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Launceston couple Emily Rainbow and Euan Jamieson called it the most liberating moment of their lives when they quit their jobs, sold all their belongings and booked their tickets to the mainland.
And it was all thanks to their 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40, bought from Gumtree as a rust bucket last September and completely rebuilt, customised like something out of Pimp My Ride with a fridge, freezer, hot water and space for their husky, Sasha.
It was a genuine labour of love, 90 per cent completed in their own shed, using their own skills gained from a lifelong passion for four-wheel-driving.
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Today, the pair will board the Spirit of Tasmania for their indefinite journey into the unknown.
"The coolest part is when people ask, 'when are you coming back?' And we can answer: 'we're not'," Emily said.
"It's a really nice feeling to not be tied down by anything at all.
"If you can't do it, at least you can say you tried."
Their journey started when Emily responded to the Gumtree ad just 11 months ago for a black Land Cruiser, prompted by some friends who thought it could make the perfect project car.
The four-wheel-drive had been used as a weekend car and kept outside in the elements. It wasn't in the best condition, but it was far from a write off.
Emily took it to a car wash, but as she sprayed with a high pressure hose, the black paint peeled away.
They decided to repaint it.
"It was going to just be a weekend rattle can job, but once we started on it, we couldn't stop," Euan said.
"As soon as we started painting it, we thought, what's the point of only half doing it?
"It went from one thing to a complete rebuild."
Removing panels revealed rust throughout, but rather than be deterred, the pair were energised by the work that laid ahead of them.
At the back of their minds, they thought the Land Cruiser would take years to complete.
"It was something we thought could happen in five years, three years, two years, then maybe 18 months," Emily said.
"As we worked on it, we had in mind that we would visit this four-wheel-drive club in Victoria. That's when we had the thought: let's just sell everything and go."
Over the coming months, they turned their ideas into reality: a car that could allow them to be self-sufficient in the harsh Australian bush.
Nothing seemed impossible, thinking about the exact vehicle they would need and what modifications would get them there.
"We've equipped the four-wheel-drive so we can live for two to three weeks completely off the grid," Emily said.
"It's been completely rewired so it can go above and beyond what the normal car can do. There's enough lights on it to light up a spaceship.
"We learnt a thing or two through our years of four-wheel-driving. We haven't cut any corners with it."
The fridge sits between the seats and other accessories can be accessed using a gullwing on the side. Storage room was added at the back.
Four-wheel-drive enthusiasts were able to keep track of their progress on Emily's Instagram page @the4wdgirl, which has gathered more than 14,000 followers.
They even had it on display at Agfest.
So what comes next?
Emily and Euan drove the Land Cruiser to the southern-most point of Tasmania on Thursday to make sure they truly covered Australia from coast to coast.
Once they roll off the Spirit of Tasmania to start their journey in Victoria, they'll head to Western Australia and back to South Australia in about March, but nothing was set in stone.
"We're just going to travel and work here and there, picking up basically whatever we can get," Emily said.
"It is nerve-wracking, but if you don't do it now, when are you going to do it?"
The plan is to traverse some of the most remote parts of Australia, experiencing sights inaccessible to most.
And the couple will be completing the journey with their best friend, Sasha the husky.
Sasha was diagnosed with cancer after lumps were found on her abdomen, but just months ago she was given the all clear.
It was perfect timing.
To complete their work, a special number plate was affixed in honour of Sasha and all women who have experienced breast cancer.