Driving the Nullabor... 6 months pregnant and with a 3 year old...

[LimeSlice]

So... We must be mad!

But we have decided that when we move back to Melbourne in 3 months we will drive over across the Nullabor. We figure that since we will not be coming back to Perth to live, there really will be no other chance or time to do it, so may as well do it now.

The issues we have: Charlotte will be a couple months shy of her 3rd birthday and I am concerned about keeping her adequately amused for 4-5 days without needing to stop so often it becomes 6-7 days.
I will be about 5.5-6 months pregnant, and not sure what I will be like sitting in a car for that long etc.


So has anyone driven it?
Anyone driven it with young kids and/or pregnant?

Interested in how much it costs roughly, how long it took and how you kept the kids amused...

Any and all advice, opinions and info appreciated please!

TIA

[luna moth]

Have driven it - both ways.

Ummm.... there's rest stops along the way, with tables and chairs, but that's really the best of it. The plant life is the same pretty much the whole way across, but we did notice that the ants change every few hundred ks. There's roos and emus to watch for, there's RFDS landing areas (we called them pedestrian crossings ) and that's all you're looking at for your four days. As far as stops, there's a few big things - whale, oyster etc, and the telegraph station at Eucla. We stopped at every single point of interest as well as Christmas Lunch in Cessnock and a party in Cobar (driving from Syd) and still made it to Perth for the party we were going to on the 29th. And we were not hurrying.

I reckon you could do it. You're a smart and creative soul; you'll find ways to make this work. But yeah, it's a drive you only do once!

[mrsmac]

DVD player for DD! My kids love them in the car and my brother and SIL have one for nieces too and found it invaluable.

[LimeSlice]

lol - yes, crtainly don't plan on doing it more than once, and pretty sure we are only doing it to say we have done it!

And top notion on the DVD! Thank you

[Erin_25]

Yep did it once, never again LOL! nothing to see really, just can say we did it. I was 5.5 months pregnant at the time we moved to WA and was no worried at al in the car - I could actually hold my bladder better than my DH!!!! When I had bubs in SA and DH drove back with my car, I let him drive with someone else & I flew with bubs....didn't need to go again.
Though we travel lots anyway & just get going so not to have to stop much, we recently did a 2day trip from QLD to SA with 2 kids no worries at all. We have a DVD player & DS is getting a leapstar for christmas to keep him amused this year. We also put a large bag of toys beside him that he can get to himself, books, cars etc. Always buy something small that is new, have snacks handy, music, favourite blanket etc so you don't have to keep stopping for the. It can take even longer if you continually stop and there are not lots of places to stay on the way so you are forced to do a certain amount of k's in one day.

[nellnell]

Yep, done it once. No kids though at the time. We moved from WA to the east coast and towed a boat with lots of our belongings in it. It was boring, and we only stopped when we needed to (fuel, toilet, food, sleep). It didnt take us that long (but saying that, we used to travel long distances lots and could do Perth to eastern Kimberley region of WA in 30 hours). First night we stopped on the side of the road in our swags, but saying that I'd never do that again. It was COLD and scary. Only one more overnighter along the way.

We took lots of food, particularly fresh fruit to snack on the way as the food was pretty terrible, and a friend packed us a basket of non perishable nibbles as well.

As for your almost 3 year old, songs, CD's, a magna doodle, books she can read, and books you can read to her, puppets, sewing cards (I make my own out of cardboard and shoelaces), and any other small new games.

Good luck, I' sure all will be fine once you set off and get into the swing of things.

Forgot to mention that you might need to get used to doing 'bush wees'

[kawazuki]

your not crazy..

we are about to set off on 6000km with a 6 month old a 3 yo and a 10yo.
we have headrest dvd players, and ds has a hius ipod and ds game thingo.

we were looking at doing the nullabor one day.

we also did 4500km when maree was 1 week old.

[meow]

Pack some little cushions to poke around yourself and help change positions if you feel you need back support, bum support etc.

[luna moth]

First night we stopped on the side of the road in our swags, but saying that I'd never do that again. It was COLD and scary.

We did this the whole way across and then for a few weeks around WA/SA and Vic as well. When we weren't crashing at friend's places, or scamming our way into strangers' backyards to put up our tent so we could spend caravan park money on beer... ohhh, the adventure of it. It's a wonder we came out alive, let alone happy, settled, productive members of society

[Visitor7]

I've never done that trip, but we've done heaps of trips with the kids, and amusing a 3-4 year old is so easy! Well compared to an 18 month anyway. Nina was so engrossed with games, dvd's, books, colouring etc that she didn't even care that we were in the car for 3 days straight.

[3 Little Munchkins]

I saw your thread and had to reply. all I can say is 'be prepared' lol. DH and I have done it 2 and a half times...... from Townsville to Perth and back that is..... not just 1 way. To be really honest there are a lot of touristy stop off's along the way so it really makes life quite interesting. We have done it once by ourselves, once with DD1 when she was 2 or 3m and then again with DD1 when she was 18m. It was alot easier with a newborn then a toddler. We had a portable DVD player WHAT A LIFESAVER!!! We also had loads of coulouring in book, pencils etc, A small variety of new toys so she got excited about them right away rather then her being already bored with them.... (by new I really mean toys that I hid from her for about a month or so before hand plus a few new cheap toys). One thing that made a little bit of a difference as well..... we moved her carseat around a little, it maybe felt a little like you do when you move your lounge around lol.....


I wish you all the best. All in one breath I will say Ha Ha but I will also say.... it is an experience I think we all should get... I really enjoyed it.... the first time and the 2nd time (not the last though uh! lol) but I really hope you, DH and your little one enjoy the journey, take loads of pics for the memories too
xx

[~Trish~]

If you're mad, we must be completely insane . We are planning on driving over to WA in September, so we'll be going over the Nullabor on the way there and on the way back with THREE kids, eek! I Googled the other day and found some sites that had some ideas on how to entertain kids on long car trips. I'll copy and paste for you:

For Babies and Toddlers
Sometimes the simplest - and least expensive-- things can delight a baby (at least for a few minutes.) Such as a couple of pieces of mega-blocks that she can try to piece together. Or a few magnetic stick-together blocks. Or a safe little plastic mirror.

Simple, inexpensive, and easy to bring along:
bubbles (use them on stops)
balls (for rest areas during car trips)
nested containers, and objects to put into them

Kids Fun Stuff - Pre-Schoolers
This is a great age for picture books, stickers and activity books, pop-up books, and other low-tech toys and books you can go out and buy, sometimes available low-cost at a dollar store.

Pre-schoolers can also be amused by simple things from home:
masking tape - kids have fun just ticking it, unsticking it, etc.
post-it notes
paper punch
wrapped up presents, or snacks - triple-wrapped; the unwrapping is the fun part
metal tray, and magnets
learn a long story and tell it well: kids like to hear the same story over and over

We also just bought a DVD player with two screens for the back of the headrests for the kids. I really don't know if we will get through it unscathed, but it will definitely be an adventure! We are doing a 6 week trip, so we might bump into you on the Nullabor LOL!

Good luck