Our thoughts first turned to travelling around Australia full time in about 2014. Since then we have been busy planning how we are going to achieve this. A question that we often get asked though is why we want to travel Australia. There are lots of reasons why we want to travel Australia full time so I thought I would share some of them with you. Maybe you will decide that the travelling life is for you too.
WE WANT TO SEE AUSTRALIA
This would be our number one reason. We all know that Australia is a stunning country and a country of many contrasts and we want to see it all. But we don’t just want to see what’s on the Coast or in the tourist magazines, we want to get off the beaten track and see the small towns and communities that form the heart and soul of this country. So many small country towns are struggling to survive, but if all us travellers keep visiting them they will have a better chance of thriving.
Old Pubs like this one in Coonamble, NSW are part of the attraction of travelling Australia.
WE WANT TO TRAVEL SLOWLY
We have already seen a large part of NSW and Queensland but it has always been in short, fast blocks. Usually two weeks or a month at a time. When you are on a time schedule, there are always going to be things that you miss out on seeing. By choosing to travel full-time, we will create more time to stop and explore an area more thoroughly. It’s also a great way to take the road less travelled. You never know what you might find.
By travelling full time, you can travel more slowly and see more things.
A SIMPLER LIFE
We have both been working since we were in our teens. Brenden has nearly always driven trucks, which has taken him away from his family for days at a time. This has meant that it has often just been me and the kids. But now that they are young adults and starting to make their own way in the world, it is time for us. But we don’t want to wait until retirement age to have this experience. We are looking forward to not having the responsibility of maintaining a family home and we really aren’t interested in living in suburbia anymore. We are definitely looking for a quieter way of life.
Whilst we will still have some regular bills that will need to be paid like rego and insurance, I won’t miss paying a mortgage or the hefty Gold Coast rates!
We easily live in a spot like this for weeks
NEW EXPERIENCES
Travel is the ideal way to experience new things. Some days may be the same, but most days we are expecting to see and do things that we haven’t before. We believe that travel has a lot of health benefits too. It is a great way to keep our bodies fit and our minds stimulated. We are also looking forward to meeting like minded people along the way and making lots of new friends.
Learning to drive on soft sand was a new experience for us.
FINDING OUR FOREVER PLACE
When we decide that we no longer wish to travel full time we know that we don’t want to return to the Gold Coast to live. But we also have no idea where we would actually like to live. So while we are travelling we hope that we might come across that special spot that we could see ourselves living in. We are open to all possibilities so who knows where we might end up!
What are your reasons for wanting to travel Australia full time?
whitsundays tours says
April 23, 2018 at 8:07 pmhey really awesome site and posts
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Melissa says
April 24, 2018 at 9:17 amThank you….we are looking forward to heading up your way again soon!
budget jan says
January 16, 2018 at 7:49 pmTravelling Australia slowly is a dream of ours also. I’m so excited for you. Won’t be long now.
Jenny Minniecon says
January 15, 2018 at 8:38 pmGlad to have found your blog!
My husband and I are off at the end of February.
We are both 56 and are working on the road as portrait photographers.
Very blessed to have this opportunity to live our dream.
Hope to meet you out there!
Melissa says
January 16, 2018 at 1:33 pmHow exciting Jenny…..we won’t be far behind you. Hopefully we will meet somewhere along the way.
Lyndall @ Seize The Day Project says
July 16, 2017 at 2:39 pmWhat awesome plans you have Melissa! I hear what you’re saying about wanting a simpler life. I think I’d want a base to return to as well. Our kids are in high school, so we won’t be going anywhere for a while… but I can daydream 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
Melissa says
July 17, 2017 at 12:53 pmbefore you know it they’ll be all finished. It passes in the blink of an eye!
Jo Tracey says
July 15, 2017 at 7:22 amWe’ve just made a sea-change to the Sunshine Coast from Sydney. I feel that finally we’ve found our forever place. I’d still like to do a series of road trips – see Aus slowly & absorb it all. I’m excited for you & look forward to reading about it as it happens.
Melissa says
July 17, 2017 at 12:56 pmThanks Jo…there is no doubting that the Sunshine Coast is a gorgeous part of Australia. I like that life there seems to move at a much slower pace.
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit says
July 15, 2017 at 6:56 amThat’s so cool. I love that you’re travelling full time. I personally would prefer to have a home back to come back to from time to time, but I do like the idea of just meandering along at your own pace without deadlines or restrictions.
Melissa says
July 15, 2017 at 11:58 amNot travelling full time yet but it won’t be long! We can’t wait!
Kathy Marris says
July 14, 2017 at 11:59 amThese are all very good reasons for wanting to travel Australia full-time and I can identify with them. As you know we travelled for 7 months around Australia and while it was the best days of our lives it was also sometimes challenging. I think the biggest challenge was missing my kids, family and friends. Plus you do eventually miss having space because you are living in the small confines of a caravan. However in saying all this we will certainly be heading off on more big trips but maybe not for 7 months next time. 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
Anne says
July 13, 2017 at 9:30 amHow exciting that you might end up living in a new place! I am always dreaming of living in the country but Dixie will not move because of his work.
Melissa says
July 13, 2017 at 5:49 pmMaybe one day when he’s ready to ‘slow down’ you will be able to live your dream too Anne.