Success Story - Taking a Dive for the Dwarves of the Deep
Born behind the Iron Curtain in 1980, Susan Sobtzick's sea ventures were short and filled with obstacles.
Seaside holidays in East Germany were far more restrictive than the casual Australian beach culture Susan enjoys as a skilled migrant to Far North Queensland.
'Before the Berlin Wall fell you could snorkel on Baltic Sea holidays but you could not buy your own diving equipment because it was seen as a way to escape,' Susan said.
'Even air mattresses were a concern to authorities.
'It was a pity because my father, who was an East German air force pilot loved scuba diving, and I developed his passion for the sport and a love of the ocean.'
Susan came to Australia on a family holiday in 2000 and returned in 2001 as a working holidaymaker. She became fascinated by the country's marine biology.
Early this year Susan returned permanently as a marine biologist under the Australian Government's Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.
Sponsored by Queensland company Undersea Explorer, Susan, in conjunction with Townsville's James Cook University, is helping scientists build a picture of one of Australia's least known whale species, dwarf minke whales.
Discovered on the Great Barrier Reef in the 1980s, the highly-patterned, black and white whales grow up to eight metres, visit the reef in winter and are a tourist drawcard.
Susan said the dwarf minke whales were one of the reasons she loves working on the reef.
'The Great Barrier Reef has opened up a whole new perspective for me,' she said.
'I love the colourful marine life and the variety of species. It's amazing how little we know about this environment.'
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