It had been more than several years since Simon Thornalley had seen his childhood home the Stephan Davies , but within moments of stepping on board the ex-Torres Strait mission vessel he was met with an instant feeling of belonging. Built in 1952, Stephan Davies was the Thornalley’s home from the late 80’s to early 2000’s, before Simon and his older brother Oliver began their schooling on the Sunshine Coast. His parents, Su and Stephan, provided the ultimate adventure-filled childhood, sailing up and down the QLD East Coast, Island hopping and immersing themselves in the land and sea. This, combined with Simon’s seafaring ancestral history and Indigenous heritage from the Torres Straits cemented his love for a life on the ocean. The young boys were well- known to other boat owners along the East-coast, as their sun-bleached hair could be seen bopping up and down, amusing themselves on deck. The “good old days on Stephan Davies”, his parents still say as they flick through old photos… In 2018, after returning from 6-months in Antarctica and two years in Canada, Simon was invited to join his family friends and the next owners of Stephan Davies for a casual Sunday sail off Mooloolaba. He was taken back in time as they started up the gardener engine and headed out the Mooloolah river towards Mudjimba Island. It was soon after this experience that Simon began his extensive journey to find his own unique timber sailing vessel. Two challenging years of building a business model, long days developing tourism concepts as well as inspecting potential vessels, before the slap-in-the-face Covid, Saltwater Eco Tours was finally ready to launch mid-2020. Simon and his partner Jenna began welcoming passengers on their Mooloolaba based tours, while navigating new restrictions and policies that would not have existed if they had begun operating a mere 6 months prior. Many believed they were crazy, starting a new tourism business in the peak of a global crises, but this motivated them further to tap into the local tourism industry and work hard on making it a success. During the lead up of launching, Simon was faced with various hurdles. Not only was he creating a company from the ground up, but he also had to find the right vessel, the one that aligned with his vision of authenticity and the one that would set them apart from other operators. After flying to Melbourne, Tasmania, and Cairns to view potential vessels, Simon kept coming back to one that was moored just 5 minutes from his own home. A 58ft, timber ketch made from solid Huon Pine and built off the blueprints of the infamous ‘Spray’ by Joshua Slocam. Admittedly, he felt drawn to this boat, perhaps due to the rarity and historical significances that resonated back to his childhood on Stephan Davis. This Spray replica, now named ‘Spray of the Coral Coast’ was something special. Built in 1908 in Melbourne, she had seen many owners and undergone many restorations, all the while keeping her original beauty intact. Simon knew Captaining this vessel and opening her up to the public for tours would be the perfect way to create something truly unique. Simon’s vision for Saltwater Eco Tours was to provide a tourism experience where people were able to learn about local Indigenous Culture through the art of storytelling, music, and delicious native foods. He worked hard to build relationships and partnerships with local Traditional Owners of the Gubbi Gubbi/Kabi Kabi region to create an authentic tourism product allowing passengers to experience and learn about local culture and history. Spray of the Coral Coast further enhanced the tours with passengers stepping aboard and becoming immediately fascinated with the history of the vessel, in admiration of her pristine condition for 113- years of age. Tours took off immediately, as the local and surrounding South East Queensland community were seeking new adventures within the boundaries of domestic travel. In hindsight, the everchanging restrictions through out 20/21 allowed Simon and Jenna to further find their feet and develop as a new company, with the target market focusing on locals as opposed to international travellers. Through Simon’s endless hard work and unique business concept, came a variety of incredible opportunities that has seen him be a voice within the growing industry. In 2019, Simon was chosen as a delegate to travel to Vancouver as part of the World Indigenous Tourism Conference , in 2020 he was then chosen as a Young Indigenous Tourism Leader through The Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport , as well as recently joining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander committee for Tourism and Events QLD. With over 10 months of welcoming passengers on board each weekend, Simon and Jenna have established themselves as reputable tourism operators in Mooloolaba, both local to the area and both excited to be able to connect further with the community. Not only are the flagship Cultural Tours a highly sought-after experience from locals and visitors alike, but their efforts to support the arts industry with Sunset Tours and live music are growing in popularity, with acoustic artists often playing to max-capacity. Now the Captain of his own timber sailing vessel, Simon often reflects to his childhood growing up on Stephen Davies and the life he was fortunate enough to experience, living off the land and understanding the importance of our ocean. His connection to the environment and sustainable practices is also threaded into Saltwater Eco Tours ethos as they continually seek ways to improve as Eco-Operators. With a deepening drive to grow the business, Simon knows it is his responsibility to ensure the beauty and history of his timber vessel is showcased, as well as the connection to Indigenous Culture and the ocean is shared.