Meet our team of travel-loving travel agents, each with their own backpacking experiences to share!
Kayleigh
Growing up in the UK, I knew I was ready for a change after I completed my degree, and that change needed to include sun, salt and sand. So, quite literally on my final day of uni in 2013, I booked a one-way ticket to Australia for a working holiday!
I spent months working and exploring some of the most beautiful natural destinations I’d ever seen, like the vast orange Kimberlies, the rolling West Coast and sunburnt Uluru, and of course… I embarked on an East Coast trip! K’gari, Cairns and Airlie Beach found places in my heart, and I have returned to each many times over. I explored rainforests, 4WD down beaches, sailed the Whitsundays, dove to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, met new mates along the way, and found work in the travel industry… an absolute dream for an adventurer like myself.
After this, I decided to make Australia my home, which it has been for the last decade! During this time, I also backpacked across New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam and Europe, deepening my love for adventure, travel and my nomadic lifestyle. Through it all, I can admit I’ve spent a lot of time in hostels, hotels, boats, buses, trains and planes; some great and some terrible. So, I know what it means to have a seamless, tried-and-tested itinerary rather than an “are we there yet” trip.
More than anything, I just love that I get to help like-minded people chase that feeling of wanderlust for a living, connecting travellers with their dream experiences and using everything I’ve learned through 10 years of experience as a travel agent!
Maurice
Before I came to Australia in 2014 from Germany, I’d never really done any huge trips other than the odd holiday within Europe here and there. However, I took a year off my banking job for a 6-month trip Down Under and it essentially changed my whole life perspective! I visited Perth, Uluru, Byron Bay, the Whitsundays, K’gari and Cairns, falling in love with the incredible experiences and people I met along the way.
I found a job in travel in Cairns, where I spent my free time discovering the Great Barrier Reef, completing my dive certs and venturing to the amazing creeks and falls of Atherton Tablelands with my Aussie housemate.
After doing a road trip to Sydney and down to the Great Ocean Road, I realised I absolutely couldn’t go back to Germany and leave this beautiful life I’d experienced behind! So, I decided to stay, found some farmwork quick-smart and dug into that for 3 months. While hard, it was totally worth it, as afterwards, I returned to Cairns where I returned to work in backpacker travel, got sponsored and lived in tropical paradise! I met my now-wife, and through the years we have scuba-dove and backpacked our way down the coast, living in Brisbane, Noosa and Melbourne.
My absolute favourite moments have been under the water: swimming alongside sea turtles, night diving with sharks, spending days in the middle of remote-reef corners and being blown away by natural wonders I thought could only be glimpsed in David Attenborough docos. Now settled with my family in Airlie Beach, I’m so grateful that my job is to connect travellers with the magic and marvels of Australia that I fell in love with as a backpacker myself… it’s the dream!
India
At 18, I took a leap of faith and left the UK to travel the world—and it's been the best decision of my life! Nearly 8 years later, I’m still chasing that adventure, and I haven’t looked back. I’ve lived, worked, and traveled all over Asia, with Thailand being my home for almost 3 amazing years! Now, I’m living in Australia and have been lucky enough to explore the East Coast three times—solo, with friends, and with family—so trust me, I know how to craft the ultimate trip of a lifetime!
What I love most about traveling is the freedom and the unexpected moments that come with it. It's the thrill of getting lost in a new place, and experiencing new cultures, stepping out of your comfort zone. I cherish those times when you’re completely off the grid and you end up stumbling upon something incredible—whether it’s a secluded beach, a charming café, or a spontaneous adventure with strangers who soon feel like friends that you have known your whole life. It’s the real, unplanned experiences that make travel so exciting for me.
Traveling has shaped who I am, and now I get to help others create their own unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re after adventure, relaxation, or something in between, I’m here to make sure your journey is everything you’ve dreamed of and more!
Taylor
Originally from Florida, I studied marine biology at the University of South Florida, dreaming of a life spent on (and under) the ocean. After graduating, I traveled to the Philippines for research projects, but what I found was something much bigger than just marine life—I fell in love with exploring new cultures, meeting like-minded adventurers, and embracing the unexpected.
Enter Australia. What was supposed to be a two-year working holiday turned into six years (and counting!), with a sponsorship that now allows me to call this incredible country home. What started as a side job in a Whitsundays travel shop quickly became a passion, and before I knew it, I was managing our Cairns store and crafting unforgettable itineraries for backpackers and families alike.
Now, as part of our East Coast Tours team, I get to combine my love for adventure, storytelling, and travel planning every day—helping others experience the magic of Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. Whether it’s island-hopping in the Whitsundays, road-tripping through the Outback, or chasing waterfalls in the rainforest, I love creating dream trips that turn into lifelong memories.
Grace
After finishing uni, I realized there had to be more to life than just working a 9-to-5. So, I packed my bags and booked a trip to Indonesia to volunteer with turtles—and let’s just say, it changed everything! I fell head over heels for the ocean, travel, and immersing myself in new cultures. Then I explored Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and ended up in Australia—where that one-way ticket turned into a whole new chapter of my life.
I spent two years in Western Australia, working on vineyards, horse training, and even becoming a quad bike instructor (talk about variety!). Then, during the pandemic, I packed up my 4x4 and set off on an adventure north, camping along the entire west coast, fishing, spearfishing, and snorkelling my way to Darwin.
After working in a remote resort in the Northern Territory, I kept my Aussie lap going and found myself in Airlie Beach. I had no idea this small town would steal my heart and become home for the next four years! I spent my days sharing my ocean obsession on overnight boat trips as a deckhand and host and eventually got the incredible opportunity to move to Cairns.
Six years later, I can't imagine living anywhere else. Australia has given me so much, and I absolutely love sharing my experiences and knowledge with others.
