Kevin Fields went bush to find the meaning of life, leaving behind the adrenalin and action of the Melbourne Stock Exchange.
Forty years later, he’s not sure he’s found the Holy Grail, but he did find his future wife, Maureen – an old Melbourne sweetheart as it turns out – in the aisle of an Alice Springs supermarket.
Regional Australia is full of surprises.
The Fields found their heartland in Cairns and a way to create meaningful travel experiences for tourists who need a helping hand to experience the wonders of tropical North Queensland.
They’ve combined their respective expertise in tourism and nursing to create ‘Out There Travel Care’, a personal care service catering to tourists with mobility and health issues. As parents of a disabled daughter, this venture is close to their hearts.
“It’s a completely new service offering one-to-one care – anything from help with personal hygiene and grocery shopping to ironing and outings, whether it’s a day on the Great Barrier Reef or lunch at the Cairns Aquarium,” Kevin says.
“Launching a business in a regional community, people get behind you and you can draw on a great network of connections,” he says.
And who knows? By helping to create a memorable holiday for tourists, some may just decide to stay.
That’s what happened to Kevin and Maureen, who fell in love with “the unbelievably beautiful surroundings” while on holiday and made the move a few months later.
“I will have my ashes spread all over the creek bed beside my house, and I will be washed out to Green Island and Fitzroy Island before you even know it. I am not moving from this place. I love it. This is it for me,” Kevin says.
