Sandy Duthie, a 42-year-old from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has fulfilled his dream of becoming a lighthouse keeper on Gabo Island, off the coast of Victoria, Australia. Following the retirement of long-time keeper Leo op den Brouw, Sandy eagerly applied for the role that allows him to spend half the year managing the iconic lighthouse and caring for the island's unique wildlife, including a colony of penguins. With a background in ecology and a love for the island’s rugged beauty, Sandy is reveling in the challenges and solitude that come with his new responsibility.
Dream Job: Scottish Man Becomes Lighthouse Keeper on Australian Island
Dream Job: Scottish Man Becomes Lighthouse Keeper on Australian Island
Sandy Duthie seizes the opportunity to live his dream as a lighthouse keeper on Gabo Island, Australia.
Sandy Duthie jumped at the chance when the lighthouse keeper job opened up. He had visited Australia five years ago with his partner, Brodie Gaudion, and stayed beyond his initial holiday visa after discovering Gabo Island two years ago during work there. The island's lighthouse, more than 160 years old, now has him as its caretaker after he secured the position through a government organization following Leo's departure.
With a month-on, month-off work rotation shared with another keeper, Sandy travels to the island via a small boat, often delighting in sightings of nearby whales. He expressed a deep connection to Gabo, likening its landscape to his home in Northeast Scotland, and detailed the unique fauna, including sea eagles and seals.
Describing his new role, Sandy notes that it is less like a job and more a shift in lifestyle. Tasks vary from conducting weather observations to maintaining the property, highlighting the unpredictable nature of life on the island. Despite occasional feelings of isolation akin to "living in Alcatraz," he appreciates the freedom to structure his days creatively and the thrill of unexpected challenges.
Sandy has also discovered intriguing historical connections, learning that Scottish stonemasons contributed to the lighthouse's construction in the 1800s, revealing a deeper bond to his heritage. Embracing his idyllic "dream job," Sandy is dedicated to preserving both the lighthouse's legacy and the island's natural beauty, finding fulfillment despite its demands.
With a month-on, month-off work rotation shared with another keeper, Sandy travels to the island via a small boat, often delighting in sightings of nearby whales. He expressed a deep connection to Gabo, likening its landscape to his home in Northeast Scotland, and detailed the unique fauna, including sea eagles and seals.
Describing his new role, Sandy notes that it is less like a job and more a shift in lifestyle. Tasks vary from conducting weather observations to maintaining the property, highlighting the unpredictable nature of life on the island. Despite occasional feelings of isolation akin to "living in Alcatraz," he appreciates the freedom to structure his days creatively and the thrill of unexpected challenges.
Sandy has also discovered intriguing historical connections, learning that Scottish stonemasons contributed to the lighthouse's construction in the 1800s, revealing a deeper bond to his heritage. Embracing his idyllic "dream job," Sandy is dedicated to preserving both the lighthouse's legacy and the island's natural beauty, finding fulfillment despite its demands.
