Eight years ago, 1000 small green plastic crocs were let loose into the Katherine river to raise funds to buy a wheelchair accessible bus for Kintore Street School students.
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Little did the organisers know the annual race would continue to stand strong all these years later.
And tomorrow the croc shoot out is on again down at the Low Level Reserve.
It might have changed drastically - for safety reasons, the race is no longer held in the real-crocodile infested Katherine river - but the idea has remained the same.
Each year, Kintore staff and students spend months in advance selling off the small toys for $10 a piece, to raise funds for a specific item which will benefit the students.
Last year, the money went towards a sensory garden, which is still in the works.
This year, principal Marg Chamberlain is hoping to raise enough funds to purchase adapted bikes for inclusive cycling.
"There are a range of bikes designed for mobility and therapy," the principal said.
"We have children with specific disabilities that would benefit from the movement and the freedom, and it is important for us to make sure all students have the opportunity to be included in all aspects of the school."
It didn't take long for rangers to warn of the potential dangers of holding the race in the Katherine river all those years ago.
Canoes would glide along side the racers, keeping them in check. And brave volunteers would stand in the water at the finish mark making sure to catch them all.
"We toyed with a couple of ideas about how to hold the race before we got to where we are today," she said.
"One year we threw them off the bridge, another we just picked one out of a boat."
Every year, however, the staff worry they will not sell enough of the crocs.
Without the annual fundraiser the school would have missed out on a multitude of beneficial big ticket items.
"The race was not supposed to last this long," Ms Chamberlain said.
"We came up with the idea out of need, and we wanted to turn the more traditional duck race into something unique for the Territory."
"Every year we question whether it is worth it - because the staff work exceptionally hard - but we definitley count on it, and it has become something the community gets behind and really looks forward to."
Today, the school has adapted to the changing environment and the explosion of crocodiles, and races the toys down a water slide at the Low Level Nature Reserve.
Hundreds of people turn up to watch the heats and to support the cause.
The crocs can be purchased at the Saturday market, Kintore Street School or in the Woolworths Complex ahead of the event tomorrow morning.
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