I landed dream job after moving from Scotland to Australia – I’m alone on island

A TREE expert has bagged his ‘dream job’ after moving from Scotland to Australia.

Sandy Duthie, from Aberdeenshire, was over the moon when the unusual job was advertised and he immediately applied.

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The 42-year-old went Down Under five years ago and fell in love with a lighthouse on a remote island.

He’s now landed the role of a lighthouse keeper and caretaker on the secluded spot, off the coast of Victoria.

Sandy spends six months of the year there, on a month on and month-off rotation.

He visited Mallacoota in 2019 with his partner Brodie Gaudion on an initial three-month holiday visa to meet her family for the first time, and ended up staying.

Sandy told the BBC: “I asked the caretaker then how he got the job and he told me it was just luck at the right place and the right time.

“And since then he retired and I applied for the job – right place, right time.”

He added: “The job does not come up very often.”

The nature enthusiast described Gabo island as small but with “amazing” wildlife.

The previous owner spent every second month for the last 25 years on the island before moving back to the mainland to spend more time with family.

The historic lighthouse was built more than 160 years ago.

Sandy travels 30 minutes from the mainland to the island on a chartered boat.

He described his duties as problem solving, weather watching, cleaning and maintenance.

The lighthouse keeper added: “There’s enough difference to keep your mind busy all the time.”

“I quite enjoy my own company. I do also enjoy the company of others. My partner comes to visit.

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

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