Eat The Invaders

[TV.Cynic]

Australia’s unique biodiversity is being destroyed by the invasive plants and animals brought here by our colonial ancestors. Pests like Cane Toads, Camels, Carp, Deer, Rabbits and Cats have driven many of our native plants and animals to the brink of extinction. But what if a radical rethink could help turn this problem into an opportunity?

Over six episodes, host Tony Armstrong – with the help of scientists, land carers, an artist and a chef – will attempt to turn our unwanted ecological trash into desirable culinary gold, in a provocative attempt to Eat The Invaders .

Inspiring Tony’s culinary exploration is artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele and Executive Chef Vince Trim from Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona).

After years exploring the alchemical possibilities of transforming invasive trash into high cuisine through their project Eat the Problem, they will invite Tony and a special guest to an end-of-episode feast, testing whether we could be helping save our environment by eating an invader.

Will Bob Katter really eat a poisonous cane toad? Is Dr Karl Kruszelnicki really going to consume a cat? And surely not even YouTube punk-rock cook Nat’s What I Reckon wants to eat a dumpster dolphin (aka carp)! Eat The Invaders is a must-watch ecological and culinary wake up call, connecting each one of us via our food choices to the history and future of this country. We know that eating problem species is not a simple fix-all for our environment – but it’s certainly a conversation starter.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. A Closer Productions production for the ABC. Principal production funding from Screen Australia and the ABC. Financed with support from the South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Tasmania. International sales by ABC Commercial. Writer and director: Matthew Bate. Executive Producer: Rebecca Summerton. Producer: Sarah Wormald. Creative Producer: Kirsha Kaechele. ABC Commissioning Editor: Kalita Corrigan. ABC Head of Documentary and Specialist: Susie Jones

[TV.Cynic]

Eat The Invaders is set to change the conversation on our invasive species

ABC, Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Tasmania are thrilled to announce the premiere of the new factual series Eat The Invaders on Tuesday 7 January at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.

Filmed around Australia by Closer Productions, Eat The Invaders looks at Australia’s unique biodiversity which is being destroyed by the invasive plants and animals brought here by our colonial ancestors. Pests like cane toads, camels, carp, cats, deer and rabbits have driven many of our native plants and animals to the brink of extinction.

But what if a radical rethink, inspired by Kirsha Kaechele’s Eat the Problem, could help turn this issue into an opportunity? Over six episodes, host Tony Armstrong – with the help of scientists, land carers, and an artist and chef from Mona – will attempt to turn our unwanted ecological trash into desirable culinary gold, in a provocative attempt to Eat the Invaders.

ABC Head of Documentary and Specialist Susie Jones said: “Eat The Invaders is a highly original series tackling one of the most significant issues in Australia in a fresh, engaging and playfully provocative manner.

“Over six captivating episodes, Tony takes us through the compelling stories of these invasive species, meeting with everyday Australians, experts, scientists and artists in an optimistic quest for solutions. We’re delighted to share this series and look forward to the conversations it provokes at dinner tables around the nation.”

Screen Australia Head of Documentary Richard Huddleston said: “Eat the Invaders serves up a creative and imaginative approach to exploring the threats to our unique biodiversity. On and off screen this series demonstrates the power of collaboration, and the result gives audiences plenty of food for thought.”

South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) CEO Kate Croser said: “The SAFC is delighted to support this new original factual series from South Australia’s Closer Productions as the latest production to come out of the ABC SAFC Content Pipeline Fund.

“Made by SA writer/director Matthew Bate and SA executive producer Rebecca Summerton utilising South Australian crew, and with all post-production to be done in the state, Eat the Invaders will showcase the diverse talents and capability of South Australia’s screen sector in an exciting and entertaining new format.”

Executive Manager of Screen Tasmania, Alex Sangston said: “Screen Tasmania is thrilled to be supporting Eat the Invaders – a series inspired by Kirsha Kaechele and Mona’s Eat the Problem project.

“The production has been assisted with $50,000 through the Screen Tasmania Production Support program, and also created a training attachment for a Tasmanian emerging practitioner.

“The series’ exploration of how to combat invasive species will certainly resonate with many Australians – and perhaps inspire some creative new household recipes.”

Closer Productions Executive Producer Rebecca Summerton said: "Eat The Invaders provocation of Australians eating (and thus helping clean up) the environmental mess caused by invasive species allows us to explore the crisis faced by our native biodiversity, the impacts of colonialism and our cultural relationship with food. We hope this program playfully opens up conversations we don’t often have around what we eat and why."

Eat The Invaders will showcase the beauty of our nation alongside the effects our invasive species are causing and spotlight the conversation on how to manage and conserve our wilderness.

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. A Closer Productions production for the ABC. Principal production funding from Screen Australia and the ABC. Financed with support from the South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Tasmania. International sales by ABC Commercial. Writer and director: Matthew Bate. Executive Producer: Rebecca Summerton. Producer: Sarah Wormald. Creative Producer: Kirsha Kaechele. ABC Commissioning Editor: Kalita Corrigan. ABC Head of Documentary and Specialist: Susie Jones.

[TV.Cynic]

- YouTube

[JohnsonTV]

In a column in The Sydney Morning Herald last week, Dr Carol Booth, the Principal Policy Analyst at the Invasive Species Council, wrote that while the idea of consuming invasive species might be well-intentioned, it could actually worsen the situation. She said that the Council had raised the issue with series producers, but their efforts went unheeded.

ABC show reckons we should eat invasive species. It’s a recipe for disaster

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 1

Tuesday 7 January 8.30pm

Tony visits ground zero of the rabbit invasion, exploring why Australia abandoned a beloved cuisine and considers putting underground mutton back on the national menu.

Tony heads to Barwon Park in Winchelsea, Victoria, where English aristocrat Thomas Austin once introduced 24 rabbits, sparking one of the largest bio-invasions in history, all in the name of sport. A CSIRO scientist explains the environmental damage rabbits continue to cause and the science behind various eradication attempts. Will the rabbit problem ever be fully resolved?

Tony and historian Guy Hull visit the local butcher to buy wild rabbit but find none available, so they enlist a local hunter. The hunter bags two rabbits and reflects on his 50 years of ferreting for food – a once-common practice that has become rare.

With the rabbits dressed but no clue how to cook them, Tony and Guy turn to the local Country Women’s Association (CWA) for recipes. The women recall childhood memories of hunting, cooking, and eating rabbits, and how the introduction of viruses to control the population wiped out what was once a national dish. After tasting a traditional rabbit stew, Tony wonders if this invasive species could make a comeback on modern dinner plates.

At the Winchelsea town hall, Tony tests the CWA’s rabbit pies on local kids. Reactions are mixed – some enjoy it, while others don’t. Invasion biologists Phill and Andy reveal that the rabbit crisis has cost Australia $8 billion, pondering how that money could be allocated to their control.

Back at Mona, Tony goes down the rabbit hole with beloved chef Poh Ling Yeow for a high-art feast prepared by Kirsha and Vince.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 2

Tuesday 14 January 8.30pm

Tony explores the European Carp’s culinary potential and ecological impact in Australia, challenging perceptions while transforming this invasive fish into a sustainable food source.

Introducing Australia’s most hated fish, the European Carp, lapping at the edge of enormous culinary potential, while leaving an ecological mess in its wake. Tony delves into the murky history of how carp were introduced into Australia’s waterways. He learns about the Acclimatisation Societies, groups determined to “furnish” Australia’s landscapes and waterways with foreign plants and animals.

Despite being one of the most eaten fish globally, Australians dismiss carp as tasting like mud. A fisherman on The Coorong teaches Tony that the muddy flavour comes from a stress hormone released if carp aren’t handled carefully. Ngarrindjeri Elder Uncle Moogy shares stories of how the Murray River flowed before colonial manipulation. Tony starts to question whether carp are the real problem – or if humans are to blame.

To change his perspective, two top chefs prepare Tony their favourite carp dishes, attempting to ‘carpvert’ him. But can eating carp really save our waterways? Invasion biologists Phill and Andy discuss the complexities of establishing a larger industry around carp, highlighting both the benefits and challenges.

Back at Mona, Kirsha and Vince elevate carp into a high-end culinary masterpiece. Tony invites comedians Claire Hooper and Nat’s What I Reckon to the feast, hoping they’ll put cultural biases aside and embrace carp. Will they, like Tony, be ‘carpverted’?

[JohnsonTV]

Wait, Tony Armstrong ate what?

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 3

Tuesday 21 January 8.30pm

Tony joins Women Against Cane Toads (WACT), a group dedicated to hand-catching toads. After bagging hundreds, there’s more than enough for dinner. But aren’t they poisonous?

Perhaps Australia’s most infamous invader is the dreaded cane toad. Brought to Australia to help solve the issue of the cane beetle, they are linked to the decline and extinction of several native species and their numbers are spreading well beyond Queensland into New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Tony joins Women Against Cane Toads (WACT), a group dedicated to hand-catching toads. After bagging hundreds, there’s more than enough for dinner. But aren’t they poisonous?

Tony finds a viral video of someone cooking and eating cane toads, so he reaches out for advice. Though it seems promising, he’s not willing to risk poisoning his guest. An expert warns him that safely preparing cane toad meat would require a regulated process, like the preparation of pufferfish in Japan. Tony tries to get the meat tested, but finding a lab willing to help is harder than expected.

Invasion biologists Phill and Andy discuss the possibility of exporting cane toad meat, which could help reduce pressure on frog species being overharvested for food internationally. If a safety test can be arranged, they’re on board.

However, Tony’s final lab request is rejected, leaving Kirsha and Vince back at Mona to figure out a Plan B. In one of his strangest feasts yet, Tony is joined by politician Bob Katter, who brings his own eccentric ideas for controlling the toad population. Inspired by Bob’s political stunts, Tony devises a way to bring cane toad awareness to the city streets.

[TV.Cynic]

The first season of Eat The Invaders is available on iView ahead of tonight’s premiere.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 4

Tuesday 28 January 8.30pm

Tony learns about the significance of camels in Australia’s lesser-known colonial history, and the Afghan cameleers who helped open lines of trade and transport in arid lands. Today, their population thrives, but they are now considered a threat to livestock.

At a remote cattle station in Western Australia, Tony meets the descendants of these camels and learns the harsh reality of their impact on the environment and infrastructure. This prompts Tony to question why more Australians aren’t eating camel meat.

Tony then meets a Nigerian and a Somalian, both of whom view camels as a gift, reflecting how culture shapes which animals we value as food. After enjoying a homemade camel stew, Tony is convinced that camels belong on Australian menus. He road-tests a camel burger with some self-proclaimed burger aficionados, gauging their reactions.

Consulting invasive biologists Phill Cassey and Andy Lowe, Tony learns about the challenges of expanding the camel meat industry, from logistical barriers to environmental concerns. He begins to see why managing the camel population isn’t a straightforward solution.

Back at Mona, artist Kirsha Kaechele and chef Vince Trim craft a feast that tells the camel’s story through all the senses. Tony is joined by his partner Rona Glynn-McDonald and her father, filmmaker Warwick Thornton. Together, they reflect on how our food choices are deeply intertwined with the health of the environment, and whether camels could be part of a sustainable future.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 5

Tuesday 4 February 8.30pm

Tony ventures to the frontlines of the feral cat war, uncovering a complex truth. While cats are beloved pets, they also pose a significant environmental threat, killing three billion animals per year. Complicit in numerous native animal extinctions and jeopardising many more, feral cats have become a pressing concern.

At Yookamurra Sanctuary in South Australia, Tony seeks to understand the stakes involved, meeting some of the at-risk wildlife that live behind cat-proof fences, essentially prisoners in their own lands.

As he learns about the damage caused by feral cats, Tony begins to question the innocence of our domestic pets. To test this, he meets two devoted cat owners and attaches GPS trackers to their feline friends for a week. An expert reveals the extent of the harm that pet cats inflict when allowed to wander freely. However, Tony realizes that solving the cat crisis by eating them may not be a practical solution.

In Kiwirrkurra, cat hunters view cats as a threat to their local ecosystem and hunt them accordingly. And in the desert, no protein is wasted. Consulting invasion biologists Phill and Andy, Tony learns that while responsible measures can be taken against feral cats, eating them may not be a viable control method for wider Australia.

Back at Mona, Vince and Kirsha prepare a daring feast for a tough topic. Joined by Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, they embark on a culinary journey that underscores the importance of keeping cats indoors.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 6 - final

Tuesday 11 February 8.30pm

Tony visits Mona’s rural property to eat a meal entirely from the land with deer as the protein. The deer situation in Tasmania is complex with the growing population threatening the pristine World Heritage Wilderness Area.
While human stakeholders struggle to agree on a solution, one consensus is clear: venison is undeniably tasty.

To tackle the issue, Kirsha’s property manager harvests a deer for the feast, while a forager gathers invasive weeds to accompany the meal. Meanwhile, Kirsha and Vince send Tony to the coast to source long-spined sea urchins, which are wreaking havoc on the Great Southern Reef by overgrazing on giant kelp.

At the urchin processing plant, Tony is pleased to have found a problem that can be successfully managed by eating it. But how will the public respond to this acquired taste? Tony tests sea urchin sushi on Australian teens, with mixed results, but many are willing to eat urchin to help the kelp. Curious about whether deer could be managed in a similar way, Tony consults resident invasion biologists Phill and Andy. They explain that the situation is far more complicated than he initially thought.

Back at Mona’s property, Tony is joined by King’s Council and UN judge Geoffrey Robertson, to see if he can come up with a solution to the deer dilemma that keeps everyone happy, without putting the environment at risk.