You could call it a swaggin' wagon.

It's a bed used by sheep shepherds throughout Australia in the 1900s.

It's one of hundreds of tools and artefacts collected by grey nomad John Jewel.

He's been on the road for 14 years travelling with a five tonne truck and a 25 foot van, to give people a taste of country life from Australia's early days.

The shepherds bed is just one of these prized possessions.

"It's better known around the country as a shepherds bed, box or station," John said.

"People don't realise it but we didn't have wire until the 1870s.

"Up until then there were no fences, and we didn't brand sheep, so if you let sheep roam they could end up on someone else's property.

"So the millions of sheep we had in this country had to be looked after by shepherds.

"Most of them were convicts out on tickets of leave.

"These men had to sleep on the grounds on a bit of canvas, like a swag. If you imagine a box covered with canvas... but made with untanned sheep hides.

John Jewel travels Australia with a collection of old tools and artefacts from life on the land. ( Lucie Bell )

"At least they could cover themselves and keep themselves up off the ground because they were sick all the time.

"It had wheels and a handle out the front and they had to pull it by hand, moving it as they moved the sheep.

"But it was a very hard life."

Mr Jewel says historical items, such as the shepherd bed, are increasingly getting donated to him by families who no longer want them.

"I collect nearly anything and everything that I can pick up," he said.

"People come up to me all the time and say 'look we have these things, it's been three generations in our family but the kids don't want it.'

"So Mum and Dad get very upset about this but when they see it can have another life these things get donated more and more often, which is sad in lots of ways."