About Us

I’m Mel. A part of the Spirit Furniture these days. I am the PR person for Spirit and casual Crew Member Spirit inspires me in many ways but the feeling of belonging with the Spirit Family and the love that spreads through the fabric of the business is unmatched with any business I have been a part of. The passion of the crew and the love for the whales. The passion of the passengers, coming on the boat to be a part of something so wonderful and the love I receive when I am visiting businesses on the Gold Coast. We are incredibly blessed to be part of such a beautiful community on the Gold Coast and be able to be at one with nature’s finest creatures on the ocean, in a stunning location. It may sound corny but if I could be any animal, I WOULD be a Humpback. They get to travel to the Whitsundays every year and hang out for winter. They have a strong sense of community. The Mothers are fiercely protective of their young. The females work together to ensure the children make it on their journey and they have very few predators. Plus, they have lots of fun and sing all the time.

Hi there, I’m originally from Brazil. The reason why I came to Australia was to learn English and I fell in love from the first sight with this amazing country, especially the Gold Coast!! I have been here for 3 years and just love it!! I’m passionate about life, in all the ways; the sun, moon, ocean, animals, nature… It’s just perfect!! This year a great opportunity came my way to work with Spirit of Gold Coast, and it feels incredible to work and learn about the humpback whales. Everyday there is something new and I feel such a good energy from the Spirit family! Everyone is passionate so I’m really looking forward to having a great time!! If I choose to be an animal I would be an Elephant, as like the whales, these giant animals are amazing and gentle!

I grew up in Brazil in a city that feels like summer all year. All my life I have lived 10 minutes from the beach and that has made me develop a deep connection to the sea and the energy around mother nature’s environment. After college, I decided to travel to different countries to get to know other cultures and as part of this adventure, I learned how to speak English and Spanish and have met incredible people from all around the world. Years after, the “travel bug” that lives inside me, whispered “Let’s go to Australia” and I have been living on the Gold Coast for almost 4 years now. Working for Spirit makes me feel like part of a big family. Since my first day they embraced me and helped me to flourish. The Spirit’s culture inspires me to be a better professional which makes me come to the office carrying a huge smile every single day, knowing in my heart I am in the right place doing what I love. My inner animal would definitely be a whale. I am loyal, have a huge heart and I love the idea of calmly swimming in the ocean only filtering my food while I discovery the world.

Hi, I’m Tenille, a Marine Biologist with the Spirit team, aspiring to bring our guests a sense of connection with nature. I believe in conscious living, and I have an innate love and respect for our planet and its inhabitants. Observing wild animals in nature is an incredible experience, something that has always sparked curiosity and excitement within me. Humpback whales are truly beautiful to watch, and I hope our educational tour leaves you feeling in awe of our natural world, as it does for me. If I were an animal, I would be a whale shark, the biggest fish in the ocean! As I am known for my laid-back nature and spending my days slowly cruising around the warm tropical waters.

I feel a deep sense of gratitude towards my friends the Humpback Whales. They appeared in my life just when I needed them most, a bit like Jonah and Pinocchio. I was off the Gold Coast approximately twenty years ago taking a team of SCUBA divers to a local shipwreck. During the trip a juvenile Humpback whale breached right next to us. Luckily, I managed to get a photograph of that encounter and subsequently built a business around the annual Humpback migration. That moment was the beginning of a new time in the lives of my sons and I as we began a new journey. We were able to spend time with each other. We have met, worked, and played with all sorts of wonderful characters. Most of all we were able to spend time off the coast chasing whales which we continue to enjoy to this day. Ben, Elliott and I are all grateful that we found other kindred souls that shared similar values in Romano and Angela’s “Spirit” families, as we created our own. I think I would prefer to stay a human if I had a choice on what animal I could be. The ability to reason, show compassion, empathize and interreact with other species of life on this little blue marble of ours is something that no other forms of life on this planet can do. Failing that, perhaps a Unicorn, given I like the idea of living in a fantastical world of make believe and daydreams!

Hi, I’m Vicki and I am a Gold Coast girl who works in the ‘Spirit’ office. Even though I am new to the Spirit Team, I have been part of the Spirit family for a number of years through knowing the family and having been on the ‘Spirit’ boat many times. During these times I have been witness to a great sense of comradery, friendship, teamwork and passion amongst the crew and management. A real sense of ‘family’. Between these traits and my love for the gentle giants, it was without hesitation that I accepted this role. If I could be an animal… I would choose to be a tiger. I consider myself a ‘cat’ person and find them to be one of the most amazing, gentle giants of the cat family. The first time I got up close and personal with a tiger (photos and a pat) I was instantly hooked. The fact that they are have made the endangered species list saddens me.

I am a family-oriented person and a lifelong learner. I have a passion to encourage and motivate people to reach their hidden potential, turning it into active energy. I am so inspired by the Staff as they have this amazing enthusiasm for Mother Nature, especially the gentle giants of the sea. Their knowledge is insurmountable. I have learnt so much from them which I pass onto our customers over the phone. I have chosen The Eagle for its glorious energy; soaring above the clouds. The Eagle is swift, fierce and graceful.

Growing up in Newcastle I spent a lot of time in nature and at the beach and have always had a passion for the environment. I currently work as a deckhand having completed my coxswains and as a photographer capturing all the amazing moments that happen on board. Having worked for ‘Spirit’ since 2013 I have gained an amazing passion for the ocean and the whales. Working for spirit feels like having an amazing whale family that I can share this passion with and together being able to share this love and knowledge with all who come on board with us. If I could be an animal.. I found this difficult to answer as there are just so many animals that I think would be amazing to be that I couldn’t pick just one.

My main passions in life are art and anything with an engine, anything hands on and chasing good vibes along the way, and of course SeaLife! I’m always open to learn new things and to better myself in any way possible. What inspires me about working with Spirit? Why I like working for ‘Spirit’ is because it’s a family-like vibe spending time out on the humpback highway, away from the hustle and bustle of life for a few hours. It helps me appreciate what nature really has to offer, meeting new people and having a good old yarn with the regulars, as well as seeing people’s reactions to their possible first whale or other Sealife sighting we may encounter along the way….is priceless. If I could be an animal.. If I could be an animal, I’d be a lion. “The greatest fear in the world is of the opinions of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd, you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart. The roar of freedom.” -Osho