There's plenty of work to be done in his spare time too, but that's OK, because he is a hard worker who's good with his hands.

There are repairs on his newly bought house at Sandy Beach, near Coffs Harbour, and he's already mended the fences.

A year ago, this lifestyle was not remotely possible.

As a struggling dried fruit and wine grape farmer near Mildura, the working week lasted about 70 hours and there was little spare time.

His wife and two young children had already relocated to the NSW mid-north coast 1460 kilometres away.

Last year, Mr Miller's working hours were spent among thousands of grape vines on his property at Red Cliffs, irrigating them day and night, worrying about drought and the growing costs of fertiliser and fuel.

But last spring and summer brought a different kind of seasonal break for Mr Miller.

He sold his Koorlong farm in October and his Red Cliffs farm in December, and got a $150,000 Federal Government grant for farmers who leave the land.

The 47-year-old ex-farmer is one of 13 Victorian farmers, and 32 nationwide — out of 411 applicants — who have received an exit grant.

The grant allowed him and his wife to get together a deposit for a new place.

Over two decades Mr Miller built his farm to about 18 hectares across three properties, two of which he owned, and the third he leased.

He grew cabernet sauvignon grapes for a major winemaker, but his mainstay was dried fruit: sultanas, currants and raisins.

His expansion about seven years ago, when he bought half of his dad's farm, coincided with tough times.

The drought worsened and costs soared and prices for dried fruit dropped.

"Out of the 50 acres of grapes I made $10,000 and my other half, she went to work at a service station for one day a week during the year and made $10,000," he said.

"That was the equation. She worked one day a week and got the same amount I did, and I was spending $140,000 or $150,000."