Family and friends mourn the loss of Millionaire castaway, David Glasheen, aged 81
The man who became a global icon after retreating to a remote Far North Queensland island after losing his fortune has died peacefully in Brisbane.
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The man who became a global icon after retreating to a remote Far North Queensland island after losing his fortune has died peacefully in Brisbane.
David Glasheen, 81, affectionately known as the “Millionaire Castaway”, died surrounded by family on Saturday.
The former businessman and loving father who spent nearly 30 years living on Restoration Island near Cape York, had been called a “national treasure” for his remarkable life story that inspired people across the nation and the world.
Mr Glasheen’s son, Kye Wilson, described his father as a man who showed true courage in the face of adversity.
“You built something massive with your own two hands, lost it all in a stock market crash, and still had the guts to walk away from it all,” he said.
“You chose the island. You chose peace. You did what most people couldn’t, lived off the land, trusted yourself, and found freedom in your own way.”
Mr Wilson said his father taught him wealth wasn’t measured by money.
“You showed me that being rich isn’t about money. It’s about mindset, truth, and living by your own rules,” he said.
“You were a builder, a fighter, a deep thinker, and a teacher.”
Mr Wilson said his father had once protected him from a cyclone.
“You held me close during a cyclone once in a small metal shack, the wind roaring outside. I was just a kid, scared, but you stayed calm,” he said.
“In your final weeks, as life gently slowed, I held you, just like you once held me. The roles had changed, but the love hadn’t.”
The 81-year-old's death has also left a profound impact on the remote community just north of Lockhart River, where he was beloved by neighbours who considered him family.
Katie Goodwin, who lived with Mr Glasheen on the island for six months, said his death had left everyone heartbroken.
“He’s one-in-a-billion and anyone that got the chance to meet him really hit the human lottery because you don’t get to meet many people like him,” she said.
Ms Goodwin, said she was going through her own mid-life crisis when she saw Mr Glasheen’s advert on Gumtree for someone to help restore an old yacht he bought for $1.
It was an experience she said changed her life.
“He just taught me the values of knowing money isn’t everything. There’s so many priceless things in life that are so much better than the materialistic things,” she said.
Ms Goodwin said Mr Glasheen had been flown to Cairns Hospital six months ago when he was having difficulty breathing.
Once discharged from hospital he drove to Brisbane to spend more time with family.
“He died peacefully, so he had his family around him,” she said.
Born in Sydney in 1944 to a lawyer and dietitian, Mr Glasheen enjoyed what he called a “privileged upbringing”, attending the elite Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview before entering the business world.
He built a successful business empire through various ventures, including a gold mine in Papua New Guinea, becoming extremely wealthy in the process.
But when the stock market crashed in 1987, Mr Glasheen lost everything.
In the early 1990s, he moved to Maʼalpiku Island National Park at the Iron Range, also known as Restoration Island, where he lived a simple existence for nearly three decades.
His story resonated globally, with his 2019 book The Millionaire Castaway selling more than 250,000 copies worldwide, and hitting bestseller lists in the United Kingdom.
Ms Goodwin said it was remarkable how he was able to capture international attention from such a remote location.
“He was able to send interest to the rest of the world on a media front where he had film crews from Korea, France, England all come to visit him on the island,” she said.
Mr Glasheen often said money and possessions didn’t bring happiness — a message he shared with the many people who visited his island home.
Ms Goodwin said he taught her patience and the art of slowing down.
“I was very fast minded, and Dave always used to tell me, slow down, you know, stop, you’re on an island now,” she said.
Those who lived with him on the island said he retained a remarkable sense of life and remained passionate about many topics.
“He’d always be up for a chat, discussing war, politics and cryptocurrency,” Ms Goodwin said.
The eight full-time residents where Mr Glasheen was a beloved community member are gathering on Sunday, July 6 for a tribute at Restoration Island to celebrate his life.
“We’re all one big family,” Ms Goodwin said.
The tribute will include about 15 people, including neighbours and former staff who had worked closely with Mr Glasheen.
“It’s definitely not the same going over to visit Restoration Island without Dave being there,” Ms Goodwin said.
“Everyone’s heartbroken.”
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