Aussie family’s road trip in giant imported caravan made possible with 'incredible' device
In the past year, the Gold Coast family has spent six months travelling Australia while working and homeschooling.
It's hard to imagine a time when we could travel and work simultaneously, especially from some of the most remote and rural places our great land has to offer. But that's now the reality for thousands of holidaymakers who've taken up backpacking, caravanning or camping across Australia — and it's all thanks to a single device that's been dubbed a "game-changer".
For Queensland dad Brent Crysell, who runs a software company, life on the road would not be an option without the "incredible" Starlink device, which have been slowly taking over campsites around the country.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, the dad of two revealed that part of his work involves connecting with offices in the UK, US and New Zealand daily — yet in the past year, he and his family have spent six whole months on the road living in a caravan.
"I do need to be contactable at all times, but I'm not working at all times, and it wouldn't have been possible without our Starlink," he said this week from Perth.
"We're very lucky to be able to work from wherever we are," he added. "Having internet everywhere just opens up a whole range of new possibilities".
Do you have a story about taking life on the road? We’d love to hear about it! Carly.bass@yahooinc.com
The revolutionary device provides internet connectivity via constellations of low-Earth orbit satellites. It's become a popular travel companion for Aussies who are choosing to work remotely.
"Having the ability to have reliable internet while we're out and about has made that possible. Previously, I wouldn't be able to have a meeting in the middle of the Nullarbor where there's no phone reception," Brent said.
"But I found myself last week on a phone call to a contact in the UK and also in meetings with people in the US — and there was no mobile phone reception. It was all via Starlink."
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Aussies embracing Starlink for work and travel
Among those who have embraced Starlink to work on the road is avid outdoorsman Tristan Brodeur. His job in IT as a support manager at a bank requires him to be on call — and he did that recently from a secret campsite only accessible by boat.
"It has been a game-changer for me and being able to escape to the places I love to be," the American told Yahoo from his remote worksite at a nature reserve in Maine, US.
Meanwhile, Aussie couple Dan and Amanda were among the very first adopters of Starlink, even before the service was activated in much of the country.
They spent more than two years travelling around Australia in their caravan and run an online business while on the road. Starlink also allows them to homeschool their kids, they told Yahoo.
Starlink an 'amazing' option for family travel
Like Dan and Amanda, Brent and his wife Michelle have opted for online learning for their kids, aged 6 and 4, in addition to the hands-on learning travelling the country offers.
"We love the freedom and having new experiences, and also the learning for our kids," Brent said. "Seeing our kids learn new things, see new perspectives and see new sites is amazing".
So far, the travelling family have explored most of Queensland including "beautiful places" such as Yepoon and Rubyvale. They've stayed on farms and have scaled the famous Nullarbor, part of the Aussie outback, with plans to visit Uluru and northern WA. They've already driven roughly 15,000 km.
They imported an American fifth-wheel caravan, "which is a pretty big unit". "It's basically the biggest caravan you can get and still tow on a car licence," Brent said.
"We've upgraded our solar and our caravan. We have around 1,200 watts of solar panels, and we have a 489 amp hour battery, lithium battery. For us, that is plenty," he continued.
"We're able to operate our Starlink, and on top of that, we're able to operate our TV, our lights, our dishwasher, our washing machines."
Their set-up allows them to be "self-sufficient" while travelling. "We have everything we need to live in reasonable comfort," he said, adding they'll likely continue to travel for at least a couple of years.
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