Photo: Bruce Frankcombe

Maatsuyker Island -
Changing of the Guard

(Friday, 1 February 2019)

TMR has a long association with the Maatsuyker Island volunteer caretakers. Almost every day we catch up with them by radio – usually after one of our routine skeds.


Maatsuyker View
Caretakers' cottage and heritage lighthouse
Photo: Bruce Frankcombe
Recently we were contacted by the next caretaker couple, Grant and Hannah, who are very excited about their up-coming 6 months on the island – and are apparently undaunted by the notorious weather they are likely to encounter. Grant and Hannah visited our operations centre with our Brian Muir in late January and are pictured with one of our volunteer operators (and author) Robyn Mundy. Robyn was not only able to show them how things work at TMR, but as a past Maatsuyker caretaker with her partner Gary, she was also a fund of information about life on the remote outpost.


Maatsuyker Caretakers
Robyn at the controls with Grant and Hannah
Photo: Brian Muir






Here are some words from Grant and Hannah:-


It was incredible to visit the beautiful TMR headquarters and to see and meet the faces between the voices we will become familiar with over the next 6 months on Maatsuyker. We’re sure, as winter caretakers, the weather will be a rollercoaster and have packed enough hot chocolate, chocolate and warm clothes to experience the cold fronts and strong winds with front row seats! We look forward to tuning into the radio sked and having the opportunity to have a chat. Please, don’t be shy, I’m sure we will welcome a friendly hello from the “mainland”.

Grant & Hannah