Darwin fisherman wins $1m after casual night out with visiting brother
Matthew Maurice caught an 80cm barramundi with a red tag worth $1 million in the NT Million Dollar Fish competition.
Maurice, 26, had just finished football training Thursday evening when he and his brother, visiting from overseas, took a boat out for a quick fish less than a kilometre from the boat ramp. "We just wanted to fish and talk," Maurice said.
Maurice hooked an 80cm barramundi and saw a bright red tag on it when the fish jumped out of the water. Maurice did not know until after he turned in his catch that the red tag carried the $1 million top prize in the NT Million Dollar Fish competition.
The NT Million Dollar Fish competition releases 100 tagged fish worth $10,000 each, plus one worth $1 million. Maurice is only the second person in the competition's 12-year history to win the top prize.
Maurice plans to buy a house and be smart with the money.
- 26
- Maurice's age
- 80 centimetres
- Barramundi length
- $1 million
- Prize won
- 2 in 12 years
- Top prize winners in history
Why it mattersA million-dollar win from a casual evening outing shows how the NT's tourism-backed fishing competition creates life-changing moments for ordinary people.
AustraliaDarwin and the NT promote world-class fishing experiences to attract visitors, and Maurice's win demonstrates the real prizes behind the initiative.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 4 h ago
