Senator muses about life in retirement

Chris Back is preparing to do what many Australians now do in retirement - wending Europe's canals.

The Liberal senator has announced he's quitting parliament at the end of next week.

"My wife owns an old Dutch barge on a French canal," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

"We're just going to coast along French canals until we get to Belgian and Dutch canals."

Senator Back, a veterinarian before he entered parliament, says he's retiring after eight years service to spend more time with his children and grandchildren who live overseas.

"I tried charging them board a few years ago and they didn't leave home," the West Australian said.

The senator and his wife then left for Tasmania to buy a business, but the kids stayed put.

"So I knocked the house down to build a new home. They seemed to take the message and all three of them went overseas to live," he said.