Les Hiddins

{{Short description|Australian bushcraft expert}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Les Hiddins (aka The Bush Tucker Man) | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|8|13|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], Australia | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | known_for = [[Bushcraft]] and [[survival techniques]] | occupation = [[Australian Army]] officer, television presenter, and author | nationality = | employer = | spouse = | children = }} [[Major (Australia)|Major]] '''Leslie James Hiddins''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}}, known as "'''The Bush Tucker Man'''" is a retired [[Australian Army]] soldier and war veteran. He is best known for his love and knowledge of the Australian bush, in particular "[[bush tucker]]", as featured in the TV series ''Bush Tucker Man'' (1988–1996). Hiddins is recognised by his distinctively modified Army Slouch hat. He has also written several books for children and adults, and in 2019 launched a website that includes a searchable digital database of bush tucker.

==Early life and education== Leslie James Hiddins was born on the 13th Aug 1946 in [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], Australia. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Franklin |first=Roger |date=2023-03-08 |title=Les Hiddins’ CV - Quadrant |url=https://quadrant.org.au/news-opinions/uncategorized/187396/ |access-date=2026-01-22 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career== ===Military service=== As a soldier with the Australian Army, Hiddins did two deployments in the [[Australia in the Vietnam War|Vietnam War]] between 1966 and 1968, the first as a forward scout in the infantry.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

Upon return from the war in the late 1960s, feeling the need for a change, he transferred from [[infantry]] to [[army aviation]], which led him to flying around northern Australia and [[Arnhem Land]] in a helicopter. In 1987, he was awarded a Defence Fellowship to research survival in northern Australia, and was the principal author of the Australian Army's military survival manual in that year.<ref name=baczkowski2019/> As part of this research, Hiddins was introduced to the [[Terminalia ferdinandiana|Kakadu plum]] (''Terminalia ferdinandiana'') by the [[Aboriginal Australians|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWs7i5fSTWk|title=Bush Tucker Man – The worlds richest known source of Vitamin C|website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/ProcNutSoc/1980-1989/1982/1982%20p050-054.pdf| vauthors = Brand JC, Cherikoff V, Lee A, McDonnell J | title = Nutrients in important bushfoods | journal = Proceedings of the Nutritional Society of Australia | date = 1982 | volume = 7 | pages = 50–54}}</ref>

Hiddins retired from the Australian Regular Army (ARA) in 1989 with the rank of Major, but continued to serve with the [[Australian Army Reserve|Army Reserve]] (ARES) until 2001, working with [[Indigenous Australian]] communities in northern Australia.{{cn|date=November 2024}} This research turned into the TV series ''[[#TV series|The Bush Tucker Man]]'' in 1993.<ref name=saseries>{{cite web |title=Bush Tucker Man (1993) |website=[[Screen Australia]] |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/bush-tucker-man-1990/986 |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> ===Kalpowar Station/Pandanus Park=== In 2001, Hiddins led an effort to establish a wilderness retreat, exclusively for war veterans, on a 9 km2 parcel of government land along the banks of the [[Normanby River]] at "Kalpowar Station", adjoining [[Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park|Rinyirru 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 [[native title in Australia|Aboriginal title]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ABC News|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-12-14/vietnam-vets-win-bush-retreat-access/761000|title=Vietnam vets win bush retreat access|date=14 December 2005|access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref>

==Recognition, awards and honours== In 1987, Hiddins was awarded a Defence Fellowship to research survival in northern Australia.<ref name=baczkowski2019/>

In September 1985, he was awarded a [[National Medal (Australia)|National Medal]].<ref name=medal>{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/901653|title=Australian Honours Search Facility|publisher=Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australian Government|access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref>

In the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1987, he was made a [[Member of the Order of Australia]], for service to the Australian army in the field of combat survival.<ref name=am>{{cite web|title=Major Leslie John HIDDINS |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/878981|work=Search Australian Honours|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

On 28 March 2008, Hiddins was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by [[James Cook University|James Cook University's]] Faculty of Science, Engineering and Information Technology:<ref>[http://cms.jcu.edu.au/news/archive/JCUPRD_025568 James Cook University Media Release, "Dr Bush Tucker Man", 27 March 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720114447/http://cms.jcu.edu.au/news/archive/JCUPRD_025568 |date=20 July 2008 }} Accessed 22 January 2009</ref> {{blockquote|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 defence force (including two tours of duty) where he worked with indigenous communities and establishing a bush retreat in Cape York for Vietnam veterans to enjoy."}}

The [[National Museum of Australia]] in [[Canberra]] has a Bush Tucker Man display with some of his original bush gear – his original hat, camera and backpack.<ref name=baczkowski2019>{{cite web |last=Baczkowski |first=Halina |last2=Levy |first2=Anna |title=The Bush Tucker Man is back and he's bringing the outback to your smartphone |website=ABC News |date=2 August 2019 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-03/bush-tucker-man-les-hiddins-is-back-and-hes-gone-digital/11366572 |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

== TV programmes== ===''Bush Tucker Man''=== Hiddins' research led to the TV series ''The Bush Tucker Man'', made for [[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|ABC Television]] in 1993. The series was co-written, co-directed, and co-produced by [[Stephen Burstow]], David Telfer, and Richard Walker.<ref name=saseries/>

In the series, Hiddins drives around in a [[Land Rover Perentie]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.remlr.com/btm-vehicles.html |title=Bush Tucker Man: The Vehicles! |website=remlr.com |access-date=2022-07-22}}</ref> 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'', as well as the series ''Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Survival''.<ref>{{cite web |title= Bush Tucker Man |website=[[Australian Television Information Archive]] |url=http://www.australiantelevision.net/btm.html |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

*''Bush Tucker Man'', Series One (1988 – 8 episodes,<ref name=eps>{{cite web |title=Bush Tucker Man: episode guide |website=Australian Television Information Archive |url=http://www.australiantelevision.net/btm_eps.html |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> released on DVD in 2004) – ABC{{cn|date=November 2024}} Episode 1: Arnhem Land (Aborigines of Ngukurr, NT) Episode 2: The Wet in Port Keats (Northwest Northern Territory in the Wet Season) Episode 3: Desert (Desert Country) Episode 4: Prince Regent Gorge (Heart of the Kimberley) Episode 5: Rain Forest (Rainforest at Iron Range) Episode 6: Coastal (Northern Queensland Coastline) Episode 7: Doomadgee (Gulf Country) Episode 8: Aurukun (West Coast of Cape York)

*''Bush Tucker Man'', Series Two (1990 – 7 episodes,<ref name=eps/> released on DVD 1 October 2009) – ABC{{cn|date=November 2024}} Episode 1: Wet Season Episode 2: East To West Episode 3: Kimberley Episode 4: Top End Episode 5: Wildman Episode 6: Desert Story Episode 7: Coastal Story

*''Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Survival'' (1996 – 8 episodes,<ref name=eps/> released on DVD in 2004) – ABC{{cn|date=November 2024}} Episode 1: The Coffee Royal Affair Episode 2: The Cannibal Convict Episode 3: The Great Misadventure ([[Burke and Wills expedition|The Burke and Wills expedition]]) Episode 4: The Best of Them All ([[John McDouall Stuart]]) Episode 5: The Dutch Settlement Episode 6: Gold Fever ([[Lewis Harold Bell Lasseter|Lasseter's Reef]]) Episode 7: The Passionate Prussian ([[Ludwig Leichhardt]]) Episode 8: Into The Vilest Country ([[Edmund Kennedy]] and [[Jackey Jackey]] in the [[Cape York Peninsula]])

A DVD containing the complete series was released in 2010, called ''Bush Tucker Man: The Collection'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Survival DVDs |website=Survival, Tracking and Awareness |url=https://www.survival.ark.au/survival_dvds.php |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Buy Bush Tucker Man: The Complete Series on DVD from EzyDVD.com.au |website=EzyDVD |url=https://www.ezydvd.com.au/DVD/Bush-Tucker-Man-The-Complete-Series/dp/6182598 |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> re-released in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last=Les |first=Hiddens |title=BUSH TUCKER MAN:THE COMPLETE SERIES |website=Collins Booksellers |date=6 October 2010 |url=https://www.collinsbooks.com.au/p/no-category-bush-tucker-man-the-complete-series--3 |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

===Other TV=== Hiddins narrated and presented two TV documentaries for ABC, both created by Paul Hawker: ''Pandora – in the Wake of the Bounty'' (1993),<ref>{{cite web |title=HMS Pandora: In The Wake Of The Bounty (1993) |website=Screen Australia |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/hms-pandora--in-the-wake-of-the-bounty-1993/7568/ |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref> and ''The Resurrection of the Batavia'' (1995).<ref>{{cite web |title=The Resurrection Of The Batavia (1995) |website=Screen Australia |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/the-resurrection-of-the-batavia-1995/9810/ |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

[[Ray Mears (author)|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.<ref>{{youtube|PEqax7gglGo|Ray Mears Walkabout - The bush tucker man: 4K upscale H.265}}, 1 Oct 2022.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ray Mears Goes Walkabout, The Bushtucker Man |website=BBC |date=1 June 2008 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00byd8v |access-date=19 November 2024}}</ref>

Hiddins featured in an episode of ABC TV's ''[[Landline (TV series)|Landline]]'' program in 2019.<ref name=baczkowski2019/>

==Other media== Hiddins and wife Sandy set up an [[Instagram]] account, in which they post their archival and current photos, which has brought them a new and younger group of fans, as well as primary school teachers in remote Indigenous communities in Arnhem Land.<ref name=baczkowski2019/>

In 2019, Hiddins launched a [[User pays|user-pays]] website that includes a searchable digital database of bush tucker. Users can search by location and season, and the website returns a list of flora and fauna likely to be found in that area at that time.<ref name=baczkowski2019/>

== Publications == Hiddins' publications include ''Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Exploration and Survival'' (1996), ''Bush Tucker Man – Tarnished Heroes'' (1997), ''Explore Wild Australia with the Bush Tucker Man'' (1999), ''Bush Tucker Fieldguide'' (2002). In 2000, Hiddins published four books specifically for children: ''The Coral Coast'', ''The Top End'', ''The Tropical Rainforest'', and ''The Living Desert''.{{cn|date=November 2024}} *'''Bush Tucker Man Series''' **''Bush Tucker Man – Stories of Exploration and Survival'' (1996) **''Bush Tucker Man – Tarnished Heroes'' (1997) **''Explore Wild Australia with the Bush Tucker Man'' (1999) **''Bush Tucker Field Guide'' (2002) *'''Children's Books''' **''The Coral Coast'' **''The Top End'' **''The Tropical Rainforest'' **''The Living Desert''

He also released two CD-ROMs, ''From the Rainforest to [[Cape York Peninsula]]'' and ''From [[Arnhem Land]] to the [[Kimberley region of Western Australia|Kimberley Ranges]]''.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

==See also== * [[Malcolm Douglas (documentary maker)|Malcolm Douglas]] * [[Steve Irwin]]

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060207104040/http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/bushtucker/bibliography.html Bush tucker bibliography – links] *[http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=4788 Bush Tucker Man-8 Classic Stories Of Survival With Les Hiddins (1996)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060831092130/http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/1999_08_01/story_23.asp Gone Bush: Bush Tucker Man Les Hiddins] *[http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/Publications/Guides/Bush-Tucker Explore Australia Bush Tucker Books]

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiddins, Les}} [[Category:Australian television presenters]] [[Category:Australian male television actors]] [[Category:Australian Army soldiers]] [[Category:Australian military personnel of the Vietnam War]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Survivalists]]