Dynamic Duo: John & Carly Knight
When John Knight isn’t at work, you’ll probably find him down the backyard cooking a nice piece of steak over hot coals. He even has his own BBQ Instagram page (@scarbiebbq). He and his wife Carly run Scarborough Pest Control. They have three children and several Webers.
Carly: We met in a pub in East London in 2003. I was working there as a supervisor and John walked in for a drink. He was in the British Army at the time and had just returned from serving in Northern Ireland. I thought wow, I’d like to talk to him. He was very handsome. He still is.
I made the first move and asked for his phone number. We went out on a date and have been together ever since. We only knew each other for a year before we got married. Three months later we were pregnant with our first child and the rest is history. Now we have three kids and we’ve been married for 16 years.
John knew I wanted to come home to Australia to live. And so did he, so he gave the army 12-months’ notice. That’s when they sent him off to Iraq to serve on the front line! I was pregnant and living in the army quarters in Surrey. He was a lance corporal and he’s been to Afghanistan as well. He has some pretty scary stories.
In 2006 we moved back to Australia and settled in Redcliffe, Brisbane, near my parent’s house. John worked as a painter decorator for the first ten years. During that time I worked as a pest controller. Eventually John and I decided we’d like to start our own pest control company and work together.
He’s a very fast learner once he’s interested in something. And he’s a very good people person which is half your battle in this industry.
Work has consumed our life for pretty much the past 12 months. On the rare occasions that we aren’t working we love to simply unwind at home, or head off to a campsite somewhere remote. The last time we went camping we visited Manar Park where we can go four-wheel-driving and dirt bike riding. John is not one to sit still. He’s the one stoking the fire, building stuff, wanting to go places. He’s a bit of an action man.
He’s into his barbequing and smoking meats. He owns all the Webers and all the smokers and that sort of stuff. He’s in the middle of building a Scarbiebbq Headquarters – a smoking shack – in our back garden. His food is amazing.
John: I met Carly in the UK, where she was working in a bar. I was on leave from the army. I thought she was a pretty good looking girl, and she pulled a good pint, so that’s always a win.
It was pretty tough on Carly when I went off to Iraq. She was heavily pregnant at the time. I came back on leave and they took her into a military hospital and induced her so I could be there for the birth. A week later I was back in Iraq. It was hard for both of us but more for her, because she was there by herself living on a barracks with not much support.
After our child was born she wanted to come home to Australia. I’d never been there before but was willing to give it a go. Now I’ve been here for 15 years and I’ve never regretted the decision. The weather is definitely a bit better and the beaches are sandier.
Sometimes I struggle with being away from England, especially if there’s a family party going on back home. I do wish I was there sometimes to see my family, but generally I’m fine.
I was keen for a career change when we decided to set up our pest control business. Carly is very knowledgeable about the industry, so she made a really good mentor. I learned a lot from her.
We enjoy each other’s company, so it’s only natural that we work so well together. I appreciate having Carly by my side to give me advice when I need it. She has a decade’s worth of experience to share.
Carly has been really supportive of my BBQ hobby. When I do ribs or beef jerky or whatever she’ll get stuck right into it. She loves the food. I’m building a big BBQ shed in the yard. She hasn’t moaned about it yet…but I haven’t told her how much it’s costing.
This Dynamic Duo is brought to you by: 
#doublethepower #dynamicduo #twobetterthanone #pestiepartnerships #celebratethepestie
Find John and Carly at Scarborough Pest Control at Newport, Queensland.
