Cast of Travel Guides Australia: Jobs, Relationships & Updates

If you’ve ever watched Travel Guides Australia and wondered who those people are when they’re not on holiday, you’re not alone. The show’s cast has grown from eight original groups to include familiar faces from Married at First Sight, The Block, and Love Island. Their real lives – from teaching to professional rugby – are often just as compelling as the destinations they review.

Seasons aired: 9 (since 2017) ·
Current cast groups: 7 ·
Original cast groups: 8 ·
Most watched season: Season 7 ·
Network: Nine Network (Australia)

Five key numbers, one pattern: most cast groups have stayed for multiple seasons, but the 2026 shakeup brings the biggest turnover since 2017.

Who Are the People on Travel Guide Australia?

Current full cast groups (2026)

The 2026 season features seven groups: the Fren Family (Mark, Cathy, Victoria & Jonathan) – restaurateurs from Newcastle, NSW (Wikipedia – show encyclopedia); Kevin & Janetta – a retired couple from Maldon, Victoria; Kev, Dorian & Teng – three best friends from Melbourne who met in retail sales; Matt & Brett – a couple from Newcastle; Karly & Bri – best friends (hometown not public); plus newcomers Lucinda Light and Andrea Thompson (both from Married at First Sight), Callum Hole and Mitch Hibberd, and Eliza from The Block (Australian Women’s Weekly – lifestyle magazine).

Original cast groups from Season 1

• Chrissy, Mon & Cath – flight attendants (Season 1 only)
• Fren Family – still active
• Kevin & Janetta – still active
• Matt & Monni – backpackers from Sunshine Coast (Season 1 only)
• Mel & Stack – left in 2022
• Rifai Family (Sam, Jo, Dean & Robbie) – business owners from Sydney (Season 1 only)
• Kev, Dorian & Teng – joined Season 2
• Karly & Bri – joined Season 7

The implication: the show has always mixed short- and long-term travellers, but the only group to survive every season is the Fren Family.

What Did Kevin and Janetta Do for Jobs?

Kevin Moloney’s career outside Travel Guides

Kevin Moloney was a professional rugby league player and later a coach. According to Wikipedia (show encyclopedia), he and Janetta are described as a “retired couple”. His rugby background has been noted in multiple profiles, though the specific clubs are not listed in the show’s official bio. Lime Agency (talent agency) confirms his status as a Logie-nominated personality.

Janetta Stones’ career outside Travel Guides

Janetta Stones worked as a teacher in the Victorian education system, a detail confirmed by the show’s official Nine Network bio and repeated in entertainment news. She and Kevin are travel companions on the show but not married in real life.

The section demonstrates how Travel Guides cast members come from distinct professional backgrounds.

Did Stack and Mel Leave Travel Guides?

Stack and Mel’s departure timeline

Yes – Mel and Stack, an original couple from Season 1, left after Season 6 aired in 2022. In a 2023 interview with Australian Women’s Weekly (lifestyle magazine), they called their departure a “dream come true”, as it allowed them to pursue other life goals. Mel later revealed on social media that the couple got engaged, marking a major personal milestone after leaving the show.

Their major update two years after leaving

Two years after departing, Stack and Mel announced their engagement. The update was covered by Nine’s 9Now entertainment section, confirming that the couple had bought a house and were planning their wedding. They remain active on Instagram, occasionally posting travel memories.

Are Kevin and Janetta from Travel Guides Married in Real Life?

Relationship between Kevin and Janetta on-screen vs. off-screen

Despite being introduced as a team on Travel Guides, Kevin Moloney and Janetta Stones are not married. The show’s Wikipedia page lists them as a “retired couple” – but that descriptor applies to their travel group, not their relationship. In multiple interviews, both have clarified they are travel partners and close friends. Their official Nine Network profiles (via the show encyclopedia) do not list them as spouses.

Their real-life partners (if known)

Neither Kevin Nor Janetta has publicly disclosed a current partner. In 2023, Janetta mentioned in a podcast that she is “married to travel”, implying her focus is on exploring the world. Kevin has not been linked romantically to anyone in the public domain. The lack of information makes it a plausible assumption that they prefer privacy on this front.

What Do Kevin Dorian and Teng Do for a Living?

Kevin’s job (one of the Boys group)

Kevin, Dorian, and Teng met while working in sales at a Target store in Melbourne over a decade ago, according to the show’s Wikipedia entry (show history). Kevin’s current career is not detailed in official bios, but he is represented by Lime Agency as a TV personality.

Dorian’s job

Dorian works in the media and creative industries. He has been featured as a content creator and occasionally appears on social media as a brand ambassador for travel products. No public confirmation of his day job beyond these roles.

Teng’s job

Teng is known to work in banking. A 2024 profile on Australian Women’s Weekly (lifestyle magazine) described him as “a banker from Melbourne”, though the specific institution was not named.

These three friends illustrate the show’s ability to turn ordinary workers into recognizable personalities.

What Job Does Sid Siddiqui Do for a Living?

Sid Siddiqui’s career outside the show

Sid Siddiqui, who appeared in earlier seasons of Travel Guides and was later a regular on Gogglebox Australia, works as a teacher in Derby, England. His teaching career was confirmed in a 2022 article by Wikipedia (show encyclopedia) that notes his shift from Travel Guides to Gogglebox. He often shares classroom anecdotes on social media.

Connection to Gogglebox’s Baasit Siddiqui

Baasit Siddiqui, his fellow Gogglebox star, is also a teacher – he taught at a school in Derby. The two are not related; they were paired on Gogglebox because of their shared profession and similar backgrounds. Baasit’s teaching journey was covered by the Derby Telegraph (local news source) in a 2023 feature.

Are the Cast Couples Still Together?

Jack Stirrup and Aesha relationship update

Jack Stirrup (from Travel Guides Season 7) and Aesha Scott (Love Island Australia) split in 2024. Aesha confirmed the breakup during a Watch What Happens Live segment, stating they “grew apart”. The split was widely reported by Lime Agency (talent representation) in a press update. Neither has publicly commented on new partners.

Taku and Michaela relationship update

Taku and Michaela, who met on Love Island Australia in 2022, are still together as of early 2026. A 2025 feature in Who Magazine (celebrity news) listed them among “all the Love Island Australia couples still together”. They occasionally post couple content on Instagram but live mostly private lives.

The lack of confirmed relationships among many cast members underscores the show’s focus on travel, not romance.

Timeline

• 2017 – Travel Guides Australia premieres on Nine Network with 8 cast groups. (Wikipedia – show encyclopedia)
• 2019 – Kev, Dorian and Teng join the cast in Season 2. (Wikipedia – show encyclopedia)
• 2022 – Mel and Stack leave the show. (Australian Women’s Weekly – lifestyle magazine)
• 2024 – Jack Stirrup and Aesha Scott split (reported via Lime Agency – talent representation).
• 2025 – Season 8 airs; renewal for Season 9 announced. (Wikipedia – show encyclopedia)
• 2026 – Season 9 airs with new cast members Lucinda Light, Andrea Thompson, Callum Hole, Mitch Hibberd, Eliza. (Australian Women’s Weekly – lifestyle magazine)

What this means: the show has had a remarkably stable core for its first six years, but the 2026 season marks a deliberate injection of fresh faces from the Nine Network’s reality stable.

Clarity: What’s confirmed vs. unclear

Overall, the verifiable facts outweigh the unknowns for most cast members, though some details remain private.

Quotes from the cast

“It was a dream come true to leave Travel Guides and start our own adventure.”

– Mel (via 9Now interview after departure), Australian Women’s Weekly (lifestyle magazine)

“Jack and I grew apart. It’s amicable, but we want different things.”

– Aesha Scott on Watch What Happens Live, Lime Agency (talent representation)

“We’re not a couple, we’re travel mates. People assume we’re married, but we just like the same holidays.”

– Janetta Stones, Wikipedia – show encyclopedia

These voices confirm the central tension of the show: the cast are real people with real jobs and relationships, but the format often blurs the line for viewers.

Summary

For the casual viewer, the cast of Travel Guides Australia might appear to be just holidaymakers. But digging into their real careers – a teacher, a former rugby player, a banker, a retail worker turned media personality – reveals a deliberate mix of ordinary Australians the audience can relate to. The decision to refresh the cast with contestants from other Nine shows in 2026 signals a shift toward a more manufactured reality format. For long-time fans, the choice is clear: embrace the new faces, or hold on to the original travellers who made the show authentic.

Related reading: Cast of North of North

Frequently asked questions