Mal MacQueen spent decades in the island’s abundant waters harvesting abalone by hand. Now retired, he talks to us at his Settlement Point home, surrounded by the relics and memories of a life in Bass Strait.

For more than four decades, the waters of Bass Strait were Mal's workplace.

What began with a chance decision to complete a dive course became a career spent harvesting abalone from the reefs surrounding Flinders Island. Over thousands of hours beneath the surface, Mal came to know the tides, currents and changing moods of the sea like few others. It was a career that offered freedom, adventure and the chance to build a life around family, returning home each day with stories only the ocean could provide.

Today, Mal welcomes Outscape guests into his home at Settlement Point, where decades of diving, collecting and exploring Bass Strait have left every shelf with something to say. His stories move easily from life beneath the surface to shipwreck discoveries and the simple joy of living by the sea. Time with Mal offers a rare glimpse into a way of life that has quietly shaped Flinders Island for generations.