We’ve all seen the iconic ‘van life’ photos featuring a typical 70s-style kombi and bohemian accessories.
But Rebecca Winther, 31, and her boyfriend Gary Swift, 30, decided to mix up tradition by transforming an old Australia Post delivery truck – and their reason for choosing the brightly coloured truck makes perfect sense.
‘We chose the van first and foremost for its size. As it’s our full-time home we really wanted it to comfortable and spacious, even if it meant spending a bit more money on the van itself and the build,’ Gary told FEMAIL.
Rebecca Winther, 31, and her boyfriend Gary Swift, 30, decided to mix up tradition by transforming an old Australia Post delivery truck – and their reason for choosing the brightly coloured truck makes perfect sense
‘We chose the van first and foremost for its size. As it’s our full-time home we really wanted it to comfortable and spacious, even if it meant spending a bit more money on the van itself and the build,’ Gary told FEMAIL
At first they weren’t so sure about the colour – but before long realised it helped them stand out from the crowd of white vans on the road
‘We knew that if it felt cramped or uninviting we wouldn’t want to be in it and living in the van would quickly become a drag.
‘By getting the extra-long wheelbase, super-high roof option we can both stand up straight with room to spare and move around freely inside. It doesn’t sound like much, but it makes a world of difference for us.’
At first they weren’t so sure about the colour – but before long realised it helped them stand out from the crowd of white vans on the road.
‘It doesn’t have an official name, but often it goes by Big Red,’ they explained
The couple, who were originally based in Victoria, spent $6,000 renovating the shell that was Big Red, insulating the van, cladding the ceiling and adding finishing touches like curtains and lights over a 13 month period
There is even an operational television inside in case it’s raining or they’re up for an evening of Netflix
‘It doesn’t have an official name, but often it goes by Big Red,’ they explained.
The couple, who were originally based in Victoria, spent $6,000 renovating the shell that was Big Red, insulating the van, cladding the ceiling and adding finishing touches like curtains and lights over a 13 month period.
There is even a TV inside in case it’s raining or they’re up for an evening of Netflix.
And neither of them had any carpentry or building experience under their belt.
‘Since being on the road we’ve been really fortunate and not had to spend too much more on the van,’ they said.
‘Since being on the road we’ve been really fortunate and not had to spend too much more on the van,’ they explained
They love their rubbish and recycling bin setup, which is on wheels so they can sweep things straight off the bench and into the bin, and the bookshelf above their bed
‘It’s a bit boring but we are really grateful for the thorough insulation we put in during the build, it’s made a huge difference in maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the van, especially in our travels to the snow,’ they explained
‘Our initial set up worked really well for us and our choices when building the van have for the most part worked out great.
‘We did however have to replace our 240v inverter as it shorted out while we were down in Tasmania. We’ve also recently upgraded the rollers on our sliding fridge drawer to a more heavy duty option. But that’s it.’
They love their rubbish and recycling bin setup, which is on wheels so they can sweep things straight off the bench and into the bin, and the bookshelf above their bed.
‘It’s a bit boring but we are really grateful for the thorough insulation we put in during the build, it’s made a huge difference in maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the van, especially in our travels to the snow,’ they explained.
A particularly wild run-in with mother nature came in the form of an extremely rare Tasmanian Devil encounter
‘We were parked in a remote pine forest and were out in the middle of the night taking star shots,’ Gary explained
They have spent the last few months living off savings while doing the odd graphic design work on the road, but have just decided to stay in Victoria to do some more traditional work for the next little while
Of their adventures on the road so far their favourite place was Tasmania in general.
‘We found the people to be so relaxed and friendly, there was an abundance of free camps everywhere you go and we loved the huge range of landscapes – from jaw-dropping mountain ranges and ancient forests to the most incredible white-sanded beaches, Tassie has it all,’ they said.
‘Other favourites on our list have been Wallaman Falls and Cape Hillsborough in QLD, the Blue Mountains and the Sugar Pines Walk in NSW.’
A particularly wild run-in with mother nature came in the form of an extremely rare Tasmanian Devil encounter.
‘We were parked in a remote pine forest and were out in the middle of the night taking star shots,’ Gary explained.
‘But then we’ll be heading off to explore South Australia and Western Australia and we can hardly wait to see what we’ll find,’ they said
‘We heard rustling behind us and after a few moments of panic we ended up giving one of the local Tassie Devils the fright of its life! It was amazing, as they’re so rare to see in the wild.
‘Another incredible experience was waking up to snow in Laurel Hill, southern NSW. I don’t think we’ll ever forget the moment when we drew back the curtains in bed to see this incredible world of white outside. It felt like Christmas morning – pure joy-filled magic.’
They have spent the last few months living off savings while doing the odd graphic design work on the road, but have just decided to stay in Victoria to do some more traditional work for the next little while.
‘But then we’ll be heading off to explore South Australia and Western Australia and we can hardly wait to see what we’ll find,’ they said.
You can follow the couple on their Instagram account We Who Roam.