Kurbads Welcomes 120th Car Carrier "Namejs"
19. Mar '25
Arvīds Blūmentāls: 100 Years of Adventure from Dundaga to Australia
Today, as we look back at Latvia's and the world's history, we honor the legendary adventurer Arvīds Blūmentāls, also known as Crocodile Harry. His life story intertwines Latvian roots with the vast landscapes of Australia, embodying courage, and an extraordinary fate. Today marks the 100th anniversary of his birth.
Arvīds Blūmentāls is believed to have inspired Paul Hogan’s 1980s film franchise Crocodile Dundee.
Arvīds Blūmentāls was born on March 19, 1925, in Dundaga, Latvia. After World War II, he emigrated to Australia in 1951. He arrived in North Queensland in 1956, where he took up crocodile hunting as both a new occupation and later a profession. The danger posed by crocodiles has always been well known, and as a result, crocodile hunters often became celebrities in Australia, recognized for their bravery and skill. His adventures and hunting tales became integral to Australia’s bush folklore.
Blūmentāls documented his experiences in books such as Latviešu krokodilu mednieks Austrālijā (Latvian Crocodile Hunter in Australia, 1957) and Ilgi pēc saules (Long After the Sun, 1958). It is said that during his crocodile hunting career, he caught anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 crocodiles. Moreover, Arvīds Blūmentāls is believed to have inspired Paul Hogan’s 1980s film franchise Crocodile Dundee.
Later, he moved to Coober Pedy, the opal mining capital of the world, and became an opal prospector. He built a legendary underground home and later appeared in the 1985 film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. His fame spread across Europe thanks to numerous documentaries, including the 1995 film Crocodile Harry, which cemented his cult status in Latvia. His mention in the Lonely Planet Australia travel guide also ensured a steady flow of visitors to his home.
Arvīds Blūmentāls passed away in 2006 at 80, but his spirit and legend live on. To honor his legacy, the vehicle transport, and logistics company Kurbads named its 109th car carrier after him, allowing his story to continue on modern roads.
It is worth mentioning that artist Alfreds Paulausks designed the Mercedes Actros car carrier’s cabin, visually capturing Blūmentāls' unique life story - from his crocodile hunting days to the Australian wilderness that served as the backdrop for his adventures and inspiration. A special dedication ceremony nearly three years ago symbolically connected Blūmentāls’ adventurous spirit with the modern driver’s journey across Europe. The car carrier was entrusted to transport specialist Māris Labarevics, who, like Blūmentāls, hails from Dundaga.
To find out more about how Crocodile Harry unexpectedly made his way into Kurbads’ spotlight and onto the company’s large transport truck, watch our KURBADS TV video on YouTube.
