Reality TV celebrity Matt Wright’s former NT “treehouse” – a glass‑rich, minimalist retreat on 3.15 hectares – has been thrust back into the spotlight after a Darwin judge fined The Outback Wrangler star $10,000 for flying helicopters to and from the property in defiance of an enforcement notice.
In a neighbourhood of five‑acre blocks about 30km south of Darwin, the operations rattled neighbours and drew attention to amenity impacts near sensitive uses, including a childcare centre within 500 metres.
Purchased in 2017 for $875,000, the 1984 elevated dwelling in Virginia was reimagined with concrete, timber and walls of glass to create a light‑filled family home framed by mahogany trees.
The four‑bedroom layout retained open‑plan living, louvres and an upstairs deck to catch breezes, while stripping back ornamentation for a clean, modern palette.
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Wildlife expert Matt Wright has a flair for handling fearsome animals but not so much his neighbours. Source: Facebook.
He’s been fined $10,000 for operating a helicopter at his former NT home. Source: realestate.com.au
The impressive property spanned across 3.15ha. Source: realestate.com.au
It came with plenty of ponds for crocodiles. Source: realestate.com.au
The sales campaign became national news: the property changed hands for $1.3 million in October and ranked among the most‑viewed listings in the Top End and wider Australia in 2025, reflecting intense buyer interest in high‑spec acreage homes that blend bush privacy with contemporary design.
From lifestyle statement to planning breach
After neighbour complaints in 2021, the Northern Territory’s Development Consent Authority barred helicopter movements to and from the site.
Wright appealed to the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal, arguing he could use his aircraft “like a motor car”, but the decision stood.
In April 2024 he was found to have intentionally contravened the permit, with the Local Court labelling his conduct “egregious” and “cavalier”.
“Landing helicopters in residential areas, albeit five-acre blocks, would be quite disturbing and disruptive to the peace of the neighbourhood,” Judge Macdonald said, noting the childcare centre’s proximity.
Matt Wright, the "Outback Wrangler," and his wife Kaia Wright. Picture: Instagram
Their home had been lovingly restored. Source: realestate.com.au
One of the home’s four bedrooms. Source: realestate.com.au
The home also came with three renovated bathrooms. Source: realestate.com.au
He added that in April 2024 the defendant’s world was “crumbling into a quagmire” of legal conflict and dispute.
Before imposing the $10,000 fine, the judge observed Wright had suffered a “spectacular fall from grace” and said leniency was appropriate, acknowledging his community contributions and character references.
Wright’s lawyer, Luke Officer, told the court the Supreme Court trial had been financially devastating, that Wright had lost his air operating certificate and pilot’s licence, and had sold the property – meaning there would be no repeat offending.
Sale, spectacle and “Spicy” the croc
Wright supercharged the sales campaign with an unusual offer: the resident 4.5‑metre saltwater crocodile, “Spicy”, could stay with the home.
“If you really, really want the place, I’ll even leave ya with Spicy,” he said in an Instagram reel.
“If you really want the place, you get him with it.”
To help sell the home, Wright was willing to part ways with a croc called Spicey. Source: Facebook
The marketing stunt drew eyeballs nationally, but ultimately the compliance saga defined the property’s exit as much as its architectural appeal.
Background to Wright’s incarceration
The TV personality, who rose to fame on the program Outback Wrangler showcasing crocodile-catching and aerial work in remote regions, is currently in prison.
In December, Acting Justice Alan Blow sentenced him to 10 months for two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, suspended after he serves five months.
A jury found him guilty on two counts relating to the aftermath of a fatal February 2022 chopper crash that claimed the life of co‑star Chris “Willow” Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic; the jury could not agree on a third allegation about “torching” a maintenance release.
Prosecutors did not allege Wright caused the crash, and he plans to appeal the convictions.
English (US) · 