Rise and fall of the Leyland Brothers | Australian Story (2015)
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- čas přidán 9. 06. 2020
- Long before Steve Irwin and decades before the Bush Tucker Man, The Leyland Brothers epitomised outback filmmaking.
In this 2015 Australian Story documentary, surviving Leyland, Mal, reveals the inside story of their rise and fall. And for the first time he talks about why they went their separate ways.
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#AustralianStory #TheLeylandBrothers #AsktheLeylandBrothers #AustralianTV
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About Australian Story: Putting the "real" back into reality television, Australian Story is an award-winning documentary series with no narrator and no agendas - just authentic stories told entirely in people's own words. Take 30 minutes to immerse yourself in the life of an extraordinary Australian. They're sometimes high profile, sometimes controversial, but always compelling. It’s television guaranteed to make you think and feel. New episodes are available every Monday.
Watched this for what I thought was going to be a laugh.. half an hour later was a privileged viewer of an amazing and achingly touching Australian saga. Wonderful.
Thanks for watching. There's more to the Leyland Brothers than you think. We are proud to be able to tell this story - Aust Story
I grew up watching these guys in the 70's and early 80s i'm 50 in a few months, it was a bloody good show.
Same here , you have a bloody great 50th birthday mate .🎉🎈🎆
Well, I'm the years older and remember watching quite a few of their travels on TV and maybe even in the cinema.
With an opening song like that, how could we ever forget it! Thanks for watching - Aust Story
Me too !!! Beautiful memories of our beloved country. Pity its all gone to shit now days!
Same, but I’m 55 now
I’m 53 now and I would like to say thank you Mike & Mal Leyland for entertaining me when I was much younger and giving me a appreciation of our great land.
My dad and i would sit and watch the brothers adventures when i was a kid.
Marvellous Australians both the Leyland family and Dick Smith. True Legends.
These guys were absolute legends
There wasnt a sunday night go past where we didnt sit down as a family eyes glued to the tv to see what the brothers would show us next.
As a Pilot I had the pleasure of being the camera ship for Mal during the shoot around the 12 Appostles in Vic. What a lovely humble human! Both Mal and Lorraine invited me into their travelling caravan including Mal taking me through his production studio on the road. A memory I’ll have forever. Thanks Mal 👍
It was sad that the financial side of their lives fell apart and even sadder the relationship of the brothers. But what an amazing body of work they left behind. The quality of the old 8mm film camera and the narration from the brothers were wonderful.
Well said! Thanks for watching. A duo that showed us all over the countryside... - Aust Story
millions (if not billions) paid to USA companies (ford and general motors) in bailouts, where the hell was the federal government when these icons of tourism were struggling?
@@amandagardner565 Selling off Australia to China, sand, Vegemite, you name it, all for $$$
That was a beautiful story & sad at the same time....
Grew up watching them. Legends.
👍👍 True blue - Aust Story
Irwin's antics never earned my respect for how someone should treat animals. Don't put these legends in the same paragraph. They opened up Australia to many of us and made tv an educational tool along with the curiosity show and others.
Too right. Irwin was too much of a showoff for my taste. I remember watching the Leyland brothers when I was young, along with "In the Wild" with Harry Butler. They taught me to respect the fauna of our great country.
@@tungmai991 Yeah, every time I saw him teasing a croc I thought it was going to be his downfall soon. Was no surprise when he bought it. Harry Butler, yes another great one, bush tucker man too.
@@tungmai991
Butler supported the damming of the Franklin River in Tasmania and against Kakadu being given World Heritage listing . . . for money. Not much respect for flora and fauna there.
He also caused controversy in 1989 when he told a West Australian land rights enquiry that Aborigines should conform to Australian laws and should not be given land rights that could bar development.
So yeah, no.
Believe what you want, mate. The whole "no dams" campaign was a crock of shit anyway. It's a pity that the bloke who took a pot-shot at Bob Brown missed! Do you remember what the Greens' alternative proposal to the Gordon Below Franklin was? A coal-fired power station!
Garbage!! They were just one more in a long line of people who traveled Australia. They did the whole thing touristy style.
Wow, Dick Smith is a good man.
Yeah he's very down to earth and humble, I can't think of a bad thing ever being said about him.
He also has a number of Guinness world records:
First solo trans-Atlantic flight by helicopter (1982)
First solo circumnavigation by helicopter (1983)
First helicopter to the North Pole (1987)
First circumnavigation landing at both poles (1989)
First non-stop balloon crossing of the Australian continent (1993)
First east-west circumnavigation by helicopter (1995)
First Trans-Tasman balloon flight (2000)
He's a great Australian
He is a great Australian
The Leyland Brothers and Malcolm Douglas were the inspiration for our own travels in Australia. I was lucky enough to meet Mal at the Adelaide 4x4 show in the early 2000s. Absolute Aussie legends. Their like will probably never be seen again.
Omg this takes me back...growing up in Perth in the 70's and 80's we loved this show....it was SO good..
Was probably my favourite show back in the day. you couldnt get me away from the TV if I was watching their show.
Back ln the late 70"s, challenging my Nissan Patrol to Cape York, I bumped into Mal, poor fella, he was stuck in a dried creek bed with a broken axle, unfortunately I wasn't much help. Boy he was angry, and who wouldn't be in the heat and dust. But at least he eventually got going again. phew! And then another time while they running their 4x4 bus tours from the Lions Den Caravan Park near Cooktown, certainly great times. These guys were part of my inspiration for the love of the bush, we are all grateful to the ABC for this online posting. So sad Mal lost his lovely partner Loraine. Now in my 60"s, updated to an 80 Series Cruiser and still doing 4x4, but more so in the Victorian High Country. Thanks guys, very much missed, hope Mike hears all our chatter.
About ten years ago I purchased Mikes broadcast camera a DVC Pro 50,Vinton Tri pod. Two B4 lenses. A metal box marked Leyland Brothers with batteries and a sun gun inside. A little brown soft travel bag and lights and stands. I started my freelance career with this gear and still have it all. Every time I shot with this gear I felt privileged to be using this equipment. I still use the lenses on newer cameras. I still use the tripod on my second camera. The little brown bag sits proudly in my car and I mention to people who’s bag it was when I’m filming. I still use the light stands. I use these pieces of camera gear every day. Back in about 1984 I was working for Mike Willesee and we did a story about he Leyland Brothers in Newcastle. That was a treat to see these guys then.
The Leylands shows is why in my 20s I bought my first 4x4 was a Landrover, back in the day families still watched TV together as a family and marvelled over this stunning country and the Leylands, thanks for bringing us all some inspiring adventure
I'm turning 53 soon and I remember well what it was like to watch "Ask the Leyland Brother's" episodes as they screened for the first time. As a prepubescent teen, when you hear the opening theme music, you rush to the television knowing that towards the end of the intro music it's as close as you get to seeing an actual wet T-shirt contest!
It's much more than that though, my family were the type to enjoy camping trips practically every chance there was. Sadly we didn't have a Kombi or 4x4, we did however take our fully loaded Ford Falcon station wagon with overloaded box trailer places some off roading enthusiasts wouldn't dare trying.
We would see rough terrain ahead and sing, "travel all over the countryside, ask the Leylands ask the Leylands, travel all over the countryside, ask the Leyland Brother's!"
Either by skilled driving or sheer luck we would always get there.
This series shaped my life so much that a few years ago, I gave up living in a house and now live full time in a canvas tent in the Australian bush. I regret not doing so 30 + years ago!
The Leyland Brother's are Aussie icons. They shaped our lives and opened the whole country up to weekend explorers in a way no polished show could have. They were normal people doing normal activities that we could all copy in our own time. I miss those days when a new episode was just a week away. I've seen every episode (5 years worth, without any solo stuff and I don't know how many episodes they made each year), watching them many times each I guess. I really feel for Mal, not making peace before Mike passed will be a lifelong burden now. Loosing almost everything with the failure of their Tea Gardens theme park, Leyland Brother's World. I managed to visit it just weeks before it was destroyed by fire 3 years ago. Better late than never. I'll forever be a fan of the Leyland Brother's.
By the end of this I was in tears. I am a child of the Leyland years and remember as a kid in the 1970’s watching this. Now 58 it was a moving story of an Australia not only gone, but a good Australia, a simpler country I wish still existed and indeed a much better media overall.
I just bought the exact orange pop top Kombi and watched the Leyland Brothers as a kid, inspirational guys. Thank You for sharing!
Are you the new Leyland Brother? 👍👍 Thanks for watching this episode - Aust Story
Life is never over until it's it's over. There is always another chance and all we need to do to get that chance is to battle on like these guys. I honestly find the two of them, problems included, so inspiring. These two Aussie guys occupy such a large part of my childhood memories and I will always remember them fondly. And I still watch their old show on here on CZcams! Cheers and thanks for posting!
first heard the Leyland brothers mentioned in a Kevin Bloody Wilson song when I was traveling around Australia for 8 months in 1987 in my 70' Cortina. Now I know the rest of the story. I would love to watch old episodes of their shows if possible on the net. You Aussies treated me like gold during my travels there an I met mates for life. Plus was the only country that was dead even for tryin to drink me under the table back in the day! Greetings from Alaska to the Always Great country of Australia...be proud of the fair dinkum you.
Same for me hearing the song. A very sad story.
@Johnny Death out of the cities it's still the same...mixed grills for breakie...pie n sauce washed down with a cold beer for lunch. Stay away from the big cities and regionals.....its still there.
Glad you have good memories of us. Service here (in shops, hotels etc) is always a bit hit-n-miss compared to USA. I tend to agree with the other comments here that we're not the country we were back in the 80's but I suppose the social problems in the rest of the world have increased at the same rate.
Come back one day ...
U must have so many great memories
Not being an Aussie, I knew nothing of these guys until watching this. Now, I wish I'd known more many years ago. I've travelled far and wide but only briefly to Australia. If I'd seen these guys I'm sure I'd have spent more time there. What an awesome pair of guys. Poignant, charming, delicious viewing. Thank you. God bless you.
Great story, great blokes and really well told.... And also, Dick Smith......... bloody legend!.....
I grew up as a Leyland fan ......still to this day, I watch them in awe .....They also inspired me to venture all over Australia to experience the Leylands movies I had watched so many times...
Aussie Legends.
👍👍
Best CZcams I have watched in a long time. As a bonus, I learnt so much.
Grew up with the Leylands. My family watched everything they did.
True Aussie icons who will live on forever.
So good!! These guys were basically early day influencers! Right down to reading out fan comments/questions!
Well said ,maybe even the world not just Australia
Ahead of the times! Thanks for watching - Aust Story
'influencers' are self important assholes who think they can get by without working...
@@lifelongbachelor3651 The real influencers did work. The so-called "influencers" today are nothing but impostors that use the term to try and make themselves sound important. These brothers, and others like them, truly influenced people with hard work and determination. I wish we had more like them today.
@@bonniestewart2654 Exactly what i meant.
As a child we always watched the Leyland Brothers. Dad always said should send a letter asking to see a lot more of the one in the blue T-shirt. 2:22
😂
Such a sad story, of life, success, loss and surviving.
Its something I guess we all go through at one time or another.
But Mike, Mal and family, you are all legends in your own right.
I loved watching these guys as a kid, it was always on around dinner time on the weekend, it meant bake beans on toast and getting to watch tv, the only dinner I was allowed to have in front of the tv.
I've been to heaps of the same places now, Australia is really freaking beautiful.
Excellent work. Thank you ABC 👍
Thanks for watching! - Aust Story
I love the Leland Brothers show bloody awesome , 💞💖🥰😍
I grew up watching these guys. Thanks for the trip down memory lane :)
Some people think it’s offensive to climb a rock...oh dear..what’s offensive is that some people think they own a rock
So agree, Just Saying.
with international tourism dead for the foreseeable future the only way i would be enticed to go to the rock now is to be able to climb it. ive been 3 times and havent been able to yet , too wet , too hot and windy and they would have you believe that most people DONT want to climb it , truth is they WONT let you 3/4 of the time (back when you could )
Great memories, Leyland brothers meant so much to my generation, I dreamt of travels in the outback, fell in love with the bush and spent the next 30 years traveling Australia, still am and always will.
Leyland Brothers were our favorite television show, in our home growing up as kids dad would always grab us to come inside to watch it together not many tv shows can
bring a family together like like the Leylands could I would like to thank them for that.
The Leyland Brothers were a credit to Australia and they must NEVER be forgotten.
Absolute Aussie legends and pioneers!. A truly inspiring story of family success, heartache and forgiveness.
Loved watching them when I was a kid Classic Australian pioneers of adventure television
The Leyland bros was on TV when I was a kid,which was a long time ago!
Hope this brought back some good memories for you! Thanks for watching - Aust Story
Loving watching The Leyland Brothers growing up! Thank You so much for sharing this story. I remember when the theme park was build and when it closed and I always wondered what happened to them!
My parents came to Australia back when they were around, and they said to me that the Leyland brothers were one of the best ways of learning the culture of Australia.
Never knew Leyland brothers before and I wish I knew then sooner . Such a tragic and great story
Such a wonderful story about two families that were a big part of my childhood. I loved watching this show with mum and dad as a kid. Sad to see the hardships they endured they deserved better. They worked hard for what they had.
I remember watching the Leland Brothers on TV. Brings back a lot of memories of my younger days.💜🙏🇦🇺
I just watched an amazing story of two pommies who had an amazing life In Australia, with its ups and downs that many people have, but it kept me glued to the screen in one almost final film.. Thankyou both, one still here and one now resting forever.. Ian - UK.
I am 61 and have been a fan of the "Leyland Brothers" since I seen a feature film at a cinema in Adelaide when I was a little tacker. Thanks for uploading this, its the first time I have seen it.
Great video... thanks for the good memories 👍
Who still sings "Ask the Leyland Brotherrrrrrs!" when they have to go a round about, longer way to get somewhere or they get lost and are finding their way back?
every time i go for a road trip somewhere , i sing it.
Yep
HAHA 😂 That's one way to motivate you to find your way home! Now, if someone could just program that into a GPS.... - Aust Story
Lol, yep, all the time, these guys were my idols growing up and gave me a passion to want to travel and see as much of Australia as I can.
Me, just last week with the kids in the back seat enjoying the bumps as we headed to our campsite :) !!
Vale, Mike Leyland and I thank you both, Mal -- and everyone either of you loves -- and/or has loved -- for your lives - B A.·.
sad also because Laraine has also passed away in 2018 =(
As a kid the Leyland Brothers were part of the 1970s, my childhood, I remember thinking I could'nt do as they did, I'm not an adventurer, everything looked rough and rugged but fascinating. Mal's book is a book everyone who grew up with them need read. Thank you for such a wonderful story. RIP Mike.
Me and my family use to watch this TV show it great ..thank you for sharing
My life as with many others in Australia and around the world was enriched by their TV shows.
I’m sure our father was emboldened to take our holidays to the next level by making them more exciting (and dangerous😀) each time!
Loved the Leylands and our parents for giving us a sense of wonder and excitement in the country in which we live👍
really thank you special put together this special video on Leyland Brothers as was best show was around in Australia as show how basic family can do things
only wish them best further to Leyland Brothers family and thank you all put together in there Australia Outback film as true part of Australia History
Beautiful doco thank you for sharing
Hot damn, and this is why I'll always be proud of the ABC. Thank-you for providing a vehicle for this last adventure.
These guys gave me my love of photography and travel. One of my first books was Off the beaten track.
wowwwww tear in my eye, amazing story , thanks for sharing.
Thank You Mike and Mal, Loved your Work. Good Luck. RIP Mal.
2 brothers and their families just cruising around this beautiful country of ours👍
Sad story. Wish great surviving Leyland the best of luck. What a legend! Show how amazing aussie spirit can be. God bless them.
thanks, mal always love your journey in life its not over yet old mate thanks for sharing respect and love from Queensland south.
Interesting documentary. I have good memories of watching episodes of this show!
Gravel Hill Primary School....in Bendigo....in the 70's ...showed these films on a projector as curriculum . We loved it !!!!!
Awesome show , sad to hear what happened to the brothers relationship....I can see the tiny homes thing becoming huge in the years to come. Problem will be finding land in the future I think, some rural areas are going to resemble shanty towns.
I've got to thank the Leyland Brothers for my love of our great country. Its so good to now travel our country and see for myself what the Leyland's showed me while I was growing up.
there was one man him his wife and children in old landrover who travel around before leyland brothers he towed a small carvan around Australia vincent surventy was his name i think
Grew up watching them on TV, inspired a whole lifestyle for myself and my family.
Fantastic! Hope this brought back some good memories for you. 👍👍 Thanks for watching - Aust Story
Yesss grew up watching this awesome show , what a great insight into the families well done 🍻🍻
I found it got a bit dusty in here a few times while I watched this . . . I didn't know what happened after Leyland Brothers World closed. Thank you to the Leyland family and the ABC for sharing an important memory from growing up in Australia. I'm flicking through my copy of "Leyland Brothers Trekabout" as I type this. Golden memories from my past. And what a remarkable man is Dick Smith. This story made me feel proud to be an Australian.
Hey!! you should do a film of "Going north on a northern safari" I remember watching this when I was a kid.
I remember watching ask the Leyland brothers when I was young and because id never left new south wales in Australia, I was always fascinated to see other parts of Australia on ask the Leyland brothers,and now I can see even more of them again on youtube
We owe these guys so much.
Every night that it was on. It was a must to watch and enjoy.
Wow, that was fascinating and sad and uplifting all at once. What a story. You couldn't make it up.
Oh the memories..., I loved the Leyland brothers TV shows..., at 62 I miss those type of programs.😢
Glad we could bring back some good memories for you, thanks for watching! - Aust Story
I still remember watching "Off the beaten track" as a kid, the adventure of it all was so exciting.
Excellent viewing ....such a sad turn of events.
Over the Top and bravo to you and your brother. God bless from the US
Great story, thank you.
Both of you were my inspiration to get a 4x4 and travel into places others weren't able to go. I learnt to four wheel drive in the old long and short wheel base Landrovers as part of my job. Since then I've had 7 four wheel drives and always enjoyed that ability to travel into the scrub and enjoy natures gifts. I watched all your shows and thoroughly enjoyed them all. I always did wonder what happened to both of you. Thanks for baring all. 👍🏻😁🇦🇺
6 million in the bank and were worried they would become irrelevant and dry if they didn’t do something else to keep in the spotlight. Egos can do strange things as it wasn’t about the money it seems. My hat is off to them anyway because they achieved a true piece of Australian TV history that can never be taken away.
Good on ya Leyland Brothers. God bless you both and your families. A sad but uplifting story at the same time. Every Aussie 4WD adventure production today owes a lot to these true pioneers.
I'm sure my love of the outback was helped along by the Leylands, and also Alby Mangels. Nothing would stop them, jungles, oceans, rivers, deserts. We were truly lucky growing up in Aus with those adventurers to whet out appetites.
I love the scene when they say Joe Blow writes in. Classic.
I have some of their gear......they were the reason I got into Doco's and will always be remembered for that.
I watched this last night,,,,, and I have been singing the bloody song all day.
I owe so much of my life to Mike n Mal.. I started out in a Holden Panel Van in 1974 and went bush.
Now I'm 65 and have seen much of Aust only because they helped me discover the curiosity within me to keep travelling.
Great memories i always watched Australian was a great place those days
Loved the Leyland brothers growing up, they're the reason I followed in their footsteps :)
I've driven around Australia twice at different stages in my life, once for The Leyland Brothers and once for Alby Mangles. Inspirational !!!!!!!!!!!!1
Thanks for the memories
Legends, all of them 🙂
As a kid I used to be emotionally connected to their journey ...as they broke down ..smashed a diff in the middle of nowhere...get to swim in a lagoon in the middle of sand..and at the end, when they finally reached their destination...exhausted and relieved..to go through it all the following week..
I loved watching their adventures growing up.
Brings a tear to my eyes never knew this words can be hard to find when this happens in your life wish them the best stay safe
Grew up with the leyland brothers you were all just great and dick what such a nice thing to help out in a time when realy needed thank you that's the true aussie spirit right there .
Fantastic story thank you..
The first one's to capture the Uluru waterfalls open. Had no idea
Imagine doing their work these days.
Drones, CZcams, mobile phone cameras.
These guys did everything the hard way. Well done.
When I first come to Australia in the early 1980s my family and I fell in love with the Leyland Brothers.. To see Australia in its wild raw state was awesome. Their style was so layed back it was a pleasure to watch..I was saddened when their venture with Leyland World was a failure. It must have hurt both families immensely with worry and loss of everything.. I wish them good fortune in the future...
Wow. Have never seen rain on Ayers/ Uluru before. Beautiful.
It is truly one of the most memorable things ive ever seen...i was 12 or 13 ( circa 81/82) camping at the base of the rock with family from Alice and we woke up one morning cold and wet pretty much and there she was..the rock..blanketed in grey cloud with literally streams cascading down her sides and lagoons forming at the base...ill never forget it ..the whole camsite was awash..people seeking refuge in the ablution blocks .. but it was the most exciting adventure us kids had ever had.😊