Planning a 6 week caravaning trip from Melb to WA - are we crazy?

[~Trish~]

DH are planning on taking our 3 kids and our caravan on a trip from Melbourne to WA at the end of this year (over school holidays/Christmas). I am really excited about it, but also wondering if we're crazy LOL!

We plan on driving no more than 4 hours a day and making lots of stops to sight-see/camp along the way. We'll aim to stay for a night or two at different places along the way.

So...are we nuts?! Does it sound like too big of a trip to take a (then) 6 year old, 3 year old and 16 month old? We have a triple bunk caravan with the bottom bunk enclosed with a bed rail to make it like a cot and safe for a bub to sleep in. We have been away in the caravan heaps with the two boys since DS2 was 10 months old and they LOVE it, they are both great travellers. DD at this stage doesn't really like the car, but I'm sure she will grow out of it by the time we go. It will be tiring for them all I'm sure, do you think they're too young? It will be a HOT time of year too, but we plan on travelling along the coast as much as possible so it will be cooler and we may bring along a portable cooler to make it bearable in the caravan.

We will be getting a Land Cruiser some time this year which will be nice and roomy for the trip and great for towing a caravan. We also plan on buying one of those DVD players with screens that go on the back of the headrests, I'm guessing that's an essential LOL!

Please give me your opinions! Also, if anyone has done anything like this I'd love to hear from you! Can anyone suggest some great, family friendly places to stay along the way? Also, what sights should we not miss?

Any feedback is welcome

[Oorki Galoorki]

i think it will be AWESOME!

[Visitor7]

That would be absolutely awesome! It sounds like you're organised with the van, and it'll be a good idea to only drive minimal hours during the day. How exciting!

[Rouge]

Having done the nullabor a few times and over Christmas my only concern would be the heat. It's totally doable but some of the temps are insane! So even with a cooler I'm not sure how you'll go. Not meaning to scare you hon but it also depends on how you all cope with the heat over 40 and I can't cope so 45 was just crazy. My eyes were burning from the hot dry wind. And we drove non stop so we were in an air conditioned car the whole time. BUT I've noticed it's getting hotter there after Jan so you might be fine. Can you check some weather history to see what it's like?

[Doing my best]

I think it sounds like a great idea.. Makes me want to to go on a big trip caravan trip again (we did 4 weeks when DD was 7 months)

The heat would be my biggest issue, cause I don't like aircon all the time..

[Rainbow_Mumma]

it sounds fantastic - if you are a reader i highly suggest reading this before you go a book called Almost Perfect by Kelly Denley its available in libraries so no need to buy it but its about a family who did something very similar and there experiences with it gives a great insight before doing a trip like this

[AllisD]

Are you mad? No absolutely NOT!! I would love to do a big trip like that with all my family. I especially want to do the whole drive to Broome and back trip before my oldest starts Boarding school which is at the end of next year.

We drive for 10-12 hours just to get to a town with stoplights (great excitement for the little ones) so my kids are great travellers and used to it. If you are worried - try getting a in-car DVD player. It can help especially when covering long drives of similar types of country where the kids have no interest at all.

Ohhhh I am so jealous!!!

[Megan]

Sounds fantastic to me! We are planning a similar trip in about 18 months, but we are doing the east coast over 3 months.
I have been across the nullabor a few times. It can get really hot, and the kids will need something to entertain themselves, but I would do it in a heartbeat.

[~Trish~]

Thanks for your replies everyone!

Rouge - The heat is the one thing I'm concerned about. Great idea about checking out weather patterns, I'll definitely do that.

MrsS - Thanks for the book recommendation, I'll check out our local library!

Megan - DH and I camped all along the Vic and NSW coast about 11 years ago, it was awesome!

The end of the year is the most practical schooling-wise so that DS1 doesn't have to miss much (or any). I'm tempted to think about the September holidays too, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for DS1 to miss so much of his first school year? So much to consider!

[mbear]

but I'm not sure if it's a good idea for DS1 to miss so much of his first school year? So much to consider!

...if ever there were a time i would feel guilt free taking my kids outta school it would be kinder or yr 1....hon, they're not going to fall behind, or miss a great deal having a couple of weeks off. I have 2 sets of friends that went o/s when their kids were in kinder and they took 4 weeks and 6 weeks off respectively.....from our daughters first year at school last year (09) we really found term 4 to be a cruisey term...not much new stuff was introduced....so Sept school hols and beyond would be perfect.....

Great family holiday idea though...GL !!!!

[~Trish~]

Hmmm mbear.... I kinda like the idea of September better due to the weather. Do you think that socially it's a bad thing to miss four weeks of school at his age (he's five)? I just worry he'd lose connections with his friends when he gets back. He's such an outgoing boy, I guess he wouldn't have trouble getting back into the swing of things.

Oh I don't know! We have a week of time share that we want to use while we are away, we'd like to stay in Scarborough. I'll have to check the resort's availability over the September holidays, that will help make our final decision. It will be nice to have one week where we're not roughing it LOL!

[AllisD]

Hi Trish

I think that you may find that it is the children back at school that will miss your son more than the other way around. To them he will seem to be gone a long time and to your son it will seem so quick!

The quality time with his family and the whole experience will more than make up for the lack of schooling. If you are worried about him missing school work - I am sure that his teacher would be more than willing to give you some work sheets etc to do whilst away.

I know of a few families who have taken older children out of school for 3-6 months to trip around Australia (or do distance Ed whilst they did it) and they felt that the experiences the children gained were worth just as much as months sitting in a classroom.

Good Luck

AllisD

[Vixstar]

YESSSSSSSSSSSS! You are crazy but it sounds awesome!!! DH and I want to....one day....deck out a bus and drive around this amzing country of hours!....one day....


xxxx

[boomba]

You can go only if we can come too !
What an amazing adventure....DS1 will learn more seeing the country than being in year one!

So jealous xx

[~Trish~]

Thanks AllisD! DH's Aunty and Uncle took their three daughters on a 6 month trip around Aus (they were Primary and High School age) and they studied by correspondence while they were gone. They had a brilliant time

Vixstar - That sounds like so much fun! DH and I plan on becoming grey nomads when he retires one day LOL

Amber - Ooh, you should come too! You'd have a bit further to travel than us though . Yeah, J will have a great learning experience, that's for sure