Scot lands his dream job as a lighthouse keeper on an Australian island

A Scottish man has landed his “dream job” as a lighthouse keeper on a distant Australian island.

Sandy Duthie, 42, jumped on the likelihood when the earlier lighthouse keeper determined to retire after 25 years on Gabo Island, off the coast of Victoria.

Sandy, from Aberdeenshire, visited Australia 5 years in the past together with his associate and has by no means left. When he went to the small lighthouse island he realized that he wish to in the future turn out to be a part of its historical past.

Getting the job of lighthouse keeper and island caretaker means he now spends six months of the 12 months there – one month on, one month off – with a colony of penguins for firm.

Sandy is from Kirkton of Durris, close to Banchory.

He studied ecology on the University of Aberdeen earlier than turning into an arborist.

He visited Mallacoota in 2019 together with his associate Brodie Gaudion on an preliminary three-month vacation visa to fulfill his household for the primary time, and ended up staying.

He first went to Gabo Island two years in the past and dreamed of turning into its caretaker.

The Gabo lighthouse itself was constructed greater than 160 years in the past.

Previous goalkeeper Leo op den Brouw, 70, had spent each two months alone on the island for the previous 25 years.

When she determined to return to household life on the mainland earlier this 12 months, the place remained open and Sandy received the job at authorities group Parks Victoria.

He and one other doorman, who has labored there for 16 years, share the month-on, month-off rotation.

Sandy and his big beard – which he has grown for a few years and which he says could have helped him throughout his job interview – began his new job in March.

Get to and from the island through small constitution boat.

It takes about half-hour if climate permits – circumstances are sometimes uneven – and there are typically whales close by.

Sandy’s first expertise on Gabo Island occurred when he stayed right here for 2 weeks to do weed management work.

“I felt at house right away, it felt similar to the north east of Scotland,” he defined.

“The foliage is kind of naked and the granite is not like anyplace else in Australia I’ve ever seen. I instantly fell in love with this place.

“So I requested the janitor how he received the job and he instructed me it was simply luck in the correct place on the proper time. And he has since retired and I utilized for the job: in the correct place, on the proper time.

“Work doesn’t come alongside fairly often.”

He described Gabo Island as small however with “wonderful” wildlife.

“We have little penguins, an enormous colony,” he mentioned.

“We have whales, eagle rays and seals. We have whales passing by continually in the mean time.

“I noticed about 15 or 16 right this moment. Sometimes there are 30 or 40 a day.”

Sandy mentioned the work itself is extra like a lifestyle.

“You actually should tempo your self with what it’s important to do and never put an excessive amount of expectation or planning as a result of Gabo Island has a method of upending any plan you may have.

“You have to have the ability to clear up issues. Our duties vary from climate observations each six hours to cleansing public bathrooms, to portray all the things – we’ve 80% humidity with salty air, so all the things rusts and it corrodes and all the things must be taken care of.

“There is a variety of ongoing upkeep that must be finished on the home.

“You simply should count on the surprising.”

He mentioned the job was ultimate for him, however that it got here with challenges.

“There’s sufficient distinction to maintain your thoughts busy,” Sandy mentioned.

“I actually take pleasure in my very own firm. I additionally benefit from the firm of others. My associate comes to go to me.

“Don’t get me unsuitable, there are days when it looks like jail typically.

“The earlier caretaker described it as Alcatraz the rock. You cannot depart, go to household occasions in case you’re right here. Sometimes we get caught right here for days on finish due to the climate.

“But on the identical time you may just about write the script for the day and do your duties.

“It may be tough when the telephone sign drops, however there’s not a lot I miss…

He mentioned provides may run low if a ship did not arrive.

“But the opposite aspect of the coin is that once I return to the mainland, one thing I’ve discovered is that I’ve to be very cautious about being round crowds of individuals.

“If you’ve got been right here for weeks by yourself and have not seen one other face, it is fairly intimidating to go to the pub or go to an occasion.”

He additionally found that there have been different Scottish connections to Gabo Island.

“Gabo pink granite could be very onerous in comparison with different Australian granites,” Sandy defined.

“The paperwork I’ve discovered recommend that the individual commissioned to construct the lighthouse in 1859 truly sought out Scottish stonemasons, notably those that had labored on the Aberdeen and Peterhead lighthouses, as they have been used to working with such onerous materials.

“Unfortunately, nevertheless, we do not know way more about who constructed the lighthouse.

“There is a e-book about all of the keepers who’ve been on the island since 1859, and plenty of of them are Scottish: folks from the Highlands and Islands, Perth, Edinburgh, Glasgow and in addition from the north east.

“It’s actually wonderful the Scottish connection right here.

“It’s 100% a dream job. For me it is good.”