Fiji’s tourism industry has been graced by many dreamers, but few have shaped its course as profoundly as Ric and Dorothy Cammick. With a pioneering spirit, enduring grit, and infectious charisma, Ric remains not only a living legend, but a working one. At 84 years old, he continues to play an active role in the day-to-day operations of the exquisite Taveuni Island Resort, which he and his beloved wife Dorothy, fondly known as Do, built from scratch. Their story is not merely one of business success; it is a saga of love, for each other, for adventure, and above all, for Fiji.
From earthworks to island dreams
RIC Cammick’s journey to paradise didn’t begin on a tropical beach, but in the rugged trenches of New Zealand, where he worked as an earthworks contractor, laying water cables and pipes. Dorothy was a schoolteacher when they met, two grounded individuals with no inkling they would become icons in a Pacific Island nation thousands of kilometers away.
Their leap into the unknown came in 1973, when Ric’s father, an avid reader and newspaper publisher, spotted an ad for land for sale in Taveuni, Fiji. The Cammicks landed on the lush northern island and quickly bought an acre in Soqulu.
A fateful encounter at the local country club with Keith Douglas, founder of the now-renowned Matangi Island Resort, led Ric to a breathtaking stretch of coastal land near Matei. Initially, he acquired four acres to build a holiday home, but the dream soon evolved into a life mission.
Pioneering an industry: Scuba diving in Fiji
In 1974, Ric and Do built Fiji’s first dedicated diving resort, an act that marked the birth of an entirely new industry. At a time when scuba diving was virtually unknown in the country, Ric discovered the pristine marine wonderland off Taveuni’s coast. What he found would later be hailed as the Rainbow Reef, a kaleidoscopic underwater paradise that earned Fiji its global reputation as the Soft Coral Capital of the world.
Unlike the Cousteaus’ globally resourced expeditions, Ric brought scuba diving directly to this remote corner of the Pacific. He wasn’t broadcasting to an international audience, he was building infrastructure and opening access to the reef, island by island. This hands-on, ground-breaking effort brought adventure tourism to life in one of the most untouched marine environments on Earth.
Through determination and vision, Ric single-handedly mapped and promoted the reef, placing Fiji firmly on the global diving map. Together with Do, he trained instructors, built boats, and welcomed the world to explore Taveuni’s submerged treasures. Their 1974 resort launch did more than start a business, it sparked a national tourism revolution.
More than tourism: Conservation and community
Ric and Do weren’t merely business pioneers, they were conservationists and cultural diplomats. Recognising the fragility of the reef, they spearheaded some of Fiji’s first large-scale marine protection initiatives. With tireless diplomacy, they gained the support of 90 tribal chiefs to protect key reef areas, laying the groundwork for what would become enduring community-based conservation.
Their efforts caught the attention of famed oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau. Together, they established Fiji’s first recompression facility, a critical safety resource for divers and an essential piece of dive tourism infrastructure. This partnership not only underscored Ric and Do’s leadership, but also set new standards for sustainable adventure travel in the region.
In recognition of these remarkable contributions – to conservation, to indigenous partnerships, and to the nation’s dive safety infrastructure – the couple was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2012.
Building paradise: Taveuni Island Resort
Over the course of four decades, the Cammicks expanded their dream into the Taveuni Island Resort, a boutique sanctuary seamlessly integrated with the island’s natural beauty. Now managed alongside their sons Doug and Matt, the resort stands as a monument to their enduring vision.
Doug and Matt, who spent most of their lives on Taveuni, were raised on the island and are deeply rooted in the local culture. Though they attended high school in New Zealand for a few years, their hearts, and their home, have always remained in Fiji.
Sustainability is at the heart of TIRAS. From its organic farm supplying fresh produce to its support of neighbouring outer islands with limited agricultural capacity, the resort remains deeply tied to its environment and community. Even during the challenges of COVID-19, the Cammicks didn’t scale back – they rebuilt, reimagined, and reinvested. Today, they are expanding into wellness tourism with upgraded spa facilities and immersive experiences.
Vision beyond the reef
Ric’s imagination has always gone beyond the shoreline. While most saw beaches and boat rides, he envisioned rainforest treks, cultural journeys, and walking tracks that rival the world’s best.
“We have some of the best walking tracks in the world, but hardly anyone knows,” he often says.
One of his dreams is to see Taveuni recognised as a World Heritage Marine Park, a lasting tribute to its ecological significance and a promise to future generations. With the growth of eco-tourism and dive operations across the island, that dream edges ever closer to reality.
A golden milestone
In February 2024, Ric and Do celebrated 50 years of dedicated service to Fiji’s tourism industry, a milestone few could imagine, and even fewer could match. Yet if you visit Taveuni Island Resort today, you’ll likely find them welcoming guests, organising dive trips, and ensuring everyone feels less like a customer and more like family.
Their legacy lives not only in coral reefs and luxury villas, but in the lives they’ve touched. Employees like Storm Goulding, whose father was Taveuni’s first certified dive instructor and long-time guide at the resort, are living proof of the generational impact Ric and Do have had on the island.
The legacy continues with a new milestone: on Friday, July 25th, the new website for Taveuni Island Resort goes live, marking the first time in 50 years that guests can book online. This digital leap forward opens new doors for global travellers to connect with the island paradise the Cammicks have cultivated so lovingly.
The legacy lives on
Ric and Do’s story goes beyond business or adventure, it’s a story of love. Love for each other, for Fiji’s breathtaking natural beauty, and for its people. They built more than a resort, they raised a family, nurtured a community, and helped shape an island’s entire tourism industry. As stewards of both land and sea, they empowered others, protected reefs, and redefined what sustainable travel could look like in the South Pacific. Now, after 50 years of vision and grit, they prepare to entrust that legacy to the next generation, who will carry the story forward, rooted in love, shaped by the sea, and grounded in the spirit of Taveuni.
And perhaps the most beautiful part? They’re still building.
Stunning aerial view of Taveuni Island Resort (TIRAS). Picture: SUPPLIED
Ric and Dorothy Cammick celebrating 45 years of marital bliss. Picture: SUPPLIED
