So yesterday I binge watched some old school Malcom Douglas. And it got me thinking. Would it still be possible to live completely off grid in Australia? I'm talking completely off the land. Shelter, water, food.

Me personally. I would probably piss off up to the Kimberly. Endless supply of fish. Wet season for all your watery needs. Just need some sort of shelter that is high and dry. (obviously not that simple).. I'd love to do a Wayne Lynch and piss of somewhere coastal but I reckon that would be near on impossible to do these days.

Whadda ya reckon? Where would you head?

Live with no seabreeze

You could do it .but l think the government with all there rules & regulations it wouldn't be approved these day. Alby Mangles survived in the kimberleys living of the land for 5 years many years ago.

Yeah. I wouldn't even bother trying to get approval. I imagine it would be almost impossible.

It's so vast out there. Surely you could find a nice little spot for a humpy.

If you ask you'll just draw attention to yourself. Plead ignorance and move camp

Living down southern wa and camping almost every weekend, this is talked about over beers a lot.Generally, we refer to it as the " zombie apocalypse". Having to abandon modern society, and hit the sticks and bunker down.Definitely do-able down here, though could be made a hell of a lot better if you could bring some modern stuff. Gazebo and walls and a heap of ropes, tarps for a solid waterproof shelter. Adequate fishing tackle and lures. A swag. Collect water off tarps. Fish and roo/rabbits for food. Start growing your own vegies if we are talking long term.In a perfect world, I'd be bailing with a 120 watt solar setup, more than enough to run led lighting for night, and more importantly a small 12volt fridge. Also can charge the mobile to check for weather forecasts, and also how bad the apocalypse has become. Butane gas cooker, and heaps of gas cartridges. matches. Lighters. First aid kit. Warm clothes and blankets. Anything extra to all the above would be pure luxury.

Fish caught is food. Once no longer edible, becomes bait, for more fish. Once past that stage, becomes burley again for more fish. Although we have toyed with the idea of "fish jerky", which should make it last longer.
Make tidal rock wall fish traps, add burley, that should also net some food.
We have found quite a few random rock ledges and beaches that have year round natural springs flowing from nearby limestone. So water, food and shelter. Reckon I could last many years like this, and survive quite comfortably. Worst thing down here would be the cold winters, but at least there is always plentiful water, which is going to be you number 1 priority where ever you intend to go.

just bought 5 acres on harvey estuary. seems to be abundant roos,rabbits .possums. bloody mullet jumping out of the water 60m from the end of the block. bore water is 2.5 m down so you cou;d bucket it from a well. plenty of room for veggies,and the neighbour is burdened with a herd of pigs( yum). apparently net night is wednesday,and they all use half length nets so they dont get too many fish.
Oh yeah there is a long sandbar just off MY beach that doesnt even have a ripple when the seabreeze crosses it

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R0CKH0PPER said..
Living down southern wa and camping almost every weekend, this is talked about over beers a lot.Generally, we refer to it as the " zombie apocalypse". Having to abandon modern society, and hit the sticks and bunker down.Definitely do-able down here, though could be made a hell of a lot better if you could bring some modern stuff. Gazebo and walls and a heap of ropes, tarps for a solid waterproof shelter. Adequate fishing tackle and lures. A swag. Collect water off tarps. Fish and roo/rabbits for food. Start growing your own vegies if we are talking long term.In a perfect world, I'd be bailing with a 120 watt solar setup, more than enough to run led lighting for night, and more importantly a small 12volt fridge. Also can charge the mobile to check for weather forecasts, and also how bad the apocalypse has become. Butane gas cooker, and heaps of gas cartridges. matches. Lighters. First aid kit. Warm clothes and blankets. Anything extra to all the above would be pure luxury.

Fish caught is food. Once no longer edible, becomes bait, for more fish. Once past that stage, becomes burley again for more fish. Although we have toyed with the idea of "fish jerky", which should make it last longer.
Make tidal rock wall fish traps, add burley, that should also net some food.
We have found quite a few random rock ledges and beaches that have year round natural springs flowing from nearby limestone. So water, food and shelter. Reckon I could last many years like this, and survive quite comfortably. Worst thing down here would be the cold winters, but at least there is always plentiful water, which is going to be you number 1 priority where ever you intend to go.

You forgot beer

I think we all want the 30 hectare block down south near waves with a 5 hectare dam full of Marron and seasonal trout....

a lot lot of us could get the loan but not many could pay it with the lack of work down there....

i just need need a man bun and to drink soy lattes than I can start a gofundme page.....

artistic soul wanting to fund a zen retreat (for myself) with like minded individuals ( schizophrenic and multiple personality disorder for me myself and i) to harvest the land and hug trees.....

but it in all seriousness when I was a kid Malcolm Douglas and Alby mangles were the men...
I could do it comfortably but that's what I say before a month stint up at the desert waves,,, by week three I'm thinking about electricity and running water and by week four sad to say I'm looking forward to my bed....modern life has made me such a pussy.......

when in I was 19-23 we would do two month stints up there and I loved it total lord of the flies scenario wouldn't shower for weeks and just wallow in my filth....if you did it every year you would make bear Grylls look like a city slicker, somewhere between having kids and getting a "real job "the dream died.... Epic for a week or two magic for three or so but by week four let me use a real fridge and have a shower and eat food out of a packet.....

Honestly I'd say in today's world it's impossible, I took my family off the radar on 2 occasions , I found either you worked to live or worked for money to live, there's no true way of being completely free, however best time of my life having f..k all and f..k all to worry about

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Razzonater said..

but it in all seriousness when I was a kid Malcolm Douglas and Alby mangles were the men...

When I was a kid - Malcom Douglas - cause he didn't need that shop bought bling camping gear,

Alby, he always had a ripper shiela with him

If the "off grid life" is impossible, is working a job you can sustain 40ish hrs a week, and living in a nice spot that inspires you enough?

It is for me.

Malcom Douglas. That guy is honestly my man crush. What an absolute legend. RIP.

Zombie apocalypse, world war. That's what I'm talking about. Disappearing into the bush. Living in some sort hut or cave. Foraging or hunting for food. Drinking your own piss

Something I found to be quite cool. Apparently the indigenous spent on average 5 hours a day collecting food. So I can just imagine how long a whitey city slicker would spend. Still I reckon finding one of those waterholes full of barra would set you up pretty dam well.

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eatyourgreens said..

Something I found to be quite cool. Apparently the indigenous spent on average 5 hours a day collecting food. So I can just imagine how long a whitey city slicker would spend. Still I reckon finding one of those waterholes full of barra would set you up pretty dam well.

Until you do the traditional white fella thing and catch and eat everything in the waterhole

This one one is a shameless alby mangles one but check out the chicks...... He did alright for himself

How far off the grid are you willing to go? And for how long? Would that include all modern science?
Something to consider ~

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Mastbender said..
How far off the grid are you willing to go? And for how long? Would that include all modern science?
Something to consider ~

Yeah, people forget this when they go on about our 'traditional diet' or paleo diets. Who wants to be an old man at 20?

One of my colleague's husband was feeding their dogs with a paleo diet as that is what they ate in the wild.. why? I am sure dogs didn't live that long in the wild.

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Razzonater said..

Cool vid, looks like 70s80s would of been the place to be for the simple life

How is living off that land any different to living in rural areas?

You are:

*Away from suburban areas

*Have access to beautiful natural scenery

*Access to rainwater

*Ability to grow your own food/livestock depending on your size of land

*Ability to roam wherever you like (providing your neighbouring farm owners are cool about that which mostly they are)

*Ability to not pay electricity or water and have a solar setup.

*Ability to grow your own dope plants without your neighbours peeking over the fence (if you're in to that thing (which SWIM isn't))

What is required of you though?

Only that you do some work in Agriculture (tractors, shearing, picking etc) or commute in to a local town or city 5 out of 7 days a week.

Always plenty of work on farms if you like that lifestyle. I find it takes a certain person who understands how NOT to get bored by lack of stimulation and just appreciate existing.

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R0CKH0PPER said..
Living down southern wa and camping almost every weekend, this is talked about over beers a lot.Generally, we refer to it as the " zombie apocalypse". Having to abandon modern society, and hit the sticks and bunker down.

My daughter and I have discussed our "zombie apocalypse" plan in detail. Similar to the ones mentioned i.e. going off the grid except we intend to steal a yacht and become pirates in the South Pacific.

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Last I heard [quite a few years ago] Alby Mangles was living in a cave someplace, and still had his chopper

I'm pretty certain everyone at Seabreeze would agree, that any respectable man cave needs a chopper parked out the front

Judy green was nearly killed by that lunatic mangles !

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cammd said..

R0CKH0PPER said..
Living down southern wa and camping almost every weekend, this is talked about over beers a lot.Generally, we refer to it as the " zombie apocalypse". Having to abandon modern society, and hit the sticks and bunker down.

My daughter and I have discussed our "zombie apocalypse" plan in detail. Similar to the ones mentioned i.e. going off the grid except we intend to steal a yacht and become pirates in the South Pacific.

If everyone were zombies then who would you pirate? Pretty sure zombies don't go boating bro :|

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Mastbender said..
How far off the grid are you willing to go? And for how long? Would that include all modern science?
Something to consider ~

As he was eaten by sabre tooth tiger

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SandS said..
Judy green was nearly killed by that lunatic mangles !

What? Did he mangle her?

Head straight to your nearest Aboriginal Community and ask to live with them.
Collect a pension every fortnight and never have to work again.
Take a dog with you as you get an extra $30 /week from the government to feed dog.

Catch a Plane from Australia to Bali. Throw away passport and all identification cards and documents. Pay some helpful people smugglers a few grand. Catch a boat back to Australia. Claim Refugee status. Get free shelter and food.

Makes it sound simple.

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Elroy Jetson said..
Catch a Plane from Australia to Bali. Throw away passport and all identification cards and documents. Pay some helpful people smugglers a few grand. Catch a boat back to Australia. Claim Refugee status. Get free shelter and food.

Then get in a riot, be a serious pain in the ass when in dentention and sue the Australian government for poor protection.