Grey Nomads of Australia's Anti-Ageing Advice: Hit the Road

Grey Nomads of Australia's Anti-Ageing Advice: Hit the Road

Jun 20, 2010 Vicki Sly

This stress-free nomadic lifestyle is what many attribute to staying fit and active, especially in Australia.

What is a Grey Nomad?

According to the Macquarie Dictionary Fifth Edition, a grey nomad is an Australian colloquial term for “an older person, often retired from full-time work, who travels around the country, living in a caravan of motorhome”.

The role that they play on the highways of Australia was once reserved for the hippies and backpackers, but they now travel side-by-side in their bid to explore the country.

Australian Country Towns Rely on Grey Nomads

When the weather grows cold in the southern parts of Australia each year, the grey nomads head north to follow the sun.

For these country towns in the north, it is a case of welcoming them with open arms as the benefits they bring in terms of money and business for the local economies are huge.

But it is not only the tourism and service industries that gain from the influx. Grey nomads bring a wealth of experience, a lifetime of skills and a sense of responsibility.

Their services are sought for skilled labour, seasonal work, house-sitting, farm stays and voluntary work. Many websites are now dedicated specifically to grey nomad unemployment opportunities.

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Spending the Kids Inheritance Now (SKIN)

A new colloquial term that has been coined by the grey nomads of Australia is SKIN – Spending the Kids Inheritance Now – and indeed many cars and caravans sport stickers indicating that that is exactly what they are doing.

For many, a lifetime of working hard to invest in the family home and pay off the mortgage is no longer the only option. Selling up the family home to buy a caravan or motorhome and live the dream is becoming a more frequent sight.

Rite of Passage

One of the goals of many Australian travellers, including grey nomads, is the “big lap” – travelling the full circle around Australia. This is no small feat in a country where taking the short cut means approximately 20,000 km.

There are also some famous iconic drives to encompass on the way. No lap is complete without the quintessential Australian experience of crossing the Nullarbor Plain – the 1200 km stretch of semi-arid land between Norseman in West Australia and Ceduna in South Australia.

Other great challenging drives include the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley, the Savannah Way across the northern stretch of Australia and the infamous Great Ocean Road along the coast of Victoria.

Different Kinds of Grey Nomads

There are many different kinds of grey nomads travelling the highways and outback tracks of Australia: those that are travelling indefinitely, those taking a short trip and those returning to the same location each year. Either way they are all enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle.

Some Great Grey Nomad Resources

There are many wonderful resources available for those contemplating hitting the road. Numerous magazines, websites and books have been written which are solely dedicated to the grey nomads.

Some worth checking out include:

• Thegreynomads.com.au
• Greynomadaustralia.com.au
• Greynomad.com
• Greynomadsemployment.com
• The Grey Nomad’s Guidebook by Cindy and Jeremy Gough (Pan Macmillan Australia, 2009, ISBN: 9780330424929.)

Copyright Vicki Sly. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

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