Q&A Master Reef Guide Tahn Miller

PHOTOGRAPHY BY John Edmonson

Where are you originally from and what’s your earliest memory of loving the sea?

I was born in Kempsey, a town on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.

Like so many Aussie families in the 1980s, my parents’ idea of a holiday was heading to the beach - fishing, 4WD adventures, and what we called “beach missions”. We’d pack a picnic, find somewhere new, and stay a while. I have vivid memories of exploring tidal pools around the headlands and wandering through the mangroves of back creeks and estuaries.

I’ve got to give full credit to my parents. They worked hard to make those trips happen, and those early adventures played a huge role in shaping my love for the ocean and ultimately the direction of my career.

What inspired your journey into marine biology? Who are your marine role models?

I’ve always believed that the most expert and insightful watermen are the ones who live it: Fishermen, surfers, divers, snorkellers, and beachcombers. These are the people who spend time on Country, observing the tides and learning from the rhythm of the seasons.

Some of my earliest memories of the ocean are from Crescent Head, a little surf town, and later as a teenager I called Lennox Head, just south of Byron Bay, home.

Growing up, I had so many heroes from Lord Robert Baden-Powell to Sir David Attenborough, Malcolm Douglas, Ben Cropp, Les Hiddins, Steve Irwin, and of course, Rex Hunt. I dreamed of a life filled with adventure, just like their’s.

What made you move/identify Port Douglas as a great place to live and work?

I originally came to Port Douglas for a wedding. I was best man for friends I’d met while working in the Snowy Mountains, and they chose to tie the knot at Rex Smeal Park, right down at Lovers Cove.

After a week here, I was seriously feeling the laid-back vibes and could sense there were some great job opportunities around. I decided to stick around a little longer to check out the reef, so I booked a scuba diving course and after three days underwater I was completely hooked.

That very first dive changed my life. My entire perspective shifted. I couldn’t believe the reef looked exactly like the documentaries I’d watched as a kid, the ones made by my childhood heroes. The more time I spent down there, the more magical it became.
 

What is your favourite marine species and why? 

Hands down the dwarf minke whale. My most unforgettable encounter was a one-on-one experience out at the edge of the reef, over the deep drop-off, more than a kilometre from the nearest boat or person.

This incredible 8-metre dwarf minke whale came in close for a better look and its passes were exhilarating. It circled me slowly, so inquisitively, and with such trust. Just me and this gentle giant, out in the blue, it was nothing like I ever expected when I boarded that flight to Far North Queensland.

When I landed my first job on Poseidon, I had no idea I’d be leading people into the water to swim with whales. But it became one of the most extraordinary parts of my work. It's just incredible to be eye to eye with these amazing creatures as they come in to have a look at us humans.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve been lucky enough to swim with 44 different dwarf minke whales, sometimes one or two at a time. The most I’ve seen together was four adults and a calf. It’s a privilege I’ll never take for granted.

What has been one of your favourite personal experiences on the reef?  

One of my most memorable moments was filming the incredibly rare juvenile oarfish at Opal Reef, a moment that went viral, with the footage reaching more than 100 million views worldwide after the press release.

What made you want to become an accredited Master Reef Guide and how do you see your role? How has the training helped your interaction with visitors?

Being nominated as a Master Reef Guide isn’t necessarily about being the most knowledgeable marine biologist to ever dive the reef, but rather about keeping people safe and the ability to pass on knowledge through oral tradition and helping others form a deep, lasting connection to the Great Barrier Reef.

Being a Master Reef Guide is about trust, safety and candour and having the integral ability to impart honest intellectual knowledge to guests who travel with high standard tourism operators.  My High Standard Tourism Operator (HTO)  is Wavelength Reef Cruises, the best around in my very biased opinion.

It’s a real privilege to be part of the Master Reef Guide program. We’re not in it for accolades, but to uphold our integrity to the values of our World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. We understand that even a single day on the reef can be life-changing and remind visitors just how rare and extraordinary our planet is within the cosmos.

The most important thing anyone can do for the reef is to experience it. People protect what they love, and if someone leaves with even a bit more appreciation, that’s a win.

When people are confronted with so much biological life all at once it has a profound impact on them, and I truly believe everyone who experiences it walks away wanting to be just a little better, to tread more lightly, and to respect nature more deeply.

What is the most important message about the reef and its future?

The biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef is climate change. The reef itself will still be here, but the rich biodiversity it holds may not survive without action. One of the short-term solutions is moving towards hydrogen-assisted engines to reduce our environmental impact.