Feature: Project Physio

Clare and David (@project.physio) have given a whole new meaning to "taking your work on the road." Not only have they transformed their profession (they're both physiotherapists) into a mobile model, they've turned a bus into a house and the road into a home to make their entire life together a mobile one. As they tell you below, many people need physiotherapy but never get an opportunity to visit a physiotherapist. So, they're bringing physiotherapy directly to the patient. Learn more about them as you read on and be sure to give them a follow on Instagram!

Where are you right now, where were you before and where are you going next? 

We are currently based on the beautiful Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. We just had a couple weeks off to explore the nearby national park before we start our next stint of work! We are excited to be working alongside a range of local healthcare professionals to bring our services to the community.

We have been on the road, living in our tiny home for 5 months now. So far we have explored part of south east QLD, and the coastline of NSW and VIC. We plan on doing a full lap (or 2) of the country, whilst bringing physiotherapy to different communities across Australia. 

Tell us about yourself. Why’d you choose your lifestyle? How long have you been at it? Any plans for the near future? Distant future? 

We are Clare and David, from Sydney, NSW and Ocean Grove, Victoria. We embarked on our bus life journey in October 2020 after about a year of planning. Our company ‘Project Physio’ has been in the works for a couple of years now. We are both very passionate about our profession and are excited to be taking our skills on the road. We met whilst studying our Masters of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney, and since gained experience in different fields before starting our own business together. This lifestyle of relocating our home and work lives, as well as exploring new places fits well for us! We love the freedom of choosing when and where to work and how long we want to stay in one place. We both have always enjoyed camping, traveling, and living in different places. 

We have many goals for the next 12 months and we’re very excited to explore more of this beautiful country and see where our line of work takes us. Stay tuned.

Tell us about your rig. How long have you had it, how much distance have you put on it, how was the build process?

We have a 2007 Toyota Coaster. Originally used as a community bus, she had 21 seats when we first bought her back in December 2019. We bought her online after searching for over 6 months and decided to build our dream home on wheels without any real labour skills. We learnt a lot from online forums, watched endless amounts of YouTube videos, and gained a lot of tips from others in the van/bus life community. The entire process took about 12 months, as we were both juggling our jobs at the same time. We bought all our tools along the way and literally built the bus on the side of the road out the front of our rental. The neighbours always had their words of wisdom to share each weekend.

Once the bus was finished and re-registered as a motorhome with a functional kitchen, bathroom, and rooftop deck, we set off on the road to celebrate our hard work. To date we have travelled about 10,000km around Australia, with plenty more ahead of us. 

What product(s) of ours do you have onboard? How’s it working out for you? 

We installed the Sirocco II fan to our overhead kitchen shelf. When we are cooking, we can rotate the fan to help with increasing airflow over our stove and direct it towards our extractor fan. At nighttime, we can angle it towards our roof hatch to improve ventilation and cool us down on warm nights. The 360-degree angling is perfect for such a small space and it draws very little power from our solar panels. It is also extremely quiet which is a plus when you are sleeping below it! 

It’s a weird time for the world. How have you been affected personally or how has your lifestyle changed recently? 

We were both very lucky in that our line of work was not majorly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. More time spent at home facilitated a huge movement to physiotherapy and other healthcare professions being delivered online (telehealth) across the country. We now conduct online appointments on the road. This is a great way to continue care when we move on from a rural environment. 

We spent most of 2020 focusing on our bus build during lockdowns and restrictions, having such a huge project helped keep our minds busy during this difficult time. 

We found you through an online community you’re a part of and seem to be actively involved with. Are you finding more people are starting to live the way you are? 

The van/bus life community has been a great place to share ideas and support others throughout their builds/travels. Crossing paths with such a range of characters on the road makes it all worthwhile. 

You’re able to stay connected online even after you drive your separate ways which is great. Even just a friendly wave to a fellow traveler makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger. 

We definitely noticed a massive trend towards full time van/bus life during the end of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Australians are more eager to explore their own country, and more people can work remotely which gives them the freedom to lead this lifestyle.

There is a huge demand for healthcare services in rural and remote communities around Australia, and we hope that through our online platforms we can show other health professionals how rewarding this lifestyle can be.