This Australian cop show was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fought crime on Sydney Harbour and its surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney Harbour.
At the heart of the show was the relationship between two detectives: Frank Holloway (Colin Friels) and Rachel ‘Goldie’ Goldstein (Catherine McClements), both wisecracking, deeply cynical, and dealing with dysfunctional home lives.
Their family relationships provided long-running storylines in the years in which they led the show.
Holloway was investigated by Internal Affairs more than once – including for a murder charge – which added to his hard-edged larrikin nature.
Both characters departed in 1999 during the fourth season, to be replaced by detectives Jack Christey (Steve Bisley) and Alex St. Clare (Dee Smart).
Created by Tony Morphett (Blue Heelers) and John Hugginson (Home and Away), Water Rats also boasted an innovatively diverse cast of characters. Constable Tommy Tavita (Jay Laga’aia) was from the Pacific Islands, Sergeant Helen Blackmore (Toni Scanlan) was openly gay, and Constable Michael Reilly was played by Aborigine actor Aaron Pedersen.
The Nine Network cancelled the show after six seasons, and although Executive Producer Kris Noble blamed escalating costs for the cancellation, Bisley and Smart had just quit the show – and the series had already been slipping in the ratings.
The final episode was broadcast in Australia on 7 August 2001.
Senior Constable Gavin Sykes
Brett Partridge Chief Inspector Jeff Hawker
Peter Bensley Detective Senior Constable Rachel ‘Goldie’ Goldstein
Catherine McClements Detective Senior Constable Frank Holloway
Colin Friels Senior Sergeant Helen Blakemore
Toni Scanlan Senior Constable Tommy Tavita
Jay Laga’aia Senior Sergeant Dave McCall
Scott Burgess Senior Emma Woods
Allison Cratchley Detective Sergeant Jack Christey
Steve Bisley Detective Senior Constable Michael Reilly
Aaron Pedersen Detective Alex St. Clair
Dee Smart Constable Tayler Johnson
Raelee Hill
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Created by Tony Morphett (Blue Heelers) and John Hugginson (Home and Away), Water Rats also boasted an innovatively diverse cast of characters. Constable Tommy Tavita (Jay Laga’aia) was from the Pacific Islands, Sergeant Helen Blackmore (Toni Scanlan) was openly gay, and Constable Michael Reilly was played by Aborigine actor Aaron Pedersen.
