kelping on king island
Kelping and fishing are the backbone of many King Islanders’ lives, meaning they can enjoy their jobs while being in the great outdoors on one of the most pristine islands in Australia.
By: Sarah Hinder
There are plenty of interesting areas to get involved in on King Island, but two of the major industries that support families and individuals are kelping and fishing. There’s a lot of hard work and unusual hours in both jobs, and often the challenges and rewards are based upon the whims of the weather, but here we meet two local men who have plenty of work in both sectors, and they wouldn’t change a thing. That’s a good thing for the rest of Australia, where many people unknowingly benefit from the produce that these King Islanders bring in every month.
David Bowling hauling kelp off King Island’s shores.
the kelp haul
Kelp is big business on King Island, and it’s one of few places in the world where giant storm-cast bull kelp washes up by the truckload. It only grows in extremely cold water in places such as Tasmania, Chile, Norway and Iceland, and although it doesn’t have a root system it suctions on to the reef, so it takes big seas to move it, and big muscles and a winch to haul it off the beach.
For those who aren’t intimidated by hard work, King Island’s kelp karting industry can be incredibly rewarding. In fact, for local David Bowling, collecting bull kelp is his ideal occupation. But it's not a job for those who like to sleep in.
“First thing is to set the alarm for an early rise, and depending on the time of year, you’ve got to get up before daylight," he says. "How it works here in the kelping industry is the early bird gets the worm. He who gets there early gets rewarded most.”
Kelp is in more products than people realise, and so is in extremely high demand – it’s a foaming agent in beer and a binding agent in things such as cat food, toothpaste, shampoo, salad dressing, cakes, dairy products, frozen foods and even pharmaceuticals. The cows on King Island also love to eat it, as it gives them a dose of vitamins and minerals that keeps them healthy.
Around 30 to 40 people on the island have a bull kelping licence, and with most of them collecting kelp part-time, David explains that there’s healthy competition. “There’s general respect and a sort of gentlemen’s agreement within the industry. We’re all in it for the long haul, and we all use common sense and decency when working with everyone around the island. It's just the way it is.”
For many kelping makes an excellent second job, and as David explains it, life as a kelp karter is about what you make of it. “An advantage is that you can work as hard as you want, and you come and go when you want. The industry is generally busiest in winter and it’s the most challenging season. The winds turn to gale force and it can be mentally and physically tough. You have to push through that. With everything, there’s always the other side of the coin – it's yin and yang.”
Just like most King Islanders, David has worn a few hats over the years and has much varied experience up his sleeves. He’s worked as a mechanic and panel beater and as an Intrepid tour guide in Asia, as well as served on the King Island Council and worked as a real estate agent on the island for more than 10 years. But kelping has always been a part of what he does. “It’s one of those things you can always fall back on,” he says.
Today David hauls and karts kelp full-time, and he’s certainly got an appreciation for the flexibility and freedom that it offers. “The thing I like about kelping is that it's total freedom for me. It's up to your own discipline whether you want to go every day or whether you just do it every now and then. It gives me total flexibility. It's tough work, but the kelp doesn’t ring you up at 9am on a Sunday to talk about real estate either! With kelping, simplicity and freedom are the new luxuries in life for me.”
Visitors to the island can learn about the kelp drying process at the Kelp Industries’ Visitor Centre, which has information about the industry. “We also often bump into tourists travelling on the coastline or at the factory on Netherby Road, where we unload the kelp,” says David. “Quite often they’ll pull up there, inquisitive about what’s going on, and we’ll have a chat while we’re working.”
Manager of the Kelp Industries factory in town emphasises that, just like all industries on King Island, the locals are very protective of the environment in which they work, because they understand that the resources around them are precious. “We can only take what Mother Nature donates to us, washed up on the shores,” he says. “It’s illegal to take bull kelp from the ocean as it would destroy the eco-system in which it thrives. So sometimes the guys have a great day and haul in truckloads, and other days it's not as great. But that’s all part of the kelping game, and most of them also like the physical exercise and being outdoors for a living.”
Currie Harbour, King Island.
fishing first
Having lived and fished the island his entire life, Matt Archer knows more than a thing or two about life on the water around King Island. Between running King Island Fishing Tours, sharing his fifth-generation knowledge with visitors, starting up King Island Coach Company, accrediting locals and tourists alike with boat licences and working on an abalone boat on his ‘spare days’, Matt says that his busy schedule is all part of the lifestyle most King Islanders lead and love.
“You’ve got to diversify on King Island to survive,” Matt explains. ”I started out driving for a bus company, and as time went by I bought the company out, and now do up to weeklong full island tour packages, as well as golf transfers, meal transfers and catering, which can sometimes mean driving visitors home at 2am!”
Beginning his fishing tours at the age of 18, Matt recalls how everyone was so supportive. ”It’s like one big family on the island. If there’s anyone who needs a hand getting started, there’s always someone who’ll help out.” Now, running the coach business as well, he describes the same welcoming sense of community among the locals.
“The tourism industry is boutique on King Island, so we work with each other instead of against one another.”
Many King Islanders are interested in filling their spare moments with side hustle endeavours. Boating is a huge pastime on King Island and, recognising that, Matt decided to study for the qualifications to teach and train boat licensing.
“Working with MAST (Marine and Safety Tasmania), who I give the licence on behalf of, I take people out and they can get their nationally-recognised motor boat licence with me.”
Meanwhile, on his free days, when he hasn’t got a fishing charter or a tour, he helps out local Grant Jordan, working on his abalone boat.
“It fills in the odd day here and there over summer, and during winter I work quite a lot with him. I’ve worked in various other commercial activities around the island too – whether it be catching crayfish or whatever else.”
For King Island locals, working life can be much more than a job. Often it’s a passionate endeavour, zealously supported by the community.
“This island is a very welcoming place,” Matt says. “Most of us love sharing our home with others. And that’s why I’m in this industry. I love sharing my fishing tips and I love sharing stories on the tours. I love taking people out on the water and introducing them to my island – and you soon realise that most of the other people living here are like that too.”
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