• 10
    watchers
  • 44
    plays
  • 22
    collected
  • 2016-09-06T23:00:00Z on RTÉ One
  • 25m
  • 2h 30m (6 episodes)
  • Ireland
  • Reality
For the last two hundred years, Australia has been a magnet for people from all over the world. It's a vast continent of unexplored outback with vibrant cities located mostly along its coastline and it's here that most of the immigrant population has settled. Irish people have long been a presence in Australia, and they've made the most of the opportunities on offer. Making it Down Under takes a look at some recent arrivals who are working in challenging careers. From medics to truck drivers, mine workers to jockeys, we meet some of the Irish living and working in this extraordinary land.

6 episodes

Series Premiere

2016-09-06T23:00:00Z

1x01 Episode 1

Series Premiere

1x01 Episode 1

  • 2016-09-06T23:00:00Z25m

Mayo native Dr Matthew Mulkeen flies to the scene of a life threatening accident. Matthew (38) has been based in Queensland since 2015 and is a doctor with one of the region's rapid response 'Lifeflight' helicopters. His wife Marijana is from Croatia and they met in Ireland in 2006. They have one daughter, Alexandra who is 7.

Corkman Con O'Sullivan (27) has been living in Australia for the past five years and has been driving the world's largest cattle road train since 2013. It's a tough job that takes him thousands of kilometres every week around Western Australia. From Bantry, Con loves the outback and the open road. In episode one we find that for Con, driving the biggest cattle train in the world isn't all fun and games.

Vet John Russell performs a high tech operation on a high value horse. John (30) is from Downpatrick and is a specialist equine veterinary surgeon in Melbourne. John has been here since 2011 and despite having a great job with one of Ireland's top stud farms, decided to take the leap to Oz to further his career with Caulfield Equine Hospital. His day-to-day job sees him work on some of the best race horses in Australia.

Roscommon native, Louise Day (22), who is training to become a jockey and has found the going easier for female jockeys in Australia compared to Ireland.

Kate Doyle from Waterford always wanted to be a Veterinary nurse but found it tough to get into it in Ireland. She moved to Perth in 2011 and studied there to become a vet nurse, a job she loves. She is engaged to be married to her partner Ian. Kate and Ian first met in Perth, and although they're both Irish, they quickly realised just how small their home nation can be. Kate's family home is just across the road from his in Waterford. Having traveled halfway round the world to fall in love with the girl next door, Ian's also had to find room in his heart for Kate's menagerie of two dogs and two cats.

2016-09-13T23:00:00Z

1x02 Episode 2

1x02 Episode 2

  • 2016-09-13T23:00:00Z25m

The programme meets a woman who joined the Brisbane Police after going backpacking in Australia and now has seven children. Plus, a flying doctor attends a life-or-death emergency.

2016-09-20T23:00:00Z

1x03 Episode 3

1x03 Episode 3

  • 2016-09-20T23:00:00Z25m

Cork-born flying nurse Alan O'Riordan and his team race to help an elderly woman in danger, while geologist Elaine Hyde hopes to strike gold at a mine north of Perth. Plus, Con O'Sullivan races against the clock as he journeys north to Nanutarra to collect cattle for transport down the coastal highway.

2016-09-27T23:00:00Z

1x04 Episode 4

1x04 Episode 4

  • 2016-09-27T23:00:00Z25m

In Making It Down Under we meet some recent Irish arrivals to Australia working in challenging careers, from flying medics to truck drivers, mine workers and jockeys.

2016-10-04T23:00:00Z

1x05 Episode 5

1x05 Episode 5

  • 2016-10-04T23:00:00Z25m

Philip Healy, a hairdresser from Co Louth, experiences the dark side of life for the Irish in Australia.

2016-10-11T23:00:00Z

1x06 Episode 6

1x06 Episode 6

  • 2016-10-11T23:00:00Z25m

Kate's Shitzu Moon undergoes a doggie face lift, and mum-of-seven Rosie gives an insight into what it's like to have such a large brood.

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