Recap | Alone Australia on SBS season 3 winner announced – 30-year-old professional trapper, Shay has become the winner of Alone Australia Season 3 after surviving a record-setting 76 days in the unpredictable and unforgiving wilds of the West Coast Ranges of Tasmania (lutruwita).
The shy and soft-spoken North Island New Zealander battled the merciless forces of nature, hunger, and loneliness while stripped of modern possessions, contact and comforts, and outlasted nine other trailblazing participants to win the life-changing prize of $250,000.
While Shay has trapped possums since he was 16, the Tasmanian wildlife at first proved elusive, forcing him to survive on more creative sources of food: over 1100 worms, 23 trout, 13 eels, 2 whitebait and freshwater shrimp, grubs, and ‘cheese fries’ (moth pupae). Nothing was off the menu for Shay and his resilience paid off in a final, game-changing twist – his capture of a pademelon.
For Shay, Alone Australia was more than an adventure or an opportunity to find himself: it was a chance to secure a debt-free future for his young family. Coming into the competition, he vowed he’d do whatever it took – even lasting 300 days – to win. No matter the storms, floods, or homesickness, he was willing to sacrifice everything to make it to the end. For him and his family, the prize is a dream come true.
Shay said:
“Living in the bush and off the land has been my life’s passion since I was a kid. I built my life around the bush back home and became intimately connected to the land I come from, learning how our ancestors gathered food and lived in nature. I got the opportunity out there to put all that to the test, in a completely foreign environment. Mother Nature’s Colosseum“
I tasted hard times and joyful times as I clawed out the other side and figured out where I could fit in, sustainably live, even forever out there, if need be. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to help my family in this way, doing what I love for the people I love“
Alone Australia embodies SBS’s trailblazing ethos of embracing challenges, pushing boundaries and inspiring with bold storytelling that entertains. Alone Australia remains SBS’ most successful franchise, with over 3.5 million viewers[1] enjoying this season so far, with41%[2] streaming on SBS on Demand
In the double episode finale, after 47 days, three participants remained – Food Safety Consultant, Corinne, Bushman Muzza and Shay. They all pushed themselves to their personal limits, forced to adapt to the wild will of nature, in the hope of being the last one standing.
Corinne tapped out on her own terms after 70 days. With nothing left to prove to herself, she felt the call to return to her life and pursue her dream of starting a family. With a beautiful musical performance on a wooden guitar she crafted, Corinne wore her heart on her sleeve. She sang, “My next chapter in life is waiting for me back home.”
Muzza had a highly successful run of catches throughout the season but began to experience dizzy spells and after a med-check, dangerously low blood pressure made medically evacuating Muzza the only safe choice. In a heart-wrenching moment, Muzza was brought to tears. “I promised myself I’d trust the doctor’s judgement.” He left with no regrets, and his trademark humour: “73 days… Can’t believe I never got sick of eels“
In a shocking twist, Shay caught a pademelon and found himself feasting on red meat (and pademelon genitals!) late in the competition. Yet his pot soon ran dry and worries about losing a quarter of his body weight had the medical crew warn him that he required more frequent med-checks. On day 76, Shay was visited by the medical team, where he expected a health update.
Instead, he was surprised by the secret arrival of his wife, who cried,
“You did it! So proud of you.”
In a heartwarming embrace, Shay was left beaming and in disbelief.
“I can’t believe it! From day one, I’ve been saying, I want to come home with that money, no matter how long that takes, no matter how difficult it might get. $250K is life-changing for our family. Now I get to go home to my little slice of paradise“
Off the back of the season finale, SBS premiered a special one-hour reunion program Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion.
Hosted by SBS’s Kumi Taguchi (Insight), a self-confessed fan, the entire cast reunited for the first time since they were dropped into the remote wilds of the West Coast Ranges of Tasmania/ lutruwita, in what was an emotional, hilarious, and truly insightful conversation with unexpected revelations and never-before-seen footage.
All episodes of Alone Australia Season 3 and Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion are now streaming on SBS On Demand
SBS Head of Unscripted Joseph Maxwell said:
“Well done to Shay on surviving an extraordinary 76 days alone in the brutal environment of the West Coast Ranges, while inspiring and captivating so many around Australia with his raw and unfiltered story. We have followed the highs and lows of our remarkable Season 3 cast over the past twelve episodes and Shay is a truly deserving winner. Alone Australia has always pushed boundaries, explored human stories and delivered the unexpected and has once again proved why it’s gripping TV, filled with drama and surprises right to the end“
ITV Studios Australia’s Chief Content Officer, Beth Hart, said:
“Huge congratulations to Shay on an incredible win and to every single participant who pushed themselves to the edge in this unforgettable season of Alone Australia. Watching their resilience, resourcefulness, humour and raw humanity has been nothing short of inspiring. The reunion episode is the perfect finale—full of powerful insight, surprising reveals, and never-before-seen moments. It’s a celebration of what they endured, what they discovered, and what it truly means to be alone“
Alone Australia is an A+E Media Group format and ITV Studios Australia production for SBS.
Stream Alone Australia Season 3 and Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion for free on SBS On Demand.
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Recap | Alone Australia on SBS season 3 winner announced
