Shaw fulfils diving dreams
• Winnaleah-raised Lucas Shaw diving for Southern Blue Fin Tuna. Photo supplied.
By Daisy Baker
June 01, 2020
Diving for Southern Blue Fin Tuna in the Great Australian Bight is how Winnaleah-raised Lucas Shaw now spends many of his days.
He currently works for Australian Fishing Enterprises (AFE), a tuna company based in Port Lincoln, South Australia.
Lucas has called South Australia home for the past three years, alongside his fiancé Jess and their chocolate Labrador Fergus.
He found a love for diving at a young age but for a long time it was just a hobby.
“From an early age I always loved being in the water diving as a hobby and spending time at our family shack in Musselroe Bay,” he said.
“A close family friend recognised this and encouraged and supported me to complete my tickets.”
Lucas moved to Launceston to complete a carpentry apprenticeship when he was 16, before making a career change in 2016 and relocating to Perth, Western Australia to pursue further opportunities within the diving industry.
While diving is now his bread and butter, Lucas said he still enjoys being in the water just as much out of work as he does when on the clock.
Lucas’ advice to anyone who wants to pursue a career in diving is to ensure they have researched and fully understand the requirements of the industry.
“The fishing industry can open many opportunities and lead you to many places in the world.”
When asked about where he sees himself in the next five years, Lucas said he is looking to spend more time out of the water and hopes to spend more time skippering boats.
With family members still living in the North-East, Lucas enjoys returning to the region for visits when he can.
However, there are limited opportunities in the area for his line of work, so he doesn’t have any plans to move back at this stage.