVEMBER 30, 2022: Wright appears at Darwin Court on seven charges relating to the crash which he strenuously denies and is granted bail until the next court appearance on January 25, 2023.
Wright is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence, fabricating evidence, unlawfully entering a building, unlawfully entering a dwelling, making a false declaration and interfering with witnesses in a criminal investigation or court process by making threats/reprisals.
NOVEMBER 22, 2023: Air Transport Safety Bureau finds the crash 'likely' happened when the helicopter ran out of fuel and Chris Wilson died of multiple injuries when the pilot released him from above a survivable height as he dangled below the chopper.
DECEMBER 7, 2023: Wright, Mellon and Burbidge will face court for a preliminary examination application in Darwin. If the application is unsuccessful, the trio will return to court on December 8 for a Preliminary Examination (on the papers). However, if the application is successful, a further court date will be set, probably next year, for a Preliminary Examination (Oral).
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