Gail Grace and Gary “Blinky” Blenkhorn are the clearest examples of the idea that in a remote community, you take on the roles that need doing: and in the process you build up a vast array of skills and job titles…from running a general store to cattle breeding to recording a hit single!

Gail and Blinky carry more than 170 years of Furneaux family history between them.

A sixth-generation islander, Gail traces her family history to the mid-1800s, with ancestors living on Clark Island, Vansittart Island and throughout the Furneaux Group. Through stories passed down across generations, she shares the lives of the Straitsmen families who built communities from the ground up, farming, fishing and creating lives in one of Australia’s most remote island chains.

Growing up, island life meant shearing on Vansittart, weeks spent mutton birding on Big Dog Island, thriving sporting clubs, bustling fishing harbours and a close-knit community where everyone looked after one another. Together, Gail and Blinky reflect on how the islands have evolved while remaining grounded in resilience, generosity and community spirit.

In their company, guests are connected to the families behind the landscape. Their stories reveal how generations of islanders have cared for this place, and why its sense of community remains one of its greatest strengths.