Anyone travelled OZ (living on the road) with kids? |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 10:37 AM
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Anyone travelled OZ (living on the road) with kids?
We've talked about it for years and now we've decided to actually do it!
We are going to sell up, pack up and hit the road next year, probably around April with our 4 kids (7,5,2 and 5mths).
There are so many families doing this right now and I have already learnt so much from reading about them and been even more inspired hearing their
amazing stories.
I am so excited. Sure, it won't all be smooth sailing with 4 kiddies, but I know the positives will far outweigh anything else. Last year we travelled
across the USA in an RV so we have had some experience and are confident we are all up for it.
Just thought I'd put it out there and see if there was anyone here who had done this, or similar at anytime.  |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 10:41 AM
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Never done it... but would love to. I'll be following your post with interest jumpjumpstar. I imagine it would be the experience of a lifetime!  |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 11:09 AM
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wow good on you. I can't give an tips as only been as far as NSW and Qld. But off to Adelaide in a few weeks so that is another state I can say I
have been to. |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 11:30 AM
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We're heading off in January for 12mths (two kids 9 and 11). I'd love to hear others experiences as well. Can't help with any info etc yet, but maybe
able to before you leave in April.
I know of one lottos member who has done it.. hopefully he'll share some of his ummm wisdom |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 11:37 AM
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We have travelled extensively by road with the kids but our longest trip was 4 weeks so can't help you with the "living" on the road bit. Will say
though that I think you are doing a wonderful thing for your children. The experience of discovering the wonders of Australia while they are young
will always be with them and will help them understand how blessed they are to live in this great country.
My kids have been fortunate enough to have travelled extensively around the world as well as Australia but will tell you in the blink of an eye that
they live in God's own country and would never live permanently anywhere else!
Just realised I sound like a Peter Allen song!
\\\"The Hand that Gives.......Gathers\\\"
\\\"A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.\\\"
Charles M. Schwab
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 12:33 PM
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My hubby did this with his parents when he was younger.....they did it for 6 months! He still talks about as a great experience....with lots of
memories! Am sure your kiddies will be the same when they get older and they will learn so much - travel = education in my books! |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 01:06 PM
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This is a blog on a family with 4 children travelling around Australia thought this might interest you, sounds great would be a great adventure for
kids and the best way of seeing Oz.
http://www.livinontheroad.com.au/ |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 03:06 PM
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We did it when I was about 9 for 12 weeks to Darwin & back (WA wheatbelt) the best memories of my childhood! 2 adults, 4 kids & a caravan |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 03:10 PM
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This sounds wonderful but I am not sure about the "selling up" part. I guess I'm cautious by nature but I'd like to still have a home to come back to
when adventuring is over! |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 03:30 PM
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We bought a caravan and took the kids around OZ about 5 years ago (ages 8 and 5 ) , then did another 3.5 mth trip to Melbourne then back home to the
sunny coast 2 years ago. Both werent without incident (we where like the Griswalds , surfboards , bikes ,fishing rods and treasure hanging off the van
)but Hey it was so much fun and the children still want more ! But with Highschool happening I think that Gypsy life will be put on hold now
First tip - Grab a copy of Camps Australia 6 and take as much info in from other travellers and mark off any recomended spots , we met other families
on the way and people travelling in general are all helpful and relaxed
Better stop rambling , if you have any questions I would be happy to help if I can
Cheers Gopher |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 07:11 PM
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We have done lots of roadtrips in our caravan when the 4 kids were younger....longest time 2 months.....was brilliant....... grab the chance whilst
your kids are little..... they see so much......and my kids now (aged 14 to 22) talk with great fondness about the adventures we went on and the
things they saw and they too now have a wanderlust in their hearts........eldest works for Contiki, 3rd one is travelling to Europe for a year next
year and the youngest just loves trips. Roadtrips are brilliant cos you can stop wherever you want, and the 2nd one is training to be a paramedic and
is planning to eventually work around the world........ so go for it...... |
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posted 22-10-2012 @ 09:17 PM
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You don't mention if you will be travelling in a Caravan or a Motorhome. If your future home will be a Motorhome, I definitely recommend you join the
CMCA (Campervan & Motorhome Club of Australia) www.cmca.net.au
There are many members permanently travelling the highways. They call themselves the "Highway Wanderers" and they have their own support group. You
will get lots of advice on whatever you would like to know.
There are Rallys (meetings) all around the country most weekends, where you can pay a visit and meet other people in their Motorhomes. Lots of fun and
friendships can develop & it is easy to spot other members on the road with their CMCA sticker displayed on their home. |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 08:20 AM
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Wow, thanks for all the positive comments. I'm even more inspired now!
I am surprised how supportive even our friends and family are being about it all. I was for some reason expecting a fair bit of negativity and the
general consensus that we are crazy!
Every so often I do think "can I handle this?" esp with a baby and toddler, but then again, I ask myself the same thing at home on a rough day!
We still have sooooo much to plan and prepare. We'll be towing a caravan (which we haven't even bought yet) and putting everything that we don't
sell/cull in storage.
Think we'll have a general idea of the direction we want to head and certain places we must see but at the same time just head and stay wherever we
feel at the time...... |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 08:48 AM
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Good on you. However I'm also a bit worried about the selling up part. Any chance of renting? Dont want to dampen your spririts but in all the
excitement do put alot of thought into what happens when you return, money etc.
Hope it all works out and have a great time planning your trip.
Take heaps of photos and record a diary - remember there are lots of comps for this type of thing for when you get back. Unless you comp on the
way. |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 09:23 AM
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Spent 3 months going up the centre and then the coast line when the children were 6, 10, & 13. We had an amazing time. But do your homework. As
others have mentioned talk to families travelling the opposite direction for "insider" stuff. It is easy to drive past something fabulous and not
know about it. We also found whilst caravan parks could be as little as $20 per night with no facilities, some of the bigger ones with pools, etc
were up around $50 and would charge extra child. It doesnt sound much but over a long period adds up. Fuel outside the cities is very expensive,
especially if you are hauling. So those two areas soon eat up the bucks. If we did it again we would have had more off road facilities on our van,
generator and loo. The few nights we stayed in off the beat areas, rivers etc were the best, but we were limited by refrigeration etc on staying that
extra time. There are lots of internet blogs on the subject and the various camping books are invaluable. Have fun - do it - but I dont know
whether I sell up. CHEERS |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 09:55 AM
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We don't own a house, so the whole "sell up" was more referring to the masses of belongings and furniture you accumulate over the years.
Also we are in Victoria now but there is a strong chance we'll end up settling back in QLD when we are done.
We're smart, have savings and would never put ourselves in a compromised position.
Caravan Parks can definitely be expensive. We do plan on doing a fair bit of free camping and have picked up a lot of tips already from families doing
this.
I actually won 'Camps Australia 6' about 2 months ago. At the time I thought nothing of it and just chucked it in the prize cupboard to probably sell.
I only remembered the other day when someone suggested I buy it. A bit of a 'meant to be' moment.
I also won a luxury $90000 2 person caravan this time last year which we have sold and will be using some of the money to buy our family caravan.
So really......the comping gods have planned this trip for us..... |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 12:12 PM
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Here are 2 blogs of 2 different family friends of mine (who are also really good friends themselves) currently travelling round Australia both have 3
children each.
http://ellisozblog.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/so-this-is-how-it...
http://gapyear.fiedler.dk/
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 02:35 PM
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well then all said and done sounds like there is no reason not to go. Everything seem to be in place for you.
Best of luck to you and great stuff for having the nerve to do it. |
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posted 23-10-2012 @ 05:27 PM
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Thanks for the blog links liamreganshanae and fantagirl, reading these inspires and excites me even more.
And thanks again everyone else, will keep you updated as it all falls into place |
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posted 30-10-2012 @ 11:00 PM
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Also check out http://www.newlifeontheroad.com/, they never want to live in a house again and be tied down |
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posted 11-1-2020 @ 12:19 AM
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Did 3 years on the road with 2 boys years ago. Left on my youngests 3rd birthday and his brother was 4 1/2 years old. Did 84,000 kms around Australia.
Original plan was to do 1 year. Rented our house out and locked our furniture in the double garage. Tenant extended and then we decided to keep going.
Went back between tenants and tidied up the garden (1 acre). Fished all over Australia and loved the quality time we had with our kids. Did
correspondence school for about 1 1/2 years. Free camped where we could. Now a day there is the wiki-camp app. Which is a must for travelling. |
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posted 11-1-2020 @ 10:19 AM
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This thread is 8 years old |
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posted 29-12-2021 @ 04:13 PM
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We did the "big lap" in 1991, in a 24' caravan and big old Jeep Cherokee. We took our two boys out of school for the year and spent twelve months
doing the circuit anti-clockwise. It was fabulous, and my hubby has been wanting to do it again ever since.
The boys turned 10 and five, in Tennant Creek and Alice Springs and hubby took care of their schooling. The headmaster had said, "So long as you keep
up their maths and English, they'll be right, and will probably learn more on the trip than if they'd stayed in school." They both went up to the
next class the nex year after we got home.
Ask them now what they remember of that trip though and it's mostly the "bad" things that happened - not all the wonderful sights they saw - e.g. the
mad dash to the hospital in Alice Springs when the oldest one fell off a swing and badly cut his eye; the hours we spent by the side of the "road"
when the caravan's axle broke in the middle of an 80klm dirt "shortcut' to Exmouth.
I imagine things would be very different these days (e.g. we would have given anything to have a fold out annexe!) and I think the roads and caravan
parks are much more crowded, but I fear we've left it too long and we are now too old, to do it again! 
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