Up-standing man from the Great Southern Land

Braden Smith is a lovable larrikin.

Anyone who has encountered him will tell you he’s the quintessential Aussie.

The surf-loving ex-tour guide has many tricks up his sleeve. And his passion for the Reef is palpable. Braden is the type of bloke you meet at a barbecue, and always remember.

He’s come to the Reef Authority after working in some of the most beautiful locations on earth, such as Cape Tribulation (where two World Heritage areas come together – the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef), Cape York, and most recently, the Whitsundays.

Braden’s workdays included traipsing expansive white sandbanks, and pristine aquamarine waters.

Alike the beautiful Great Barrier Reef from above, there’s more than meets the eye to Braden.

Just taking a dive into his resume shows he’s far more refined than his down-to-earth Birkenstocks at work might lead you to believe.

“After finishing university at RMIT, I fell into an incredible job working at a creative agency in Melbourne where we worked on campaigns for brands such as Nike, Adidas, FootLocker, Levi’s, etc.

“As amazing as it was and how much it taught me, it wasn’t scratching the creative itch.

“After some time, I started to lose my groove, so I went traveling."

Braden spent many years in his twenties traveling around Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

But it would be through reconnecting with his roots, surfing the southern coastline of Victoria, that he discovered his ethos.

“I was born around the ocean, I was sort of thrown into it before I could walk.

“Dad grew up surfing, mum was in the scene too.

“Surfing is where the heart lies, it’s what our lives revolved around growing up."

But the Great Barrier Reef isn’t known for its waves, and herein lay the problem.

Braden was out of his depth when he first visited the Great Barrier Reef. It wasn’t the typical love-at-first sight the majority report.

He hated it. Yes, hated it.

“My first encounter of the Reef didn’t fit the mould – I hated the bloody thing; I was terrified,” he laughs.

“I was five years old. We set off from Cape Tribulation – where my uncle and aunt lived – and bashed our way out to Mackay Reef. It was howling winds, cold, rough. I just remember screaming – I didn’t want to be there!"

So how did he end up here, managing digital communications for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority?

The tides have a special way of nurturing the weary traveller. The Coral Sea has something to light the spark for any visitor, whether your poison is sail-boating, fishing, swimming, or even surfing.

And along the 2300 kilometres of the Great Barrier Reef’s coastline, there’s more to discover each metre you descend.

“The first time I fell in love with the Reef, I was living in Cape Tribulation working with my uncle and also at Ocean Safari. The winds had been blowing but had finally calmed, and we’d been watching the forecast of a building swell, so we threw the (surf) boards in the boat and set-off for the Agincourt Reefs, which offer half-decent waves from time to time.

“But by the time we got out there, the wind had come up a bit, and the waves were bit messy. So before long we swapped the boards for snorkels, and went for an explore underwater.

“Soon after, we were met by a wall of hundreds of dolphins. Playing around, interacting with us. It was incredible. I think that’s what really planted the seed – the unknown.

“It was this weird transitional thing, going out to try and find something to surf - which was what had always drawn me to the water, and it turning into snorkelling the Reef. That was the time I fell in love with the Reef.

“After some time in the jungle, I joined some friends overseas. After settling back in Melbourne, I soon found myself missing the wilderness of the North. I got a timely call out of the blue from Ocean Safari needing an Ops Manager. So cancelled the lease in Melbourne, packed the car and drove back to Cape Tribulation."

After another stint in the jungle, an opportunity arose with sister company, Ocean Rafting, in the Whitsundays. Taking a position there, he soon found himself balancing a role as skipper, media manager, capturing content and later in ops management.

“Working in the marine tourism industry was great. We had a lot of opportunities to pull-up our sleeves and help look after the Reef. But it was the people which I found the joy in.

“Seeing the joy the Great Barrier Reef brought people from all over the world. For me, it was those who were terrified of the ocean which motivated me. Those who were petrified, anxious, maybe had disabilities which would otherwise prevent them from getting in the water – they were the people that I wanted to buddy with. Taking someone who never dreamed of getting in the water, to see the Reef, to see the coral, fish, turtles, sharks… so see their joy, their tears from its beauty. That was special.”

While manning Ocean Rafting, cruising around the Whitsundays, Braden developed close connections within the industry. With an invite to jump aboard an outer Reef expedition, he came across a unique group of passionate Reef-folk, who turned out to be a crew from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (Reef Authority).

“I remember this eclectic group from Reef Authority, the likes of Fiona Merida, Nick Leigh and Fluffy. They had this wild passion for the Reef, and for what they were doing.

“The weather was perfect, and we’d just finished an epic day in the water exploring some of the outer Whitsunday reefs. I was sitting on the roof talking to Fiona about the Reef, her role, the organisation. She shared her usual words of wisdom. Seeing how much love they had for it – it was a really pivotal trip that made me want to work for the Reef Authority.”

And just like that, Braden soon found himself joining that unique eclectic group at the Reef Authority.

“Going from industry to government was a big change. To see and work on the other side. The strategies, the big picture, the complexities of the Reef space have given me a far greater understanding, and appreciation.

"I’ve been super fortunate during my time here. I’ve had some pretty special opportunities to meet some incredible people, work with Indigenous Elders and Communities and to ultimately travel and work throughout the Marine Park – from the Torres Straits to Lady Elliot.

"I think it’s the relationships I’ve been able to form that I’m most proud of. Working with inspiring people, on the Reef, on Country, in their place of passion. I’m just fortunate for the chance to capture their stories, on film, on photo, and to connect out of the office space – that’s something I’m really grateful for.

“My role… it’s to tell the stories of the Reef. The stories of those who work on it or depend on it.

“At the end of the day, our client is the Great Barrier Reef. What we do is about the Reef, and about the people that are out there every day.”

And while Braden’s path to working on the Reef isn’t so common, his love for the Reef is echoed by his entire cohort of workmates.

“You’ve got to pinch yourself sometimes that our responsibility lies in one of the most renowned natural wonders of the world – and it is a great responsibility to have."

His advice to the next generation of students is simple:

“Slow down and find your own joy, not someone else’s.”