Ava and Brad, otherwise known by their TikTok page By The Tide (@bythetide), are rising stars on the social media platform.

After moving back to Bardi Jawi Country in Western Australia to raise their family on Country, Ava and Brad were hit by Cyclone Haley, with their daily TikTok content giving viewers a glimpse into how their Indigenous community is rebuilding.

From morning routines (175K views) to family recipes (300K views), the couple's videos blend culture, family and connection to the land in a way that resonates with audiences throughout Australia.

This month, Style Up had the pleasure of speaking to Ava and Brad to learn more about their online success.

Brad is a proud Bardi/Jawi man from the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley, and Ava has family connections to Aotearoa and the West Indies.

"I'm a first-generation Australian, my mum is from NZ and my dad is from the Caribbean, but I was born and raised in Broome," said Ava.

"Growing up, I felt a bit disconnected from both sides of my heritage, and it's been a journey to embrace my identity. However, being witness to Australian Indigenous culture in Broome has been a blessing.

"It's so similar to my own heritage. In the Kimberley, they hunt goanna; on the islands, they hunt iguanas. Living on Country with Brad and his family feels similar to the way my dad grew up. It helps me feel connected to my own ancestors."

Brad grew up in a small community called Ardiyaloon (One Arm Point).

"Living in a modern western society is our reality, but it hasn't stopped us from walking in both worlds. We still practice lore, culture, and language, hunting, gathering bush food, and looking after Country," he said.

"I'm proud of who I am; without the knowledge passed down to us, we wouldn't have our identity."

When speaking on how the family's TikTok channel came about, both Brad and Ava confirmed it was created from a love of sharing what life on Country looks like.

"Honestly, I've just been the man in front of the camera, Ava is the real treasure behind the 'Ava & Brad' show," said Brad.

"I just do what I love: providing for my family. We live off-grid, so we're hunting fresh food and constantly modifying our space to better our living conditions. We started documenting it on TikTok because it's a unique, wholesome life and we also wanted to be able to look back on our progress.

"About a week in, it just spiked. We hit 100,000 followers in about five weeks, and some TikTok videos hit over 2 million views. It was exciting but a bit overwhelming."

Ava said she has "always loved storytelling".

"I love the life that I live out bush with Brad, and making TikTok videos gave me a creative outlet... which has been really therapeutic," she said.

"We started posting to TikTok consistently in November 2025, and the growth was exponential. My goal was to hit 5,000 followers by the end of 2025; we ended the year with 150,000."

Ava and Brad share that they love to document day to day life.

"I give all the credit to Ava for the drive, the voiceovers, and the editing. Like I said before 'I do what I love doing' on the daily, and it makes great TikTok content, so for my part, I bring the knowledge of hunting and gathering," said Brad.

"I love sharing that knowledge on TikTok and staying humble while putting in thehard work. It's about showing the reality of living off the land from the perspective of an Aboriginal person [with new audiences on the platform]."

Ava said the couple has also always admired fellow creatives who are passionate about Country and the environment.

"We've always loved TikTok creators like Strick and Fran and Wild Reaches. We were doing all of the things that we were enjoying watching from other creators, so we started to document it," she said.

"We also know that mob in community live that lifestyle naturally, and so much of the "outdoor adventure" content online is based on knowledge learned from Indigenous people but never from their perspective.

"We wanted to fill that gap. We started documenting our days fishing, crabbing, and collecting shells, alongside our DIY projects, building up our home and general day-to-day life out bush on TikTok so we could share our culture with others."

Regularly gaining new followers, Brad and Ava said the support they have received online and via donations has been overwhelming.

"We've had so much support and gifts, especially after enduring two cyclones recently that forced us to evacuate," said Brad.

"As we rebuild, our TikTok followers have been right there with us. I believe the future holds great things, not just for us, but for what we can do for others."

The couple said they have noticed a rise in Indigenous creators using the platform.

"I've seen a big increase in First Nations creators finding their own style and getting confident on TikTok," said Brad.

"It's a great place to start a career. I've had many mob tell me that we inspired them to start creating their own TikTok content. I like the idea of being a positive influence."

Ava said she and Brad hope the content they create inspires others to create.

"Before I got pregnant, I was a youth worker, and I always wanted young Indigenous people to get creative with social media," she said.

"Our young people have incredible skills that should be shared with the world.

"We were always hoping that our TikTok content would inspire people. There's a young creator called Stevie @5t3v13_ and she has amazing TikTok content with a beautiful narration style."

Looking ahead, Brad and Ava said they will keep creating content that is genuine and resonates with viewers.

"We've talked about this a lot. We just want to stay genuine, but the content is definitely elevating," said Brad.

"The world has only seen the tip of the iceberg! We have big goals for 2026, including reaching 250,000 followers."

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