The Desert Wave Two: Kiwi author’s new book chronicles weird and wonderful waves

Shaun Fay is teaching Aussies how to wave once again with his new book 'The Desert Wave 2'.

Shaun Fay explains how a road trip around Australia led to a book project, and why he’s revisiting it 30 years on.

In 1997, my wife Diana and I and our two kids, Rosie (5) and Jackson (3), took a year off and travelled around Australia.

We had a 1974 caravan and a 1982 Ford Station Wagon; both bought in Melbourne when we arrived from Auckland, and they never missed a beat.

Three months into the journey we reached Port Augusta, heading north. Back then, there was no GPS, no internet, and certainly no iPads or portable DVD players.

Our kids couldn’t even read yet, and there was only so much of The Wiggles on cassette we could bear.

It was already a memorable journey with lots of joy and drama as we travelled the East Coast to Sydney and west to Adelaide.

After a few stops in famous wine areas, we headed north up the Stuart Highway to Port Augusta. Suddenly, our trip got even better.

They turned the game into a book, launched in Darwin, with media coverage to Sydney. Photo / Shaun Fay

Why? Because people started waving at us. In 1997, there weren’t that many making the trip. It’s a long way, and a car or truck every 10 minutes or so was the norm.

The waving became a wonderful distraction for the many hours we were to spend in the car.

After a couple of days, we had an idea to create a game around the waves we were getting. Each person in the car had a turn and we called it The Desert Wave.

It became a way to keep the kids entertained, engaged, and connected with the world outside the windows.

By the time we got to Darwin, I had written the book and proceeded to get it illustrated and printed. This came together fairly quickly as we wintered in Darwin.

(Above) Diana Fay, centre, with children Jackson and Rosie today. (Below) Shaun Fay with his children when the original book was released. Photo / Diana Fay

We launched in downtown Darwin and then headed east, selling the book as we went and gaining press, TV and radio coverage, all the way to Sydney.

Fast forward to 2025, and in July we are heading back to Darwin, but this time, instead of going east to Queensland, we’re heading west to WA.

We’ve also created The Desert Wave Two. Rosie, who was 5 when she first drew the illustrations for the book, is now 33 and has updated her drawings to reflect a grown-up take on those original sketches.

Dan Hartney, whose original illustrations remain the heart of this second edition, was certainly surprised when we managed to track him down 28 years later. Dan still lives in Darwin and we hope to catch up with him while we are there.

The Desert Wave Two is still a game, and the rules are simple: spot a wave, call it out, and keep track of your points.

Now more than ever, it’s a way for families to connect away from screens and devices — just you, the open road, and the people passing by.

If you have a favourite wave — or a new take on the game — we’d love to hear about it. Email me at shaun@besidetheseaside.co.nz.

Your wave could also be featured in the next edition or on our social media.