Workfree Wandering

Mid‑March arrived and we kicked off our nine months of leave (at half pay). By Day One we were already in Port Macquarie picking up the X30 and starting the dream. But by Day Three, on the drive back to Brisso for a couple of shakedown trips, life shifted. Shell’s dad had moved into the final stage of his incredible life. Everything paused and refocused, even as we still held onto the bigger journey ahead. I’ve always been a realist about this stage of life — the mix of sad and wonderful news is simply part of the season we’re in.

For nearly 38 years, Evans hasn’t just been a place we visited — it’s been part of our life. Most weekends were spent down at Wendy and Kev’s 11‑acre property, helping out where we could and soaking up the quiet surf culture that shaped so much of our rhythm as a couple and as a family. Over the last four or five years, as Kev and Wendy needed more support, Shell and I naturally became the regular helpers — but Shell’s siblings have absolutely stood up too, especially over the last couple of years and months, with regular trips from Newcastle, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. So when Kev reached the final stage of his amazing life, it felt right that our first shakedown with Wiz happened there. It gave us space to test the camper, but more importantly, it gave the family space to be together and celebrate a man who meant so much to all of us.

So our first shakedown wasn’t a beach or a national park — it was Wendy’s place in Evans. It still let us test the off‑grid setup with Wiz (our new nickname for the Ultimate X30 — everyone else calls theirs an Ulti, but we’re trying something different… for now 😄), tweak a few things, and most importantly, be close to Shell’s family as they honoured Kev.

For the first four days with Wiz, I had the camper at home (Shell down south with the family), set up in the backyard and me sharing a glass of Shiraz or two each night, trying to summon my supposed great tweaking skills. No inspiration struck. So instead, I started filling spaces, working out how two humans pack up their life and live across multiple seasons in a 4WD and camper trailer. Once I’d loaded the essentials we’d put aside, I headed down to Evans to be with Shell and the family for the week leading into the middle of the Easter school holidays. The nose cone storage on Wiz is huge — until you put in chairs, table, Weber Q and all the other “non‑negotiables”. Suddenly it was: OMG… do we actually have enough space.

The next big question was whether Wiz could stand alone without shore power. From Day Two of pickup, I kept it unplugged — only connecting for an hour or two to test things. Nearly three weeks later, with constant showers and barely half a day of sunlight at a time, the 250W fold‑out solar blanket absolutely excelled. The only upgrade needed was a 12‑metre extension lead so I could chase the elusive sun — the 5m supplied was a joke. In three weeks we never dropped below 70% battery. Even with the smaller 270Ah battery (instead of the 304Ah), we could easily run a week with no sun. That’s a massive confidence boost.

After a quick four‑day reset back home, we returned to Evans with more gear and a clearer idea of what needed tweaking. Rain had made the steps slippery, and we’d been talking with Darren from MidCoast about a tent extension for Wiz (he told us to get it from the start… he was right 😄). But this isn’t our first rodeo. Back with the Olympic, we’d had a one‑metre awning made and Shell had sewn calico sides for privacy. Ultimate sells shade‑cloth sides, but this was our first chance to let the Miller creativity loose again. Cheaper, smarter, quicker — and yes, we never learn.

Before diving into calico, we knocked out a few quick mods:
– Added D‑clips in the nose cone for okky‑strap tie‑downs
– Added anchor points on the roof racks to create a clothesline using three of the twenty okkies I bought
– Mounted a drawer handle inside the storage compartment to hang clothes

Small things, but they make life easier.

Back down to Evans again — more gear, more learning, more “where the hell does this go”. Wiz has more storage than we realised… and less storage than we hoped. A good wake‑up call. We had a rough design for the calico sides, so we popped into Lincraft on the way down for velcro, calico and all the good stuff. Shell smashed out two rectangular panels (1.9 × 2.4m) in two days. The difference they made was incredible — instant protection, privacy, and a whole new feel around Wiz. Next job: the corner connector. A bit trickier. Watch this space.

By the time we wrapped up that second stint in Evans, Wiz was finally starting to feel like ours. The first two calico sides were up (Shelly – you are amazing) and working better than expected, the hanging space in the nose cone was sorted, and the clothesline on the lid proved itself instantly. Three simple ideas, three quick wins — and suddenly the whole setup felt more liveable. The photos below show exactly where we landed.

Next up: the final calico piece — the corner connector — and Wiz’s first real‑life trial run on a proper trip, heading up to Agnes Waters to catch up with old friends and see how this little rolling home performs outside the comfort of Evans.