A change is as good as a holiday.
But for some city slickers, an annual trip to the tropics is not enough, and the pull to leave behind gridlocked traffic for pastoral paradise is too tempting to dismiss.
Whether it be to escape the hustle and bustle of metropolitan mania, or to turn one's life around, a northern migration has yet to dampen the spirits of travelling city dwellers.
Three former metro residents have shared why they chose to leave it all behind for a new life in the country.
A Change For The Better
Brisbane-ite Corey Egan, 29, had spent his whole life in and around Queensland's capital, and was living on the outskirts of the city when he knew he needed a change.
"At the beginning of this year, I had a six-year relationship break down and I was starting to get into things I shouldn't," he said.
"A couple of people I used to work with, one of them suggested (moving up north) and I didn't think much of it. I said I'd give it a go, and I had a (butcher) trade to fall back on if it didn't work out."
Mr Egan began his ringer life on a station 1.5 hrs north of Hughenden, followed by a cattle station at Mckinlay, and a south-Hughenden station at Mount Surprise.
"At the start, the biggest challenge was learning how to do fencing properly. You can go from any different station and as long as you can fence pretty good, they'll put you on," he said.
"It wasn't easy by any means, but you sort of try to get thrown in the deep end with some things, and you learn on the fly.
"Every station is obviously run differently and does things differently to other places. The station...everything was mustered with the helicopter and horse, and then the last couple have all been buggies, motorbikes, quad bikes.
"(I enjoy) the challenge of learning something - going from having no idea about it to just getting better with things you get shown and the challenge of learning more and trying to be better."
One of the biggest draw cards for Mr Egan was the people - the spirit of rural communities that welcomed him into the fold like family.
"You meet a lot of different people, especially on station. People come from all walks of life," he said.
"The people out west - it's a different type of people from what you get in bigger cities.
"Everyone is just so friendly. You can be in town at the shop and not even know someone and someone says 'g'day' to you."
While Mr Egan plans to move south in the future, he wants to stay rural.
"It's just a whole different lifestyle. It's changed me for the better," he said.
"You work so hard during the day and have a couple of beers after work, have a chat, and become friends with a lot of people.
"You have to learn how to figure things out on your own and you get pretty good at problem solving on the fly.
"You don't really think about a lot of things when you're doing manual labour, you don't have the chance to. It's good because you're outside, not confined to four walls and a desk."
Bringing Out Your Full Potential
Twenty-three year old beautician Britney Wightman spent her schooling days in Yeppoon before moving to the Gold Coast to complete a Certificate IV in dance - providing her with the skills to become a professional dancer and a teacher.
"Then after that, I found within myself that the door was closing...and I needed to go down another passion which was the beauty world...I decided I wanted to be a makeup artist," she said.
Ms Wightman began working at Rockhampton's Napoleon Perdis store, stepping into a managerial position before transitioning to the manager role in Chermside, Brisbane.
"I wanted to do more...I wanted to push myself to my fullest potential...I wanted further skills and whatnot," she said.
Ms Wightman made the move back to Yeppoon, up-skilling her tool set with eyelash extensions, spray tans, and more.
"I came to the realisation that I wanted to run my own business," she said.
While her ambitions had kept a light burning at the end of the tunnel, Ms Wightman felt stagnant.
"I hit a bit of a low point in my life. I was struggling and contemplating all these options and I was scared to take that jump," she said.
But a conversation with her partner's mother piqued her interest in a Tree Change out west.
"She brought up the opportunity. She said a hairdresser in Blackall had a vacant position for a beauty therapist. I sat on it for a week or two and then I thought 'what do I have to lose?'," Ms Wightman said.
"I made the jump...on a short-term basis with no plan in mind...(but after) two weeks, I thought 'I could make something of myself here'."
She went home, packed up everything she owned, and made a plan with her partner for him to relocate.
She launched her beauty business, The Look by Britney, on November 24 2021, and in the new year of 2022, she was approached by a dance organisation, Red Ridge Interior Qld, to become Blackall's new dance teacher.
"(Through my beauty business) I service Blackall and Tambo, and with my dancing business (Bush Beats), I service four towns; Blackall, Isisford, Barcaldine, and Tambo," she said.
"I always had an intention...that I would be in the country. I love the lifestyle here, it's calm, community-orientated, everyone is tight-knit, and you can walk down the street and every person you pass says 'hello'.
"When I opened my business, there was hesitancy, but all I received was people flocking in, appreciative to have these services here."
For Ms Wightman, the move and the community she gained was all the more poignant for her.
"My parents split early on, so there was that void that I didn't have in my childhood, so coming out here with the community and people being so close, it filled that void in myself and humbled (me)," she said.
"If you have the opportunity and it does scare you, jump full on into it. You will be surprised and shocked at how well you will adapt...and those opportunities in life are what bring out our full potential.
"You can always go back to the cities and experience that type of lifestyle again...shopping, cinemas, going out to eat...it makes you appreciate all those things.
"If you're potentially wanting to grow a family, or set yourself up for bigger things in life, the country is definitely the place to be."
You Only Live Once
Debbie Bowd had spent her whole life in Melbourne, and with a divorce, and her daughters grown and out of the nest, the big '50' on her calendar had left her with two options.
"I was either going to have a really big 50th or a Tree Change," she said.
"I was sort of in a rut in my life...and I just wanted the madness to stop, the traffic, the rush, the every day chaos of life.
"I didn't even know those opportunities existed...It was the most liberating thing I've ever done."
A post on Facebook changed everything for Ms Bowd, who received an offer to work as a station cook at Canobie cattle station in the Gulf.
"For the last three years, I've worked in the Indigenous community on the Tanami Desert, and I've just reached paradise, living in a rain forest," she said.
"I'm the accommodation manager at the Greenhoose. It's stunning; 19 rooms, boutique accommodation, in the middle of the rain forest...7km out of Lockhart in the Cape."
Flying from Melbourne to Brisbane to Mt Isa, then sitting in a tiny, two-seater plane for 45 minutes into "the middle of nowhere", Ms Bowd was nervous.
"It was pretty daunting, rocking up at a cattle station with 20 young ringers and you're 49 and the nearest town is five hours away at Mt Isa," she said.
"Then I drove from Melbourne to the Northern Territory for 4500km. It was pretty scary on my own, and it was the first time I've ever slept in a swag by a river.
"It just gives you tremendous strength and independence."
Ms Bowd said the change had not only challenged her, but has also helped heal wounds that she had long endured.
"I suffered from depression for 25 years since I had a radical hysterectomy," she said.
"My soul is soothed when I'm surrounded by nature. I've got a beach 10 minutes from here...you're so positive because you're in such a beautiful environment.
"I just drove 3200km from Katherine six weeks ago to this job. I can't see myself leaving any time soon. It's absolutely incredible."
And it's true what they say; country folk really are "very kind" and always "lend a hand", according to Ms Bowd.
"Everyone waves and says 'hello. You can stand on a train platform in Melbourne with 300 people and not one person smiles at you. It's a different lifestyle," she said.
While Ms Bowd visits and Facetimes her family and her two grandchildren, she has no regrets about leaving the city she lived in her whole life, behind her.
"You've just got to be courageous. I was so scared, I was absolutely terrified, but I've got this great saying; 'if you can't run, walk, if you can't walk, crawl, but whatever you do, don't stop moving - put one foot in front of the other'," she said.
"There's so many women in particular now that are in a rut and don't know what to do. I've made so many friends...saying 'I'm going to take control of my life'.
"I've been single 20 years and I just love it. I can do what I want, when I want. You have so many adventures.
"I lost my mum last year and every time I wanted to go back and see her she said 'do what you love, you've got to live your life...you only live once'."
