Thirteen years ago, we unlocked the door to a little shop in Numurkah, regional Victoria, full of excitement, nerves and probably a touch of naïve optimism.
We had big dreams. A clear vision. And absolutely no idea just how many people would tell us it was a terrible idea.
A gift store?
In a small country town?
In regional Victoria?
We heard it all.
“Country towns can’t support that style of shop.”
“You’ll struggle to compete.”
“Retail is too hard.”
“It won’t last.”
Looking back now, those conversations make us smile.
Because here we are.
Thirteen years later.
Stronger than ever.
Still proudly Australian owned.
Still operating from Numurkah.
Still packing orders every single day.
Still loving every minute of it.
And if there is one thing we have learnt in over a decade of business, it is this: never underestimate a regional community and never underestimate the power of backing Australian made.
Opening Adventure Awaits in regional Victoria was not a strategic corporate move. It was a leap of faith.
We believed country families deserved beautiful, practical gifts. We believed caravanners and travellers needed clever gear that actually worked. We believed that Australian made products should have a proud place on shelves.
Most of all, we believed customer service still mattered.
Numurkah might be a small town, but it is filled with heart. And we knew that if we could build something authentic, something useful, something genuinely helpful, people would respond.
They did.
Slowly at first, then steadily, then in ways we never imagined.
Over the past 13 years, we have served more than 200,000 customers across Australia.
That number still feels surreal.
From families heading off on their first road trip, to grey nomads doing the Big Lap, to teachers buying end of year gifts, to grandparents searching for something meaningful and Australian made, our little regional gift store has reached homes all over the country.
Every order packed in Numurkah.
Every parcel wheeled across to Australia Post, just over the road.
Every product chosen with intention.
We are not a warehouse.
We are not a faceless online store.
We are a small family team in regional Victoria who genuinely care about what arrives on your doorstep.
And that matters.
We know it matters because customers tell us all the time.
They ring to check if we are real.
They email to ask if we are truly in Australia.
They are relieved when a friendly voice answers the phone.
In this world of massive online retailers, being a real Australian owned business is something people value deeply.
From the very beginning, supporting Australian brands was never optional for us. It was essential.
Over the years, we have proudly stocked and supported hundreds of Aussie makers and small businesses. Families just like ours. People who took a risk. People who believed in their products. People who wanted to manufacture here, not overseas.
Being based in regional Victoria gives you a different perspective. You understand how important it is to keep money flowing through local communities. You see what it means when a small business thrives.
That is why Australian made is not just a marketing phrase for us. It is part of who we are.
Somewhere along the way, we did something else bold.
We created our own Australian made products.
And they have become some of the most loved travel essentials in Australia.
Our Kids Travel Journal started as a simple idea. We wanted a travel diary for kids that was beautifully made, practical, and printed right here in Australia.
It had to work for road trips, caravanning holidays, overseas adventures and even weekends at Grandma’s house.
Today, thousands of Australian families travel with a Kids Travel Journal in their bag. It has become a keepsake. A tradition. A memory keeper.
Our Map of Australia Stickers have become iconic within the travelling community.
Caravanners use them to track their journeys.
Families mark off states visited.
Vans proudly display their adventures.
They are tough, high quality, and Australian made to handle real travel conditions.
Seeing our Map of Australia Sticker on caravans from Queensland to Western Australia is something that never gets old.
Our Caravan and Camper Log Books are another long standing favourite.
They help travellers record campsites, fuel usage, maintenance and memories. For many grey nomads, this log book becomes a treasured record of years spent exploring Australia.
It is practical. It is useful. And it is proudly Australian made.
Then there is our Slide n’ Dry Pegless Clothesline.
Designed for travellers who were tired of tangled elastic lines and lost pegs, this clever product is made right here in Victoria.
Today, our pegless clotheslines are stocked in BCF stores across Australia.
For a small regional family business in Numurkah, that is something we are incredibly proud of.
From caravan parks to cruise ships, from camping trips to hotel balconies, Slide n’ Dry has become a trusted travel essential.
Over the past 13 years, Adventure Awaits has received numerous awards and recognition within retail and regional business.
Each one is special.
Not because of the trophy.
But because of what it represents.
Hard work.
Resilience.
Belief.
Community support.
We never set out to win awards. We set out to build something meaningful. The recognition has simply been a beautiful affirmation that small regional businesses can thrive.
One of the greatest surprises has been the support from Australia’s travelling community.
Caravanners.
Campers.
Grey nomads.
Families doing the Big Lap.
Our products travel thousands of kilometres each year. We see our Kids Travel Journals being filled in at remote campsites. We see our Map of Australia Stickers proudly displayed on vans. We see our Slide n’ Dry Clotheslines strung up under awnings.
Adventure Awaits has become part of the journey for so many families.
That is something we will never take for granted and thank our sister business - Caravanning with Kids for opening the door to this incredible community!
Those early voices telling us it would not last were not being cruel. They were being cautious.
Retail is hard.
Regional retail can be even harder.
Online competition is fierce.
But what they underestimated was heart.
They underestimated community.
They underestimated customer service.
They underestimated consistency.
They underestimated the power of Australian made.
Thirteen years later, we are still here because we stayed true to who we are.
We focused on practical gifts.
We focused on travel gear that works.
We focused on backing Aussie brands.
We focused on real service.
And our customers backed us in return.
Turning 13 feels significant.
We are no longer the “new shop in town.” We are part of Numurkah’s story now. Part of regional Victoria’s retail landscape. Part of thousands of family adventures.
Yet we still feel the same excitement when new stock arrives (which is every single day). The same pride when a parcel leaves the shop. The same gratitude when a customer tags us in their travel photos on social media.
We have grown.
We have evolved.
We have adapted.
We have survived challenges that no one could have predicted.
And we are still here.
Still Australian owned.
Still proudly regional.
Still packing orders with care.
Still creating Australian made products that families love.
If you have ever shopped with us, visited our store in Numurkah, purchased a Kids Travel Journal, stuck a Map of Australia Sticker on your van, filled in a Caravan Log Book, or hung washing on a Slide n’ Dry Pegless Clothesline, thank you.
You are part of our story.
You helped prove that a regional Victorian gift store could thrive.
You supported Australian made products.
You backed a small family business.
Thirteen years ago, some people said it would not last.
Today, we are celebrating 13 years of Adventure Awaits.
And honestly?
We feel like we are just getting started.
