Shane Gould, who was announced as the winner of Australian Survivor on Monday night, said she missed her Bicheno home during filming of the show – there was one change she didn’t mind though.

“I missed my buddies, and I missed my husband, and the lifestyle,” she said.

“I liked the warm water in Fiji though.”

Mrs Gould and her husband, Milt Nelms, moved to the state after marrying in 2007 following stints in Sydney and Margaret River in Western Australia.

The couple were captured by Tasmania after visiting briefly for a charity project, with Mr Nelms finding many similarities to his native Oregon.

After living in Launceston for 2 years, they made the move to Bicheno.

“I found I missed the coast,” she said.

“It was a place we thought we could make a life.”

At 61 years, Mrs Gould is the oldest winner the franchise has seen, and came to the competition after a long and successful swimming career.

She is the only swimmer in history to hold all freestyle world records (100m, 200m,  400m, 800m, 1500m) and the 200m Individual Medley at once, and won 5 individual Olympic swimming medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.

She thought her age worked in her favor as much as her water-based fitness.

“As you get older you’re valuable and vital and capable, and maybe a little more resistant,” she said.

“I think my age was quite an advantage.”

With the series over, Mrs Gould will now turn her attention back home.

She plans to complete her PHD on swimming culture and begin some accompanying writing, photo, and video work; a return to Fiji for work drowning prevention programs is also in the works.

Mrs Gould is also excited to get back into the ocean at Bicheno.

“I’ve got some projects I need to complete and follow through.”

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