Master Reef Guide Sam Gray on how she snagged the best job in the world

‘Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life’. You’ve probably seen that quote floating around the internet, but if you’ve ever wondered which people truly embody that philosophy, you just need to have a chat with Master Reef Guide Sam Gray. At just 29 years old, the marine biologist is truly living the dream. Her nine to five is spent sharing her love and knowledge about the Great Barrier Reef with everyone from Zac Efron (no, that’s not a typo) to holiday-seekers and school kids.  

We caught up with Sam for a yarn to find out how she scored - in her opinion - the greatest job in the world, and how you can help make a difference to the Reef’s future. Prepare to be inspired.  

Let’s wind the clock back a little, where did your love of the ocean begin?  

I grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne and every Christmas, mum would pack a picnic and take us to the beach at Torquay for the day. From seven in the morning to seven at night I was in the water. I never wanted to go home.

You studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science, majoring in marine biology in Victoria, how did you wind up in Cairns?

I turned 21 and decided I just had to see the reef in person, so I booked a three-week holiday to Cairns. From my first snorkel, I fell in love. I was absolutely hooked so I started looking for a job so I could stay. I went over to Green Island for a day trip and started speaking to some of the people that worked there, asking how they got into the industry. One of them mentioned they were currently hiring so my day trip turned into a job interview.  

It was the night before my flight back to Melbourne, I had one suitcase and $30 in my bank account, when I got the call to say I’d got the job and I was going to live on Green Island.

What was that year working on Green Island like for you?

Amazing! I got to dive headfirst into literally everything that I wanted out of coming up to Cairns. I got to wake up on the reef, snorkel in the morning before work alongside turtles snoozing in the seagrass. Then I’d start work - if you can call walking around the island and educating people on rainforests or fish feeding presentations, work. I had so many moments of awe being surrounded by nature.

How did you end up working as a marine biologist on the boats?

Green Island is beautiful, but you can walk around it in 20 minutes, so after a year there I wanted to challenge myself. I pretty much called every boat to see if any of their marine biologists were going on holiday so I could cover them. I nagged and nagged, so when I finally got a short-term contract, I made sure I did everything I could possibly do to make it my forever job.

In 2019 you became a Master Reef Guide – what does being a MRG mean to you?

For each of us, it probably means different things, depending on what you're bringing to the team. But for me, being a Master Reef Guide (MRG), is being part of this family of people who are passionate and dedicated to working on the Great Barrier Reef, sharing its stories and providing immersive experiences for guests to fall in love with it. 

We hear the sentence, 'see the reef, love the reef and protect the reef' and you can't do it in any other order. You can't love something that you haven't involved yourself in or seen with your own eyes. We're part of making that connection between ‘seeing the reef’ and ‘loving the reef,’ so that people have the information that they need to say, 'this place is bloody awesome, I'm going to make a few changes in my day-to-day life so that I can be part of the solution going forward'.  

And one of your favourite MRG moments?

Once I successfully became a MRG I got sent to field school over on Fitzroy Island. I was there for a week and got to meet all the other MRGs from across the reef. I was a sponge, writing down everything that I could so that I went back to work with this new invigoration for the Reef. The relationships I've built with fellow MRGs will stay with me forever – they are my people, my little family on the Reef.

In 2021 you took on the role of Education Manager for Experience Co, what does that entail?

I run the Reef Education Program and no two days are the same. One day I’ll be in the office putting together educational programs for schools, the next I’ll be out on the boat spending the day with kids and showing them the reef. This year alone we’ve taken 89 schools and universities out on the reef – which is nearly 5,000 students.  

Their reaction to the reef is why I got into education. The biggest way that I can make a positive impact on the Great Barrier Reef is by teaching people about it. You can't do anything about something you don't understand. But if you're given information in an engaging and fun manner that doesn’t feel like a lesson, you’re going to take it on board. It's how I do my bit for the reef's future. Honestly, I have the best job in the entire world because I literally mix both of my passions

You recently filmed Netflix’s Down To Earth with Zac Efron, what was that like?

It was great! We spent the whole day with Zac and the show’s crew, who were all genuinely interested in the threats the Reef is facing and the solutions we’re coming up with for those problems. I got to show them the resilience networks we're building on the Reef and some Crown of Thorns research. I also got lots of cuddles throughout the day which is always a bonus.

What's some of the biggest misconceptions about the Reef that you want to debunk?

That the Reef is dead! let me tell you, it’s not, she’s full of life and resilient. There are places that are so untouched and beautiful out there.  

The other misconception is around the colour of the reef. A lot of people come out and say, 'it doesn't look like the brochure, why isn't it bright blue, pink and purple? Most corals get their colours from a plant, so the yellows, browns and greens you might see are healthy colours, they're colours we want to see on reef systems. Yes, you'll find patches of bright pink or blue colour, but it’s not all like that, and that’s ok.  

Finally, for people reading this who haven't been to the Reef yet, what would you tell them?

A trip to the Reef is truly a transformative experience. My favourite thing about the Great Barrier Reef is when you're on a boat and you're looking out over the turquoise ocean, it doesn't give any of its secrets away, but when you go below the surface, there is a whole world waiting to be explored. So, what are you waiting for? Come and enjoy it with a tour from a MRG.