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When Diane and Christopher Rice first hit the road in their caravan, they never imagined they’d one day be balancing grape harvests with off-grid adventures. But that’s exactly where life has taken them – from the busy Gold Coast to the peaceful South Burnett, where they now run a boutique vineyard and live a life filled with vino, van trips and a very cute dog named Molly.
“We didn’t plan to become winemakers,” Diane said. “We just fell in love with this rundown little cottage and vineyard, and thought, ‘let’s make it work!’”
Having been loyal On The Move travellers for more than 15 years, Diane and Christopher are no strangers to the caravan lifestyle. Their current van, a Traxx Series II Off Roader, which they’ve had since 2018, has taken them all over Australia.
“It’s been really good to us,” Christopher said. “You can just go wherever you want, especially off-grid. It’s your home on wheels.”
Living near the OTM headquarters at Yatala made it easy in the early days – but after swapping coastal life for a more relaxed pace, the couple found themselves running a three-acre vineyard and learning a completely new skill set.
The South Burnett locals say the move away from the Gold Coast was all about peace and purpose. “It was just too hustle and bustle,” Christopher said.
Diane said learning how to run the vineyard really challenged them, it kept their minds active and gave them something new to focus on.
“We were busy! We haven’t quite got our license yet, but that’s coming soon. The local winemakers were amazing, they’d come around and help us make the wine. It was just lovely.”
And while the vineyard is their passion project, the van remains their escape hatch.
“We’ve loved it. We’ve done a fair bit of travelling, so that’s been terrific,” Christopher said. “We’ve been right through Queensland, down through New South Wales, down into Victoria, the Grampians, Flinders Ranges and all that. South Australia.”
Their current van is still going strong, but they admit the itch for an upgrade is growing. And while their travels have slowed a little thanks to the demands of their vineyard, the couple are itching to hit the road again soon. Western Australia is top of their list and yes, they’ve already been eyeing off a shiny new van.
Especially at the 2025 On The Move Owners Retreat, where they were able to view newer models.
“Since coming here, we’ve looked at the new vans and how much better they are and improved with technology and everything,” Diane said. “Just got to work out the finance side of it… We might have to sell some more wine!”
For Diane and Christopher, the real magic of caravanning lies in its freedom.
“You can go wherever you want really, because it is your home,” Christopher said. “And you can just set up off-grid, wherever.”
No trip is complete without their dog, Molly – an energetic and social traveller in her own right.
“We’ve got a lovely little dog called Molly. She’s just absolutely beautiful. We love her to death,” Diane said. “As soon as we get the van out… she just gets up in there with me and helps clean it out… she just loves all the other dogs. She’s quite social.”
Diane and Christopher are also regulars at the On The Move Owners Retreats, having attended previous gatherings in Longreach and New South Wales.
“We love coming to these,” Christopher said they loved coming to events like these as meeting other like-minded travellers and seeing their set-ups was inspiring.
Diane said she loved seeing other On The Move customers on the road. “You see On The Move on the road, you give a big wave, say, ‘How good’s that?’”
And while they haven’t made the leap for a new van just yet, they’re seriously tempted.
“I’m impressed with the build, that’s for sure,” Christopher said. “Whether we commit to another one… we’ll wait and see.”
