Growing up in Eden, NSW, Stephen “Woody” Wood’s love for the sea began early.

At just nine years old, he was heading out on tuna boats, witnessing firsthand the excitement of pole fishing and chasing Australian Salmon along the coast.

He went on to spend 12 years in the military from 1986 to 1998, working as a helicopter engineer aboard naval ship.   After leaving the service, he moved to Lord Howe Island to be closer to home and joined the sea freight industry. Over 14 years, he worked his way from seaman to Marine Engine Driver Grade 1 (MED1), delivering vital supplies to the island.

He’s also been part of large dredging projects, working on support vessels and tugboats as needed.

Woody joined Seafood and Maritime Training (SMT) over ten years ago. “I like helping the students learn,” he says. “When they start, they don’t know much, but then the light bulb goes on. They start to engage and really think about it.”

Now semi-retired, Woody now lives among the sugar cane and macadamia farms in NSW but also enjoys life on the road in his motorhome, traveling up and down the East Coast of Australia. From Queensland’s cane fields to Tasmania’s quiet coves, he spends his days fishing, fly fishing, camping, and gardening, he especially enjoys growing heritage vegetables. He’s also got his eye on restoring an old motorbike in his spare time.