Long Service Leave

One of the nice things about living and working in this former colony is the concept of Long Service Leave. Quite possible it is the greatest anachronism left in the world. The basis of the concept is the need for the former colonists to return home and visit the ‘olde country’. The tyranny of distance Australia suffers from, ensured this break was a long one. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the voyage between Australia and England stretched to four or five weeks. In order for the returning colonist to have a reasonable visit, it became tradition to allow for 12 weeks to complete the journey. The tradition has lasted into the modern day and now the 12 weeks extra leave is awarded after 10 years of service with a company. In February this year I reached that milestone with Qantas. After much discussion and map searching, we decided on a 12-week family holiday touring about half way around the continent. We will leave our home in Victoria in the middle of a long, cold winter and travel to the warmth of the far north of the country. From there we will head west and then south along the coast of Western Australia. We have no fixed schedule and only the barest of plans. We will be in Coral Bay on the first of October. Other than that, the dates and places we visit and stay are a mystery. Join us on the trip. I will post regular updates with photos and hopefully the occasional amusing anecdote. Along the way we will try to remember: It’s the journey, not the destination.