A Scottish man has discovered his “dream job” as a lighthouse keeper on a distant Australian island.
When the previous lighthouse keeper determined to retire after 25 years at Gabor Island on the Victorian coast, 42-year-old Sandy Duthie jumped on the probability.
Sandy, from Aberdeenshire, visited Australia along with his accomplice 5 years in the past and has by no means left. When he arrived at Lighthouse Island, he realized he wished to at some point be part of the lighthouse’s historical past.
His job as a lighthouse keeper and island supervisor means he now spends six months a 12 months there – one month on and one off – within the firm of a colony of penguins.
Sandy DuceySandy was from Durris Kirkton, close to Bankory.
Earlier than changing into an arborist, he studied ecology on the College of Aberdeen.
In 2019 he traveled to Mallacoota along with his accomplice Brodie Gaudion to fulfill her household for the primary time and ended up staying.
He first got here to Gabo Island two years in the past with the dream of finally changing into its guardian.
The Gabo Lighthouse itself is over 160 years outdated.
Former goalkeeper Leo op den Brouw, 70, has spent each two months alone on the island for the previous 25 years.
The place opened up earlier this 12 months when he determined to return to the mainland to dwell along with his household, and Sandy took the job with the federal government group Parks Victoria.
Nick Esser/Victoria ParkHe and one other goalkeeper – now in his sixteenth 12 months there – alternate one month and the following.
Sandy and his beard — which he had grown for years and thought may assist in interviews — began his new job again in March.
He travels to and from the island by renting a ship.
It takes about half-hour, climate allowing – it is usually unsettled – and there are sometimes whales close by.
Sandy first got here to Gabo Island when he got here right here for a two-week weeding job.
“It looks like coming residence, it feels very very like the north-east of Scotland,” he explains.
Nick Esser/Victoria Park“The foliage was so lush and the granite was not like anyplace else I’d seen in Australia. I fell in love with this place instantly.
“Then I requested the janitor how he acquired the job and he informed me it was simply luck, being in the precise place and the precise time. Since then, he retired and I utilized for the job – in the precise place , the precise time.
“This job doesn’t come round fairly often.”
He described Gabo Island as small however with “wonderful” wildlife.
“We now have little penguins — a complete bunch of them,” he stated.
“We now have whales, sea eagles and seals. Whales are passing us loads for the time being.
“I noticed about 15 or 16 in the present day. Typically there are 30 or 40 a day.”
Sandy stated that work itself is extra like a lifestyle.
“It’s important to actually tempo your self with what you’re going to do and never have too many expectations or plans, as a result of Gabo Island has a means of twisting any of your plans.
“You’ve gotten to have the ability to resolve issues. Our duties vary from watching the climate each six hours to cleansing public bathrooms, portray all the things – we now have 80% humidity, salty air, so all the things rusts and corrodes, all of that All want care.
“The home requires lots of ongoing upkeep.
“You simply should count on the sudden.”
He stated the job was preferrred for him, nevertheless it additionally had its challenges.
“There’s sufficient variation to maintain your mind busy,” says Sandy.
“I take pleasure in my very own firm. I additionally benefit from the firm of others. My accomplice comes to go to.
“Do not get me mistaken, some days can appear to be a jail.
“The previous administrator described it as Alcatraz Rock. If you happen to have been right here, you could not depart besides to go to household occasions. Typically we’d be caught right here for days on finish due to the climate.
“However on the similar time, you possibly can mainly write your individual script for the day and fulfill your obligations.
“It may be troublesome when the cellphone sign goes out, however I do not miss something.
If no ships come, provides may very well be briefly provide, he stated.
“However however, once I got here again to the mainland, I discovered that I needed to be very cautious round crowds.
“If you happen to’ve been right here by your self for just a few weeks and you have not seen one other face, it may be very intimidating to go to a bar or an occasion.”
Fiona Bloom/ABCHe additionally found that Scotland had different connections to Gabo Island.
“The pink granite on Gabo could be very arduous in comparison with different Australian granites,” Sandy explains.
“The paperwork I discovered present that these answerable for constructing the lighthouse in 1859 have been really searching for Scottish stonemasons, particularly those that had labored at Aberdeen and Peterhead lighthouses as they have been used to working with such arduous supplies .
“Sadly, we do not know a lot about who constructed the lighthouse.
“There’s a e book about all of the carers who’ve been on the island since 1859 and lots of of them are Scots – folks from the Highlands and Islands, Perth, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the North East.
“The connection to Scotland right here is unbelievable.
“That is 100% a dream job. It is excellent for me.
