When Music And Nature Unite

Redcliffe musician Vaughan Jones is a man of many talents. When he is not on tour with Troy Cassar-Daley, he can be found on a SUP off Suttons Beach, playing with the dolphins and taking photographs of his time in the water around the Peninsula.

Growing up with a father who toured Australia with bands before moving to Austin, Texas for most of his youth, it is no surprise that pianist Vaughan Jones walked away from a scholarship in Marine Biology to join a band and start touring the US straight after high school. He began his music career playing guitar for country bands before becoming self-taught on the keys and hasn't looked back since.

I played by ear and figured things out on my own. I related what I already knew from guitar to the keyboard and it all came really quick and naturally,� he said.

The keyboard player was introduced to Troy Cassar-Daley in the early 90s after settling into Redcliffe and had a veranda jam� at Troy's farm, before he was invited to join the band.

I have been in his band about 16 years now and I have also toured with Adam Harvey, Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy. I also do recording sessions for people's albums ' mostly in the country industry.�

In his free time, Vaughan dabbles in photography and has a passion for SUP. His online following has grown to thousands around the world, with fans admiring his unique images from the water, which led to an ambassadorship with Ride the Tide, taking pics with their boards.

I spend a lot of time on the water paddle boarding ' especially the last few months,� he said. I average about 100km a week paddling from Suttons Beach to Scarborough each day.

I have got some dolphin mates now off Suttons Beach and I have been doing some work with Dolphin Research Australia to document the dolphins I find,� he said. They're allowing me to name one of the dolphins I have found in the bay ' it hasn't been catalogued here before. I'm going to call him Chuck.�