Member-only story
The Ex-Millionaire Who Lives in Isolation on a Deserted Island
The true story of former Australian businessman David Glasheen, who lives on Restoration Island
Many of us have dreamt about escaping our day-to-day lives in search of paradise but few people, if any, ever get to realise this dream. This isn’t the case for David Glasheen, he found his ideal life on a deserted tropical island off the coast of Australia more than 30 years ago and hasn’t looked back since.
The stock market crash of 1987
Glasheen started life in the food industry but quit to pursue a career in consulting. He says he was shocked to find the very same companies who had previously ignored him were now paying him thousands of dollars for his advice.
He progressed in his work and moved into a private toy company with his brother. He became the chairman and, together, they built up a fortune with their company being valued at over A$10 million at its peak (over A$37m today).
The market was hot, everything was looking positive, and Glasheen owned three properties which he lived in with his wife and children. Life was going well for him and everything was in the green. Then, as unexpectedly as ever, the stock market crashed. Companies around the…
