Howe Tran, one of the co-founders of Find a Mover, tells the story of the company for Australian Rural & Regional News.

Moving is often deemed one of life’s most stressful undertakings. From securing a reliable moving company to ensuring the safe arrival of your belongings, the hurdles can be numerous and often overwhelming. For those relocating within rural and regional Australia, the challenges are amplified. Consider the complexities of moving from Carisbrook to Bendigo in Victoria, Townsville to Howard in Queensland or the remote journey from Port Lincoln in South Australia to Wangaratta in Victoria. Here distances are vast, terrains are rough, and unpredictable weather significantly complicate logistics. Recognising these unique challenges, Find a Mover, Australia’s national removalist comparison booking platform is stepping in to ease the burden. By connecting Australians moving to remote and regional areas, the platform aims to simplify an otherwise arduous process, making relocations simpler and less stressful.

The problem Australians face when moving to rural and regional areas

Many Australians have their own horror stories about city moving—endless phone calls to different moving companies, opaque pricing, unreliable service, and damaged belongings. The stress and uncertainty can make what should be an exciting transition a source of anxiety and frustration. But what challenges do Australians moving to Far North Queensland or to a mining town in Western Australia face? How about the poorly maintained roads with fifty centimetre wide pot holes, unsealed gravel roads that stretch out for many kilometres between towns, then there’s the lack of infrastructure and services to help you. With petrol stations spaced hours apart, running out of fuel could leave you stranded, necessitating assistance from another person to resolve the issue.

If that wasn’t challenging enough, let’s continue with the lack of street lighting, the absence of nearby house or building lights, and no stream of traffic showing you the way. The unpredictable wandering livestock and kangaroos bouncing around also pose an obstruction and a significant crash risk. Severe weather conditions like heavy rains can also turn the dirt roads into mud pits or dry spells in summer with temperatures heating close to 50 °C can spark bush fires creating fire hazards. Then finally, once you successfully manoeuvre around all these obstacles and get to the destination, you encounter locked farm gates without any cell phone signal. Traditional moving services often overlook these complexities, leaving residents in rural areas to fend for themselves.

Howe Tran and Bradley Johnston, the co-founders of Find a Mover, acknowledge the challenges are very different when moving in a built-up city compared to rural or regional towns. Howe says, “A moving company travelling on these roads for the very first time is likely going to encounter some difficult obstacles like running out of fuel because of their inexperience with the lack of infrastructure or coming across some unexpected animals and livestock, compared to one that has travelled these roads one hundred times and knows exactly how much extra fuel they need to carry in a spare jerry can to avoid running out of fuel until the next petrol station. Our mission is to simply provide reliable and transparent moving services that cater to even the most remote areas.”

The Find a Mover solution

In 2014, Tran and Johnston, university mates with backgrounds in IT and web solutions, decided to tackle these moving challenges head-on. Their vision was to create a platform that not only connects customers with reliable movers but also ensures transparency and ease throughout the process no matter where you are moving in Australia. Thus, Find a Mover was born.

Find a Mover’s mission is straightforward: to simplify and streamline the moving process for individuals, families, and businesses whether in the city, rural or across regional Australia, ensuring a hassle-free experience. “We wanted to create a solution that provides an affordable, reliable option for everyone without the stress and uncertainty typically associated with moving, even if that means connecting you to the right moving company when moving from Nickol to Kalgoorlie,” says Johnston.

Making it accessible and easy to use

Find a Mover’s platform is designed with the user in mind. Customers begin by submitting their moving details through an easy-to-use online form. The platform then provides quotes from multiple vetted movers, allowing customers to compare reviews and services before making a choice. “Our goal is to give people the power to choose the best option for their needs, without the hassle of negotiating or worrying about hidden fees,” explains Tran.

A positive impact on rural and regional moves

Since its inception, Find a Mover has significantly impacted the moving industry in rural and regional Australia in a number of ways. By incorporating modern technology and providing a digitised solution with a network of carefully selected professional regional moving companies who have the knowledge and established reliable regional routes. By partnering with moving companies who have formed partnerships with local businesses for resources such as packing materials and temporary storage solely to reduce the need to transport all supplies from distant locations. These are regional movers, whose staff know how to use weather monitoring tools to plan moves during favourable conditions and have contingency plans for adverse weather.

These companies have the ability to train drivers and movers on local road conditions, how to handle encounters with wildlife and livestock, and more importantly, know how to meticulously plan fuel stops during routes with additional tanks of fuel reserve for emergencies in order to avoid running out fuel in remote areas with less services available. By having this professional group of experts on the platform, it has made it easier for customers in remote areas to find reliable regional movers who understand the local challenges. This innovation has reduced the stress and complexity of relocating, ensuring that customers no longer have to make multiple phone calls or deal with unreliable service providers.

Success stories

Find a Mover’s impact is best illustrated through the success stories of its customers. Take the first-hand experiences of Scott M. and Cindy C. in the following real life scenarios.

Case Study #1: Scott M’s inner regional move from Grafton to Wagga Wagga, NSW

Scott M., a high school teacher, recently accepted a new position at a well-regarded school in Wagga Wagga. Eager for better career opportunities and a fresh start for his family, Scott planned a significant move from Grafton in NSW, where they had lived for over a decade. With his wife and two young children, Scott faced the overwhelming task of transporting all their household items, including furniture, appliances, and personal belongings, from a local storage facility in Grafton to their new home in Wagga Wagga, a distance of approximately 1057 kilometres.

The move presented several challenges for Scott. The long distance required careful planning and reliable transportation. Wagga Wagga’s road infrastructure posed additional difficulties, with large pot holes and ongoing construction on roads leading into the city, causing potential delays and increased travel time. Coordinating the move from a storage facility added complexity, and Scott needed an established mover familiar with the road conditions around Wagga Wagga but didn’t know where to start.

Following a recommendation from the Grafton storage facility, Scott decided to try Find a Mover. Intrigued by the suggestion, he input his moving details into the platform and received seven quotes from various regional moving companies, ranging from $5,785 to $8,800. This allowed him to compare prices and read reviews, leading him to book a company with a weekly run in and out of Wagga Wagga. This company was knowledgeable about the road conditions and the ongoing construction in the region, ensuring the safety of his belongings over the long journey between the two regional towns.

The movers communicated with the storage facility, protected and tied down his belongings with care, for the bumpy roads, and despite the long distance and road challenges, everything arrived in excellent condition. Scott and his family were able to settle into their new home without the stress and worry that often accompanies such a significant move. Reflecting on his experience, Scott said, “Find a Mover made our transition to Wagga Wagga seamless. The platform was easy to use, and the regional movers I found were knowledgeable within Wagga Wagga, professional, and very reliable. Despite the distance and some tricky roads, everything went well.”

Thanks to the knowledge and experience provided by the regional moving company on Find a Mover, Scott was able to select a reliable moving company without the usual hassle, ensuring that his family’s belongings were safely transported to their new home in Wagga Wagga. “The platform’s ability to deliver timely quotes with regional expertise proved invaluable during a time of change for Scott’s family,” notes Johnston.

Case Study #2: Cindy C. – Moving to the mines, Nickol to Kalgoorlie, WA

Cindy C., a mining engineer, recruited for a well-known mining company in Kalgoorlie, Goldfields Esperance WA, but it required her to live locally in Kalgoorlie. Excited about her placement at the mining company, Cindy needed to make the move from Nickol, WA, a remote area where she had lived for five years and now had to transport over 45 cubic metres of household furniture over 1,500 kilometres to Kalgoorlie, WA, through challenging terrain, rural roads and through five different cattle farming regions which posed a high risk of encountering livestock.

The extensive distance required a company with experience in rural moves planning. One that could deal with wandering livestock, open rural roads, fuel management and reliable transportation. The route from Nickol to Kalgoorlie is marked by spaced out petrol stations, some spanning nearly 300 kilometres or at least a 3-hour drive before you arrive at the next roadhouse petrol station. With so many challenges facing Cindy, she didn’t know where to begin her search.

Upon a recommendation from a mining colleague, Cindy turned to Find a Mover to begin her search for a rural moving specialist. She entered her moving details into the platform and received three quotes from experienced moving companies. The quotes ranged widely, but Cindy focused on selecting a mover with experience in remote and rural relocations. She chose a company that had previously handled similar moves to Kalgoorlie and was knowledgeable about the challenges of rural roads and remote travel and one that had a fuel management plan in place for the lack of services along the way.

The selected moving company coordinated with Cindy to schedule a pickup time from Nickol. They made sure their moving truck was well-prepared for the journey, carrying extra fuel and emergency supplies. The movers were adept at navigating the rural unpaved roads and took precautions to avoid livestock around farm crossings, this allowed for Cindy’s belongings to be transported safely and efficiently.

Despite the challenging conditions, the movers handled Cindy’s belongings with exceptional care, and everything arrived in Kalgoorlie within a week and in good order. Cindy said, “Find a Mover was a lifesaver. The platform was simple, and the movers were experienced with remote relocations. The distance between petrol stations was a bit of a worry but the fact that the moving team always carry spare fuel put me at ease, it was a well-planned move.”

Cindy’s experience with Find a Mover not only solved her problem of finding a suitable and experienced moving company but also left her a very satisfied customer. “Cindy’s experience is one out of the many thousands of Australians that we’ve helped with moving in and out of rural or regional towns, it’s important for a consumer to be able to source options and the right company for the job and having that support at a time when they really don’t know where to begin to look, this is what Find a Mover is all about,” says Tran.

A word of advice from the founders

Tran and Johnston offer valuable advice for anyone planning a move in rural or regional Australia:

• When planning a move to or from a remote area, it’s important to consider the lack of infrastructure. Be very sure your moving company is well-prepared with the necessary supplies, such as extra fuel and emergency kits, as services like petrol stations and mechanics can be few and far between.
• Rural roads can be unpredictable with wandering livestock, which can pose a serious hazard. Choose a moving company experienced with rural relocations, as they will most likely know exactly where farm crossings are located and can navigate these challenges safely and avoid delays.
• In remote areas, medical care is often not readily accessible. If you are inexperienced with driving on rural roads and the various hazards they present, do not attempt to relocate yourself. If something goes wrong, it could be hours before you get help, and air transport might not always be the first option. So, it is best to leave it to the professionals, especially when the risks are elevated.
• When planning long distance rural moves, be aware of unsealed roads and fatigue. Gravel roads can kick up dust that can obscure your view and when driving at higher speeds it also means increasing the risk of losing control and the need for longer stopping distances. Make sure your movers have ample time to break up their journey and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue in order to safely get your belongings to you.

Find a Mover is revolutionising the moving process in Australia, making it easier, more affordable, and more reliable. With a commitment to customer satisfaction, transparent pricing, and high-quality service, Find a Mover Australia stands out as a beacon of hope in an industry fraught with challenges particularly in rural and regional towns. As Howe and Bradley aptly put it, “We’re here to take the stress out of moving, so our customers can focus on starting the next chapter of their lives.”