Horseback nomads navigate flood stricken north west Queensland

The couple were in Mount Isa in outback Queensland this week, some 10,000 kilometres of horse riding from their home town of Manjimup in southern Western Australia.

They're expedition has taken them through several states to Queensland, where they've spent the last few weeks navigating monsoonal rain and flooded roads around the north west.

Once it is safe to do so, they're journey will continue across the border in to the Northern Territory with two and a half months on the road until they hit Katherine.

Speaking from the Mount Isa Sunset Caravan Park where they've been holed up, Mr van Vliet said they had to be careful with the weather conditions along the roads from Townsville.

"It can be tricky," he said.

"It can be very wet and slippery and you want to have the safety of everybody in mind always.

"We have to be very careful with traffic and big trucks coming along especially with the flooding and the rain luckily I can hear the traffic and the horses are used to it."

Ms van Vliet said they stayed a few extra days in Julia Creek because of the road closures and are now waiting for the Barkly Highway between Mount Isa and Camooweal to reopen.

"It seems that they're closing the roads behind us and in front of us, but because we travel so slow, we do about 25 kilometres a day, we sort of seem to keep going with it," she said.

"We're not really on a time plan or anything, so it doesn't impact us."

Travelling around Australia on horse back mightn't seem like the most conventional way of transportation, nor the most efficient.

But that's not the point.

"It's not about the places we visit," Mr van Vliet said.

"This is definitely a trip that for us, is about meeting the people in the country," he said.

"We are often in small towns and places not every tourist goes to and that's what we love."

The couple are also raising money for Beyond Blue to raise awareness for mental health.

"I'd like to inspire people to look at their life and make it a bit of fun," Ms van Vliet said.

Erwin's struggles with depression and anxiety were what initially prompted them to travel.

"I know how it feels, I've been in a really bad spot," Mr van Vliet said.

"It's good to also be aware that a lot of people are in trouble at the moment through floods, the economy and just working really hard and having a tough go."

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The couple made their dream move from the Netherlands to Australia about 15 years ago.

They set up a horse farm in Western Australia and were happy until the intense work load became too much for Erwin.

"It all got a bit much, like we were working really hard," Ms van Vliet said.

"It really got to a stage where it just wasn't fun anymore," she said.

"I think it took him 3000 kilometres before he thought for the first time that he felt he could breathe without it weighing on his mind."

If you see them on their travels, feel free to say hello. It's the conversations they have on the road which Ms van Vliet said got people to open up.

"It's one thing to talk to Beyond Blue or to a professional, but it's another thing to talk to somebody who has been in the same situation," she said.