Steve Sharpe and Louise Collier have returned to Low Isles off Port Douglas for another caretaking term, almost two decades after they first looked after the reef island, ABC Far North reported on Monday.
The couple previously lived on the island in the 2000s. Their adult son Tom has joined them for the new term, according to the ABC report.
The Reef Authority's caretaker tender information describes a two-person, live-in role involving maintenance, visitor liaison and support for the island's facilities. It lists an initial two-year contract, with possible extensions, and an expected commencement date of 9 October 2026.
Low Isles includes a vegetated coral cay and a nearby mangrove cay within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The caretaker position helps maintain facilities used by visitors and the joint field-management program.
Illustration disclosure: The accompanying image is an AI-generated conceptual island scene. It is not a photograph of Low Isles, its lighthouse, its caretakers or any actual reef condition.
