If you’ve been thinking bigger than #vanlife, take this magic school bus for a spin instead. There might be a way to literally live and breathe the outdoors, and it comes in the form of ‘skoolies’. No, it’s not...
If you’ve been thinking bigger than #vanlife, take this magic school bus for a spin instead.
There might be a way to literally live and breathe the outdoors, and it comes in the form of ‘skoolies’. No, it’s not about teenagers sinking Cruisers in Surfers Paradise.
‘Skoolie’ is the name given to school buses that have been converted into off-grid living spaces – and boy, did we come across a doozy recently.
This 2000 Scania bus is located in Central Victoria and costs $160k – which is comparatively more attainable than the properties for sale currently. Plus, the wheels on this bus do in fact go ‘round and ‘round.
The 8-speed manual can be driven (it’s already done about 475,000km…), but I won’t go through all the mechanical details as I’m not qualified to speak about whatever an ‘L94 6-cylinder turbo diesel’ is. But if you are, you can find the nitty gritty in Cami’s Marketplace listing.
The general perks include:
Reverse cameras Hot water system Greywater system Roof racks Full electrical system, including solar panels Kitchen with gas stove, sink, and 326L fridge/freezer Air Conditioning Composting toilet Rain shower King-size bed Smart mirror (yes, it defogs AND has a Bluetooth speaker)For now, imagine the rest of these words in a delightful Shelley Craft tone as I take you on a tour of my top three favourite features.
1. Well, the Overall Design
In interior design jargon, this would probably classify as a ‘warm, rustic coastal-farmhouse’ aesthetic.
But really, I just like the timber. The warm, natural quality is incredibly appealing – but then paired with surrounding scenes of trees, grass, and sunshine, in spots of your choosing? Not much gets better than that.
2. The Brekkie Bar
This is pretty self-explanatory. I see a well-proportioned table under a big window, I’m happy. Specific, but true.
Whether you’re working, eating, or having your scheduled yearning time, the brekkie bar will be the soul of this skoolie.
Plus, the linear format of a bus means that you’re not far from kitchen amenities! This one even has a gas stove, the longtime favourite farmhouse sink, and a coffee machine. Talk about boujee.
3. It Has a Full-On Bathroom
What the heck? This has got to be one of the sweetest bathrooms I’ve ever seen.
Complete with a skylight, brass fixtures, patterned tiles, and a basin — you probably wouldn’t get this in a traditional home for only $160k.
And it means you can comfortably live the outdoorsy life with plush bath towels instead of cold steel trowels.
Daydreams aside, I can see how a vehicle of this size isn’t the most practical for getting around with ease. It might be best to go for a van if you want to be fully nomadic and explore remote areas.
With that said, I’m sure we all have a core memory of school excursions taken on the sketchiest routes by the boldest of drivers and lived to tell the tale.
But if you’re simply looking for a much-better-than-average place to live, that can also be plonked on a plot of land – check out the Marketplace listing.
