When Madelyn Holmes started four-wheel driving, she saw it purely as a means of getting more adventurous photos.
But her curiosity flourished into passion and soon the journey to new locations became more important than their photography potential.
Eager to challenge her new mechanical skills, Ms Holmes, 28, started hunting for a four-wheel drive "fixer-upper" project outside her everyday ride.
But a young woman trying to find a vintage vehicle to restore raised a few virtual eyebrows, even in 2021 when Ms Holmes started searching.
"I was actually told by a stranger online that they would not sell the car to me because they didn't think I had the experience or knowledge to take on a project like that," she said.
"It really frustrated me at the time, but I think the determination to prove them wrong has actually driven this a lot further – I'm kind of grateful for it now."
Enter: Lady in a Landy
Nearly a year after that stranger's comment, Ms Holmes was "elated" to find a 1972 Land Rover in need of a little care and attention.
It's not on the road just yet, but towing it from Mackay back home to Rockhampton was a small victory to "prove the doubters wrong".
There have been other messages from strangers, plus countless double-takes by people in real life surprised to learn her car isn't borrowed from a man.
So, when Ms Holmes started sharing her off-road adventures and photos online, she decided to clear up any confusion.
The name "Lady in a Landy" is a nod to Ms Holmes' four-wheel drive of choice — the one that kickstarted her obsession.
"I got told early on that once you buy one, you'll start collecting more," she said.
"I laughed at that person at the time, but here I am with multiple."
Nearly eight years on from her first foray into four-wheel driving, Ms Holmes is polishing up her main vehicle ahead of the National 4x4 Outdoor show in Brisbane this weekend.
She was accepted as one of about 30 vehicles to be displayed.
"I would not have thought it would come this far," she said.
Family ties
A surprising discovery when Ms Holmes upgraded her original four-wheel drive to a Land Rover was that her family had strong ties to the vehicles.
"I found out my father sat in a Land Rover for the first time he drove," she said.
"And my grandfather even ran up an elephant's bum in Africa when he was driving a Land Rover.
"It was quite towards the end of his life that I found out he had a history with them, because I bought the car and started showing him photos and almost seemed to prompt his memories."
Ms Holmes admits the world of four-wheel driving was intimidating to start with — and would have been more so without family support.
"The expectation is always that you're a little more clueless as you walk in as a woman," she said.
"Women are equally capable and can be equally enthusiastic about this kind of community."
Groups for women flourish
It wasn't until later that Ms Holmes found women-centred four-wheel driving communities like Chics Off Road.
The group was founded by Townsville-based Hayley Dekleer two years ago after a social media account she started to find local female four-wheel drivers "exploded".
With parents passionate about four-wheel driving, Ms Dekleer's love for it was only natural.
But she struggled to find other women who had the vehicles or the knowledge to join her out driving.
Slowly, female friends started exploring with her — even if they didn't have a four-wheel drive.
"I found teaching them how to four-wheel drive super liberating," Ms Dekleer said.
"Not only for myself, but I could tell it was super liberating for them as well."
The group now hosts two events a month, has 8,000 members and 28 admins across Australia and New Zealand.
"A lot of [members] have formed friendships … they probably wouldn't have ever made if they hadn't been part of an event," she said.
Ms Dekleer believes, for the most part, people are "super accepting" of female four-wheel drivers now.
She admits walking into a parts store can still be intimidating, but says "there's definitely been a big change" in the five years since she started driving.
For Ms Holmes, part of the fun is subverting expectations and starting conversations.
"There have been a lot of quirky moments where people have come over and introduced themselves to my partner and complimented his car when it was actually mine," she said.
"Even if I get out of the driver's seat, there's a lot of assumptions made.
"Otherwise, I really do enjoy surprising people that it's me that's equally crazy about cars."
