Water Rats (TV series)

Updated on Nov 02, 2023

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Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based on work of the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime around Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney Harbour.

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Water Rats premiered on 12 February 1996, and ran for six seasons and 177 episodes. Colin Friels and Catherine McClements were the original stars of the series and were instrumental in the show's early success. They both departed the show in 1999. In later seasons, Steve Bisley, Aaron Pedersen and Dee Smart became the show's main stars.

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For the sixth and final season in 2001, the show concentrated more on the cops' personal lives rather than just focusing on the crimes committed. The Nine Network cancelled the show after six seasons. Executive Producer Kris Noble blamed escalating costs for the cancellation. However, Bisley and Smart had also just quit the show, and the series had already been suffering a ratings battle following the departure of Friels and McClements in 1999.

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The final episode was broadcast in Australia on 7 August 2001.

Cast

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Colin Friels as Det Snr Constable Frank Holloway (1996–1999)

Catherine McClements as Det Snr Constable Rachel Goldstein (1996–1999)

Steve Bisley as Det Snr Con/Sgt Jack Christey (1998–2001)

Jay Laga'aia as Snr Constable Tommy Tavita (1996–2000)

Aaron Pedersen as Det Snr Constable Michael Reilly (1999–2001)

Dee Smart as Det Snr Constable Alex St. Clare (2000–2001)

Supporting cast

Peter Bensley as Snr Sgt/Chief Insp Jeff Hawker (1996–2001)

Bill Young as Chief Insp Clarke Webb (1996 only)

Brett Partridge as Snr Constable Gavin Sykes (1996–2001)

Toni Scanlan as Snr Sgt Helen Blakemore (1996–2001)

Scott Burgess as Snr Sgt Dave McCall (1996–1999)

Aaron Jeffery as Constable Terry Watson (1996–1998)

Sophie Heathcote as Constable Fiona Cassidy (1996–1997)

Raelee Hill as Constable Tayler Johnson (1997–1999)

Allison Cratchley as Constable Emma Woods (1998–2001)

Diarmid Heidenreich as Constable Matthew Quinn (2000–2001)

Rebecca Smart as Constable Donna Janevski (2000–2001)

Recurring roles

Peter Mochrie as Detective Snr Sergeant John Harrison (22 episodes, 1996)

Jeremy Callaghan as Detective Snr Constable Kevin Holloway (10 episodes, 1996)

Richard Healy as Insp Tony Brady (14 episodes, 1996–1997)

Tryffen Koreshoff as David Goldstein (17 episodes, 1996–1999)

John Walton as John Walton (26 episodes, 1997–1999)

Anthony Martin as Colin "Chopper" Lewis (44 episodes, 1997–2001)

Mouche Phillips as Eva Minton (8 episodes, 2000–2001)

Brooke Satchwell as Sophie Ferguson (20 episodes, 2000–2001)

Joss McWilliam as Sgt Lance Rorke (29 episodes, 2000–2001)

Pilot

The first episode of Water Rats screened in Australia at 8.30 pm on Monday, 12 February 1996. It was entitled Dead in the Water and was a two-part episode. Dead in the Water introduced viewers to Detective Senior Constables Frank Holloway and Rachel Goldstein.

Along with:

Chief Inspector Clarke Webb

Senior Sergeant Jeff Hawker

Sergeant Helen Blakemore

Senior Sergeant Dave McCall

Senior Constable Gavin Sykes

Senior Constable Tommy Tavita

Senior Constable Fiona Cassidy

Senior Constable Terry Watson

and

Detective Senior Sergeant John "Knocker" Harrison (played by Peter Mochrie)

Detective Senior Constable Kevin Holloway (played by Jeremy Callaghan)

David Goldstein (played by Treffyn Koreshoff)

Jonathon Goldstein (played by Steven Grivies)

Inspector Tony Brady (played by Richard Healy)

The pilot plot concerned a divorced man, deranged over the death of his daughter, who captures a Sydney harbour ferry and holds the city to ransom.

Season one

Season one ran for 26 episodes and major storylines included:

Jonathon Goldstein trying to deny Rachel access to their young son, David.

Frank's relationship with crime scene officer, Caroline Cox.

Helen's sexuality comes out in the open, particularly to Rachel, who seemed to be the only character who did not know Helen was gay.

The death and subsequent investigation of Frank's brother, Kevin.

Rachel's relationship with Knocker, which turned out to be a deadly one.

Clarke's affair and his subsequent resignation.

Frank being investigated by Internal Affairs on two occasions.

Season two

The second season of Water Rats ran, again, for 26 episodes and began airing on Monday, 10 February 1997. Season two also took the detectives to Melbourne, a change from Sydney harbour. It also introduced a new character, Constable Tayler Johnson, as well as a few minor ones, including:

Colin "Chopper" Lewis (played by Anthony Martin)

Senior Constable Sam Bailey (played by Kelly Dale)

Michael Jefferies (played by John Adam)

Gail Hawker (played by Anne Tenney)

Major storylines included:

Rachel's relationship with the well-off Michael Jefferies.

Jeff becomes Chief Inspector.

Frank once again, is investigated by I.A, but this time for a much more serious offence, murder.

Tayler is Helen's niece.

Terry is stabbed and decides to leave the Water Police.

Dave is speared by spear gun and cannot continue diving.

Jeff and his wife separate.

Season three

Season three ran for 31 episodes and premiered on Monday, 9 February 1998. A couple of episodes into the season, it was moved to Tuesday nights. Steve Bisley is also added to the opening credits for a number of episodes near the end of the season. New characters included:

Constable Emma Woods

Liz Robinson (played by Rebecca Hobbs)

Detective Senior Constable Jack Christey

Detective Sergeant Louise Bradshaw (played by Sonia Todd)

Terry Madigan (played by Ritchie Singer)

Major storylines included:

Frank getting back together (for a while) with his ex-wife Liz.

Rachel and tough-talking detective Jack Christey have a one-night stand.

Tayler is shot.

Rachel works with Tommy on a number of occasions, while Frank is away.

Frank's relationship with undercover cop Louise ends tragically when she is shot dead.

Helen is promoted to Senior Sergeant.

Season four

The fourth series began on Tuesday, 16 February 1999 and ran for 32 episodes. It was a series of change for Water Rats, which included both Colin Friels' and Catherine McClements' departures within 18 episodes of each other. It introduced some new and old characters such as:

Detective Senior Constable Michael Reilly

Detective Sergeant Jack Christey

Gillian Swain (played by Liz Burch)

Suzi Abromavich (played by Roxane Wilson, who also appeared in one episode in series three)

Detective Senior Constable Alex St Clare

Major storylines included:

Helen's relationship with lawyer Gillian Swain.

Michael Reilly, from VIP security, becomes the third detective.

Frank leaves the Water Police, sailing to Venezuela.

Jack replaces Frank and his relationship with Rachel gets off to a rocky start.

Jack is promoted to Detective Sergeant.

David is kidnapped.

Rachel and Jack start their relationship again.

Rachel is stabbed, and dies in Jack's arms.

Jeff and his wife get a divorce.

Tayler leaves the Water Police, joining Pol-Air.

Alex St Clare replaces Rachel.

Season five

The fifth season began airing on Tuesday, 22 February 2000, and ran for 36 episodes, the longest out of the six seasons of the show. Ratings began to fall slightly, as a result of McClements' departure the previous year. A number of regular characters also left, including Jay Laga'aia and Scott Burgess, whose character was not seen at all in series five, and his whereabouts was finally mentioned in series six. New characters included:

Senior Constable Matthew Quinn

Constable Donna Janevski

Sergeant Lance Rorke

Sophie Ferguson

Eva Minton (played by Mouche Phillips)

Major storylines included:

Tommy leaves the Water Police and goes on long-service leave.

Jack finds out he has an 18-year-old daughter named Sophie.

Mick asks Alex out on a date.

Gavin meets Eva.

Jack remembers Rachel on the one-year anniversary of her death.

Season six

The sixth and final season of Water Rats began airing on Tuesday, 6 February 2001 and ran for 26 episodes. Sometime early in the season, the timeslot was changed from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm. The Nine Network decided to cancel the show, due to escalating costs and falling ratings, and two main stars, Bisley and Smart had decided to leave the show. Notable new characters in the final season included:

Acting Inspector Julia Goodwin (played by Josephine Byrnes)

Tom Christey (played by Bill Hunter)

Sergeant Vanessa Simmons (played by Ingrid Ruz)

Detective George Newhouse (played by Rodger Corser)

Major storylines included:

Jack has a short relationship with Julia Goodwin.

Lance dies in a freak accident.

Sophie begins her Police training.

The Water Police learn that Snr. Sgt. Dave McCall has died.

Gavin and Eva get married, and at the end of the series, have a baby.

Jack is shot in the very last episode, and though not known, probably dies, as Steve Bisley was leaving the show if it did continue for another season.

Filming locations

Water Rats was filmed on and around Goat Island in Sydney Harbour. Other locations used throughout the series were:

Shark Island

Sydney Harbour Bridge − In the season three episode Epiphany, Matt Barnes took Rachel Goldstein and climbed the famous bridge for a negotiators exercise.

The Gap − A main storyline of season 1 was the murder of Frank's brother Kevin, who was thrown off The Gap.

White Bay Power Station − Used a number of times, most notably, Catherine McClements' last episode A Day at the Office.

Fort Denison

The Rocks − Mainly used for external shots of Frank's house.

Middle Harbour

Long Bay Correctional Centre

Australian Army Artillery Museum − During the season two final, Rachel and Frank search for killer Brian Atkins in the underground tunnels of the museum.

North Head

Middle Head Fortifications

Melbourne − In season two, Rachel and Frank travelled to Melbourne to investigate a murder.

Fictional locations

The real Sydney Water Police headquarters was located at Pyrmont. The TV version of the Sydney Water Police headquarters was located on Goat Island, though the fictional address was 48/50 Harbour Drive, Sydney 2000. Other fictional locations throughout the series included:

Frank's House − The exterior was shot in The Rocks, but the interior was a set on Goat Island.

The Cutter Bar − A fictional pub, where the members of the Water Police liked to relax after a hard day at work (introduced in season two).

The Sydney Police Centre − Unlike some other police stations, the Water Police did not have their own holding cells, so offenders were taken to the SPC to be charged.

The Hospital

The Morgue − Early in the series, real morgues were used to film in. Eventually a set was built on Goat Island.

Rachel's house − A number of different exterior locations were used for Rachel's house, including Balmain, Birchgrove and Glebe.

DVD and soundtrack releases

Water Rats was first released on DVD in 2004 through Shock Entertainment. It was released however, as two parts called Series 1 and Series 2, though it was actually only season 1 in two parts. Warner Vision Australia then released the rest of the show, where DVDs labelled series 3 were actually season 2 and so on. It was announced on August 7, 2017 at via vision entertainment would be re-release all 6 seasons of police rescue on dvd on November 22, 2017.

Soundtrack

A Water Rats soundtrack was also produced by Les Gock in 1999. It contained songs featured on the series, such as Goldie's Theme by Cathi Ogden (heard in many episodes, most notably, episode 109) and I'll Dream of You by Hugh Wilson (heard in Frank's final episode). It also features a couple of songs sung by cast members: Breathe with Raelee Hill and Let's Party with Jay Laga'aia. The song Breathe, was written by James Freud who also sung in the chorus.