Interview with Brendan Hutchens - Director and Producer of Disney+ Shipwreck Hunters Australia Series Two

On 27 August 2025, season two of the Australian Original series Shipwreck Hunters Australia, premiered exclusively on Disney+ following a dazzling launch at Fremantle’s world class Maritime Museum.

The fearless Shipwreck Hunters Australia team – Ryan Chatfield, Johnny Debnam, Nush Freedman, Andre Rerekura, and Ash Sutton – all return for series two, with six new missions to uncover rich history hidden within the seabed of Western Australia’s wildly beautiful ‘treasure coast’.

With support from maritime archaeologists at the Western Australian Museum, this highly skilled crew of ocean adventurers travel to some of the most breathtaking and heart-stopping locations on the planet. They explore maritime stories of our past and make some unbelievable, breakthrough discoveries.

Propelled by the unprecedented success of their expeditions featured in season one, which include the incredible historic maritime discovery of the 111-year-old Finnish-owned sailing ship Glenbank, the team are more determined than ever to unearth the treasures that lie beneath the ocean.

Shipwreck Hunters Australia season two is a co-production between VAM Media, Terra Australis Productions and Barking Mad Productions for Disney+, and has received major production investment from Screen Australia. Financed in association with Screenwest, Lotterywest, the Western Australian Regional Screen Fund and Tourism Western Australia, with expert assistance from the Western Australian Museum. The series was also developed with the assistance of Screen Australia, Screenwest and Lotterywest.

The series is directed and produced by VAM Media’s Brendan Hutchens (Shipwreck Hunters Australia, Drawn to Water, Walking Man), together with series producer Russell Vines (Ningaloo: Australia’s Other Great Reef, The Waler: Australia’s Great War Horse, Australia’s Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley) and executive producer Steve Bibb (Shipwreck Hunters Australia, Inside the Sydney Opera House, Matildas: The World at Our Feet).

The Shipping News’ Editor, Michael Barker, was very pleased to catch up with Brendan Hutchens in Fremantle soon after the launch to make the podcast you will find below where we discuss the success of Shipwreck Hunters Australia, the challenges of making series two, just what is involved in making such a production and the dynamics of the crew who bring such exciting television to our screens.

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

~ To hear our earlier podcast with Brendan Hutchens The Vam Media listen here

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