This couple runs an isolated research station on the Great Barrier Reef

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Have you ever dreamed of trading it all in to live on a beautiful, deserted island? That’s what one couple has done by taking over a research station on the Great Barrier Reef as they raise their child on the remote piece of paradise.

Transcript

00:00For most people, expansive blue oceans and a remote island is a dreamy holiday destination.

00:10But for one Australian couple, this tiny island is their home.

00:16We are designed to be in nature and living in nature, and I think it feels right, yeah,

00:23it feels right for us.

00:24It's not for everyone.

00:25Ruby Holmes and Heinrich Brauer are caretakers of One Tree Island, a research station run

00:32by the University of Sydney, 100 kilometres off the coast of central Queensland.

00:38It's where they are raising their toddler, Lucas.

00:41I'm so grateful that I get to bring my child up where he's just around nature and that's

00:46his stimulation is the birds and the ocean and the fish.

00:51No screens, no daycare, just the three of them and the ocean.

00:56But their decision to raise Lucas in this island paradise was not made lightly.

01:02When Ruby left One Tree Island to give birth, the university still had a no kids policy

01:08in place.

01:10We still weren't sure if we were definitely going to be able to come back.

01:12Yeah, it was interesting, so we were in a bit of limbo.

01:15But by the time they were ready to return, the policy had changed.

01:20So we returned when he was three months old and it was scary.

01:23We were questioning whether we were doing the right thing, bringing him out here, but

01:26it's the best thing we ever did and he absolutely loves it.

01:30This island is internationally renowned for its research opportunities on the Great Barrier

01:36Reef, meaning their main task is to ensure the island runs smoothly.

01:41I mainly take care of all the boats.

01:44I do transfers, boating inductions, a lot of maintenance on the vessels, getting people

01:52ready to go out and do their experiments.

01:55I look after the water treatment plant for our fresh water.

01:58So we run on drinking water out here and that all needs to be treated.

02:04We have our own rubbish collection, so that all has to be taken care of and exported off

02:10the island.

02:12Heinrich and I are parents, a couple and workmates and it's just us.

02:19And so that comes with challenges and it's hard to switch off because there is always

02:22like, you know, the middle of the night something breaks, who fixes it?

02:25It's us.

02:26In their downtime, the family enjoy snorkelling, surfing and kayaking.

02:31Everyone would think that this job is really isolating, but it's like the total opposite.

02:36It's a really bright future for Lucas, he's meeting a lot of really great people.

02:41Eventually he'll have to either go to boarding school or to normal school.

02:46So we'll have to cross that bridge, but at the moment it's to stay for as long as we can.

02:51I just love that, I hope it carries with him throughout his life and he's a steward for

02:57the environment and the ocean.

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