Episodes
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Join us for a true-blue Aussie yarn in this episode, where Mark, Lorren, and James stumble into The Peaceful Place by pure chance—and reckon it’s the best detour they’ve ever made! From Rob’s noisy renos to surprise run-ins with old mates and a Porsche towing a 22-foot van (yeah, you read that right), it’s a classic mix of laughs, stories, and that unbeatable Aussie community spirit. Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or just love a good chinwag, this episode packs in all the mishaps and magic you’d expect from life on the road. Listen in for a dose of outback warmth, larrikin humour, and tales that’ll make you feel right at home.
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They dated in their 20s, drifted apart, and ended up on opposite sides of the world — one in Australia, one in the USA. Then a single Facebook message changed everything. Now Sarah and Simon, aka "Team Sassy," are newly retired, freshly hitched, and just weeks into life on the road with their two Shepherd-Staffy dogs in tow.
But retirement hasn't exactly gone to plan. There's a reason their friends and family can't stop laughing about it — and you'll want to hear that story for yourself.
We also find out how a chance discovery at a caravan show solved one of the trickiest challenges of travelling with dogs, why a VW Touareg is turning heads at every park they pull into, and what it's really like to start your caravanning adventure from scratch in your 60s.
Plus, Barry shares some only-at-a-caravan-park tales — including the no-smoking guests who thought an annex was a loophole, and the woman who somehow only just picked up the habit. Classic.
New to the road, full of stories, and not slowing down anytime soon — this one's a ripper.
Stopped for a While — stories from the peaceful place on the Fraser Coast. Subscribe for free here on Spotify
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Missing episodes?
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What do a 12-year-old grade driver, a head-on collision at 110km/h, a manufacturing jeweller, and a restored 1985 Viscount caravan all have in common? They're all chapters in Greg's extraordinary life.
In this episode, Greg and his wife Christine pull up at the Peaceful Place on the Fraser Coast and share a story that covers just about everything — a childhood in North Turramurra with dairy cows and draft horses, a near-fatal car accident, five unforgettable months in hospital (including ward parties, a matron standoff, and a cheeky pick-up line that landed him a wife), and a career that swung from jeweller to air conditioning to top house sales rep in Western Australia.
Now retired and on the road full-time, Greg and Christine have clocked over 50,000km, completed 22 house-sits across Australia, and are finally settling — for a while — on the Fraser Coast.
If you love stories about resilience, reinvention, and the freedom of life on the road, this one's for you.
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In this episode of Stopped for a While, we meet Gary — a Tasmanian-born adventurer who's never been short of a story or a new direction in life.
After school, Gary tried his hand at a few things before finding his feet in a career that took him across the world. One thing led to another, and somewhere along the way, he ended up living the kind of life most people only dream about — including a stretch on one of Queensland's most iconic island destinations.
These days, Gary travels the coast in style with his wife Annika and their dogs in tow. If a place doesn't welcome the dogs, they don't go — simple as that. And when he's not exploring, he's feeding a need for speed at a local racetrack in a car that might just surprise you.
Gary's story is one of curiosity, adaptability, and always asking: what's around the corner?
Tune in to find out just how many lives this bloke has lived.
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This week at the peaceful place on the Fraser Coast, Barry confesses to almost letting the van go up in flames — all because he wouldn't listen to his better half. Meanwhile, Barra Bob has been quietly running a fishing masterclass for anyone who'd take him up on it, releasing a near metre-long barramundi full of eggs back into the river, and setting crab pots with the kids at sundown. But the real jaw-dropper? The story of three worn-out marbles rolling around his motorhome floor — that turned out to be yellow diamonds. Bob also shares a life lived wide: accountant, timber cutter, produce merchant, world traveller, and a bloke who once sold 40 mud crabs in 90 minutes outside an ag show. Grab a cold one. This one stretches as far as the highway.
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At the “peaceful place” on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, David and Michelle arrive from the Gold Coast for a five-to-six-week caravan stay focused on fishing, relaxing, and returning again next year. David shares his life story, from being born in High Wycombe, England, and migrating to Australia in 1955, through a long career spanning accounting and fleet car sales across Sydney, Port Macquarie, Toowoomba, and Queensland, including multi-brand dealerships and a key COVID-era 20-car phone sale secured through rapport. The episode also covers their lifelong camping evolution to a Jayco Outback built to Michelle’s long-planned floor plan, practical challenges like off-grid power for David’s CPAP, plus caravan-park reversing mishaps, a tidy-up turnaround at Kirra, and lighter tales featuring Scooby’s beach zoomies and Michelle’s travel herb garden.
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From Accounting Offers to a Holden Dealership: David’s Unexpected PathDavid shares how he applied for five accounting jobs in Sydney and landed four offers, but missed out on his dream role at Qantas—placing fourth among 2,600 applicants when only two were hired. After a friend invited him into the “car game,” David made a surprise pivot into selling cars at a Holden dealership where his friend was the sales manager. He also talks about Michelle’s talent for design, explaining that the van’s layout today matches the floor plan she drew 20 years ago, and how it all came together perfectly—beautiful and exactly as envisioned.
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At the “peaceful place” on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, Sam and Glen roll in from nearby Hervey Bay for a regular mini break, swapping camp yarns as the park buzzes with boat-ramp chatter and a crowd-pleasing boat-and-tinny launch setup. Glen, a retired tradesman with a life of mechanical, aviation, marine and major infrastructure work behind him, tours for blues music from Chicago to New Orleans. Sam, an artist and art therapy practitioner, describes her work running Living Art therapy, including neuro art therapy with older clients, grant-funded community classes, and potential hospice support. They also recount a frightening hill drive after a turbo hose blew while towing, a reminder of how quickly caravan travel can turn tense before the stories settle back into happy hour.
Podcast art for this episode is from Sam, thanks
#australiatravel #greyNomads #roadtripaustralia #vanlife #thisisqueensland #storytelling
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After a long Queensland drive into “The Peaceful Place” on the Fraser Coast, Dave talked about coming to the Peaceful Place over 65 years ago, who first visited the spot as a child 67 years ago when it was only a handful of fishing shacks, and who has since travelled widely, including to Perth, Cairns, and up to the Cape by cargo boat. He recalls stops at Nullarbor Roadhouse, costly fuel, shower tokens, and pump rules. Dave recounts work from warehouses to surveying as a chainman, then civil aviation and cartography, explains “flex routes” on long-haul flights, and tells of a crosswind towing crash near Grafton that ended safely. He and his wife continue north to visit their eight-month-old great-granddaughter.
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At the Peaceful Place on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, travellers swap long yarns at that magic hour once tents are up and drinks are cold. A brief police visit to the park sparks rumours, and neighbours keep talking. A departing guest, Michelle, leaves Barry a note after missed meet-ups
Renzo, waiting at the park while his over-50s lifestyle resort home is built, celebrates getting his keys and shares his journey from Mareeba.
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Join us next week on 'Stopped for a While' as we delve into Renzo's remarkable journey from a life of farming to embracing the freedom of an RV lifestyle. Discover how this Italian-born wanderer found solace and adventure on the quiet roads of Queensland, and hear all about his uniquely customised motorhome and the delightful detours that shaped his story.
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Join us next week on 'Stopped for a While' as I delve into Renzo's remarkable journey from a life of farming to embracing the freedom of an RV lifestyle. Discover how this Italian-born wanderer found solace and adventure on the quiet roads of Queensland, and hear all about his uniquely customised motorhome and the delightful detours that shaped his story.
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At Serenity Caravan Park on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, the show celebrates the “Peaceful place” where travellers swap long yarns, share laughs, and lend a hand. Rob, the park owner, goes above and beyond—towing in a future guest, scrubbing a mate’s van for sale in the middle of the park, and helping broker a swap where a former guest buys the van and the seller ends up buying her camper. The park community also rallies to lift a dropped drawbar using a trolley jack and a self-powered jockey wheel, ending the night with a shared cool drink.
The episode’s spotlight is on Brian (travelling with wife Leeza), who stopped for a while returning from a Christmas and New Year visit to family, balancing life working in the mines near Emerald with time on the road. Brian explains choosing this quieter park over bigger, busier options and scouting the wider area—from Burrum Heads through Hervey Bay—as a possible retirement spot, even after an unproductive fishing attempt. He details his off-road caravan setup (a 20’6" Koda Challenger with upgraded lithium batteries, roof solar, and 300L water), a custom bike rack he built to use dead space on the drawbar, and troubleshooting towing stability by replacing 13-year-old shocks. Brian also shares his long-running satellite/TV setup, including upgrades to Starlink, and walks through extensive modifications to his Ford Ranger—plus a comparison to his earlier GU Patrol with a 6.5L Chev diesel—highlighting how modern gearing and controls make towing quieter, easier, and less stressful.
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Brian’s Big Build & Bigger Community Spirit | Stop for a While (Fraser Coast) Thats the next episode, released March 4th 2026
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Buckle up for a wild ride in Ep. 7 of 'Stopped for a While'! 🚐 Dive into heartwarming tales of adventure, unexpected friendships, and even a key mishap on the Barrier Reef! 🌊 Listen now to laugh and reflect on life's journey. #StoppedForAWhile #Podcast #australiatravel #visitqueensland
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Episode to be published on Wednesday Feb 18th about Barney's encounter with a travelling Gynocologist.
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🚙💨 From quirky road trip stories to business success, Episode 6 of "Stopped for a While" dives into Rohan's adventures. Discover how a twist of fate on the Pacific Motorway turned into a tale worth sharing. Tune in to hear how wanderlust meets resilience! 🌟🎧 #RohanOnTheRoad #CaravanChronicles
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Welcome to the Peaceful Place, a tranquil hideaway on the Queensland coast where relaxing and storytelling go hand in hand. In this episode, we delve into the unique tales of wanderers and the travellers that pass through.
Our special guest, Don, shares his fascinating personal journey—from his roots in the Torres Strait and Cairns to his life of concreting and the adventures that led him here. Listen as Don recounts his experiences, challenges, and the quirky moments that make life on the road so memorable. Join us for a heartwarming and insightful chat, and discover the stories that make the Peaceful Place truly special.
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