Met Your Guide: Rachel - Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures

Words by Jamie Jansen

To learn more about Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, and to book, click here.

As a parent, the last thing you’d probably want is to see your child standing just metres from a crocodile, true Steve Irwin style. For Rachel, it’s part of her daily life. 

As a senior zookeeper at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, just outside Port Douglas, she’s a star of the adrenaline-packed Croc Attack Show, where she works closely with a massive crocodile to showcase its strength and signature moves, from the infamous “head shake” to the fearsome “death roll”.

“Mom has come to watch the croc shows and hates it, dad thinks it’s the coolest thing ever,” Rachel laughs.

Rachel never imagined she’d end up in this extreme line of work. Before Hartley’s, she worked in a range of jobs, including at the country’s largest telecommunications office, in a building with no windows.

“One day I woke up and thought, I need to do something else,” she says. Volunteering as a koala keeper was her first step into wildlife work, and soon she was at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures.

She joined the team nearly five years ago, initially caring for animals like koalas, wombats, kangaroos, cassowaries, and parrots. About three and a half years in, her fascination with crocodiles grew.

“I liked them, but I didn’t know much about them. Then I started watching the crocodile shows and thought, ‘I’ve got to do that’.”

All crocodile training is done on-site under the guidance of crocodile boss, Drew, who has been at Hartley’s for nearly 38 years.

“You have to ask to be trained, then go through intensive preparation. It took me a year and a half before I could join the Croc Attack Show, watching senior keepers and learning every angle to stay safe.”

Rachel’s first close encounter with a crocodile was unforgettable. “Adrenaline was through the roof. My hands were shaking, but I thought, ‘I have to do that again’.”

Every time Rachel steps into a crocodile enclosure, she knows caution and respect are key.

“Some crocodiles are territorial and hyper aggressive, so you must stay alert, never be complacent, and always know your escape with a buddy nearby,” she says.

Her favourite crocodile at Hartley’s is Hagrid, the star of the Croc Attack Show. “He tries to attack every show, it’s always fun being around him.”

For Rachel, the thrill of the Croc Attack Show is unmatched. “My favourite part of the show is the adrenaline and teaching people how to stay safe in ‘croc country’.”

Ultimately, Rachel hopes visitors take away from Hartley’s a greater understanding of crocodiles and how to coexist safely with them in Northern Australia.

“Crocodiles have many adaptations, you won’t see them first. I love showing people the shallows they hide in and how they move undetected.

"Did you know the longest a croc has stayed underwater on record is six hours and 48 minutes? I also share tips on safe swimming spots and pass on my love for this incredible local environment.”

For Rachel, there’s no other job she’d rather do. “I enjoy what I do so much, I can’t imagine doing anything else. Understanding the animals, sharing that knowledge, and doing it in a place I love, it’s just perfect.”

She’s also part of a growing wave of women stepping into roles once dominated by men. “For a long time it was just boys. Now there’s a big team of girls. I think girls are realising we can do it too.”

Hartley’s itself adds to the experience. “It’s a beautiful, nature-focused park with plenty of native wildlife. Family-owned and with the owners on site daily, it feels personal.

"What we do with the crocodiles is unique, there aren’t many places in Australia where you can get this close.”