Sometimes travel isn’t about ticking countries off a list.
Sometimes it’s about finding a place that feels like home… and choosing to live your life fully within the limits you’ve been given.
When I first met Naomi Creek on Flinders Island, I knew her through her beautiful photography and the wonderful work she does caring for injured wildlife. But during our recent chat on the Travel With Us A While podcast, I discovered there was so much more to her story.
Naomi has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since she was 12 years old. That’s a lifetime of adapting, adjusting, and learning how to keep moving forward when your body sometimes has other ideas.
But Naomi doesn’t dwell on the condition.
Instead, she simply gets on with living.
And what a life she has created.
Falling in Love with Flinders Island
Naomi first visited Flinders Island in 2015.
Like many of us, she arrived as a visitor… and immediately felt something special.
There’s a quiet magic about the island.
Wide empty beaches.
Granite rocks glowing orange in the afternoon light.
Wildlife appearing when you least expect it.
And perhaps most importantly — space.
For Naomi, who prefers nature over crowds, it was exactly what she needed.
A few years later, during a period of reflection in her life, she made a brave decision.
She packed up her car, brought it across on the boat, bought a small furnished house — and moved to Flinders Island on her own.
Her friends thought she was mad.
Some of her healthcare professionals thought the same thing.
But Naomi had a simple philosophy.
You only get one life. Why not live it where you feel happiest?
Eight years later, she’s never looked back.
The Wildlife Rescue That Changed Everything
Naomi didn’t originally plan to become a wildlife carer.
Like many good stories, it happened by accident.
One evening her partner David accidentally hit a wallaby. The joey flew from the pouch, stunned but alive.
“What do we do?” she asked.
Neither of them knew.
So Naomi started asking questions, contacting carers, gathering supplies… and before long she was learning how to raise orphaned wallabies.
Now they regularly care for red-necked wallabies and pademelons, raising them in soft pouches inside their home until they’re ready to return to the wild.
Living on 300 acres helps — once they’re ready, the animals are released on the property and slowly integrate with the wild populations.
And often, they return to visit.
It’s beautiful, rewarding work.
But Naomi is honest about the reality.
Caring for wildlife is emotionally, physically, and financially demanding — and more carers are always needed on Flinders Island.
Discovering a Whole New World Underwater
Another passion Naomi discovered after moving to the island is snorkelling.
At first she assumed there wouldn’t be much to see beneath the water.
How wrong she was.
Once she slipped on a mask and looked beneath the surface, an entirely new world appeared — colourful seaweed forests, tiny creatures, shifting light and movement.
These underwater scenes now inspire her photography.
She uses a simple Olympus Tough camera, perfect for snorkelling, and floats safely in the water wearing a flotation vest.
It’s a wonderful example of adapting the adventure to suit your body.
And Naomi’s curiosity doesn’t stop there.
The seaweed she sees underwater has inspired a new art form.
She collects washed-up seaweed from the beach, presses it carefully, and transforms it into delicate botanical artwork and greeting cards.
Nothing is taken from living plants — only what the tide has already gifted to the shore.
It’s a beautiful cycle of creativity and nature.
Living with Arthritis — Without Letting It Define You
Living with rheumatoid arthritis means Naomi sometimes has to adapt how she explores the island.
Long hikes aren’t always possible.
But beach walks, snorkelling, photography and exploring quieter corners of the island are still very much part of her life.
And perhaps the biggest lesson she shared with me was this:
You don’t have to do everything to live a full life.
You just need to find the adventures that work for you.
Naomi’s Tips for Travelling with a Health Condition
Naomi is currently planning a long-awaited overseas trip to England and France. After ten years without international travel, she’s approaching it thoughtfully.
Her advice for others travelling with health conditions is refreshingly practical:
• Do your research – especially accessibility, transport and accommodation
• Travel light – you really need less than you think
• Prepare your medications and doctor’s letters for customs
• Choose accommodation carefully (stairs, lifts, transport access)
• Give yourself time and flexibility
Planning ahead, she says, removes much of the anxiety.
And makes the adventure possible.
Living Fully, Wherever You Are
Listening to Naomi reminded me of something important.
Adventure isn’t always about distance. Sometimes it’s about courage.
- Courage to move somewhere new.
- Courage to live with uncertainty.
- Courage to keep exploring even when life throws challenges your way.
Naomi Creek has certainly done that.
And Flinders Island is all the richer for it.
After we stopped recording…
After we had finished recording and were waiting for the file to upload, Naomi shared one more thoughtful reflection that stayed with me.
She said that doing things that carry a small touch of fear can actually be incredibly empowering. Those moments help build courage and shift your mindset for future challenges and adventures.
According to Naomi, stepping outside our comfort zone doesn’t have to be reckless. There are ways to approach fearful activities safely — it simply begins with the desire to achieve something that you know will bring you happiness.
She shared that one of her proudest physical achievements was walking all the way around Uluru.
It was not easy.
In fact, Naomi said she was unable to walk for two days afterwards. But she had gone into the experience knowing that might be the price she would pay — and she decided it was worth it.
For Naomi, the sense of accomplishment and the memory of completing that walk remain far stronger than the temporary discomfort that followed.
And perhaps that’s the real lesson.
Sometimes courage doesn’t mean doing something without fear — it simply means choosing to try anyway.
So, wherever your next journey takes you — near or far — I hope you’ll travel with us a while.
Bron
🎧 Listen to the full conversation on the Travel With Us A While podcast.
A reminder that all images are taken by my blog guest, unless otherwise stated.
