Dive into adventure with the newest docuseries streaming on Disney+, Shipwreck Hunters Australia.
Follow along with the fearless team of ocean adventurers as they dive deep into uncovering long-lost shipwreck secrets in the hope of making some world-first discoveries.
Read on for everything we know about Shipwreck Hunters Australia, an interview with two of the crew, Andre and Nush as they share their romantic proposal story.
Stream Shipwreck Hunters Australia now on Disney+ with a mth-to-mth no lock-in contract. Subscribe here.
What is Shipwreck Hunters Australia about?
Shipwreck Hunters Australia is a six-part docuseries following a group of highly-skilled divers and underwater filmmakers – Captain Ash Sutton, Andre Rerekura, Nush Freedman, Johnny Debnam ad Ryan Chatfield – along with expert maritime archaeologists, Dr. Ross Anderson and Dr. Deb Shefi.
In each episode, the team embarks on an expedition to a remote location off the vast coast of Western Australia. Their mission is to uncover long-lost shipwreck secrets and make world-first discoveries.
Combining new evidence, archival research, specialist diving, the latest underwater technology, and all-out adventure, Shipwreck Hunters Australia is a journey into the mysterious past led by modern-day ocean explorers.
Where is Shipwreck Hunters Australia filmed?
Shipwreck Hunters Australia is filmed off the glistening shores of Western Australia, where a treasure trove of maritime mysteries lies. The remote 20,000km coastline is notorious for its treacherous waves, intense winds and sharp terrain, adding up to a perfect storm for any shipmaster, no matter how skilled. There are 1600 known shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea there.
The ocean’s secrets once confined to the seabed, these intriguing wrecks have been unearthed by a fearless team of ocean divers Anouska “Nush” Freedman and Andre Rerekura in the Disney+ special Shipwreck Hunters Australia. These divers have made it their mission to uncover these shipwrecks.
Finding shipwrecks reveals “a unique story that needs to be told”.
Adrenaline pumping adventure
Discovering the undersea world was the adventure of a lifetime for Nush and Andre.
“I feel more at home in the ocean than on land,” smiles Nush. “Every time you get into the ocean, it’s completely different – you never know what you’re going to see. There’s so much adrenaline, yet so much calmness.”
The 27-year-old marine filmmaker and ocean environmentalist has spent the past four years at the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef site.
“The mystery of the wrecks really pulls you in and it’s amazing to see something on the sea floor that no one else has seen,” she tells Woman’s Day from her and Andre’s home in North West Cape.
“The Broome wrecks are really cool because we were diving in really bad visibility, which gets the adrenaline pumping. At times, the visibility was so bad, you couldn’t read your dive watch when it was right in front of your eyes!
“We were just all frothing out, having the most epic sunsets, watching whales jumping out of the water in the bow of the boat!”
Despite working in the marine industry for almost two decades, it was a thrilling experience for underwater camera operator Andre, who was captivated by the tales of lost sailors from the wrecks.
“This was a unique story that needed to be told,” says the 40-year-old. “Not only for the world, but for the relatives who lost their grandparents and uncles at sea. These wrecks are like an oasis in the middle of a desert – all the marine life zap onto them like a magnet. We had the time of our lives.”
The duo were joined on the expedition by another two divers, as well as Captain Ash Sutton, maritime archaeologists Dr Ross Anderson and Dr Deb Shefi, plus their pup Trip!
Diving dream team (from left): Andre, Nush, Ryan and Johnny.
The love boat and a proposal
In a special turn of events, when Andre and Nush were alone on the boat one evening, he surprised her while they were dancing and dropped down on one knee!
He’d organised a pearl engagement ring from an Aussie family also featured on the show.
“I thought this would be the perfect moment – it had always been on my mind and we were going to the Abrolhos [Islands], which is one of our favourite places on the planet,” says Andre.
“We had this massive calm before the storm, we were in the middle of nowhere, the sun was setting, the water was crystal clear and we were dancing to Nushie’s favourite song Nutbush City Limits.” Nush laughs, “As soon as everyone left the boat, Dre started acting really weird. Before everyone arrived the next morning, we got on the jet ski and we had dolphins riding the bow of the ski… It was like the ocean was celebrating with us!”
It’s smooth sailing for the couple now as they begin to navigate their future, producing wildlife documentaries and starting their all-important wedding plans. So will they have an underwater ceremony?
“Who knows, hey?” Andre laughs. “Maybe season two!”
Pooch Trip’s along for the ride.
Is there a trailer for Shipwreck Hunters Australia?
Watch the trailer for Shipwreck Hunters Australia below.
How many episodes of Shipwreck Hunters Australia are there?
There are six episodes in season 1 of Shipwreck Hunters Australia. Each episode focuses on a different shipwreck. Watch the series here.
Where to watch Shipwreck Hunters Australia in NZ
Stream Shipwreck Hunters Australia now on Disney+ with a mth-to-mth no lock-in contract. Subscribe here.
