Young Aussie dies suddenly in Bali
A much-loved son and brother from the Sunshine Coast has died while on holiday at a popular Bali tourist destination, sparking an outpouring of grief online.
Byron 'Bizza' Haddow, a FIFO mining worker on the Sunshine Coast, died while on holiday in Legian, Bali on May 28.
'As most would be waking up to the news this morning and as most would understand we are trying to comprehend and deal with the initial shock!' his father wrote in a post on Facebook. Byron Haddow, a young FIFO worker from the Sunshine Coast has died while on holiday in Bali. Supplied Credit: Supplied
'We ask you guys to give us time to try and get back to everyone's messages of condolences at this time Chantal, myself and family are not sure where to look, think, and how to deal with this atm please understand (sic).'
Photos posted to Mr Haddow's Instagram on Sunday show him enjoying a meal and undertaking various activities in Legian on the west coast of Bali.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family arrange bringing his body home and for funeral expenses.
'On the morning of the 26th of May we unfortunately lost Byron whilst he was on holidays in Bali. A son, brother, and friend to many taken way too soon,' a post on the GoFundMe page said.
'As many of you know he was living his life to the fullest, working away, and achieving so many things.
'All donations will go towards helping bring Byron home to his family, funeral arrangements and expenses to help his family through this tough time.
'Please keep his family in your prayers and thoughts as they navigate through this difficult time. Any help is appreciated.'
The GoFundMe reached about $24,000 and received close to 300 donations only one day after it was created. Byron Haddow, a young FIFO worker from the Sunshine Coast has died while on holiday in Bali. Supplied Credit: Supplied
Mr Haddow was an aspiring content creator, who regularly posted videos and pictures of himself working in the mines on Instagram and TikTok.
The young man's death has sparked an outpouring of grief online.
'Rest in peace my brother from another mother you've been taken too soon,' one friend posted.
'I'll always remember the good days and times we have had and the mischief we made and got up to love you always brother.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
15 hours ago
- SBS Australia
'High degree of caution': Australia issues new warning for travellers to Bali
Australians are being warned about the risks associated with travelling to Indonesia, particularly Bali, after a number of incidents. In an update on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website urged travellers to "exercise a high degree of caution" while holidaying at the popular destination. The advice highlighted that Australians had drowned at unpatrolled beaches "due to rough seas and strong rip currents". It also cautioned against leaving food and drinks unattended due to a rise in drink spiking and methanol poisoning, with several cases reported in Bali and nearby Lombok. The travel advice came only two days after a 23-year-old Sunshine Coast man, Byron Haddow, died while holidaying in Bali. The cause of his death is unknown. The Smartraveller site also issued a reminder about saltwater crocodiles, which are present in Indonesian rivers and lakes. It urged Australians travelling to Indonesia to respect local customs, publishing a list of dos and don'ts. It included checking visa and passport requirements to ensure entry, with travellers reportedly denied due to tears or water damage to their passports. More than one million Australians visit Bali each year.
Sky News AU
17 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Earning two months in two weeks': British expats reveal staggering $9,000 a fortnight salary as a FIFO worker in Australia
The possibility of earning more than $9,000 a fortnight as a Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) mine worker in Australia has seen Brits flock Down Under in droves. Cash-strapped expats from the UK have joined Australian citizens increasingly enticed by the pay packet on offer for FIFO work, particularly for roles in remote mines in Queensland and Western Australia. And it seems the cash benefits of working long, consecutive outside under the Australian sun outweigh the drawbacks. Caithilín Hughes, 26, from Belfast, Ireland, works long 12-hour days for 14 consecutive days under the Aussie sun as a machine operator in WA. She splits her time between the mine and her home in Perth and says she enjoys FIFO work for the "money game." "The average hourly wage for a machine operator is around $55. We work 12-hour days for 14 days straight. That's around $9,240 before tax," Caithilín told the Irish Independent last week. "Now I spend my days driving huge machines in the mines of Western Australia, earning in two weeks what would take some at home in Ireland, nearly two months to earn." Caithilín Hughes took to TikTok to reveal that her daily rate is about $55 per hour, which she said could total more than $600 per day. "Most jobs are probably going to range from $30 an hour to maybe $60 or $70 an hour," the 26-year-old said. "I work as a machine operator, so I can only really talk about what a machine operator makes. "Most people who come on a holiday working visa tend to work as machine operators. So, you're probably going to get paid from $45 to $65 an hour. "Probably most people will make the $50 to $55 range. So, based on $55 an hour, 12 hours a day, you're going to get paid $660 a day. The 26-year-old enjoys a six-day break in Perth before returning to work for two weeks at a time. She is an aspiring investigative journalist and hopes to one day fulfil her career goal in Belfast, but she is content with her life Down Under for now. Englishwoman Aimee Gale also took to TikTok to say she landed a sought-after role as a FIFO worker despite having limited experience. She said most companies are willing to hire people who meet the working requirements. Those include a working holiday visa, a police check, a white card, and certifications for working at heights, confined spaces, and gas testing. "I must have contacted around 30 different agencies, maybe even more, just calling them, emailing them, and if I didn't get a response, I would go up to the recruitment agency and show my interest that way," Aimee said. "A lot of people didn't even respond. "They also said they were looking for somebody who had a year experience or at least six months." Aimee said being a FIFO is not always rosy; it also means being "eaten alive" by mosquitoes and grappling with intense heat. "It's so, so hot, and you're in your full PPE [protective gear] all day," the expat said. She also described her first work experience with rollers, where people operate a machine to compact materials like soil and asphalt, as "awful". "Then, I was doing TA and hose tech, so (it was) simpler, but still hard. Those were 12-hour days," Aimee said. "So, you've just got to go in open-minded. You can't go in thinking, 'Oh my gosh, this is going to be amazing, and I'm going to meet so many new people', which you do, and it's amazing, but there are downsides to things as well. It's not all sunshine and rainbows." Aimee spends her time off work enjoying snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef and soaking up Australia's rays. Meanwhile, Irish model and beauty pageant titleholder Grainne Gallanagh offered a rare glimpse into her experience as a FIFO worker in a WA mine. Grainne is from Buncrana, Ireland, and relocated to Perth with her fiancé, Ryan Coleman, in March 2023. After a brief holiday, the couple embarked on FIFO work in WA's rugged red dirt mines. It's there the former Miss Universe Ireland spent 12-hour shifts driving trucks under the scorching Australian sun. Despite the harsh conditions, Grainne described the mining work as an exciting adventure that she would highly recommend to others and acknowledged the benefits of well-paid mine work. Grainne was named 'Employee of the Month' in her first month on the job, followed by 'Employee of the Year,' beating hundreds of other workers. "I was so nervous about starting this job and how I would be received in an environment where I had no idea what I was doing, and it was mostly men," she said on social media last September. "But I was so pleasantly surprised; they have genuinely been so unbelievably patient, helpful, kind, and have made me laugh every single day. And the girls have been a dream."
Perth Now
18 hours ago
- Perth Now
TRAVEL WARNING: What you need to know if heading to Bali
Aussies travelling to Bali have been told to 'exercise a high degree of caution' following a number of tragic deaths. Smartraveller — The Australian Government's official travel advice service — updated its advice on May 30, warning tourists of an increase in drownings and drink spikings. 'Australians have drowned in coastal areas, due to rough seas and strong rip currents at popular tourist beaches including in Bali. Many beaches are unpatrolled,' the advice stated. 'Drinks may be spiked or mixed with toxic substances. 'Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks. Don't leave food or drinks unattended. Cases of methanol poisoning in drinks have previously been reported in Indonesia, including in Bali and Lombok.' The warning also urged travellers to understand your visa conditions before entering Indonesia, as travellers have been refused entry for having a damaged passport. Damage can include water damage or minor tears and rips to pages. Travellers should also read the Bali Government's 'Do's and Don'ts' for foreign tourists as 'Offensive behaviour that fails to respect local culture, religion, places of worship, and traditional ceremonies can lead to criminal penalties and/or deportation.' The updated advice comes after at least four Aussies died in tragic incidents while on holiday in recent months. In December 2024, 32-year-old Adelaide man Jacob Vennix died after being swept out to sea while on his honeymoon. Less than a month later, three-year-old Sydney toddler Janaa Al Easawi died after being found unconscious in a pool at a villa in Seminyak. In March this year, 39-year-old Anna Maree Blight died when a wave capsized the snorkelling tour boat she was on near Nusa Penida. And just last week, young Aussie FIFO worker Byron Haddow died while on holiday — however his cause of death is still unknown.
