Life is no dress rehearsal – we all only have one life!

It’s been a long time since we packed up our home to leave our stresses behind and start an adventure that has been so amazing. We had no idea just how much we were going to love our new life.

We had worked so hard for so many years. 7 days a week, year after year, decade after decade.

With each success came catastrophic failure. From financially crippled at 32yo to massive financial loss at 48yo.

Adele and I were burnt out. Emotionally drained, totally cooked.

Find a new purpose in life as life is no dress rehearsal

We needed to find our purpose in life.

Our son Matt was looking for personal change, chasing a new life, embarking on finding new friends. He came too and he had no idea just how much the adventures were going to change his life forever.

MACKS our Golden Retriever must have sensed what was happening and at 14 she found a whole new lease of life. She swam her way right around the country and enjoyed every day of her travels.

Until one day we had to say Good bye….

We were shattered.

Our travel mates picked us up, hugged us and supported us. These guys are now family.

We had a dream to explore our country and we never want to stop.

You can do this too.

If we can do it anyone can.

Break the chains, be free, find the real you.

Embark on an adventure as life is no dress rehearsal!

Go on an adventure that will change you. Find new friends you will want to be mates with for the rest of your life.

Push yourself to extremes you never knew you could achieve.

Interact with amazing animals.

Climb mountains, walk through Gorges, explore National Parks, stroll along extraordinary beaches, all one at a time.

Swim in ocean waters so crystal clear you won’t believe it.

Live from the ocean catching Fish, Lobsters, Squid and Crabs.

Don’t hesitate, get on the ride of your life. No one ever said “I wish I hadn’t
spent money on that epic, life changing adventure”.

Someone once told me, “I wanted to travel when I was young but life got in the way, now I want to do it before death gets in the way”.

Live the Life you’ve always wanted

1 Life, 1 Opportunity, make every moment matter.

Don’t think of it as a holiday, make it a big adventure.

Turn up the music, stoke that fire, live the life you’ve always wanted.

Dare to Dream!!

Australia is waiting, it’s big, it’s beautiful and it is truly amazing.

Hitch the van, fire up the engine, get the RV out from the shed and put the pedal to the metal.

Follow the bitumen or go off road. Follow the path of others or go where no-one has been before, it doesn’t matter.

Visit the towns affected by the bushfires and give back where you can.

Experience the amazement of swimming with sharks, spotting Salt Water Crocodiles or the views from top of Ubirr looking out over the vast lands of Kakadu.

Camp under the stars, watch in awe at the epic Sunrises and Sunsets that will leave you wondering if you’ll ever witness something so breathtaking again.

Just do it!!

Travel Australia, it’s the greatest country on the planet!!

Check out these other great stories about our adventures:

Pin – Life is no dress rehearsal!!

Safe travels

Kev & Adele
Indefinite Leave

We are Adele & Kevin, an Aussie couple from Brisbane in Queensland Australia who have embraced our adventurous spirit and ventured out to explore the world around us. We had spent so much time overseas we decided it was time to see our own truly amazing country and we needed to take some time to see everything it has to offer.

Our Aim is to inspire others to travel and help design the greatest adventure they can experience.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Photography and Socials

Our camera equipment we use for all our photos and videos are:

Samsung Note 10 Plus Phone – https://ebay.to/2XOjXhi – Most of our photos are simply from our phones. The Samsung phone cameras are pretty insane. Our phones have 512gb storage in ours but the 256gb in this one is heaps. We have sourced this one which is approx $500 less than we paid for ours.

Canon 800d – https://ebay.to/2XQYnsk – the latest DSLR Canon 24mp camera, buy here to save.

Lenses

Canon 50mm lens – https://ebay.to/2yQwPed  This is the lens I use the least, ideal for still, close up shots.
Canon 24-105mm lens – https://ebay.to/3eCueUo This is my all round, everyday use, zoom lens. Amazing quality, great price.
Canon 70-300mm lens – https://ebay.to/2XlOZ0I – I use this one a lot for long range shots.
Sigma 10-20mm lens – https://ebay.to/2TWt0vA  – My wide angle lens for all my inside photos & video plus lots more, love this lens.

Our Go Pro 7 Hero Black – https://ebay.to/38wMc7V  –  is an awesome piece of equipment. I use this for all underwater, action video and some general use. Buy here brand new and great value.

Mavic Pro Platinum Drone – https://ebay.to/2ARPxTo  This is an absolute ripper of a drone. The Fly More Combo will provide you with everything you will need. I use this for all my aerial footage and this price is well below other retail stores.

_______________________________________________________________________

Follow us, Subscribe, Like, Share, and Comment on our website and social media here:-

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indefiniteleave/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indefinite_leave/

Website: https://indefiniteleave.com.au/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/indefiniteleave

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/indefiniteleave/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/indefiniteleav3

______________________________________________________________________

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through a link on this page we may receive a small commission. It will not cost you any more, in fact we’ve sourced out some great deals for you. Thank you for supporting us.

One of your biggest expenses when travelling Australia is always going to be fuel so any tips on how to save money on fuel will be valuable.

Along with Food and Accommodation it’s going to be in your Top 3 costs when travelling the country.

It’s a big country too, with so much to see and sometimes long distances in between, to arrive at your next destination.

Up Mountains, across tracks and over sand, it all takes up more fuel.

We’ve been around the Country, up and down and right across and have found some ways which we have been able to save fuel.

Here’s How to Save Money on Fuel when Travelling Australia:

Let’s see if any of these tips can help you reduce your costs when travelling Australia.

Using a Fuel App is a great way to Save Money on Fuel

There’s a number of fuel apps now to help direct you to the closest fuel station at the lowest price.

They are only as good as us as users to update these apps but for the most part they are an excellent source to find the cheapest priced fuel near you.

I like Fuel Map Australia. It’s Free and is my preferred app that I use all the time.

Petrol Spy and MotorMouth are two other popular apps and there are others also. The NSW Government released their own app called NSW FuelCheck.

GasBuddy is considered the most accurate in Victoria.

Whichever Fuel App you use, they are a great way of buying cheaper fuel when travelling.

Discount Fuel Cards

Woolworths and Coles are the obvious options here rewarding you with 4c a Litre off every time you spend $30 or more in their store.  Use your Rewards Card when you fill up with fuel at a Coles Express or Woolworths Petrol Station and receive the discount off your fuel.

We never go to Coles Express any more, we now find their fuel over priced.

Our preferred fuel at the moment is Woolworths. However Puma provides us 4c a Litre off as well just for being members with RACQ. We find Woolworths compete on bowser price and then with the discount it can be significant savings in the cost of the fuel.

Check with your Royal Automobile Club membership what discounts they have associations with.

Costco have great fuel prices however if you’re travelling it is of no real benefit. There’s an annual fee to join and very few stores around the country.

United Fuel

A brand that we found were mostly available right across Australia and had the best value, we found was United.

They were consistently lower in price than any others in most regions we travelled.

United Fuel is the former Esso brand which changed name back in 1993.

In some areas, specifically NSW we found Metro Petroleum was often quite cheap.

Utilise Jerry Cans

We carried fuel drums with us as we travelled. If the opportunity arose, we would use our drums to store great value fuel.

When we came across fuel that was significantly cheaper then “normal” price for the area we would fill up and fill our Sceptor Jerry cans too.

Along the Stuart Highway just south of Devils Marbles was a tiny town of Wycliffe Well. The fuel station at the time was exceptionally cheap in a region of typically high priced fuel so we ensured we topped up as much as we could.

Hughenden in Qld was another where we found a self serve fuel station with cheap fuel and there have been many others during our time on the road.

Read about our: 47 Caravan Motorhome RV & Camping Accessories

Going to islands such as Fraser Island where fuel is $2.30 – 2.45 a litre, Moreton Island which is $3 a litre or Kangaroo Island where it is approx 30c above mainland prices is expensive! These are certainly times you will want your Jerry cans full and with you to save money on fuel costs.

Turn off your air con and wind down the window when driving at lower speeds

Whenever I am driving below 70kmh I prefer to wind down the window.

I’ve always done it as I prefer the fresh air and better power. When I’m driving around 80kmh it is too noisy and less pleasant so I put the window up and use the air conditioner.

Who knew it was actually proven to be better for fuel consumption with what I was doing.

It turns out that at higher speeds aerodynamic drag from the windows being down negatively effects your fuel consumption.

At speeds below 80kmh it is better for fuel economy to have your windows down than it is to use your air conditioner. Over 80kmh it is better to use your air conditioner and close your windows.

Check your Tyres Often Helps Save Money on Fuel

There are obvious benefits to regularly checking your tyres.

Checking there is no significant wear on your tyres will ensure your safety and reduce the likelihood of a blowout. However also checking tyre pressures will save you money on fuel.

Always maintaining the correct tyre pressure for your tyres and vehicle will provide better fuel economy.

Fuel saving methods for your tow vehicle

Limiting Weight

The more we take with us the more fuel we will use.

We constantly review everything we carry in our Motorhome and cull what we aren’t using. This should be every travellers constant review of their travel rig.

Our goal is to always be limiting our weight to only what it needs to be.

When towing a van with your 4WD you have a lot more to consider when it comes to correct weights but the same principles still apply, the lighter you are the less fuel you will consume.

Wind Resistance

Consider the affects of protruding items such as kayaks, bicycles, surf boards and boats with regard to wind resistance and the potential extra fuel costs.

A wind deflector on your 4WD if you are towing a full size Caravan may provide a significant benefit. They may look a bit odd but the savings are genuine. A deflector will provide better performance when over taking or climbing hills.

When towing it is wise not to use cruise control. Your vehicle will accelerate hard to maintain the set speed especially in head winds or hill rises and therefore use more fuel.

It is recommended that you don’t use cruise control when towing.

Reduce Weight in your Caravan

Once again, correct weights in your Caravan are vital with towing and you will therefore be governed by weight distribution around how you travel with water in your tanks and other matters regarding what you carry.

It still stands to reason though the more you have in your Caravan the greater your weight, the heavier you are and the more fuel you will use.

When we leave our camp for a new destination we will assess how much water and fuel we are carrying and where possible leave it until we arrive at our next stop before filling up.

Not Leaving your Vehicle Idling Saves Money on Fuel

It’s best to turn off your engine when stopped even for short periods.

When starting your engine it uses about the same amount of fuel as it would if it was idling for 30 seconds.

If you need to pull over to answer your phone or if you have situations like me where Adele says she’s just running into the shops and will be super fast which turns out to be 20 minutes, it’s best to turn off the engine to save on fuel.

Our friends we travelled with lamented to us more than once about the Caravan owners next to them waking them up early in the morning with their engine running as they hooked up the Van to leave.

This seems to be common where vehicle engines are left running for a period of time during the hooking up and finalising pack up before leaving camp.

There used to be a time where Diesel engines were best warmed up before driving however with new technology that’s no longer necessary for any longer then 15-30 seconds if at all.

Leaving the engine running for longer then 30 seconds simply uses more fuel, it’s best to turn your engine off.

It goes without saying not to do this in normal driving situations. When stopped at lights, railway crossing or similar do not turn off your vehicle engine.

You don’t need to buy Premium Fuels unless your Vehicle Manual suggests you should

This RACV article discusses the issue.

There are so many options for Petrol now with E10, 91, 95 and 98. The numbers represent the level of Octane with 95 and 98 considered Premium fuel.

There is no need to use a Premium fuel if it isn’t required, 91 will perform appropriately.

Do some research of the use of E10 for your vehicle before using it.

How to Save Money on Fuel by Maintaining a Consistent Speed

As previously discussed, if you are towing it’s best not to use Cruise Control however when not towing it can help ensure you maintain a constant speed and therefore reduce fuel consumption.

This is especially the case on generally flat highway conditions where you may have no stops, can maintain a constant speed with few significant inclines

You could Slow Down your Travelling

By staying in one place longer and not moving as often you will reduce fuel costs.

However for most travellers on their Big Lap of Oz they have a limited time of just 1-2 years and it’s a huge country with heaps to see and do.

That means for most people, stopping for lengthy periods in one place just for fuel economy isn’t really an option.

If you do have the opportunity to travel slowly and stop for extended periods this can certainly improve the amount of fuel you use while travelling.

Drive a Diesel rather than Petrol

Diesel engines use up to a third less fuel than Petrol.

That is a massive saving however it should also be compared to potential higher fuel cost at the pump and higher cost for the vehicle where Diesel engines are generally more expensive than Petrol.

Buying second hand vehicles can potentially negate this issue.

There’s a lot of advice around driving Diesel or Petrol vehicles. Carsguide for instance states “If you’re going to be towing a boat or caravan regularly, it’s a no brainer because a Diesel will do it better and use far less fuel at the same time”

All research will tell you a Diesel will perform over the long term more economically than Petrol when asked to perform for long periods under varying conditions.

The bowser price for Diesel also tends to be consistent rather than the continual fluctuations of Petrol prices which helps for budgeting and targeting the best price.

More Expensive Fuel does not Necessarily Mean Longer kms and Therefore Greater Economy

Trying to test this is always challenging because you don’t drive the exact same conditions each tank of fuel.

Weights, highway to city driving, uphill, offroad and a range of other factors will always differ each time we drive. Therefore potentially it will affect the fuel economy with each tank of fuel we use.

However I did recently do a test using BP Diesel, the fuel long regarded as the best for longer distance, compared to Woolworths where it was approximately 7c cheaper.

BP didn’t provide any greater distance from the tank of fuel but the saving of 7c a litre or more with Woolworths is obvious.

I am still recording my fuel and will finalise my thoughts on this in the near future however I found no benefit from using BP over any other brand.

Keeping control over your fuel costs will help you maintain your budget when travelling.

Use the savings to see more of our amazing Country!

Pin – How to Save Money on Fuel

Read more on How to Save Money when Travelling Australia:

Do you have any other tips on how to save money on fuel travelling Australia?

Safe travels

Kev & Adele
Indefinite Leave

We are Adele & Kevin, an Aussie couple from Brisbane in Queensland Australia who have embraced our adventurous spirit and ventured out to explore the world around us. We had spent so much time overseas we decided it was time to see our own truly amazing country and we needed to take some time to see everything it has to offer.

Our Aim is to inspire others to travel and help design the greatest adventure they can experience.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Photography and Socials

Our camera equipment we use for all our photos and videos are:

Samsung Note 10 Plus Phone – https://ebay.to/2XOjXhi – Most of our photos are simply from our phones. The Samsung phone cameras are pretty insane. Our phones have 512gb storage in ours but the 256gb in this one is heaps. We have sourced this one which is approx $500 less than we paid for ours.

Canon 800d – https://ebay.to/2XQYnsk – the latest DSLR Canon 24mp camera, buy here to save.

Lenses

Canon 50mm lens – https://ebay.to/2yQwPed  This is the lens I use the least, ideal for still, close up shots.
Canon 24-105mm lens – https://ebay.to/3eCueUo This is my all round, everyday use, zoom lens. Amazing quality, great price.
Canon 70-300mm lens – https://ebay.to/2XlOZ0I – I use this one a lot for long range shots.
Sigma 10-20mm lens – https://ebay.to/2TWt0vA  – My wide angle lens for all my inside photos & video plus lots more, love this lens.

Our Go Pro 7 Hero Black – https://ebay.to/38wMc7V  –  is an awesome piece of equipment. I use this for all underwater, action video and some general use. Buy here brand new and great value.

Mavic Pro Platinum Drone – https://ebay.to/2ARPxTo  This is an absolute ripper of a drone. The Fly More Combo will provide you with everything you will need. I use this for all my aerial footage and this price is well below other retail stores.

_______________________________________________________________________

Follow us, Subscribe, Like, Share, and Comment on our website and social media here:-

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indefiniteleave/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indefinite_leave/

Website: https://indefiniteleave.com.au/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/indefiniteleave

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/indefiniteleave/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/indefiniteleav3

______________________________________________________________________

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through a link on this page we may receive a small commission. It will not cost you any more, in fact we’ve sourced out some great deals for you. Thank you for supporting us.

There are a few places around Australia where you can enjoy the experience of an organised feeding of wild dolphins but by far our favourite was feeding the dolphins at Barnacles Cafe in Tin Can Bay Queensland.

Dolphin Feeding at Barnacles Cafe Tin Can Bay

Feeding the Dolphins at Barnacles Cafe is a close up Dolphin Feeding experience without the big crowds.  Everyone that wants to feed a dolphin can and it’s as little as $10.

There are 9 dolphins that visit and they have been named Mystique, Patch, Ella, Squirt, Harmony, Aussie, Valentine, Chompy and White Fin.

There’s no telling how many will come in each day or if any at all will visit but each time we have been there’s been a couple of dolphins come in.

Parking for Dolphin Feeding at Barnacles Cafe

It’s important not to park in boat trailer bays or you may receive a fine. The carpark in front of Barnacles Cafe is designated for fishermen and their vehicle and trailer.

There is allocated parking at the rear of the carpark behind the swimming pool and you can easily walk over to Barnacles Cafe from there.

How far is Tin Can Bay from Rainbow Beach?

Barnacles Dolphin Centre at Tin Can Bay is just over 30kms from Rainbow Beach in South East Queensland.

This particular morning we had a bit of a wait before any dolphins came in. It was around 8.30am before the first Dolphin arrived.

Mystique was first in from the wild and hung around during viewing time and only later was joined by 3 other dolphins including Ella and her 15 month old calf Joe.

Baby Joe is not able to be fed any fish until he is 2.5 years old. Mum Ella is very protective of her calf Joe at this stage and they were inseparable the entire time.

We were fortunate to end up seeing 4 wild humpback dolphins at feeding time during our visit.

First time Dolphin Feeding Experience for Kev’s Mum

We have been to the Barnacles Cafe and Dolphin Centre to feed the dolphins several times, once taking Kev’s Mum with us who was quite reluctant about getting in to the water.

Afterwards she was so thrilled at having done the experience and it was so great to give Mum a new achievement at her age.

Mum is not used to being barefoot in the water these days so the lovely lady volunteers were kind enough to help her while we took some photos of her experience!

Volunteers get to know the dolphins quite well and vice versa, the dolphins get quite familiar and comfortable with the volunteers.

There is no touching the Dolphins, not even the volunteers have any physical involvement with them.

What time is the Dolphin Feeding?

The Barnacles Dolphin Centre opens at 7am with viewing time between 7.00am and 8am, and then feeding from 8am.

Barnacles Dolphin Centre & Cafe is also where you can have brekkie before or after feeding the dolphins.

Be sure to arrive early to purchase dolphin feeding tickets and get the opportunity to go in the water for viewing time between 7am and 8am.

How much does it cost to feed the dolphins at Barnacles Cafe?

To view the Dolphins the cost is just a $5 entry fee. To participate in feeding the Dolphins at Barnacles Cafe, it cost only another $5. Pensioners are just $7.50

Once the dolphins arrive the staff will organise a line where you can collect a fish to feed a dolphin and then wait in the feeding area for you to have your turn.

How to get to Barnacles Dolphin Feeding Centre & Cafe

Follow Tin Can Bay Road through the main town, along the Esplanade all the way to the point where you will arrive at the Tin Can Bay Yacht Club and boat ramp.

From Hervey Bay to Tin Can Bay it is just and hour and 15 minutes drive.

Follow the signs to find a park to the right at the back of the carpark.

Read about: Our Trip from Hervey Bay to Bundaberg

Tin Can Bay Accommodation

There are a couple of places to stay in Tin Can Bay however we usually choose to set up at Rainbow Beach where we stay at the Rainbow Beach Holiday Village.

It can accommodate all visitors whether it’s camping or staying in the cabins, it has great facilities and is very close to shops and the beach.

Things to do in Tin Can Bay

Fishing and Boating

Tin Can Bay is a beautiful quiet seaside town best known for it’s fishing and boating.

If you don’t have a boat of your own you can hire one from Tin Can Bay Boat Hire.

Tin Can Bay Country Club

The Tin Can Bay Country Club offers an 18 hole Golf Course or play bowls before enjoying a meal and drinks in the restaurant.

Fraser Island

Take a tour to Fraser Island and see the Worlds Largest Sand Island. Leave your car behind and relax as tour guides take you to visit all the highlights of magnificent Fraser Island.

Read more about Fraser Island: Everything to See and Do on Fraser Island

Pin It!

Have you experienced feeding the dolphins at Barnacles Cafe Tin Can Bay?

Safe travels

Kev & Adele
Indefinite Leave

We are Adele & Kevin, an Aussie couple from Brisbane in Queensland Australia who have embraced our adventurous spirit and ventured out to explore the world around us. We had spent so much time overseas we decided it was time to see our own truly amazing country and we needed to take some time to see everything it has to offer.

Our Aim is to inspire others to travel and help design the greatest adventure they can experience.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Photography and Socials

Our camera equipment we use for all our photos and videos are:

Samsung Note 10 Plus Phone – https://ebay.to/2XOjXhi – Most of our photos are simply from our phones. The Samsung phone cameras are pretty insane. Our phones have 512gb storage in ours but the 256gb in this one is heaps. We have sourced this one which is approx $500 less than we paid for ours.

Canon 800d – https://ebay.to/2XQYnsk – the latest DSLR Canon 24mp camera, buy here to save.

Lenses

Canon 50mm lens – https://ebay.to/2yQwPed  This is the lens I use the least, ideal for still, close up shots.
Canon 24-105mm lens – https://ebay.to/3eCueUo This is my all round, everyday use, zoom lens. Amazing quality, great price.
Canon 70-300mm lens – https://ebay.to/2XlOZ0I – I use this one a lot for long range shots.
Sigma 10-20mm lens – https://ebay.to/2TWt0vA  – My wide angle lens for all my inside photos & video plus lots more, love this lens.

Our Go Pro 7 Hero Black – https://ebay.to/38wMc7V  –  is an awesome piece of equipment. I use this for all underwater, action video and some general use. Buy here brand new and great value.

Mavic Pro Platinum Drone – https://ebay.to/2ARPxTo  This is an absolute ripper of a drone. The Fly More Combo will provide you with everything you will need. I use this for all my aerial footage and this price is well below other retail stores.

_______________________________________________________________________

Follow us, Subscribe, Like, Share, and Comment on our website and social media here:-

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indefiniteleave/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indefinite_leave/

Website: https://indefiniteleave.com.au/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/indefiniteleave

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/indefiniteleave/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/indefiniteleav3

______________________________________________________________________

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through a link on this page we may receive a small commission. It will not cost you any more, in fact we’ve sourced out some great deals for you. Thank you for supporting us.