00:02The sound of Viking steel once struck fear in the hearts across Europe.
00:07Now, on the shores of Mackay in North Queensland, it's met with applause.
00:14For more than 20 years, the mercenaries of Western Europe have been recreating 5th to 11th century Viking crafts, culture
00:22and battles.
00:25I can always remember my first battle and the nerves of that.
00:28Like, it comes back to me, you know, and I get excited.
00:31Like, every time my eyes light up, the heart rate starts going a bit faster and you're sort of like,
00:37oh yeah.
00:38Painstaking work goes into historical accuracy, mostly by emulating equipment found in ancient grave sites.
00:45You'll study your grave find and try and get as many of the reproduced pieces as accurately as possible.
00:54The group's 70 members are drawn from all walks of life.
00:58We're really diverse people that work in radio, at the recycle centre, we have lawyers, we have federal police.
01:10Vicky Aoife Bubbledyke says she likes the feeling of stepping into a simpler time.
01:16I don't have my phone here. I don't have the complications, the pace.
01:21This period in history, life was much more simple.
01:26Aoife's role within the mercenaries is MC and CRS.
01:30But she says there were many roles for women in the Viking era.
01:33Quite often in grave finds, they would uncover warriors in armour, take off the helmet, take off the armour, and
01:43it's a woman.
01:43Grey Wolf says there are many lessons to be learnt from the Viking period.
01:47All the leaders led from the front. If they made a decision, they faced it personally.
01:52But he says the most important thing is the bonds of the mercenary clan.
01:57It's a family. And we all come together, all celebrating what we love to do.
02:02Throw it out.
02:03The way the new gypsum came out.
02:04I'm not sure.
02:04You can hear the energy.
02:05I'm just hearing from the people that I've seen.
02:05I see my generation, all the people that I've seen.
02:05Do you mind?
02:06It's a family.
