Welcome to the Digital Swaggie Website
Exploring Australia – An inside perspective of the Outback is for people who are adventurers and who want to explore beyond the tourist trail. This site is also for those people that want to explore Australia but want more than just the main highway. If you have ever wondered about the real Australia and wanted to get off the beaten track, then this site is for you.
Australia is such a large and diverse country, that it is often depicted as a single culture. I hope to dispel this myth and provide stories of real places and people.
This website will continually to grow over time and will feature the whole country. Initially, I start with my home state of Queensland. There is so much about Queensland that defines the unique Australian culture. Much of my early travel has been by adventure motorcycle, but realistically, it doesn’t matter what you drive or ride.
Why “Digital Swaggie”?
If you’ve never come across the term ‘Swaggie’ or ‘Swagman’ before, then read on. Swaggie is the abbreviation for the term Swagman. The term Swag comes from an English expression to gather all your possessions in a roll of fabric and take them with you.
Many of the early Australian’s were tourists from England, on a lifetime holiday care of the British Government. The term came from there, although at the time I’m not sure that these particular tourists were only gathering their own possessions. Still, the term stuck and the process of rolling your (and other people’s) stuff in a bit of canvas became synonymous with the itinerant wanderers. These wanderers, went from station (farm) to station looking for work in a free and unencumbered lifestyle.
Life of a Swaggie
When the day waned and night was upon them, they would simply roll out their Swag (canvas bedroll) and drift off to sleep near the fire. The next day they would throw the billy on the fire and boil water for their billy tea. Then roll up their swag and move on. The Digital Swaggie is the modern incarnation of this concept. Free to travel Australia and New Zealand, free from the shackles of society, and free to bring the stories of the real Australia to you.
What’s on the site?
The purpose of the site is to encourage you to come down under and have an adventure. Do not be afraid of the poisonous animals and dangerous lizards (we have anti venom for that, you just have to get to a hospital, which we don’t have many of). The biggest threat to your safety is the long distance travel. When you are here, read my books, stop often and appreciate the beauty of the land. Be an adventurer who sees the real Australia, and not just the tourist sites. I want to promote our country to the world. To help you, I have put together a series of guides, travel books and stories. There is information on dangerous animals, dangerous places and things to do, and those that maybe you shouldn’t do.
So enjoy Exploring Australia – An inside perspective of the Outback, I hope you like my perspective on our country and the stories from the road. If you do, then consider buying my books, and merchandise and help me spread the word. “Australia is an awesome place for an adventure”. Don’t forget to leave a comment and sign up for my newsletter. If I don’t hear from you, have a great time in Australia.