“If You Call The Police, I’ll Burn It!”

These were the last words the alleged arsonist said to her ‘on again – off again’ partner, Michael George, as he left the vessel a short time before it was set alight.

The couple, who had been dating for 18 months, arrived in Airlie Beach a week before the alleged incident.

They had been sailing up the coast from Rockhampton and before that from the Bay of Islands area on the North Island of New Zealand where Michael lived.

Having built the boat by hand, spending four years (8000 hours) full-time, crafting every inch from solid timber, Michael is understandably devastated that his 42-foot yacht Lusi has now met such a sad end.

Launching her in 2015, Michael spent some years sailing all around the world and clocked-up an impressive 47,000 nautical miles on the vessel.

When he met his now ex-partner, the pair planned more adventures which brought them to anchor at Airlie Beach last week.

Michael said that unfortunately the relationship had become strained following a series of “outbursts” and destructive episodes that had seen his ex-partner visit Proserpine Hospital overnight with self-inflicted injuries on Wednesday evening.

Michael also sustained injuries following an assault which caused him to file a domestic violence order.

After this, he asked his ex-partner to move out of the vessel and had secured temporary accommodation in town for her.

On the day of the incident, Michael said he had taken her back to the vessel so she could gather her belongings and it is alleged that she started a number of small fires on the vessel which he was able to extinguish.

“She said ‘if you call the police, I’ll set it on fire’, but I had already called the police and knew they were on their way,” Michael explained.

He then left the vessel and decided to return to shore, believing the police would handle it.

Michael saw the water police drive towards the vessel, but at that moment flames started to erupt from inside.

“Then she just went up!” he said.

“I saw it on fire but there was nothing I could do.”

Michael gave all the information to the police and was given accommodation at a local hotel overnight.

Earlier this Thursday he flew to the Gold Coast to stay with friends and will then spend two weeks with his daughter in Perth while he waits for a new passport to come through.

“I’d like to say thank you to all the authorities, they’ve been brilliant.” he said.

“Ideally I’d like to see her pay me back for the vessel, but I don’t see how that’s going to happen!”

Michael lost all his possessions in the fire and the boat has since been valued at over $1 million.

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Michael George at his AirBNB before he flew out on Thursday

The 42-foot classic timber cutter that has been valued at $1 million