Needless to say, our instinct to explore, learn, and experience has been with us for a very long time. And for us surfers, packing up and hitting the roads lining our beautiful coast has always been especially dreamy.
But it’s easier said than done, isn’t it? Our ancestors dealt with a lot of things, but they also didn’t have budgets, traffic, annual leave… An adventure is all well and good until you put pen to paper and start tangling yourself in scribbles of routes, logistics, and equipment.
Well actually, while pulling together this edition we’ve been lucky enough to chat with a handful of surfers that have made us think a little differently. And perhaps none have resonated more so than Sam and Wim, who followed their instincts to the most remote nooks and crannies of Australia with absolutely zero experience.
Hailing from Belgium, the couple were entirely different when they met as young, career-driven twenty-something-year-olds who moved in together, adopted a dog, and built their dream home.
Sam said life back then was a blur of long work hours, trips across Europe, and squeezing in as much travel as they could with their 20 days off a year. In that time, they explored some incredible parts of the world in the United States, Cuba, Asia, and eventually Australia.
“Wim worked for BMW as a sales manager, and I worked for a large fashion group as head of marketing. Our first trip to Australia in 2018 was the classic east coast road trip from Cairns to Sydney… in three weeks! Crazy. That’s when we stumbled upon Noosa, and something just clicked — the vibe, the surf culture, the people, the national park, the beautiful bays.
“We spent hours watching the surf and started wondering what it would be like to live there, but real life was waiting back in Belgium. We’d both been through some tough years, losing close friends, having health struggles, and feeling like we were on autopilot.
That trip to Australia planted a seed — what if there was more to life than working towards a three-week holiday each year
“A few months later, after meeting with a migration agent who advised us to move to Brisbane for better job opportunities, we took the leap. It was a huge step, packing up and saying goodbye to our jobs, our families, and the hardest part, our dog. It was terrifying, exciting, and hands-down the best decision we ever made.”
Sam and Wim’s love for road-tripping kicked off after moving to Brisbane in 2019. Sam said they couldn’t believe how much there was to explore in their own backyard, and so they started an Instagram page called ‘The Brizzy List’. It took off, and they got 10,000 followers in no time.
“Then, during the pandemic when the borders were still closed, we rented a camper van and started exploring a bit more of Queensland. That’s when the travel bug properly bit. But van life wasn’t really ‘us’. We wanted to explore the real Australia and go where the normal road ends.
“After lots of research, we bought a Jeep Wrangler and a camper trailer from Patriot Campers, which was perfect for short trips that we could combine with our remote work. We had no experience — not a clue on how to 4WD or camp — but that’s what made it fun.
“When the borders reopened in 2022, we took off to South Australia for 10 weeks. It was our very first big trip. We found some incredible remote beaches, surfed empty waves, drove over huge sand dunes, and travelled along the rugged coastline and wild landscapes. It was like a whole new world, and it changed everything.”
Sam and Wim knew this is what they wanted to do full-time, so when people from all over the world started to reach out to them for recommendations (and became overwhelmed with Sam’s notoriously detailed itineraries), the pair decided to condense their expertise and make a brand of themselves — Bush and Bay.
“I’m a total research nerd when it comes to travel. I dive really deep and reach out to local tourism boards to hunt down all the secret spots. I create itineraries like I’m planning a full expedition, so we needed a place to put it all and share everything we’ve learned.
“We don’t just post pretty pictures in our travel blog — we talk and write about the real deal. Honest reviews, detailed travel guides, road trip itineraries, and gear advice. Some places don’t live up to expectations, and some products are overpriced or completely useless. We keep it real. And if we can inspire even one person to get out there and explore? Mission accomplished.”
After a few months of testing new gear and mapping out their first few months on the road, Sam and Wim began their big lap around Australia in March — something they’ve been dreaming about for years. After taking off from the Sunshine Coast, the couple drove to Robe, South Australia.
“It’s been unreal! It was the perfect start to our trip. But it was also getting colder, so we made our way to Western Australia. We really liked the surf mecca Red Bluff. It’s like driving into a surf movie from the 70s — dusty tracks, a rugged coastline, and perfect lefties. That entire stretch has some incredible, uncrowded surf spots.
“Swimming with whale sharks in Ningaloo Reef was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We also swam with loggerheads as large as humans, dugongs, and leopard sharks. The wildest moment was probably when I SUPed with a 10ft tiger shark. The locals call him Terry — he’s known to cruise the Ningaloo Lagoon after a feed on the outer reef. It’s safe to say my heart was racing, but it was an unforgettable experience!
“The places that truly stood out for us were Exmouth and the Kimberley — two total opposites, but both equally magical. Exmouth is a paradise with great surf breaks, while the Kimberley feels like stepping into another world — red dirt, ancient gorges, hidden waterfalls, and those iconic boab trees. It’s raw, remote, and full of adventure. It honestly feels like Australia’s version of Africa.”
Growing up without a nearby ocean (just the channel you can surf between Belgium and the United Kingdom, which Sam described as a ‘dirty grey puddle’), Sam and Wim learnt how to surf when they moved from Brisbane to Noosa in 2021. Since then, it’s become an obsession.
“We’ll never forget our first lesson. It was absolute chaos being pushed into the wave. Even though it all happened in the whitewash, we were convinced we were shredding. It was probably the slowest, tiniest wave ever, but we were hooked.
“Wim’s favourite board is his 6’10 All Round McCoy Nugget. It handles long, fat waves and can take on some steeper drops on the opens. He believes he swapped to a short board too soon — a common beginner’s mistake. He surfed an 8’0 V8 from Gordon & Smith the past year, but he’s still on a quest to find his perfect board.
“I love my 6’2 high-volume twin fin fish funboard with glass-on keel fins from a local surf shop. It’s designed for Noosa’s point breaks, but it’s also a lot of fun on the open beaches.
“For us, it’s all about having fun in the water and being surrounded by friends, catching waves until the sun goes down. We’ll never be pro-level surfers — we didn’t grow up with it, and learning how to surf in your thirties is hard. But the more you get out there, the more you want to keep going back. Salt therapy is real!
“Although we love the point breaks around Noosa, it’s often too crowded, which makes it hard to catch waves at our level. We love Tea Tree on a glassy, winter morning with whales jumping in the background.”
Sam said they’ve met so many incredible, like-minded people while surfing and travelling — each sharing the same passion, and all chasing that same sense of freedom and adventure.
“We’ve camped, jumped off 15m waterfalls, and swum in a dark cave with freshwater crocs together — scary, but all great memories. Western Australia especially is such a social place, and everyone who loves the ocean seems to find their way to Exmouth for winter. We can totally see why — there’s just so much to do.
“And it’s huge! We’ve been in Western Australia for six months now and haven’t even explored the southwest. We’re super excited for that part, and we’ll come home in April to plan our next trip.
“We’re thinking about a different kind of adventure, maybe a snowboard trip down in Victoria. A bit of snow after the red dirt and saltwater might be a nice change of scenery.
“We can’t wait to explore some more wild, untouched places and just fully embrace life on the road. It still feels surreal that we’re about to do this, but that’s the best part — taking the leap into the unknown again and seeing where the road takes us.”
Bush and Bay recount their adventures with a kind of honest-to-goodness happiness that can either make you feel just as giddy or very jealous… But unlike many travel blogs out there that trade genuine, grounded advice for synthetic, overhyped social media content, Sam and Wim are transparent about the difficulties they face living on the road.
“The internet makes the nomadic life look like this perfect, dreamy adventure. And yes, sometimes it is. But a lot of the time it’s messy and unpredictable. My biggest struggle is decision fatigue — where to camp, where to get water, where to refuel, where to sleep, when the weather will change. It’s non-stop.
“We think about 20% of the time travelling is actually amazing. The rest you’re either driving, working, or stuck inside because the weather is absolute sh*t. But the tough moments make the good ones even better. That 20% is what keeps you going and craving more.
“We’ve sure had our fair share of challenges on this trip. It almost came to an end when we lost parts of our suspension in one of Western Australia’s most remote corners. Luckily, Wim was able to fix it. We also brought way too much stuff… and there are still many things we haven’t used. Turns out, you don’t really need much to live comfortably on the road.
“And then there’s the wind — Western Australia’s unofficial mascot. Everyone we’ve met says WA stands for Windy Always, and they’re not wrong. When it blows, it blows all day long. Cooking outside is a bit of a mission, but that has become part of the adventure.”
Planning a road trip is fun, but we all know it can feel overwhelming too. Sam said one of the biggest lessons they’ve learnt is that they can’t see everything, so they travel slower, soak it up, and not stress. Often, the magic lies in the moments between the destinations.
“People will recommend places that you can’t miss, and you’ll feel crap that you didn’t go, but that’s totally fine.
“Plans will change, the weather will hit you, and sometimes the vibe of a place is incredible, the waves are pumping, and you just want to stay longer. The key is to be flexible and not over-plan every second — my common mistake.
“There’s also no need to stress about having the ‘perfect’ setup. We started with zero experience, made a tonne of mistakes, and figured things out as we went. You’ll learn what works for you along the way. “Always remember that a road trip isn’t about ticking off every single ‘must-see’ spot — it’s about the journey, the people you meet, and the incredible stories you’ll take home.”
Speaking of setup, you probably can’t help but notice the third star of Bush and Bay — a beautifully decked-out Sandy Taupe Toyota LandCruiser. Sam said they made a list of what their dream setup would look like, but there was only one vehicle that was reliable enough to travel like they do.
“It’s an Aussie icon! We bought a brand new 79 Series in March 2024. It took us over six months to create our dream camper, and we’re absolutely stoked with the result. The reactions and comments have been amazing. You can tell Australians like a Toyota more than a Jeep.
“We started with a camper trailer, which was very easy when we weren’t travelling — just fill the fridge, get the boards on the roof, hook it up, and off you go. We had some amazing trips, but we also realised that when you want to be on the road full-time, and still laugh at the end of the day, you need something different. We needed something that allowed us to escape the weather that we didn’t have to tow anymore.
“It took us two years to find something like the Tommy Camper. When we first saw one, we were blown away by the possibilities — a queen-size bed, a sitting area, an inside table, and a toilet? We were sold immediately. We also use our Muk Mats for everything, not to mention all our stuff from Crashpad, including our wheel bag and firewood holder.”
You must also be wondering about the breathtaking images you see here, blessing our humble Smorgasboarder pages. As it turns out, Wim’s knack for taking photos started at a young age, and luckily for us, developed into some serious talent after he studied photography in art school.
Sam said they travel with a whopping six cameras, which is chaos when they record YouTube videos.
“There’s an action camera inside and on the roof while a drone is in the air, and we’re trying to stay happy while almost everything goes wrong! But honestly, we laugh, make fun, and create the best memories while shooting in these unreal locations. Wim carries his Sony Alpha 7R III everywhere, hence the reason why you don’t see him that often in the photos.
“As for me, writing has always been a passion, whether I’m drafting about epic destinations or the little details that make life on the road so much easier and unforgettable. When I was a kid, I created my own magazine for my friends and dreamed of becoming a journalist.”
Sam said that it’s intimidating putting their stories out there, especially with so many incredible travel blogs already out in the world. And since English is her fourth language, she’s still finding her voice and style, which makes the journey even more personal.
“We just want everyone who’s reading our blog and dreaming about packing up and hitting the road to do it! There’s no perfect setup or time, and there’s definitely no need to have it all figured out. We started from scratch, made lots of mistakes, and it all worked out.
“Yes, it’s scary to step away from a secure job and get out of your comfort zone, and you will fail at times. There will be moments where you question what on earth you’re doing. But the best thing is that you’ll learn, grow, and figure it out as you go. It’s an experience of a lifetime, and we promise you’ll never regret it.”
As I’m writing, Sam and Wim are moseying around Western Australia’s southwest. We highly recommend you check in with their journey every now and then as they continue to share some insane photography and bring these places to life in a way that inspires others to explore them too.
Bush and Bay was founded to show that you don’t need to be an expert to road trip it — all you need is your instincts and a bit of curiosity — and we think there’s something pretty special about a pair that dedicate their lives to making these adventures more tangible for the rest of us.
