In the turquoise waters of a secluded Vanuatu bay, a chance meeting between two Australian volunteers blossomed into a lifelong love story, weathering a catastrophic cyclone and spanning a decade to create a family of five.
A Serendipitous Reunion in Paradise
In February 2015, Andrew Ngeh was already a year into his volunteer posting in Port Vila, coaching the Vanuatu women's beach volleyball team. His life changed when a new group of Australian volunteers arrived. Among them was Kath Oliver, a witty and bubbly woman who had previously volunteered in Indonesia. To Andrew's surprise, Kath reminded him they had briefly met before during a training weekend in Sydney, a fact his memory had curiously erased despite finding her very attractive.
Their connection was immediate. Bonding over shared passions for the outdoors, fitness, and social justice, they exchanged numbers. The spark was undeniable, leading to an early morning run and a borrowed paddleboard. "We spent a good chunk of the morning paddleboarding, chatting away about our families, what we wanted to do after volunteering and things like refugee rights and social justice," Andrew recalls. Their worldviews aligned perfectly, and the chemistry was palpable.
The Paddleboard Kiss and a Confession of Love
Their romance accelerated amidst the backdrop of island life. At a social barbecue, they found themselves holding hands during the Australian Open final. The next day, during another sunset paddleboarding session, Kath initially expressed hesitation about starting a relationship during her assignment. Just as Andrew accepted this and prepared to paddle back to shore, she leaned in for their first kiss.
The relationship quickly deepened, despite the challenge of Kath being based on the island of Malekula, a long-distance from Port Vila. Merely days later, in a Port Vila hotel room, Kath told Andrew she loved him. "I said it back, with no hesitation," Andrew says. "It was the first time I’d said those three words to anybody."
Bonding Through Crisis: Surviving Cyclone Pam
Their bond was tested and strengthened in March 2015 when Cyclone Pam, with winds exceeding 300km/h, bore down on Vanuatu. Kath was evacuated to Port Vila, and all volunteers sheltered together. Huddled under a stairwell as the hotel roof groaned, they faced the terrifying night without sleep.
In the aftermath, they worked side-by-side for days, helping with clean-up and delivering essential supplies. "Kath and I bonded on a deeper level during those days," Andrew notes. Her supportive words, "We’re doing our best," offered profound comfort during the frustrating recovery effort.
The cyclone ultimately altered their path. With Kath's assignment on Malekula closed, she moved in with Andrew in Port Vila. Though she later battled anxiety and returned briefly to Australia, Andrew's supportive visit solidified their commitment. When his role ended in May 2016, they decided to move to Lismore, Australia, permanently.
Andrew proposed in Ubud, Bali, and they married in Lismore in 2019. Today, a decade after their meeting, they are parents to a four-year-old boy and five-month-old twin girls. "Parenthood has brought out the best in both of us," Andrew reflects.
Holding onto the island magic that brought them together, they have visited Port Vila three times and plan to move back so their children can experience the Vanuatu life that sparked their own extraordinary love story.
