🥳🙌😲 365 days ago we started this adventure 😲🙌🥳

We've only travelled through 4 states so far --- staying at 46 different places & exploring a hell of a lot more places in-between yet it still maybe the slowest lap around Aus ever😆--- we never wanted to rush it and we don't have a deadline so no complaints here 🙌

We haven't tracked facts & figures of klm's or budgets as some more organised peeps do but we do have a shit load of fantastic memories, a thousand or so photos & videos to remember this last year and a pretty unique bumpy start that we never want to repeat! 😅

Looking back over all that has happened in the last year and the lead up to it has been a journey in itself!

💥 SUMMARY 💥

We gave ourselves 6 months to pack up our lives and set up our new tow rig --- it wasn't enough!

We left over a month later than planned and still nearly didn't make it out on time 😬

Plus, still had to finish a few things while on the road 🫠

We were absolutely exhausted and a tad broken by the time we did actually get going ~ unexpected delays and other dramas in the lead up cost more than just extra expenses… it was a harder time than we ever expected!

…and if we had of known that things would get way worse before they got better, we just might have never left 🫣

And boy, did it get worse before it got better 🤦‍♀️

💣 Nala (our french bulldog) got a spinal injury = emergency vets, months of crate rest [while travelling] and a lifelong condition 🥺

💣 Our caravan got damaged in Christmas Day storms = insurance wrote it off 🥴

💣 We had to upgrade to a more expensive caravan (insurance pay out didn't even come close to giving us the off-road & off-grid caravan we had & still required) = a huge hit to our back up fund within the first few months 🙄

💣 Our upgraded caravan had serious issues = wiring cut and fuses blowing amongst many, many other things which = battling caravan company for a replacement that involved head office, ACCC and more [thankfully we succeeded 🙌]

👉 within 4 MONTHS of starting our lap of Aus / life on the road we had moved 'home' 3 TIMES into 3 different caravans 🫣

To say the start of our journey was difficult is a bit of an understatement 😅

…it got better 🥳

The kindness of others helped more than words can explain and just some of the generosity 👇

🫶 Helping us in the mad rush in the days before we left

🫶 Taking the last of our rubbish the morning of departure

🫶 Helping us move from caravan to caravan --- when meant to be enjoying a nice weekend away

🫶 Organising for us to camp in the block of land next door while we battled the caravan company + including us in family dinners full of laughter and taking us sightseeing

🫶 Helping us navigate Nala's injury for our booked house/farm/pet sits

🫶 Offering us places to stay for as long needed &/+ to come pick us & our caravan up or tow it for us

…it meant (& still means) so much to us and we are beyond grateful!

From stunning coastlines to amazing outback country, little & big farms, caravan parks, house/farm & pet sits with blasts of free camps along the way --- it's been a hell of an adventure with the people we meet being a huge highlight --- and despite the bumpy start, it's a hell yes for us for this life on the road travelling, working & exploring Aus 🤩

💥 HOW WE DO IT 💥

This trip was always planned to be at least a year, yet we always saw it as trialling whether it could be a way of life for us and for us, so far, it has been an adjustment for sure --- yet so much better than our old way of living with the same old job! We absolutely love the freedom and adventure of life on the road!!! 🤩🫶😁

We started with ZERO experience in everything we've done since being on the road including farm work, property & pet sits plus caravan park assistance so how did we get gigs and a foot in the door???

We were honest and open about not having the exact experience yet in every message, email or application I put forward, I described us, our plans (what we were looking for and our general direction) plus our previous experience and skills --- even though not directly in that industry, we still have life experience, common sense and similar skills that can be applied to the gigs we were applying for…

✨ I have many years admin experience = that can be applied to caravan park reception and general organisation of anywhere

✨ Dan is a handyman at heart, mechanically minded (not a qualified mechanic) and has had his own businesses, that involved small trucks, automotive, tractors, etc plus grew up on a small farm

✨ We own a home on 1.5 acres [not much compared to some of the properties we've looked after] yet still evidence that we have a clue of how to upkeep lawns, gardens and care for homes

✨ We adore our dog [a quick look at our socials shows this] and have had chickens, etc in the past and have been around friends and families animals --- you can generally tell if someone is an animal lover and we both are

It all sounds so simple yet… it worked & still works for us!!

Just describing us + what we are looking for, more often than not, the people we contacted reach out to us and offer us the gig [both paid & unpaid] 🙌

At the end of each gig we complete, we ask for a reference and have slowly built up our 'experience' yet that documented experience + references isn't as important as I originally thought = everyone we spoke to was willing to show us the ropes due to our lack of on the job experience because for them it was way more important to have the right person [+personality and trust] over skills and experience 💥😏🙌

Initially we thought a week or 2 at one place would suit us when doing a gig [when not in a gig or on our way to one we tend to move a lot quicker --- everyday or every few days], yet as we have settled into this lifestyle we found that longer gigs have their bonuses too ---we've taken gigs from just over a week to 3 months, and our current farm gig will be approx. 4 months by the time we roll out. Everyone will prefer different things, we have found a mixture of all suits us and we will limit our longer ones to only one or two a year

For more on what we use to find gigs, check out a post I wrote 'How we book to stay in places free of charge' 👉 on Insta or FaceBook 🙌

💥 FINANCES 💥

We have done lots [and I mean LOTS] of little things to be able to live this life on the road, continue on travelling AND not go backwards financially!

As an overview, we have done property sits including farms and livestock / pet and house sits which saves costs of accommodation and is a great base for a few weeks or more to explore the local area [+ slows down the cost of fuel because we aren't roaring 'round] ✔️

We have taken on paid gigs like caretaking caravan parks and working on farms --- all of the gigs we take include room for our caravan as a minimum and this actually benefits both parties [us = having a base at no extra cost; and the owners = a dependable presence, extra security and hands at the ready if ever needed --- such as when cattle or sheep escape 😅 or after hour guest issues like locking themselves out of their accommodation or steaming up their room so much they set off the smoke alarm 😏]

👉 for the paid gigs, we both have our own ABN + we spoke to the accountant prior to starting this journey

👉 We are fully set-up for off-grid camping which also saves costs of park fees, power, etc

👉 I took long service leave at half pay and we have rented our house out

--- not all of these options are available for everyone I know, and for many years we didn't think we could afford to do this but making changes and looking outside of the box is what helped us get free = adding in a combo of things is what made it possible for us

I also set up for online income [with affiliate marketing to tip-toe into it while I learnt the ropes and overcame the usual fears, etc] and still use this as a base for all we do --- from affiliate marketing, online admin, evidence of who we are & what we are like for future gigs and who knows where it can expand to 👩‍💻

💣 Other little changes help us cut costs too --- we reviewed our insurances to get the best deals, cancelled subscriptions like Netflix, changed mobile phone providers to cheaper/better plans, make our own home brew and rarely eat out or buy takeaway = amazing how much the little shifts add up quickly!!

💥 For more details on exactly how we financially set up to be able to do this and sustain it plus what we continue to do grab our free e-book for the 5 things we did (& do) to fund travelling Australia full-time [to get it in your inbox click here 😊]

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💥 OUR JOURNEY SO FAR💥

We've stayed at 46 different places over the last 365 days across QLD, NSW, Victoria & South Australia

QLD: Moore Park Beach, River Heads, Nanango, Bli Bli, Coolum Beach, Mudjimba, Milmerran, Texas

NSW: North Star, Inverell, Bingara, Yarrowyck, Armidale, Norah Heads, Kendall, Hat Head, Kundabung, Tuncurry, Buladelah, Newcastle, Mooney Mooney, Robertson, Milton, Cobargo, Murray River (Barooga), Berrigan

VIC: Cann River, Lakes Entrance, Briagolong, Reeves Beach, Wilsons Prom, Corinella, Melbourne, Murchison, Green Lakes, Glenlyon, Lake Burrumbeet, Princetown, Angelsea, Fitzroy River, Nelson

SA: Bellum, Lake Leake, Kalangadoo, Cockatoo Creek, Keith

📍 QLD

We left the Sunshine Coast QLD and headed north to get our solar and battery system finalised in Bundaberg (@ Solar n Sat) staying at Moore Park Beach Caravan Park = pooch friendly and ocean front sites available, then moved slightly south to River Heads at a friend's block

We made our way to Nanango for our 1st 'gig' helping out with maintenance at a caravan park in exchange for a site (we got our 1st reference here)

We had to cut this short to get more of our set-up finalised and headed back to the Sunshine Coast [not our original plan]

Here we stayed at a friend's, then an AirBnB while we were homeless for a few nights, then to Mudjimba Caravan Park --- once we were back in our 'home'

We had to extend our stay because of Nala's injury and being on strict crate rest = the truck can be quite bumpy! [felt so weird - & a little devastating - to be back on the coast with our trip effectively 'on hold']

***having lived & explored most of QLD for most of our lives it was only a brief part of this year

📍 NSW

Before Nala became injured, we had booked our 1st farm & pet sit in NSW so we slowly headed towards there stopping at a few towns along the way

Here we didn't have 'farm duties' as such, just to keep an eye on the properties and take care of 2 beautiful dogs, a cat and chickens including walking the dogs, feeding and collecting eggs, etc = very simple and easy 🤩

We even had a pool to use and the managers became like our long lost friends = we joked it would be hard to ever beat our first farm sit and it is still at the top of our list --- even despite 👇

🤯 On Christmas Day severe storms hit while we were there and our caravan got damaged [not the present we hoped for] and we spent time tidying up the branches and mess on the property so they didn't come back to a disaster zone!

We got another great reference from here and I'd already had us booked for another property & pet sit a few hours away [I aim to get places along the way so we aren't backtracking and to have the dates fairly close but with a few days in-between for us to explore the region as we head to the next gig] so we headed there ✔️

Here we also had fantastic people that were so kind, generous and accommodating = 2 houses, 3 working dogs, budgies & finches + a fat goldfish to tend to and general yard care, watering plants, collecting mail, etc

We got prime caravan space in a shed and even their car to use!

This was also a great base to try and sort out our caravan and do the insurance dance

Our 3rd reference was 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ again

👉 at every sit & gig, we've been offered to stay as long as we want, even when the agreed timeframe is up --- we don't usually but it is testament to us 😏 but also to the amazing humans we encounter as we go --- and it's one of the best surprise bonuses of travelling around Aus!

From here we spent time free camping [Bingara was our fav with horses coming by our caravan everyday with absolute riverfront] waiting to hear from insurance and trying to organise those details (repairs, where we would go while 'homeless' and booking in other gigs so as not to clash with this) 🙈🙉🙊

Being in the middle of a heatwave without proper phone reception we got the devastating call that the caravan was deemed a write-off and after some confusion as to whether we would be left on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with our belongings [as one insurance contact had stated] we moved to Armidale to get better reception [and clarify that wasn't what would happen] and stayed in a lovely caravan park and got to explore all the old buildings, mansions and churches in the area

We were madly researching our options and ended up driving to Sydney to look at a 2nd hand option --- this involved a slight mishap with navigation and we ended up on Thunderbolt Way --- a steep and windy track through the mountains that felt like we far too high in the sky!!!

We did the road fine, it just wasn't the road we anticipated to be on and our already frayed nerves didn't cope so well with the surprise…

As we neared Sydney, we got our first trouble finding somewhere to stay with the showgrounds we had aimed for being unable to take us due to our size!?!

After many phone calls and fatigued from such a long drive, we ended up detouring to Norah Heads and unhitching to go view the caravan (best choice in the end) --- unfortunately it ended up a waste of our time, effort and sanity but we met great people at the caravan park that took the focus of our worries

As we'd already booked Hat Head [NSW north coast] for Dan's 50th, we slowly made our way back north and ended up arriving a few days early = highly recommend this gem of a spot!!!

There we made the decision to tap into our back up fund and get a new caravan that was already set up --- Dan drove back to QLD to get it --- unfortunately, the moment he arrived back, we started to discover faults and in the end there were over a dozen [not minor] and amongst many tears we battled with the caravan company to get a replacement 🥲

In the meantime we moved from Hat Head to next door to a friend's place on a block of land [so thankful for their kindness] = we were too scared to tow the caravan too far for fear of water damage (there were holes in the wheel arches to the inside of the van, amongst other things) and that they would wipe their hands of us even more than they were already doing if we travelled too far or 'used' the caravan too much...

Thankfully we got a replacement in Newcastle so headed back south and from there we organised 2 more gigs --- first a farm sit in Victoria near the high country and then our first caravan park caretaking gig just near the border of Vic/NSW on the NSW side [we had no prior experience = it was our application and a chat with the owners that got us the gig], there Dan picked up another gig with farm work too

📍 SOUTH AUS

…with no set gigs lined up, we kept tracking west across Victoria, with amongst it all, enduring severe weather and winds equivalent to a category 3 cyclone 🤯

Just as we made our way into South Australia, we teed up our last gig for the year that will continue on past our first 12 months on the road and this one is helping out a farm with irrigation and general farming --- more skills being added, especially for Dan, who has jumped into every aspect of the hay season including managing flood irrigation, raking and baling the lucerne and other crops

💥 NEXT AHEAD💥

We aren't far into SA but can't wait to see more of it when this gig finishes up in the New Year --- from there we will hopefully head to WA, then NT, then back to QLD to see all our loved ones… from there, I suspect our wheels keep on rollin'… but to where???? Who knows 😅

It isn't all rainbows & unicorns living life on the road (sickness is extra tough in a confined space; constant planning places to stay + gigs can get stressful when it doesn't go to plan and heatwaves, freezing temps, severe weather, weeks of rain and winds gets you feeling like a caged animal, yet the good times far outweigh the bad for us --- we feel freer than we ever have before; more alive and our health has improved & our stress levels decreased --- it's not for everyone but so far it is for sure for us!

📍 VICTORIA

Our next farm sit was again simple & easy with keeping an eye on 4 cows & their calves + a lone sheep, with filling their water when needed & the odd feed and mowing the yard when needed --- we got to relax and explore the areas as we pleased here 😊

After that, we went to our first caravan park care-taking gig [technically back in NSW but right on the border of Vic/NSW]. It was in a small rural town so a great chance for us to ease into this industry and see if it was for us --- after a few days meet & greet, being shown the ropes of it all and a general handover, we were running it solo --- everything from office, bookings, checking in, cleaning amenities, yard & maintenance and cleaning / preparing cabins & ensuite rooms 🤠

A few months in when Dan got his farm gig, I was pretty much doing it solo most days of the week and we both got into a nice little routine --- the 3 months flew by!! It was our longest gig by months and I had been concerned it would be too long but it really wasn't in the end 🤩

In-between these gigs and during, we explored a whole lot including Wilsons Prom = stunning, the Victorian coastline, a catch up with friends near Melbourne and the NSW southern Riverina region 🛻

3 more great references and our first caravan park caretaking experience got added to our growing travel gig experience ✔️

Victoria have beautiful free camps including beach and rivers = we could have spent a lot longer in so many of these amazing spots but I keep booking in gigs too quickly --- note to self to slow the bookings down and allow more exploring & off-grid time 🫣

From here we went to our next farm sit (a small hobby farm) and got to see all of the Great Ocean Road = a bucket list item for us 🪣✔️

Bells Beach, Lorne, Apollo Bay, 12 apostles = all so stunning and the view of the coastline while driving it is breathtaking!!!

I didn't actually ask for a reference from here because we really didn't do much at all --- our only responsibility was to keep an eye on 2 highlander cows and occasionally feed them --- we didn't have equipment to do any yard work so it felt too easy a gig to ask for a reference [usually we try to have the lawns done and everything neat & tidy when head off as a thank you 💐]

Thanks so much for taking the time to read about our adventure ~ please reach out if you have any questions

🫶