‘Working and volunteering helps us to get to know local communities’

Published: December 16, 2021

One of the great things about living the grey nomad dream is that you never really know what adventures and experiences lie ahead … especially if you travel with an open mind.

Peter and Sandra Kearns have both retired and have now been on the road for nine months, and they hope to keep travelling for a few more years yet.

The couple from New South Wales have found that doing the odd bit of work here and there, and occasionally volunteering, has brought a new dimension to their adventures and helped them get to know a local community on a deeper level than if they were just ‘passing through’.

And they’ve had some interesting projects along the way. Peter and Sandra have just finished helping to build a structure to house a century-old horse carriage in remote Queensland … and they had the time of their lives.

Grey nomads work as they travel

“We saw a job come up on the Grey Nomads website for a retired builder about 50 kilometres west of Mundubbera at a location near Hawkwood,” said Sandra. “We thought why not try … so we made a phone call and that was that.”

grey nomads build a shed

It was hard work, but very rewarding.

Peter then drew up a plan for the building, and locally grown hardwood was ordered to get the job done.

“Our arrival was delayed slightly due to flooding of the Auburn River so we had to go the long way in via a locality called Monogorilby,” said Sandra. “We arrived, set up our caravan ready to begin … and the hard work started.”

Peter and Sandra began by taking levels of the slab that had already been poured a few weeks earlier, and then cut all the timber to length.

“We worked for two weeks each day to make the structure and, at times, it was a combined effort with the farmers and their sons who helped with the heavy lifting and roofing sections,” said Sandra. “The roof is from recycled corrugated sheeting to give it that rustic feel.”

grey nomads building a shed

And the result was amazing.

And the pair are very proud of the finished product, and they will treasure the memories of its construction forever.

“We had sun, rain, floods and the trip out was a bit hairy as we got bogged for a little … but we got it done,” said Sandra. “It was a great experience and it was just so good to get out and help.”

  • Have you had some memorable experiences while working or volunteering while on your trip? Email us here to share.
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Are retiree volunteers covered by WorkCare while working on these projects?
Are they working on a regulated safe work site?
What happens if they fall of a ladder & end up in hospital after a ride in an ambulance, who pays?

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