Michelle, 73, and Patrick White, 76, sold their waterfront home in Sydney and moved into a 21-foot Jayco Starcraft caravan. Over seven years, they have travelled 153,000 km across Australia. Eight months into their trip, Michelle suffered a major stroke in Queensland, coinciding with COVID-19 border closures in 2020. A hospital stroke specialist advised that van life was the ideal environment for her recovery due to its single-level layout and private facilities. The couple supports local businesses in small towns; the sector generates $10.7 billion annually, with the majority flowing into regional communities.
