Young vantrepreneurs success: Hannah & Elyse story

Veteran campers, Hannah and Elyse, always dreamt of converting a van and in December 2020 Wander Out West Campervans was born. After less than 4 months on Camplify, the young vantrepreneurial couple have just listed their second van, with a 3rd in the woodwork! Read on to hear all about Hannah and Elyse's passion for camping, plus the secret behind their winning van conversions.

Tell us a little bit about your camping journey? Why did you decide to invest in your first?

Elyse & I have been adventurers since we got our licenses. My first car was a 99’ Landcruiser Troopcarrier. I converted it into a camper and used to travel along the coastline to find new dive spots every opportunity I had. Elyse’s journey was a little different, she had a yellow lancer which broke down along the NW highway on the way to Exmouth, she soon learnt her lesson and upgraded! She has lived and camped in some pretty incredible spots. She’s spent most of her time in the Northern Territory.

We lived together in Darwin for a while and spent time camping in some of the most amazing places. Since then we have camped all over WA, including sleeping in swags on the side of the road and as we got older (& got stable jobs with a half-decent wage) we decided to upgrade to a 76 Series Landcruiser with an automatic rooftop tent. As the years have passed us by, we now prefer to camp a little bit more luxuriously, hence the vans.

Tallulah, our Ford Transit was originally my Dad’s business van. I had always had the dream to convert it once the business retired. Dad was in love with the van and didn’t want to sell it due to personal attachment so we decided to chase our dreams and start the conversion.

Is it usually just the two of you when you travel?

Elyse and I usually travel together along with our two beautiful kelpies – Knight and Benji. We have a lot of friends dotted around WA so we always make sure to pop in and see them along the way!

Why did you decide to begin your hiring journey with Camplify and how’s it going?

Originally we dismissed the idea of hiring it out due to concerns of our ‘baby’ being damaged. A friend of ours suggested the idea of Camplify and the rest is history!

We loved how easy it was to jump on board and start sharing our pride and joy with others. Knowing that Camplify includes insurance and road side assist for anyone hiring our van puts our mind at ease knowing we are covered if anything was to go wrong. Camplify is an excellent company to partner with. We love the support they give to owners.

What do you get up to when not hiring out your van?

Elyse and I both work full time. Elyse is a Community Advisor and I am a Geologist. Before work we are up early walking our kelpies. They need it!

We are almost always strapped for time and have extremely hectic schedules however, we love all of the people we get to meet through this experience and hear about the adventures they get up to! We recently bought a house too and spend our ‘free’ time on renovations.

How is your van hiring business helping to support you financially?

The income we were making when we first started out with the one van, Tallulah, was mostly put towards supplementing our lifestyle. We were able to dine out more often (we love our food and wine!) and put some money aside for future holidays. On top of this, hiring out Tallulah also helped us purchase and convert our second van – A Volkswagen Crafter called Florence who has just hit the road on the 26th of March.

With two vans already listed on Camplify, what are your hiring plans moving forward?

Our future plans are to continue growing our business and keep spreading the word on how good # vanlife really is! We recently purchased a third van - A Mercedes Sprinter called Margie. We are planning to start her conversion towards the end of April/start of March, so hopefully you’ll see her on the road by the end of the year!

Why do you think your vans are proving so popular?

Elyse and I often chat about this. Our vans are easy - you jump in, you have everything you need and you’re ready to hit the road for your holiday/adventure. We try to make travelling as easy as possible for people so we make sure our vans are kitted out with absolutely everything you need. The only thing we want our hirers to pack is their clothes.

Campervan or caravan holiday? And why?

100% Campervan. They can do everything a caravan can without the need to consider towing requirements and speed restrictions.

We love how we have the option to go on last-minute holidays or a sneaky weekender whenever we want. They are literally tiny homes on wheels. We also love how we can take our fur-children with us. Usually, when you book a hotel you don’t have the option to take them with you. It’s amazing to be able to let them enjoy the adventure as well!

We also think that this year the # vanlife movement has really kicked off here in WA due to border restrictions and the global pandemic. A lot of West Australians have been exploring their own backyard as opposed to travelling overseas and interstate.

You can’t beat local knowledge - what are the top 3 campsites to visit near you?

1. Yallingup – wine and beaches. What’s better!

2. Collie – this place is a hidden gem. There are so many amazing walking spots and places to swim.

3. Margaret River – some of the best food and wine in the state. Plus its super dog friendly.

We’re locked in Australia for a little longer, where’s next on your travel bucket list?

Elyse and I are keen to head to Broome. We usually go every couple of years and it’s the perfect place to go when it’s winter in Perth.

Any advice for first-time campers?

Enjoy the fresh air, the freedom and the people you meet along the journey.

Top 3 essential road trip packing items

A bottle of red wine for those cold cosy nights, UE-Boom for tunes and a camera to capture the awesome moments along the way.

What song is top of your road trip playlist?

Beautiful Day – U2

Want to see more of Wander Out West Campervans?

If hearing about Hannah and Elyse's vans has given you some serious # vanlife envy, check out their Instagram @wanderoutwest_campervans. Want to try out the real thing? Both Tallulah and Florence are available for hire on Camplify!