Crocodile celebrity Matt Wright has been fined for breaching a domestic helicopter ban
The reality TV star’s former NT “treehouse” – a glass-encrusted, tiny 3.15-hectare property – has been brought back to square one after a Darwin judge fined the Outback Wrangler star $10,000 for flying helicopters to and from the property without a legal notice.
On a five-hectare site about 30km south of Darwin, the work has upset neighbors and drawn attention to the impacts on nearby amenities and critical uses, including a childcare center within 500 metres.
Purchased in 2017 for $875,000, the 1984 Virginia high-rise was reimagined with concrete, timber and glass walls to create a light-filled family home framed by mahogany trees.
The four-bedroom property has kept the open living space, lounges and loft for ventilation, while stripping the decor to a clean, modern palette.
A LOT OF NEWS
Aussie man to take over Billie Eilish’s LA mansion
‘Aus is dirty’: Jamie Durie’s strange moves revealed
Snoop Dogg’s property empire: It’s not what you think
Wildlife expert Matt Wright has a knack for handling scary animals but not so much his neighbors. Source: Facebook.
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 800 450"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
He was fined $10,000 for using a helicopter at his former home in the NT. Source: realestate.com.au
The impressive site is 3.15ha. Source: realestate.com.au
It came with lots of crocodile ponds. Source: realestate.com.au
The sales campaign made national news: the property changed hands for $1.3 million in October and was ranked among the most viewed listings in the Top End and Australia-wide in 2025, indicating strong buyer interest in homes of exceptional size that combine forest privacy with modern design.
From a lifestyle statement to breaking the cycle
After complaints from neighbors in 2021, the Northern Territory’s Development Consent Authority banned helicopter traffic to and from the site.
Wright appealed to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal, saying he could use his plane “as a vehicle”, but the decision remains unchanged.
In April 2024 he was found to have willfully breached the consent, the Local Court wrote that his behavior was “vicious” and “outrageous”.
“To land helicopters in residential areas, even if they are five acres, will disturb and disrupt the peace of the neighborhood,” Judge Macdonald said, noting the proximity of the daycare center.
Matt Wright, the “Outback Wrangler,” and his wife Kaia Wright. Photo: Instagram
Their home had been lovingly restored. Source: realestate.com.au
One of the four rooms in this home. Source: realestate.com.au
This home comes with three updated bathrooms. Source: realestate.com.au
He added that in April 2024, the defendant’s land was “collapsed in the chaos” of legal disputes.
Before imposing a $10,000 fine, the judge noted that Wright had suffered a “dramatic decline in grace” and said leniency was appropriate, acknowledging his community contributions and character references.
Wright’s lawyer, Luke Officer, told the court that the High Court trial had been too difficult financially, that Wright had lost his pilot’s license and pilot’s licence, and had sold the property – meaning there would be no further trial.
Sales, spectacle and “Spice” crocodile
Wright top-billed the marketing campaign with an unusual offer: a 4.5‑metre saltwater crocodile, “Spicy”, can live with the house.
“If you really want this place, I’ll leave you with Spicy,” he said in an Instagram reel.
“If you really want a place, you can find him.”
To help sell the home, Wright was willing to part with an alligator named Spicey. Source: Facebook
The marketing stunt attracted national attention, but ultimately the compliance saga defined the area’s exit and its architectural appeal.
Background to Wright’s arrest
The TV presenter, who rose to fame on the show Outback Wrangler, which featured crocodile catching and aerial work in remote areas, is currently in prison.
In December, Acting Judge Alan Blow sentenced him to 10 months for two counts of perverting the course of justice, suspended after serving five months.
A jury found him guilty of two counts related to the February 2022 crash that claimed the life of star Chris “Willow” Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson paralyzed; The judge was unable to agree on the third allegation of “burning” the release of maintenance.
Prosecutors did not say Wright caused the crash, and he plans to appeal the convictions.
