MICHAEL Hobson swapped the high life for the good life, SARAH HUDSON reports

Michael Hobson had the best job in the world.

As the captain of multi-million dollar yachts - owned by the likes of Virgin boss Richard Branson and comedian Billy Connolly - he sailed the globe, flew on private jets and led the high life.

But then he threw it in to run a fish and chip shop and restaurant in the tiny coastal town of Port Albert, east of Wilsons Promontory.

The decision, he says, was an easy one.

"I grew up in Port Albert and Lakes Entrance and this place always drew me back," Michael says.

"It's the most stunning, amazing, beautiful place. I mean right now I'm surrounded on three sides by water.

"As wonderful as travelling around the world on a ridiculously expensive yachts is, I was never master of my own destiny. Decisions you make are not your own."

The decision to open wildfish restaurant and Port Albert Wharf Fish and Chips now sees Michael working up to 16 hours a day.

"It's only recently I stopped working seven days a week."

The fish and chip shop opened in January last year and the 60-seat restaurant in May of the same year, with a sideline in seafood sales and processing from local commercial fishermen.

The venture, he admits, was a risky one, as Port Albert - Victoria's first established port - is a tiny town at the end of a road with no through-traffic.

"You have to have a damn good reputation to survive. There's not a big enough local population, so we rely on tourists.

"I built the business to be three-pronged because in a small place, diversification is the only way to survive.

"But it can be extremely tough, especially in this current climate.

"You've just got to make sure what you do is the best."

In everything wildfish offers, the aim is to showcase the best local seafood - such as rock flathead, King George whiting, gummy and snapper - as well as other local produce.

"Before I opened wildfish, I was always bitterly disappointed that I couldn't get the seafood I wanted. It was always overcooked or undercooked and not fresh."

Coming from five generations of fishermen has made his job easier.

Both of Michael's grandfathers were pioneering fishermen in Lakes Entrance and Port Albert - one even introduced new gummy shark fishing techniques and built one of the first steel boats.

His "idyllic" childhood memories are of family fishing and holiday jaunts throughout the Kent group of islands in Bass Strait.

Then, from the age of 21, Michael too became a commercial gummy fisherman, working from Port Albert for eight years until quotas forced him out of the business.

It was in 2002 that he decided to put his maritime qualifications to use and worked on super yachts for four years.

His first role was as an engineer on a yacht owned by Silicon Valley tycoon and creator of Netscape, Jim Clark, sailing the Caribbean and Pacific.

With comedian Billy Connolly, he sailed through 64 islands.

"On Billy's yacht I'd work the midnight to 4am shift and during the day as well, seven days a week. It was a great lifestyle but it was bloody hard work."

The siren call of his home in Port Albert was too strong and so, in 2006, he jumped ship and bought 8ha of virgin coastal bushland.

"I knew I wanted to be back, to plant my feet and look for an opportunity."

As fortune would have it, the old Port Albert fisherman's co-op was set to be pulled down and so Michael leapt at the opportunity.

Because of the quota impact on the local fishing fleet, he was able to apply for coastal infrastructure grants - but he largely used his own funds.

Now, with Melbourne-trained chef Paul Fitzsimmons at the helm, wildfish has established itself at the hub of Gippsland's fine dining experience.

Despite the hard yards, not for one minute does Michael regret his lifestyle choice.

"It's your choice in the morning to have a good or a bad day.

" You create the environment you want to be in.

"No matter what you are doing, there's hard work involved in everything. And we have some pretty fantastic nights here.

"What is the high life? If you enjoy eating fantastic food and wine, that's all here.

" I don't have to go far to have the things that really feed my soul."