We're caravanning over to WA with three kids - Need your ideas and support!!!

OK, so we have finally decided that we will be caravanning from Melbourne to WA (and back LOL) over 6 weeks.

We are very excited, but I'm also getting really freaked out! It is a LOOOOONG drive and DD isn't brilliant in the car. She's better than she was (she used to just scream - once she screamed the entire time on a 3 hour trip :o), but she has her moments.

We have bought on eBay a DVD player with two screens for the car and I've read up on some good games and activities for the boys to do while travelling. We plan on travelling for no more than 4 hours a day (unless the kids are doing particularly well!) with lots of stops along the way.

We will be staying at a resort in Mandurah for one week which I think will give us a much needed break from the caravan and hopefully refresh us for the trip back. We plan on either travelling from the south of WA, up to Perth then home or vise versa - we still haven't mapped it all out yet.

So, I need your ideas/suggestions/moral support haha! I think it will be fun and a great experience for us all. I just get a bit doubtful when people say something negative about the trip. We DO know we have three kids and that they can become cranky and they can misbehave LOL! I need to hear positive things - encouragement, good experiences, etc...

TIA :D

Oh Trish, that sounds FABULOUS!!! I've never been to Melbourne, but I imagine it as a very urban, populated place. Have no idea on the scenery you'll see on the way over, but in WA, the scenery's always changing, and always magical :) DH and I were down south just recently, and there are some beautiful old growth forests - you can just stand there and just feel the energy all around you, its so peaceful. And our coastlines - WOW!! Go to the same place two days in a row, and it'll look completely different. Oh, I'm jealous of you!

As far as your kids are concerned, I really don't know how they'd go. I'd like to think they'd be excited looking at the changing scenery, they'll see a lot of kangaroo's and probably some other beasties :) It'll definitely be an experience, and I'd HIGHLY recommend bring several extra memory cards for your camera, you're gonna need them!

Oh, and don't forget to let us know when you're gonna be in Mandurah or Perth, and we'll have a meetup!

Thanks Berenice! I was born in Perth (moved to Melbourne when I was 3 /12) and used to visit every few years, but I haven't been back since I was 14! I have awesome memories of stunning beaches and scenery :). I've never been down south, but have always wanted to.

I'd love to do a meet up while we're there!

I'm also looking forward to visiting my Perth family again, my Granddad will be turning 100 this year!

Wow, that's a massive trip! It's going to be great fun for the kids, and having a caravan would make it all a lot more flexible for you, which is probably good with three kids too.
The southwest of WA is lovely - there's lots to do and see for grownups and kids.
Hope it's a great experience for you guys. We used to do big family trips every now and then, including road trips, and they're memories you keep with you always. I'm sure it was hard on our parents sometimes (three bickering kids in the back), but I have great memories of the trips.

Wow, what a milestone!

DVD players ROCK. I think you've got your greatest asset right there ;)
I also think you're being very sensible only doing a few hours a day. Alana will get used to the car travel and it'll just become habit.
You can pick up some activities/small toys for the kids before you go (they don't have to be expensive) and wrap them up. Then every now and again produce a package for them to open and enjoy. I did this with Natty for our last holiday about a month ago... A book, a pen, a colouring book, some bubbles, etc.
We went on a 3-week camping trip when Natty was 18mo. I'll preface this by saying I didn't want to go but went because I knew DH was desperate to. So that wasn't a great frame of mind to be in and I didn't enjoy the first few days. However as Natty became accustomed to the camping cot/tent and the new routine (or lack of it, LOL!) it became quite enjoyable. I do have some very happy memories from that trip.
Another positive thing is that the kids get to spend heaps of time with their dad. Not sure what your daily routine is like and whether your DH already has lots of time to spend with them, but I have found this to be the most fabulous thing about our holidays. DH has all this time to bond with the kids and take part in all aspects of their daily care. It gives me a break and gives them all a perfect opportunity to enjoy one another.
I think the boys will have an absolute ball! I would happily do another trip like that with Natty now, but Phoebe is my weakest link atm, LOL! You will have an awesome time.
How fabulous that your grandfather will be 100! What a wonderful celebration you will all have.
Take loads of photos!

Thanks ladies :D.

Snacks - Thanks for the present idea, I love it! I really do hope Alana gets used to the travel, otherwise it won't be a lot of fun, that's for sure!!

I'll definitely take lots of photos and I'm hoping to start a blog so that our family and friends can see what we've been up to :)

WOW Trish it's amazing i have seen this thread as my DP has been talking for ages and again recently about doing a long driving trip to Perth, something he so wants to do (also he hasn't been to WA whereas i have, well i almost moved there about 14years ago) ... i'd be interested to know everyone's ideas too and of course how your trip went afterwards as i can't imagine we would do it this year.

Hey Trish if you happened to go through Ballarat let me know and we can catch up somewhere here or you just come visit to my place (i'm seriously down the road from Sovereign Hill) ;)

We always have in the car for our DD for long car trips one of those 'sketch-a-doddles', fisher price one is fantastic (good quality & perfect size without being too small), we got her's in BigW for about $17 :D

Do you know what route you'll take after Norseman? You can go the coast road to Perth (and visit Esperance, and all the lovely costal towns on the way), or go through Kalgoorlie. It's less pretty, but on the plus side, I live in Kalgoorlie! :D There's less interesting places to stop along the way, but there's a few cool things to see in Kal (super pit, mining hall of fame, museum).

Thanks for the idea Smiles, I've got my eye on some in the Target Toy Sale catalogue ;). If we are coming your way, I'll definitely let you know! You might not want to drive to WA after you get my feedback though :rofl:.

Thanks for the info Entreat! I'll let DH know so we can look at it on the map as we work out where we're going :D

try and plan travelling over nap times.. we find you get that bit longer travel time :) esp over the nullabour :)

we do "treasure hunts" while traveling..not quite i spy.. but similar who can find a xyz

there are a few places along the way you could have meet ups :)

Thanks OG :). Yep, we'll try and work around naps so it goes quicker for them. DD sometimes fights sleep though and tends to scream instead :rolleyes:. It will be interesting LOL! I like the treasure hunt idea. I'd love to do some meet ups along the way, but it might be tricky because we'll be playing it by ear a bit. We won't plan definite stops because it will depend on how the kids are coping as to how long we drive for at a time.