Welcome to Stopped for a While. You’ve had a long drive, and you’ve landed at the Peaceful Place on the Fraser Coast, just north of Hervey Bay. Once the tent’s up, the caravan’s level, and you’ve got a cold one in your hand, the stories wander down the road. Laughter’s never far off, and the facts sometimes take a detour.

That’s just the way we like it around here. This is the podcast about the folks who roll into the Peaceful Place, and the stories they spin. Did it all happen just like this, or is it another one that just got away? That’s half of the fun, isn’t it?

Well, Steve comes from Devon, and so, well, he goes back to England, and when he comes back he’s got a Devonian accent again.

It’s like the little quirks are there. Just that it never disappears…

Here at the Peaceful Place, it’s been anything but quiet. Two grand finals back to back, the second coming as part of a long weekend. There were hangovers for sure, not just from alcohol, but from a good time, and Roosters fans were smiling like they’d struck gold. Now, about the Peter situation. If you can keep up, we once had five Peters on the park at one time.

Now, it’s back to just one. Funny how things run around in that circle. Peter and Kath have wrapped up things down south. Now they’re camped here waiting on their new place. When they came back from the old house for the last time, you could read it all over their faces. The last two weeks, we saw a steady trickle of hopefuls wanting to linger, but we’re packed in tighter than a fat girl’s sock.

There was no room at the inn. Somebody said that somewhere, I think. It didn’t take long for them to figure out that this place is built for slowing down, feet up and worries off. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?

Now Steve and Carol found the serenity after deciding to take a week away from their place in Brisbane…

So where were you before here? You just came up here on holiday?

Yeah, we just came up on holiday. We were just sitting around with the van, sitting around at home thinking…

We haven’t been out in the van a great deal. We did two years in the van in ’21 to ’23.

Permanently lived in it?

Fun?

Absolutely brilliant. Yeah, it was really good.

It was a good eye-opener.

It was a good eye-opener, yeah.

And where did you go? I mean, obviously, let’s, let’s set the parameters. You’re currently living in Brisbane.

Northside.

That’s right. And you took off from there and went to…

We drove to Melbourne Went to…

Victoria, to Victoria.

‘…

Cause we were gonna spend Christmas down there. Was that the first time?

February we went. We’ve got, we’ve got two children, both live in Victoria still.

And our daughter and our daughter-in-law were having babies in 2021, so we did Victoria. But it, we were right at the end of COVID, so we were locked out of a lot of states.

We missed South Australia by about 24 hours, didn’t we? Yep…

And we were in a place called Green Hill Lake, which is right across the lake from Ararat Jail.

We were on a low-cost campsite there. We were there for three weeks.

Locked in, yeah. Couldn’t move.

Couldn’t move anywhere.

Well, we could go to the fish and chip shop, but that’s about it.

But that was all right.

And then from there we went over to South Australia. Spent a lot of time in South Australia, didn’t we?

And went up through the middle.

We did.

To, met two couples from Victoria. I can’t remember what the place was called, but it was outside a place called Laura.

And we met these couples and we stayed with them for about six weeks, didn’t we? Went up to Alice Springs, and then, did a lot around Alice Springs. We did Mataranka, the hot springs, a few of the hot springs, which was…

We did Very nice fantastic and then from there we went up to Darwin.

And what was that other place on the way?

We stayed in Katherine.

Katherine as well, yeah, we did that.

And we were…

I should get the map out and have a look just coming into Katherine, and we’d just passed, it’s RAAF Tindal, wasn’t it?

And we’re just coming into Katherine, and there was three of us in a row.

We were at the front, and these, I don’t know what planes they were Yeah, from the…

Air Force base there. Well, they’re obviously doing a bit of flying, and one of the aircraft…

Flew right over the top of us flew up the Not up the road, but literally from probably here to where that van is, I’d say.

Just shot straight up through the fields. You know, he was going off somewhere. And as he came across, he did the old wave.

Did the old wave. We were all there. Everyone’s on the CB saying, “Look at that. Did you see that?”

It was, that was unbelievable. It was fantastic.

You got buzzed.

We got buzzed.

We did. We did get buzzed. Yeah, that was amazing.

It was smiling from ear to ear, wasn’t it? We couldn’t wait to tell everybody.

But nobody had dash cams, so nobody got it.

Oh, how sad is that? It is.

Just when you need it, you don’t have it.

No, it’s a shame.

It is. But, it’s So from…

If Darwin, Katherine, across the top to Cairns, and down? Or did you go No, we didn’t go. We went to Normanton. That was as far north as we went, isn’t it? Yeah…

That’s right. We stayed in Normanton for a couple of weeks and then worked our way down. And then we went over to K’gari for a week.

Parked the caravan at Rainbow Beach. Went over to K’gari, K’gari with some friends. And then, like, we haven’t even touched the west, have we?

No, didn’t have time.

This country is so you’ve done a half lap in…

Yeah, a half lap.

Yeah, a half lap, let’s say, yeah. Let’s brag it as a half lap, you never know.

I mean, we did go back to Victoria. We went back for a wedding. We went back for the birth of the two kids and all the grandkids. And so we did keep going back. But, you know, we listen to people, and they go, “Oh, yeah, I’ve done a lap. I’ve done it in three months.”

You can’t do it properly You can’t in three months. No. No. You couldn’t do it properly in two years…

I don’t think. I don’t think you could. No. I reckon you need In fact, I Yeah, you’re right. You can’t you need There’s no way.

You need to be, I reckon, five years to do it all. I mean, there were places in Victoria that we have never even heard of.

And there was a couple. We were staying in this place called Nyah. We can remember it ’cause our granddaughter’s called Nyah. And, there was a couple there in a big coach. They’d been on the road for 19 years.

You know.

There’s the big yonder waiting for you guys.

So you’re both studiers of life?

Studiers of life. Ah, I think you’re…

A as in, are you retired?

I’ve just retired. Steve’s been retired since 2021. I retired, yeah. But, yeah, we’ve We obviously came out here 21 years ago, and, haven’t looked back since.

This is the best country in the world, I reckon.

I do too.

And our kids say the same. They wouldn’t have had the opportunities in the UK that they’ve got here.

So they were all born in the UK?

And all the grandkids are born in Australia?

There you go. I look at, I look at Alex and certainly Katie, and, you know, I said to myself, “When I was your age, I don’t, I don’t remember being,” I wouldn’t say happy, I was always happy, but having the opportunities they got here at their age.

And enjoying life. And just enjoying everything, you know, just whatever they did. Just the freedom to do it without worrying about it, or not worrying, but having the opportunity to do it.

And the want. I think the want. Like, our son is very Australian, and he loves the outdoors, and he loves going camping.

And he loves taking the boys on motorbike rides, and our daughter-in-law, she loves to fish. The boys love to fish, and It’s like they got a little switch on the back, you know, just say, click, Australia, and they’re just in that mode, weren’t they? Yeah.

Literally, he got off the airplane, it’s perfect and it was like, “Ah, this is it.” I mean…

And how old were they when they, when you So…

12 and 13. Yeah.

12, that’s good age.

Good age for it. Yeah. ‘Cause I arrived when I was 23, so okay, yep there’s, there’s a It’s a hard I mean a stupid amount of Pommie still left in me.

It’s still left me with the accent, as you guys have as well.

Yeah. And for what I do, or what I wanted to do, it would held me back a little bit. Tried my hardest. But then you go and see your parents, who came with us, and suddenly you’re back in the English language again, and…

I mean…

Well, Steve comes from Devon, and so, well, he goes back to England, and when he comes back, he’s got a Devonian accent again.

It’s like the little quirks are there.

Just that it never disappears. I remember…

Do they say to you, “You talk funny”?

They did when we went back. They said, “God, but you’re speaking Australian.” Yeah. I said, “Well, we didn’t go to China,” you know? So…

Just, yeah, ’cause I said, I spoke to, couple of mom’s old friends.

And they said, “You talk funny.”

I said, “No, I don’t. They say I’m English, and you say I’m Australian.” Yeah. “So is there anything funny about that?”

We’re just…

Different, I think is…

We’re different.

As I quite often say to my wife was, my choice to come here. She was born here.

Yeah. My choice.

So.

We’ve got a piece of paper to prove it.

Exactly right. Exactly right, Carol. Exactly right.

We, and we can go back any time we want.

But we don’t want, do we? It’s quite interesting actually when we talk to our friends Not so much, no back there. They all say, “Oh, you did absolutely the right things, taking your kids away from this country.

There’s nothing for them here.” and on the days I mean, you probably know yourself, you have good days and bad days, and it’s like, “Oh, what have I done this? Have I done the right thing?” Yeah. You know?

And on those days when somebody tells you’ve done the right thing, it’s, it’s a big boost. It’s an amazing boost.

Yeah, exactly. We had a lot of people when I left England, ’cause my father and I worked at the same company. We were kind of, when we said we were leaving, both of us leaving, I mean, Dad had been there 30-odd years anyway. They almost shoved us to one side.

Only Dad’s very best friends were…

Supportive of us. And the guy that operated the machine next to me, who was from Milton Keynes.

And we called him Spill, because he was a Londoner, and he was overspill, so his nickname was Spill. And Spill said, “Don’t worry about this lot, they’re just jealous.”

And that’s really what it was all about, ’cause that was the mundane, like you said, the mundane.

Well, we both had the attitude, didn’t we, that when it was our time to depart this earth, we didn’t want to say we had the opportunity to go to Australia, but we didn’t take it. And we all said, we said, “If we don’t like it, we can always go back, but we’ve got to give it a go.”

Of course you have.

Exactly. And the amount of people that, you know, when we’ve been back a few Every time you go back, and we’ve not been back many times, but I don’t know what it is, a dozen times or whatever, but every time you go back, there’s always someone look at you, and they listen, and then they go, “Do you know what? I wish I did that.”

And that’s where it seals it all for me. Because you think to yourself, ’cause you always have doubt, not in yourself, but where your kids are gonna go. That’s more important to me than anything else. And you think, “Just perfect.”

And then, and when you get it just hits home, and it’s just great, you know?

Back to your current travels, why’d you come here to this place we call the Peaceful Place? And, I mean, look at it.

To this park. To this park.

We’d been to Hervey Bay before. Sure. And a friend of mine was talking about Burrum Heads.

And we, I went onto Wikicamps, and I just found I looked at reviews, and I found this little gem.

And we weren’t sure whether we were gonna bring the dog or not, and we’re like, “Oh, at least, you know, if we do take him, we can It’s a dog-friendly park.” But we will be back again. It’s just such a lovely, friendly, quiet. So quiet.

It is. It is. And you just wouldn’t know it was here unless somebody told you about it.

And, there’s a lot of locals down the other end of the new part of the town don’t know it’s here.

That’s amazing.

It Our little peninsula on the end here, water surrounding us on three sides.

It’s beautiful.

It is a lovely little place. Well, we went into Hervey Bay today, and you actually said, “I wouldn’t come to stay in Hervey Bay.

I’d always go back to where we are.”

Yeah, definitely.

Lovely.

Nice to be able to go in, but it’s lovely to come out.

Yeah. It’s just so calm and peaceful here.

And the views and, as you say, just the ambience of the whole place is just lovely.

I don’t think I’ve ever been on a park that is as quiet as this one.

That’s good.

It’s fantastic. That’s good. Fantastic.

That’s good. No, it is. It And that’s why we call it the Peaceful Place. It’s, it’s, it’s, its own serenity. Been here a long while, close to 50 years. Really? And changed in its own little ways, and Rob’s made it his own. He’s done things to this park, in the gardens and what have you that are just He’s, he’s got a vision, has the lad, that’s for sure…

He’s got He done a good job, hasn’t he? And he’s such a nice bloke He is as well, isn’t he?

So let’s talk about your van. ‘Cause a little while ago, Steve, you were saying it How old is it? 2016?

It was 2016, I think, wasn’t it?

2014.

No, it’s older than that. We got it in 2010.

Oh, God. Yeah.

And it had done Oh, there you go.

You were right a lap. And it had done a big lap, one big lap, when we got it, and the people we bought that had it before us wanted a bigger van. So it had done one big lap, and we bought it in 2010.

Coromal?

How long is it?

6.35 metres.

Yeah, see you go.

Being precise.

In real sizes?

20 feet no, it’s older than It’s bigger than…

20 feet plus the draw bar?

I think it’s I think so more like 28.

Our, ours is a 22-foot van.

All right. We have an extended draw bar, so we’re just a hair’s breadth over 30 feet Okay top to bottom.

Oh, maybe you’re right.

I don’t know. Not far off. I don’t know what it is in old money.

So what did you start pulling it with?

I had a Ford…

No, you didn’t no, I didn’t. I had a Land Rover, didn’t I?

Discovery.

Land Rover Discovery. Oh my how Hello.

It was a Hello it was a lovely car, wasn’t it?

It was nice. With leather seats and It was heated seats and…

We didn’t buy it with the intention of towing the van. It, we just had it at the time, didn’t we?

And it was good. It was good Well, what do we say about Land Rover, you know? It was good.

Yep. We had a couple of problems towards the end where we thought it was time probably to change.

We got stuck in…

Elliott Heads…

Elliott Heads. Oh, yeah. We had to get towed back.

All the way back to Brisbane from Elliott Heads.

We had RACQ cover, but at that time I hadn’t updated it to cover the van, so they towed the car back.

And left the van?

Well, we were like, “Oh, what do we do? Do we leave the van?” We couldn’t move the van, and there was somebody coming onto our site the next day.

And, I phoned RACQ and said, “Can I upgrade my membership?” And she said, “Yeah, but you’re not gonna get the van back.” ‘Cause you’ve already made a claim. So we You’ve gotta pay for it to cover I said, yeah, we said like, “What if we, if you tow the car back and we tow the van back?” And she was like, “Yeah, that’s fine.

We can do that.” So $650 later.

That’s not bad.

Not from Elliott Heads to Brisbane it’s not, no.

No. Not bad. After the posh car with the leather seats and the warmer seats, what did you buy?

That.

This one.

You’ve had a, you’ve had the Ranger since?

We have. And you like it?

I do, yep. I like it a lot.

It’s not as comfortable as the, as the Discovery but It’s not quite sitting in an armchair like the Discovery.

There’s lots of Rangers that come through here. I mean, Rob has one.

Got a BT-50, which is a version of a Ranger.

In Yeah. They’re always solid, reliable until You got the five Is that the five-cylinder?

Yes, I think it is. Yeah.

Yeah. 3.2.

And then you’ve got all kinds of advice what to do and what not to do with the engine.

We’ve had a few issues. It needs a cooling transmission thing in or transmission cooler put in. There’s been a few times when we’ve been towing it’s been really hot and it’s gone into limp mode.

When we’re, when we’re traveling.

So that’s just one of those things we’ve gotta do. But you don’t, you don’t tow it in cru in, cruise now, do you? You just…

No. Do it in gear.

Do it in gear. I’ve learned that now.

No, it was one of the things we were always told. Lots told, lots of things.

Blank off. Blank your DPF so that it doesn’t go back and blow the exhaust fumes back into cylinder one.

A guy was over in seven. Seven? We’re in seven. In five, and he’d just got back from having an $11,000 repair bill. Done 70,000 Ks and just blew the cylinder out completely.

Jeez. Wrote the engine off.

Wow. Yeah.

And they say that was because the recirculation of the exhaust fumes, yeah.

So yeah, those, we were getting all those kinds of bits of advice when we first bought the BT and yeah. Oh, you should’ve got the Isuzu version.

But I hadn’t got another 10 grand to spend on a second-hand one that was doing that.

And you, the thing is with second-hand is you never know what you’re buying, do you?

This is exactly right. This is exactly…

People don’t normally get rid of cars that are running perfectly well, are only a couple of years old.

Unless they’re my dad.

My dad always used to change cars like he changed his underwear.

Had to get a new car. And even when he passed and Mum was on her own, gotta get a new car, gotta get a new car, gotta get a new car. What do you think’s the best place about, best thing about this place? What do you like the most? I mean, you’ve said the peace and the quiet, but well, you felt well, as soon as we came in and people started talking and you felt sort of at home, really.

Do you know what I mean? You’re like, you’ve known, like you’re talking to people as if you’ve known them for thing is, you know? It just fit in He’s very friendly. Very friendly…

I mean, there are some places we’ve been to, and I’m sure you have too, like you go there and you could be parked next to somebody and there’s no conversation.

And that’s, I can understand that. People probably just don’t wanna get away from people.

But if you’re gonna go to a caravan park, you’re gonna see people.

Lots of people.

I like the fact there’s no kids riding around on push bikes either.

Well, that’s it. That’s it. It’s quiet…

I mean, we, one of the things Rob did was said, “Oh, kids can come, under 40s,” whatever. It used to be an under 40s park.

And it was always dog friendly, but it was And the kids don’t come. And if the kids do come, they’re running over the road straight away to wet a line. Because they’re fishermen.

Doesn’t take much of a, much research to realise that there’s not a lot around here. We have roundabouts, not a set of traffic lights.

There’s a couple of roundabouts in the new part. There’s no traffic lights. There’s two cafes and a convenience store.

And that’s it.

That’s, that’s all you need, I think.

That’s all you need. That’s all you need. I mean, and the view, doesn’t matter where you go along here, just the view’s fantastic. Yeah.

Whether you’re sitting down at the coffee, you know, the shop down there, or just going for a walk.

It’s everywhere.

It’s everywhere.

It’s lovely.

Have you seen the sunset yet?

No, we haven’t we haven’t yet.

That’s a good one. If you if the weather clears up head down the back and just down the back of the creek there Okay and have a look and away you go. Really nice. Really nice. Thanks for having a chat. Appreciate it.

That’s all right. That’s all right.

Thank you.

After the tape stopped rolling, Steve let loose with some tales from his RAF days in the UK, and working with and for the royal family. Good job he’ll be back soon with more stories in tow…

It’s not just the Brits. We had a Dutch pair too. Mum on holiday, son, let’s call him John, were on their way from Cairns down to Sydney. He wants to stay in Australia, and she wants him to go home. So I guess they took the holiday to find some middle ground. Maybe John just wanted her to see Australia’s got more than just windmills and canals.

As the travellers move on, peace settles in, at least until the next character swings by, parks up, and can’t resist sharing a tale or two from the road. You know, there’s always room for another yarn around here. Stopped for a While is brought to you by MacMouth Media. Music by Ben Clayton, and a tip of the hat to Rob Laffer, Serenity Caravan Park’s very own legend.

If you’ve enjoyed spinning a few yarns with us, hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. You’ll find us at stopforawhile.com.au, plus Facebook and Instagram. Now it’s time for another cool drink. Thanks for pulling up a chair at Stopped for a While.