PASSION FOR FISHING - AN INTERVIEW WITH MATT HAYDEN
Matt Hayden is best-known for his time as an international cricketing legend. His cricketing career spanned fifteen years and is one of the best left-handed opening batsmen the world has ever seen.
But Matt Hayden is far more than just an ex-cricketer. He is a businessman, he is a philanthropist, he is charitable, and he is, more importantly, one of the most passionate fishermen you could ever meet.
But Matt Hayden is far more than just an ex-cricketer. He is a businessman, he is a philanthropist, he is charitable, and he is, more importantly, one of the most passionate fishermen you could ever meet.
Matt Grew up in the Queensland town of Kingaroy and had great access to creeks, rivers and dams where he spent a large portion of his childhood. He was very active and frequently involved himself in swimming, surfing, cycling, camping, boating, fishing, shooting, skiing, scuba diving, kayaking, and every kind of sport you can imagine. But his biggest passion lies at the end of a fishing line and being on the water.
Paddling is something that he says he does a lot of with his kids and whether they are in, on or around the water, they are stoked.
“It doesn’t matter really how we get it. We are looking for in any way we can.”
To begin with, Matt tells us a bit about how his family choose to be connected with the ocean.
“We have based ourselves at Amity Point at Straddie (Stradbroke Island), and we have such good variety of location and on-water opportunities. For us, I think kayaks are probably the best because you’re absolutely stress-free and you can really get amongst it. It’s intimate, you’re making no interruption, no noise, with the stealth approach as well, it’s perfect for fishing. A bit like stand-ups as well. We've got three of those and just love being on top of the water. It’s brilliant. “
Can you tell us a bit about growing up and where you're fishing love began?
“During school holidays, because Mum was a teacher and Dad being a farmer, life was pretty flexible. Around school holidays we`d always disappear somewhere. If we weren’t on holidays away, we would be on Boondooma dam or the Bjelke-Peterson dam, which were both pretty close to home. That was in the early days of stocking as well. They had probably only been stocked for four or five years. So, with bass, silver perch and yellow belly and other freshwater species that are that are all found on our East Coast. “
“So, I mean that was a bit of an entry point to fishing. My grandma and pop would go to Hervey Bay through the winter months to escape the cold weather in Kingaroy and then based themselves there. We would visit often and had a little 16-foot 16C Haynes Hunter which my brother and I when he was five years old, would just disappear on over to Fraser Island.
We would just cruise off anywhere from Moon Creek right up to the top end pass to Wathumba Creek. I've got to say maybe we had a blessed childhood, you know. We wouldn't take much. A bit of orange juice, cereal, tents, a speargun and a fishing rod and we're away!!”
“We`d hire kayaks and take them out. Those reefs would hold fish like mackerel and hold schoolies, and spotties and the odd bigger catch as well. So, it was a dream childhood!
“I also had two uncles who were Parish priests that lived in far North Queensland; living in the Cairns Diocese. At any particular time, one of them could be in Cooktown, the other one in Cairns or Gordonvale, or Ravenshoe, anywhere in that tropic North Zone, which put us on breeding grounds of anything from Big Red Emperor to spearing crayfish on the islands. My brother lives in the Greater Palm Group of islands currently and has done since ninety-four. You know, I don’t think we’re ever going to see him again.”
“So, I have a very long and deep connection to the ocean, and as such have developed the skill sets that enable you to enjoy it. Being on it, to being in small craft to larger craft and especially being in it. All of us, (my family) are accredited divers. We’ve always loved surfing as a family, which leads the connection to what it is like to be in and around the water, and of course, fishing is always part of that story. “
“This is going to sound terrible for cricket, but cricket always kind of got in the way of a good tour.”
Paddling is something that he says he does a lot of with his kids and whether they are in, on or around the water, they are stoked.
“It doesn’t matter really how we get it. We are looking for in any way we can.”
To begin with, Matt tells us a bit about how his family choose to be connected with the ocean.
“We have based ourselves at Amity Point at Straddie (Stradbroke Island), and we have such good variety of location and on-water opportunities. For us, I think kayaks are probably the best because you’re absolutely stress-free and you can really get amongst it. It’s intimate, you’re making no interruption, no noise, with the stealth approach as well, it’s perfect for fishing. A bit like stand-ups as well. We've got three of those and just love being on top of the water. It’s brilliant. “
Can you tell us a bit about growing up and where you're fishing love began?
“During school holidays, because Mum was a teacher and Dad being a farmer, life was pretty flexible. Around school holidays we`d always disappear somewhere. If we weren’t on holidays away, we would be on Boondooma dam or the Bjelke-Peterson dam, which were both pretty close to home. That was in the early days of stocking as well. They had probably only been stocked for four or five years. So, with bass, silver perch and yellow belly and other freshwater species that are that are all found on our East Coast. “
“So, I mean that was a bit of an entry point to fishing. My grandma and pop would go to Hervey Bay through the winter months to escape the cold weather in Kingaroy and then based themselves there. We would visit often and had a little 16-foot 16C Haynes Hunter which my brother and I when he was five years old, would just disappear on over to Fraser Island.
We would just cruise off anywhere from Moon Creek right up to the top end pass to Wathumba Creek. I've got to say maybe we had a blessed childhood, you know. We wouldn't take much. A bit of orange juice, cereal, tents, a speargun and a fishing rod and we're away!!”
“We`d hire kayaks and take them out. Those reefs would hold fish like mackerel and hold schoolies, and spotties and the odd bigger catch as well. So, it was a dream childhood!
“I also had two uncles who were Parish priests that lived in far North Queensland; living in the Cairns Diocese. At any particular time, one of them could be in Cooktown, the other one in Cairns or Gordonvale, or Ravenshoe, anywhere in that tropic North Zone, which put us on breeding grounds of anything from Big Red Emperor to spearing crayfish on the islands. My brother lives in the Greater Palm Group of islands currently and has done since ninety-four. You know, I don’t think we’re ever going to see him again.”
“So, I have a very long and deep connection to the ocean, and as such have developed the skill sets that enable you to enjoy it. Being on it, to being in small craft to larger craft and especially being in it. All of us, (my family) are accredited divers. We’ve always loved surfing as a family, which leads the connection to what it is like to be in and around the water, and of course, fishing is always part of that story. “
“This is going to sound terrible for cricket, but cricket always kind of got in the way of a good tour.”
“Some of the locations that we went to, it was more the surfing and fishing communities that I connected a whole lot deeper to than Cricket itself.”
Matt’s love of fishing and the ocean and water, in general, has taken him on an exciting path since retiring from cricket. He says that everything he does now is to provide his kids; Grace, Joshie and Tommy with the abundances of opportunities and skillsets that he was given a chance to discover as a child. He says that as a dad he wants to show his kids what it was like when he was a kid. “
“Back then, it wasn't necessarily cool to be a fisherman, but it was just something you just did. For me, the water gives you purpose, and it gives you such a strong focus, you know it doesn't take long before your vocabulary becomes wind, tide, moon phase, swell direction, and that's what you talk about all day.”
“I've now also launched in conjunction with another philanthropic partner (Guy Reynolds) down in Sydney, and we've launched the Junior Indigenous Marine Environmental Cadets Program.”
The program educates students about long-term sustainability to preserve and protect their waterways. At the start of our program, they had a seven-million-dollar school, that had thirty kids attending just thirty per cent of the time. Currently, the school is now at eighty-six per cent occupancy with waiting lists out the door to join the school.
“We've got thirty-two kids now, fully funded, for the next two years that are going to be going through our guide program. These kids are amazing, you know, they`ve come from disadvantaged backgrounds, a lot of them and, and now they're going to end up going through our course with licenses, dive accreditation and a whole bunch of industry skill sets through our program.”
“I've somehow managed to turn a passion into a vocation, and it feels good! These on water experiences, whether it's with a rod in hand or behind the wheel or anything in the water, it doesn't matter. It changes lives.”
For the first time just two weeks ago we were up there and one of the kids that's come through our program, Anthony Guy, is now full-time employed as an indigenous guide that works for Tiwi Island Adventures. Anthony is one of those individuals that loves the water, is a great storyteller seeing and living on his country as a proud Tiwi individual and he's sharing that with the rest of the world, for anyone that comes to that community.
So, speaking of your time in the remote communities with your fishing up there where is your favourite spot to fish in those areas?
“Well, as you know those locations have endless opportunity big country, and a big Coastline, and the variety of world-class experiences in extraordinary untouched, pristine wilderness areas. A lot of the areas are still like that. Even going back to where I spend a lot of time in Hervey Bay. Back then it was virtually untouched. “
“We wouldn't see another boat on Fraser Island, and we would be there for a couple of weeks. We’d hang out at Moon Creek, and that'd be it. We’d pump for yabbies, or you’d spear Mangrove Jack. It was just remote, and that’s the point. “
“I've spent a lot of time now up in the Tiwi Islands, and initially I was up there because of John Dunphy before he passed away about seven years ago, and he was the boys’ founder of Shimano Group Australasia. “
“He was running sales conferences up there, and we just happened to be playing a game up there against Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, can’t remember in the early 2000s. He invited us out there, and we took over the joint for a day, and I vowed to JD that we would go back up there again, which we did. We hung out at Tiwi Island Adventures. At the time Tiwi Island Adventures was cutting edge Back then it was glamping, but it turned into something a whole lot more special.”
Matt’s love of fishing and the ocean and water, in general, has taken him on an exciting path since retiring from cricket. He says that everything he does now is to provide his kids; Grace, Joshie and Tommy with the abundances of opportunities and skillsets that he was given a chance to discover as a child. He says that as a dad he wants to show his kids what it was like when he was a kid. “
“Back then, it wasn't necessarily cool to be a fisherman, but it was just something you just did. For me, the water gives you purpose, and it gives you such a strong focus, you know it doesn't take long before your vocabulary becomes wind, tide, moon phase, swell direction, and that's what you talk about all day.”
“I've now also launched in conjunction with another philanthropic partner (Guy Reynolds) down in Sydney, and we've launched the Junior Indigenous Marine Environmental Cadets Program.”
The program educates students about long-term sustainability to preserve and protect their waterways. At the start of our program, they had a seven-million-dollar school, that had thirty kids attending just thirty per cent of the time. Currently, the school is now at eighty-six per cent occupancy with waiting lists out the door to join the school.
“We've got thirty-two kids now, fully funded, for the next two years that are going to be going through our guide program. These kids are amazing, you know, they`ve come from disadvantaged backgrounds, a lot of them and, and now they're going to end up going through our course with licenses, dive accreditation and a whole bunch of industry skill sets through our program.”
“I've somehow managed to turn a passion into a vocation, and it feels good! These on water experiences, whether it's with a rod in hand or behind the wheel or anything in the water, it doesn't matter. It changes lives.”
For the first time just two weeks ago we were up there and one of the kids that's come through our program, Anthony Guy, is now full-time employed as an indigenous guide that works for Tiwi Island Adventures. Anthony is one of those individuals that loves the water, is a great storyteller seeing and living on his country as a proud Tiwi individual and he's sharing that with the rest of the world, for anyone that comes to that community.
So, speaking of your time in the remote communities with your fishing up there where is your favourite spot to fish in those areas?
“Well, as you know those locations have endless opportunity big country, and a big Coastline, and the variety of world-class experiences in extraordinary untouched, pristine wilderness areas. A lot of the areas are still like that. Even going back to where I spend a lot of time in Hervey Bay. Back then it was virtually untouched. “
“We wouldn't see another boat on Fraser Island, and we would be there for a couple of weeks. We’d hang out at Moon Creek, and that'd be it. We’d pump for yabbies, or you’d spear Mangrove Jack. It was just remote, and that’s the point. “
“I've spent a lot of time now up in the Tiwi Islands, and initially I was up there because of John Dunphy before he passed away about seven years ago, and he was the boys’ founder of Shimano Group Australasia. “
“He was running sales conferences up there, and we just happened to be playing a game up there against Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, can’t remember in the early 2000s. He invited us out there, and we took over the joint for a day, and I vowed to JD that we would go back up there again, which we did. We hung out at Tiwi Island Adventures. At the time Tiwi Island Adventures was cutting edge Back then it was glamping, but it turned into something a whole lot more special.”
Tiwi Islands, Johnson River & Bathurst Island
“We were sitting on our boats on the water, a few different locations on the Johnson River camp and Bathurst Island which was the old Barra base. Whether it's onshore or offshore fishing, that place is just unbelievable. You can be smashing GT’s, Spanish mackerel, Goldie’s and black jewies in the morning and then you can go back in and get a big Barra, Mangrove Jack and Saratoga in the afternoon. You have these epic days, and then you come back off the water and sit and overlook Snake Bay, pinch yourself about the day you just had, while you tuck into a few cold ones.
It's an extraordinary place. Not to mention what the Tiwi people represent, with their magnificent ancient culture that they so desperately want to be preserved,” Matt says.
“For us, it’s just been such an incredible place. Especially for my learnings and appreciation for not only the magnificent estuarine fishing opportunities but also offshore fishing opportunities. But, also then how that integrates back into a community of people and its ancient traditions and cultures. It's just extraordinary, you know like, you could write movies on the place.”
“It's an amazing destination full stop. Rather than spread me all over the top end. I’m focused heavily on that particular community. I’ve built a home ground there. “
“I spent a lot of time with Matty Wright in other regions in the north., which is always a hoot, and we've gone down the Litchfield. I've done a bit of runoff Barra Fishing as well with him, which is just second to none. Sitting on those little inland rivers and catching little black Barra until you can't stand up anymore. It's just great fun.”
“But up there, it can also be in famine as well. And when it is famine, when the tides aren't right, and it's hot, you've got a whole host of other things you must go through. It is so magnificent because they have these tremendous different seasons as well. It's a dramatic place no matter when you go there, but my favourite time up there is the wet season. When you get those bloody enormous Hercules cloud formations, they look like an atomic bomb going off all over the place, and you can see the lightning, and everything comes to life.
“We were sitting on our boats on the water, a few different locations on the Johnson River camp and Bathurst Island which was the old Barra base. Whether it's onshore or offshore fishing, that place is just unbelievable. You can be smashing GT’s, Spanish mackerel, Goldie’s and black jewies in the morning and then you can go back in and get a big Barra, Mangrove Jack and Saratoga in the afternoon. You have these epic days, and then you come back off the water and sit and overlook Snake Bay, pinch yourself about the day you just had, while you tuck into a few cold ones.
It's an extraordinary place. Not to mention what the Tiwi people represent, with their magnificent ancient culture that they so desperately want to be preserved,” Matt says.
“For us, it’s just been such an incredible place. Especially for my learnings and appreciation for not only the magnificent estuarine fishing opportunities but also offshore fishing opportunities. But, also then how that integrates back into a community of people and its ancient traditions and cultures. It's just extraordinary, you know like, you could write movies on the place.”
“It's an amazing destination full stop. Rather than spread me all over the top end. I’m focused heavily on that particular community. I’ve built a home ground there. “
“I spent a lot of time with Matty Wright in other regions in the north., which is always a hoot, and we've gone down the Litchfield. I've done a bit of runoff Barra Fishing as well with him, which is just second to none. Sitting on those little inland rivers and catching little black Barra until you can't stand up anymore. It's just great fun.”
“But up there, it can also be in famine as well. And when it is famine, when the tides aren't right, and it's hot, you've got a whole host of other things you must go through. It is so magnificent because they have these tremendous different seasons as well. It's a dramatic place no matter when you go there, but my favourite time up there is the wet season. When you get those bloody enormous Hercules cloud formations, they look like an atomic bomb going off all over the place, and you can see the lightning, and everything comes to life.
Million Dollar Fish Ambassador
Matt is The Million Dollar Fish Campaign ambassador. The Million Dollar Fish is a competition with more than $2,000,000 of prizes, featuring 125 tagged fish including five fish that have been tagged with a $1,000,000 price tag.
Being ambassador for a fishing comp like this, I forget that I have a profile and maybe that's just a great thing because I consider that I'm just like everyone else. The reason why I go to the north is to spend time with my mates, to spend time with my kids, to get back to something where I know I can change people's lives. That's why it was considered by the NT government that have now registered our charity as one of the official charities of the Million Dollar Fish. So, of the purple tags of the three charities, ours is one of them
“We created a web series show, a ‘catch and cook’ series and we have a lot of fun doing that. It’s a short digital piece, to whet the appetite for the Million Dollar Fish comp. I've always believed that it could be the biggest fishing tournament in the world. What other competition in the world can give you an opportunity to catch five-million-dollar fish? You can simply cast a line out, doing something you love, and get a million bucks.”
“It's cracking tournament where they’ve started bold, but that didn't include the runoff, and I think that's been a good extension to this year's tournament. When you know the North like we do we know that once it starts running and those fish which are in, ten litres of water all of a sudden are in 1 billion litres of water and they could be anywhere. We're exposing the dry season, so it’s more concentrated in the runoff.”
“It’s just the people’s fishing competition. I guess that’s Barra isn’t it, you can catch it from land, you can catch it from a kayak or a SUP, and you can catch it from the boat.
Last year it contributed eight million dollars to the Northern Territory, just from the fishing enthusiasts buying bait tackle, using their boats, and paying for fuel. We all invest in that sort of stuff, because, you know you spend a hundred bucks on that and you could get a million bucks in return. And because you have these epic journeys, you go holy shit it is all worthwhile.”
To wrap it up, Matt explained how he loves fishing simply because of the common purpose that anyone who is passionate about fishing feels.
“I love being around my family and mates. I enjoy that social time and the element of having a common purpose. Sitting on a kayak or floating on a SUP and just being an observer of the miracle of the environment. Whether you are on a reef or estuary or tidal planes, there has always been a big fascination and a deep sense of contentment and connection, and it’s always driven my non-competitive side.”
“That competitive side of me is such a real thing (and to be honest I’m sort of just over him). That was a huge element of my life, but cricket always got in the way of my real passion. I love cricket, I respect and admire it, but now there is so much more, so many beautiful relationships in these other things I have mentioned. “
www.juniorguides.com.au
www.milliondollarfish.com.au
Matt is The Million Dollar Fish Campaign ambassador. The Million Dollar Fish is a competition with more than $2,000,000 of prizes, featuring 125 tagged fish including five fish that have been tagged with a $1,000,000 price tag.
Being ambassador for a fishing comp like this, I forget that I have a profile and maybe that's just a great thing because I consider that I'm just like everyone else. The reason why I go to the north is to spend time with my mates, to spend time with my kids, to get back to something where I know I can change people's lives. That's why it was considered by the NT government that have now registered our charity as one of the official charities of the Million Dollar Fish. So, of the purple tags of the three charities, ours is one of them
“We created a web series show, a ‘catch and cook’ series and we have a lot of fun doing that. It’s a short digital piece, to whet the appetite for the Million Dollar Fish comp. I've always believed that it could be the biggest fishing tournament in the world. What other competition in the world can give you an opportunity to catch five-million-dollar fish? You can simply cast a line out, doing something you love, and get a million bucks.”
“It's cracking tournament where they’ve started bold, but that didn't include the runoff, and I think that's been a good extension to this year's tournament. When you know the North like we do we know that once it starts running and those fish which are in, ten litres of water all of a sudden are in 1 billion litres of water and they could be anywhere. We're exposing the dry season, so it’s more concentrated in the runoff.”
“It’s just the people’s fishing competition. I guess that’s Barra isn’t it, you can catch it from land, you can catch it from a kayak or a SUP, and you can catch it from the boat.
Last year it contributed eight million dollars to the Northern Territory, just from the fishing enthusiasts buying bait tackle, using their boats, and paying for fuel. We all invest in that sort of stuff, because, you know you spend a hundred bucks on that and you could get a million bucks in return. And because you have these epic journeys, you go holy shit it is all worthwhile.”
To wrap it up, Matt explained how he loves fishing simply because of the common purpose that anyone who is passionate about fishing feels.
“I love being around my family and mates. I enjoy that social time and the element of having a common purpose. Sitting on a kayak or floating on a SUP and just being an observer of the miracle of the environment. Whether you are on a reef or estuary or tidal planes, there has always been a big fascination and a deep sense of contentment and connection, and it’s always driven my non-competitive side.”
“That competitive side of me is such a real thing (and to be honest I’m sort of just over him). That was a huge element of my life, but cricket always got in the way of my real passion. I love cricket, I respect and admire it, but now there is so much more, so many beautiful relationships in these other things I have mentioned. “
www.juniorguides.com.au
www.milliondollarfish.com.au