Stab Magazine | 60 Minutes Covers The Chinese-Fijian Land Grab Scandal

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

267 Views

60 Minutes Covers The Chinese-Fijian Land Grab Scandal

What do you do when a Chinese corporation takes your parcel of paradise?

cinema // May 22, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Surely you remember the story of Nav Fox and Woody Jack, two Angourie locals who saved up all the pennies in their piggy banks to fulfill a childhood dream of owning land in Fiji

With the help of a local Fijian named Jonah, the boys bought a small parcel on the island of Malolo, where, if you climb the highest tree and use NASA-grade binoculars, you might be able to see Cloudbreak. They boys had planned to build a small, sustainable surf resort on the land.

Then came the Chinese, wielding heavy machinery and small metal rods to fend off intruders.  

Freesoul, a Chinese corporation with headquarters Fiji, had bought the lot adjacent to Nav and Woody and planned to build a multimillion dollar resort and casino on the land – not an ideal situation, but a common result of our free market system. AKA don’t hate the player, hate the game. 

The problem was, Freesoul decided to (illegally) cut a massive hole in the reef to facilitate entry to the island and they physically encroached on the Aussie boys’ land, going so far as to erect a fence through the middle of their parcel. 

Screen Shot 2019 05 20 at 7.48.51 PM

The story has many twists and turns, but rather than reading (or re-reading) about it here you can catch all the juicy details above. If you’re able to stop yourself from laughing at the host’s manufactured tone for more than five seconds at a time, you might really get something out of this segment. 

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Can Jordy Smith Defend His Turf at Piping Hot J-Bay?

Four (or five) time Trials winner Damien Fahrenfort consults his Betonline.AG spreadsheet.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 3, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025

Houshmand Bludgeons Field To Win Second CT — Molly Picklum Tastes Blood, Snatches World #1 In Brazil

You can't argue with big surfing — that's Saquarema wrapped.

Jun 29, 2025

37 Years Old And World #1 — What’s Changed For Jordy Smith?

On rediscovering decades old surfboard templates, having a personality on the CT, and why this…

Jun 27, 2025

Tom Lowe Stars in ‘Let Me Live’

The wild, improbable ascent of Britain’s best big-wave surfer.

Jun 27, 2025
Advertisement