Six-year-old Memphis Marshall, who has autism, finds it challenging to make friends, but he has discovered a new hobby that keeps him engaged and helps conserve the environment. Memphis enjoys magnet fishing, which involves using magnets attached to a rope to pull metal scraps out of rivers and docks, like a combination of treasure hunting and environmental conservation.
Memphis’s father, Jason Marshall, a social worker, shares that magnet fishing has become a source of engagement for his son. Due to his autism, Memphis often feels the social impact of being different from other children, which upsets him. To combat this, the Marshalls, who reside in Berkeley near Wollongong, try to keep Memphis as active as possible. However, during the cold winter months, Memphis prefers to remain indoors.
Fortunately, magnet fishing has enticed Memphis to venture out of the house. He discovered this hobby while watching videos online, noticing that it is a popular activity in Europe. To their surprise, the father-son duo successfully pulled out four bikes and even an e-bike from a jetty near the yacht club using their magnets. While Memphis hooks the items with the magnet and drags them up, his father assists in pulling them onto the jetty and ensuring they don’t end up back in the water.
However, not just any magnets will suffice for this activity. Jason points out that the little magnets available on eBay are not strong enough to hold a bike. Heavy-duty magnets are required, which need to be ordered from overseas and can be quite expensive. Apart from bikes, the Marshalls have also retrieved knives, fishing rods, and scrap metal while magnet fishing. Memphis perceives the scrap metal as threatening to fish, highlighting the significance of removing such materials from the water.
Jason believes that magnet fishing could become a popular activity, especially among children with special needs. He emphasizes that there is a significant amount of debris that often gets pushed off jetties, making magnet fishing both enjoyable and useful for the environment. Leigh Webber, also known as the Bondi Treasure Hunter, shares Jason’s opinion, stating that magnet fishing is a fantastic sport for children. As an experienced underwater treasure hunter, Webber started magnet fishing four years ago and began sharing videos of his findings on YouTube. Since then, magnet fishing has gained a worldwide audience.
Webber has discovered an array of items while magnet fishing, including guns, cannonballs, motorbikes, safes, and thousands of bikes. He firmly believes that magnet fishing has cracked the code for engaging thousands of people in cleaning up waterways for free while having fun. According to Webber, the activity brings people together to enjoy themselves while leading to a cleaner environment, a true win-win situation.
Wollongong City Council advises individuals to ensure that all rubbish collected during magnet fishing is disposed of properly. They encourage residents to utilize community recycling centers for free recycling or dispose of smaller items in available public bins. By following these guidelines, participants can actively contribute to maintaining cleaner waterways.
In summary, Memphis Marshall has found solace and engagement through magnet fishing, a hobby that combines his passion for watching videos online and his desire to make a positive impact on the environment. With the support of his father, Memphis has managed to retrieve various items, including bikes, knives, fishing rods, and scrap metal, from local waterways. The success of magnet fishing has the potential to attract more individuals, especially children with special needs, to participate in this activity, contributing to both their well-being and the preservation of the environment.
