A FAMILY has made a major adjustment as they take on a South East tourism and accommodation enterprise after decades spent overseas.
For over 11 years, Emma Vorwerk and Nathan Seal lived and worked in Dubai.
“We were expats for 13 years, but lived in South Korea for two while I worked as a health and safety director looking after Asia and the Middle East,” Mr Seal said.
“I was working for a shipping company and we were bought out by Dubai Ports International (DPI), which was based in Dubai.
“I flew around the world for my role, sharing the experience with my wife, who ran her own interior design business.”
The couple made the switch to Mount Gambier over a month ago and Ms Vorwerk said they have enjoyed settling in to the peaceful surrounds.
“Dubai is a great city and we obviously did not know how long we were going to be there,” she said.
“We really made it our home over the 11 years.
“It was safe and we travelled a lot as it is so accessible to many other countries in the world.”
The transition has contrasted from living in a gated community to now wide open spaces for their family to enjoy.
“We lived in a two-storey house similar to what you would see here,” Ms Vorwerk said.
“All the houses looked the same, a little bit like Lego land and there was none of that country folk hospitality.
“Here you have the space, larger properties and all the houses are different.”
Ms Vorwerk was raised on the Limestone Coast throughout her younger years.
“My family is originally from Robe and I was born in Kingston,” she said.
“All my childhood memories relate to when I lived in Robe and the town just seems to be getting better and better.
“We took our two children aged four and five to Beachport the other day and we really just want to immerse ourselves in the Limestone Coast community.”
Mr Seal now enjoys spending more time with his family and was surprised with Mount Gambier’s appeal.
“I have gone from a corporate lifestyle, dictated by KPIs to now enjoying the country and spending more time with my family,” Mr Seal said.
“Mount Gambier is quite developed and has everything here that you need.
“We still feel like we are in the country, located just slightly out of town.”
The couple has taken a new pathway, stepping up to run their own business.
“We were looking for employment that would support work and family lifestyle and we did not want to come back and work for someone else,” Ms Vorwerk said.
“If we were going to come back, we wanted a completely different lifestyle.
“There was a lot of back and forth as to whether we were going to do it or not.”
Recently taking over the Pine Country Caravan Park, the two have a big wish list they have already started ticking off.
“We had a week handover and have settled in and are now figuring out what we need to do next,” Ms Vorwerk said.
“People like the park without having to do anything to it as it is pretty and spaced over a country landscape.
“Everyone knows that we are new and have been very kind and supportive.”
Mr Seal would like to deliver on all his ideas now, but accepts changes will take time.
“We will definitely be updating the cabins with Emma quite excited to sparkle her interior design magic,” he said.
“We want to create a lifestyle for the travellers and something a little bit different.
“Nearly 15 million people visit Dubai overnight so we are trying to bring what we learnt from there over here.”
Ms Vorwerk said travelling throughout the South East was a pleasant change to city life.
“It is great everything is around a five minute drive and I am still not used to it,” she said.
“It is one thing to start a new business, but we have moved into a new house, new town and a new country.”
Here for the long run, the couple have an open mindset that anything can happen.
“If you told me two years ago that I was to own a caravan park and be living in Mount Gambier, I would have just laughed,” Ms Vorwerk said.
“We are here for the long haul, but never say never.
“It would be too hard on family members if we went back and it is great to have that family support again.”
Both Ms Vorwerk and Mr Seal are reaching out to become involved in the community.
“We want to put back into the community, if anyone is out there and wants to be involved they are welcome,” Mr Seal said.
“It is a small town – if one succeeds, all succeed.”
