Couple who converted their car into a ‘home on wheels’ are planning to complete a loop of Australia

A young couple who converted their 1999 Toyota LandCruiser Prado into their dream ‘home on wheels’ are now planning to complete a full loop around Australia.

Bailee and Jesse, 21 and 29, originally from Victoria, have always enjoyed travelling but it wasn’t until living in Noosa that they were inspired to take to the road.

‘All we had was a mattress in our car, a small cooker, our surfboards, no power, no awnings, no internet and we loved it,’ Bailee told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Something about being in nature, away from business, surfing and exploring is incredible.’

Earlier this year, the pair decided to move back to Victoria to begin working on their car-to-home conversion.

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Bailee (left) and Jesse (right) Jesse (right) originally from Victoria, have always enjoyed travelling but it wasn’t until living in Noosa that they were inspired to attempt living on the road

BEFORE: The conversion took three months of planning and getting the products to ensure the small space was being used in the best way possible

AFTER: The car is now decked out with a small fridge, cooktop, sink, lights, a bed, drawers, dual battery system, inverter and curtains

The cooktop is hidden in the drawers beneath the bed, which is all made from plywood

The conversion took three months of planning to ensure the small space was being used in the best way possible. 

Bailee, a uni student studying social work, said the conversion took only six weeks to complete between April and May 2021 for an approximate cost of $10,850 due to high-quality materials used.

The couple cleaned out the car, removed all rust and unnecessary metal, soundproofed it, sealed all the gaps, measured and cut plywood, sanded and waterproofed the plywood, attached the wood to the car and built drawers.

They also installed a fridge, cooktop, sink, lights, a bed, drawers, dual battery system, inverter and made the curtains themselves. The car doesn’t have any bathroom facilities.   

Bailee said the conversion took a total of six weeks to complete between April and May 2021 for an approximate cost of $10,850 due to high-quality materials used

‘We have no time limits on how long we are travelling for but we presume at least one year. We are open to the idea of it taking six months to five years, whatever happens really!’ Bailee said 

‘We plan to do a full lap of Australia, sticking as close to the coast as possible and starting with the east coast first,’ Bailee said.

‘We have no time limit on how long we are travelling for but we presume at least one year. We are open to the idea of it taking six months to five years, whatever happens really!’ 

Bailee said in regards to earning money, the pair will work if necessary but also have a motorcycle apparel business, Morton Custom Motors Apparel, on the side of their full-time commitments.

Bailee said in regards to earning money, the pair will work if necessary but also have a motorcycle apparel business on the side of their full-time commitments

The couple are most excited about visiting Western Australia, South Australia and hidden beaches around the country that few people may know about.

‘We’re super keen to surf as much as possible, do lots of hiking, explore hidden gems and meet like-minded people. We are also excited to have the time to cook delicious creative meals while on the road,’ Bailee said.  

Despite completing the fun DIY project in short amount of time, the couple’s plan to start trekking around the country have been put on hold due to Victoria’s fourth Covid-19 lockdown.

‘We decided rather than rushing to cross the borders, we would go home and use the lockdown to improve our build,’ Bailee said.

‘In our first week we have realised that the height of our bed is too high which does not give us enough room to be comfortable for an extended period of time.’

Creating enough room to lay comfortably on the bed will be one small improvement the pair are striving to fix by cutting down the plywood underneath.

The side of the car (pictured) also has further storage space for additional supplies and materials

The pair hope they can inspire other Australians to venture out and explore parts of the country they haven’t visited, particularly since overseas remains unreachable due to Covid-19.  

‘If you have been thinking about travelling around Australia in a motorhome and you have the ability to, just do it! Now is such a perfect time to explore our own country,’ they said. 

Bailee and Jesse, a landscaper, have shared their story with thousands on TikTok and Instagram by posting videos of their car-to-home conversion.