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25.01.2022 Dubbo Zoo We travelled all the way across to Dubbo for one reason......the world class Taronga Western Plains Zoo. We were super excited and ready to see some amazing animals in some world class exhibits! Perhaps our expectations were too high or perhaps we are just hard to please but we felt that this zoo lacked something. It could've been that a lot of the aspects of a great zoo experience were closed due to Covid-Bloody-19! (No early morning walks, no keeper talks, no...Continue reading

24.01.2022 So this just happened!!! Noosa parkrun!!!! Today, Queensland joined some other lucky states and welcomed back 'covid safe' parkruns! We were lucky enough to join in!! ... In January we set out on our adventure to run at as many parkruns during our lap around Australia as possible. We enjoyed 5 amazing Tasmanian parkruns then......BAM......covid hit!!! After 9 long months of NO parkrun, we have finally completed our first Queensland parkrun as a family!!! Somehow, we made it to the 7am start line with 3 cranky kids, overcame the 5 year old tantrum at the 2.5km mark and got everyone across the finish line in one piece! Thanks to all the locals and volunteers at Noosa parkrun for welcoming us so warmly. This event was bitter sweet for us as we are very aware that some states have not yet seen the return of their beloved parkrun! Hopefully this gives those of you from these states, hope that you will be able to participate again in the forseeable future. Then, hopefully we'll come and visit you too! For those of you wondering what I'm even talking about, check out what parkrun is all about here. http://runningaroundaustralia.com.au/the-best-free-family-/

24.01.2022 Clairview "Barracrab Caravan Park". This spot is all about the beachfront camping! The unpowered area is first in best dressed and is absolutely stunning (especially during high tide). Clairview is a designated dugong sanctuary and we were lucky enough to watch the mesmerising dugongs surfacing to breathe. We connected with another travelling family "Beva's Big Trip" (it's never lonely on the road) and had a fun night having a few happy hour drinks at the rustic (run down)... bar, then a kids cinema night and adults firepit social session. ;-) The park is VERY basic (and needs updating badly - see pics). It was $44 p/n for our family of 5, no power or water but we felt it was still a worthwhile stopover simply for the location, relaxed "bali" vibe and dugongs!!!

23.01.2022 We did it! We made it to Queensland! Right from the beginning of planning our Big Lap, Queensland was high on our priority list! When we headed to NSW from Victoria no other state was open to us (yet) unless we wanted to self quarantine for 2 weeks! So with rumours of QLD keeping their borders closed until September we thought we'd just make the most of exploring NSW for as long as necessary before heading to QLD. ... Before we left home we pre-booked a week's accommodation at a timeshare resort in Port Macquarie for 17th-24th July. As it turned out the QLD border opened to travellers (outside of hotspots in past 14 days) on 10th July and we were freaking out that at any time Queensland could change their laws and we'd be locked out permanently! So, as soon as our week in Port Macquarie had come to an end, we drove up the coast to Queensland! It almost broke our hearts to bypass some amazing NSW coastal towns but we know we'll get back to them again when the time is right. We feel so heartbroken for our family and friends back in Victoria who are now essentially locked down again and forced to wear masks in public. Stay safe everyone. We can't even imagine how you are coping at this present time. We hope our travels are giving you hope that Victoria can once again get on top of this horrible pandemic and for those from other states who are constantly bagging Victorians for "not doing the right thing" just remember that it could just as easily have been your state. It only takes a few to ruin things for the rest and this virus is brutal! Also, NSW and Queenslanders obviously believe this virus can't effect them as there is minimal social distancing going on anywhere! For other travellers wondering about the border checks, it was very painfree and simple. Print your border passes, have some evidence of where you have been for the past 14 days (no hotspots allowed), evidence includes Google Timeline, Bank statements or receipts and wait about an extra 10 mins to cross the border due to traffic congestion. Easy. Can't wait to share Queensland with you all! Xx

23.01.2022 Finally! We are somewhere cool enough to enjoy a campfire.......but really we're just trying to cover up the stench of the septic sewage smell! #notallcampsitesarecreatedequal #donationcamp #campfireparadise #nearlyhome #homeforchristmas #runningaroundaustralia #truth #goodbadugly

23.01.2022 Etty Bay FNQ Where the cassowaries roam. This is one of the prettiest bays / beaches we have been to so far. There is a small caravan park nestled between the mountain and the bay and it was the perfect spot to spend a couple of nights after spending the past 5 weeks in Cairns. There are "wild" cassowaries who roam through the park a few times each day. These creatures are absolutely extraordinary. They are huge, prehistoric looking, yet strikingly colourful. It was so exc...iting them seeing them each day but also concerning how they scavenged through bins and ate out of people's hands! We even saw one swallow a huge cooked bone, whole! These endangered birds are to be protected and are also known to be dangerous, especially when relying on humans for food . I witnessed a dad feeding one some bread, while his daughter threw thongs and a bucket at it because it was trying to get to her sausage! I couldn't help but say something to them but unfortunately this type of ignorance is what ruins our world for others. The beach was pristine and there were stinger nets which meant we spent hours swimming and playing in the perefctly temperate water. The kids made friends with the whole park and set up a little garage sale to make some extra robux $$! They made an impressive $40! If you are ever heading this way, put Etty Bay on your list and don't forget to request a beach view. You will not be disappointed. #ettybay #fnq #runningaroundaustralia #cassowary #travelaustraliawithkids #paradisefound #paramountcaravans #thebiglap

22.01.2022 Oh Deere Farm Stay Calen Qld After staying in a few very forgettable caravan parks, we decided that we really wanted to get back to the farm stay / free camping scene! After hearing lots of positive things about this farm stay we decided to pull up. How good to see another family pull up at the same time! We were doubly happy when we saw that another lovely family were already staying! ... The kids all hit it off immediately and we could relax because at a small farm stay you always know where they are! We were happy to be back around a fire pit and the kids roasted marshmallows for the first time in ages! The host runs personal tours of her sugar cane farm and we learned a lot about farm life. Friday night is $6 burger night at the local bowls club so we crashed the locals party and the kids ran around on the bowling green, burning off more energy! The locals were the friendliest people! Often when we rock up to a place like this, the locals look up from the bar and stare at us like we have 2 heads, then go back to drinking or chatting! Not here!! They welcomed us with open arms, saying hello and grabbing the kids a set of kids bowls to play with. We loved our short stay at Oh Deere and now it's time to find other great farm stays on our way back down south!! #OhDeere #farmstay #bowlsclub #queenslandwithkids

21.01.2022 Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads who spend each and every day teaching their kids about life, love, patience, hardwork and most of all fun! Today is a day where we get to celebrate you and show you how much we appreciate everything you do. Xxx Thank You!

21.01.2022 I guess it was inevitable!?? We are a family of 5 who have always followed every rule and law to the letter. Back in March, we paused our big lap and isolated in a holiday house in regional Vic until we were given the green light to travel again. We sold our house and travelled (legally) to NSW. We had already been in NSW for about 3 weeks when Victoria's Covid numbers started to rise. For the past 4 weeks we have been enjoying the hospitality of beautiful outback NSW towns a...nd campsites. Tonight, while staying in Port Macquarie NSW we decided to go out for a nice dinner at the local pub (The Settler's Inn). We booked ahead, asked for a table near the playground, got dolled up and lined up at 6pm up to "sign in". The employees took one look at our Victorian driver's licences and said, sorry but we are refusing you entry based purely on you having a Victorian licence! We were astounded! WTAF! We explained that we had not done anything wrong, had not broken any laws and were legally allowed to be there. We offered to show them proof of our whereabouts for the past 4 + weeks. We had not been anywhere near ANY hotspots! It was pretty humiliating really, the kids were getting upset that we weren't allowed in! To be honest, we were kind of expecting this kind of thing from random people in the street who saw our number plates but this was something different! Surely, this kind of irrational, discriminating "policy development" is illegal? Anyway, it was clear they weren't going to budge and by now the "sign in" line was getting quite long, so we left. We were feeling deflated but rang another nearby restaurant (The Westport Club), and asked if having a Victorian licence would be an issue? They replied, as long as you haven't been in Victoria or any hotspots in the past 14 days there is no problem. They also asked, do you have proof? Which we of course replied, yes. We arrived 5 minutes later and were warmly welcomed. The restaurant had excellent social distancing measures and covid safe practices in place. Thank goodness that common sense and rationality still exists, and yes, we had a lovely dinner!

21.01.2022 To a travelling family, this is exactly what it's like! Where should or can we go? Will we be allowed out again? Thanks for the laugh Jimmy!

20.01.2022 This is located on the small island where we spent our 2 months in iso! The Little Penguins come in from the sea every night to rest and feed their young. This is an awesome opportunity to watch them live without having to leave your loungeroom / campchair! Tomorrow night - 25th Aug! :-) Enjoy! https://facebook.com/events/s/watch-penguin-parade-live-from/2646661732317655/?ti=cl

20.01.2022 Another great parkrun morning at a beautiful small town parkrun! Yeldulknie Weir Trail parkrun SA. Our first volunteer position on the road too! ;-) https://www.facebook.com/384976145416229/posts/808766756370497/

19.01.2022 When we decided to do a lap of Oz we felt quite guilty for making this little guy miss out on his special kinder year! So, each day when the big kids are doing their school work; Harvey is doing some kinder 'work'! Today was sand writing/drawing! ;-) #homeschoolingontheroad #kinderkid #bushkinder

18.01.2022 Being back on the road means stopping off at some of Australia's most iconic photo opportunity locations! We stopped in for lunch and a beer too of course!

18.01.2022 Fraser Island! (K'gari) EPIC!!! Is the one word we would use to describe the absolute amazing adventure we just had! We originally weren't going to brave the trip across to Fraser Island, we didn't even own a tent a week ago! A fellow traveller saw that we were literally camping a few kms across the water from Fraser and asked the question, "Why aren't you doing Fraser?" Good question....we probably should explore the world's largest sand island! So, we bought a family tent... and some air mattresses online and they were delivered to our caravan park one day before we were due to hit the island! Nothing could prepare us for what awesomeness was to come! The kid's 1st tent experience, campfires every night, perfect weather, driving 123km on the pristine beach, 4WDing down sandy rainforest tracks to the bluest, clearest lakes you've ever seen! Swimming in rock pool aquariums, whale watching from the beach, tracking dingoes, spotting sharks and turtles from the rocks, floating down crystal clear creeks, unplugging from devices and catching up with another travelling family. 6 nights of adventure and fun! Thanks for the memories Fraser! What a high!!! Can't wait to put a video together and download the gopro shots for this one!! #fraserisland #wheretonext #tentwithkids #runningaroundaustralia #dingoesonfraser Simply Eden

18.01.2022 Just realised that I haven't posted this short video of our time at Inskip Point (Rainbow Beach) Qld. $6.25 per person per night - $27 family (National Park permit). Absolutely magical!!!

16.01.2022 Heading North! Queensland Agnes Water. Seventeen Seventy. Rockhampton. Yeppoon. These are the places we have been exploring over the past five or so days. We stayed at low costs camps found on Wikicamps / Youcamp (now called Hipcamp). They are basically privately owned properties where self contained campers can set up on a piece of grassy land and explore the area. Approx $7-12 per adult and $2-$4 per child. Deepwater Dreaming (1 hr South of Agnes Water) and Barmarye...e Gardens (3km from Yeppoon town centre). Please enjoy our pics which include a little more info on each place. Hope you are all staying safe, happy and well. Xx #yeppoon #seventeenseventy #freecampingaustralia #travellingaustraliawithkids

16.01.2022 Is it really a True Lap if you don't get seriously bogged!!? Here's the story! :-) We decided to drive off the road (just a bit) across a paddock near our campsite to collect a bit of wood. That paddock turned out to be a quagmire in disguise! The recovery effort begins!! A lovely local couple (Rob and his wife) were out for an evening walk and came over to see if they could help. They own the local landscaping business and had a small excavator that they offered to go hom...e and get in order to help pull us out. The car wheels just spun in the bog and the excavator ended up getting bogged too!! With a bit of skilful manoeuvring, the excavator broke free and escaped to dry land! We asked Rob, do you know anyone with a bigger excavator!!? It just so happened he did!! Another 40 mins or so later and Adam (Big Dog) and his wife Christy arrived to assess the situation. They own a large excavator and were willing to come down and see if they could help. At the same time, two groups of young local guys in 4WD utes came over to offer help!! They'd been watching us from their house up on the hill! They offered to use their two utes to piggy back us out! The 1st attempt was a fail with the Landcruiser not budging and the snatch strap detaching from the back tow ute and flinging back, christening our car with her 1st dent . The 2nd attempt, bogged the same ute!! He managed to get pulled out by his mate Graham (the ute in front). This wasn't working! The quagmire was winning!! As the utes were driving away, one got bogged again!!! Time to call in another 4WD friend with a winch! After another wait, the winch guy arrived! By now there were 6 cars helping in one way or another! Everyone worked together to get us out!! We can't thank everyone enough. It really proves that the Aussie helping spirit is still alive and well!

16.01.2022 Caloundra and surrounds (Sunshine Coast) We stopped on the Sunny Coast for about a week. This place is absolute heaven! We camped on the foreshore at Dicky Beach Holiday Park ($87 a night ) and met some of the most friendly grey nomads in Australia! It seemed everyone was from Victoria up here for their annual Winter escape! Swanny (our 75 year old neighbour) brought across some XXXX to share! We were surprisingly impressed! We returned his favour by inviting him over f...or homemade pizza! We loved his positive outlook on life and his hilarious story telling skills...especially about how he almost died in a helicopter crash last year (true story.....he had the pics to prove it! ;-)). We grabbed a Groupon (my favourite saving $$ website!) and took a ride on the Skywheel at Caloundra (set up there till Aug 26th this year). We managed to jump on just in time for the sunset ride and it was stunning!! Next, we stopped at Cooroys No Worries RV stop about 30 min up the road and happily paid our $30 a night to spend more time exploring the area and visiting some very special locals (friends). The weather has been spectacular (about 22-25C each day). A couple of days of rain were thrown in to remind us that it is indeed still Winter!

16.01.2022 When we started this page we promised to share the good and the bad so here is a little (long) story about the latter! Not all free camps are created equal! Warning....this post contains references to ! As you know, we are all about the free camps! The low cost camps, the camps where you can set up next to a river or a lake, the camps where you are miles from your neighbour, your campfire is blazing and the sunsets are magical. ...Continue reading

15.01.2022 A couple of days ago we ticked off a major bucket list item with Port Jet Cruise Adventures in Port Macquarie. There was big swell and lots of whales (which are surprisingly difficult to catch on film)! Here is a highlight reel of our morning out on the water with the humpbacks! Watch to the end for some jet boating action too!

14.01.2022 Sometimes we like to try out and review different products. We recently came across the Aussie made and manufactured muk mat. We carried out an experiment in our caravan to see if the muk mat really lives up to its claims - 2 days with and 2 days without the muk mat. We think you'll agree that the results speak for themselves. Check out the full review here. http://runningaroundaustralia.com.au/muk-mat-product-review/ #mukmat #aussiemade #travelreview #travellingaustraliawithkids

14.01.2022 WILD CHILD Introducing.... HARVEY! We love his adventurous, fun loving attitude and the classic Harvey comments that keep us laughing! Below are some of our favourites from the past year! Sam asked Harvey to go and brush his teeth. He replied, "I don't know how to brush my own teeth you nob"! ... Chris said, "You were brave when the spider went on you!" Harvey replied, "What are you talking about, I screamed my legs off!" "Mummy, Can you be junk (drunk) so we can get more ipad time!!" Harvey said, "I feel sick!", Chris said, "Aawww. Do you feel sick?" Harvey replied, "Daddy, didn't you see me eating when I was already full?" Sam, "Why is Bailey's bey blade set in your bunk pocket?" Harvey replied with a cheeky grin, "Because I stole it from him!" After getting ready to leave and shutting all the car doors at Fraser Island we realised Harvey was missing. We opened the door and Harvey looked up and said, "Oh My God, who forgot me?" "Mum, is this a great question? Is poo grosser than vomit?" "Mum, my chewing gum is down my throat!!!" Sitting around at a campsite in Cape York Harvey exclaims, "I'm so hot my mouth is sweating!" Chris: Do you like your name Harvey? Harvey: No! Chris: Why not? Harvey: I like Zebra better than Harvey, or Max! Sam asked, "What are you going to draw for me?" Harvey replied, "I'm going to draw mummy, and your head is going to be humongous!" After arriving at the pub, Harvey declares, "I don't want any food, I just want a drink, I don't care what it is, apple juice, Fanta, beer, anything!" Harvey put on his Cape York polo shirt. He wanted his top button done up so he asked, "Daddy, Can you plug me in? I don't want to be fancy today!" "Mum, when my icecream is gone, it means I'm finished!" Do you have a Wild Child?? What are some of the funny things they have said!? We'd love to hear them!!

14.01.2022 Thermal Springs! Moree NSW Central NSW is well known for it's thermal artesian hot springs so we treated ourselves to a stay in a popular caravan park that has a huge area dedicated to 5 pools of varying temperatures ranging from 29 to 39 degrees. Gwdyir Carapark and Thermal Springs in Moree wasn't anything too flash but that doesn't stop hundreds of people (mainly grey nomads) flocking here each night! We were also very lucky to catch up with some very special grey nomads during our stay! ;-)

13.01.2022 And here I was worrying that we'd be camping in red dirt!! #moretontelegraphstation #capeyork camping $10 per adult, $5 per child.

12.01.2022 Magnetic Island Feel free to skip the dramatic story and go straight to the pictures for more info on what our first few days on Maggie Island was about.....or stick around, grab a cuppa and read on! While staying in Cairns we decided to finalise the insurance claim on our beautiful Aurora (Landcruiser) as every time we looked at her dents (a result of an earlier mishap) our hearts broke a little! ...Continue reading

12.01.2022 We Did It!! #capeyork #thetip #north #amazing

11.01.2022 The past week or so has seen us staying in some gorgeous country towns in N.S.W. Thank you to the councils who maintain these beautiful free / low cost campsites so that travellers like us can enjoy the serenity while supporting small towns financially (petrol, cafes, supermarkets and even water!) :-) See pics for locations and names of each campsite if you're interested in more details. #nswtravel #freecampingnsw #traveloz #travellingaustraliawithkids

11.01.2022 I am so dam EXCITED right now!!! Bucket list item......here we come!! Be prepared for whale watching spam on Friday!!!

10.01.2022 Heading South (back to Victoria for Xmas with the family....thanks to each and every Victorian legend for making this possible!) After paying upwards of $75+ a night along the coast we decided it was time to head inland(ish) again and enjoy some relaxing low cost/free stays. Here are some pics of the last few places we've stayed and enjoyed for varying reasons. More info on each place in the pics below. ... Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort ($60p/n) ### Carbargo Hotel - FREE (must be Self Contained- or $5 to use shower /toilet) Kiah Country Gardens - $30 p/n (S/C only) #farmstay #nswcamping #travelaustraliawithkids #caravanningwithkids #adventure #christmasiscoming #freecamping

10.01.2022 So, here's the blog you've all been waiting for! "How do we home school on the road?" I come from a teaching background but I want to show you that ANYONE can be their child's best teacher! This one is close to my heart so it's super long but hopefully you'll gain something from it, including lesson ideas. If you're thinking about applying for home school for 2021, get to it as applications close soon (Vic closes 30th Nov 2020). http://runningaroundaustralia.com.au/home-schooling-on-the/

10.01.2022 Phew!!!! We arrived at a beautiful campspot just inland from the Sunshine Coast with about 400 other (weekend) campers. Upon arrival, we went through the usual, Where have you come from, What's your registration number, Have you got your border passes, Please sign the Covid declaration form etc etc. We set up camp, settled in, started eating dinner and a loud voice interrupts. "How's it going guys? We notice you have a Victorian number plate!" It's a couple of full unif...ormed police officers! We were like, Here we go again, "How's it going, Yes we have our border passes, Yes we are full time travellers, Oh really, you're originally from the suburb next to us in Victoria (Pakenham)? Small world!" Then the policeman casually says, "Oh and your registration has expired 33 days ago!!!!" WTF!!? WHAAAAT? HOW!? I guess we didn't receive the renewal notice considering we no longer have a fixed address!! Oops!!! Luckily for us these guys were super nice and understanding, we apologised profusely, promising to pay it online asap!! Thank goodness, they stopped to do a check up on the campsite, not only would we have driven around unregistered and uninsured, we were also risking a $900 fine!!

09.01.2022 Lightning Ridge We headed up to Lightning Ridge in Northern NSW to try our luck at fossicking for opals and to soak in one of Australia's hottest artesian bore springs! ;-) We managed to succeed in both missions! It was like visiting another country! Such a vast contrast to what we are used to!

09.01.2022 Must do in Cairns Qld! Dinner at Cairns Aquarium Tonight I was surprised by the family with a special birthday dinner at the Dundee's restaurant at Cairns Aquarium. It was a highlight of our stay in beautiful Cairns! ... Here, you get to dine while admiring a 70,000 litre tropical floor to ceiling fish tank. The staff were super fun and friendly and even made an effort to remember your name. The food was presented beautifully and was delicious too! This restaurant is definitely worth a visit when you are in Cairns. Leave the ipads and textas at home. The kids will be kept quiet and entertained the whole night! Make sure you ask for a tankside table when you book. #cairns #cairnsaquarium #dundees #travelaustraliawithkids #runningaroundaustralia

09.01.2022 A Year On the Road! Exactly a year ago today we started our Big Lap and what an amazing year it's been!! We thought we'd celebrate this momentous day with an Australia Day picnic on the top of a cliff! #capebauer #streakybay #runningaroundaustralia #picnicontheedge #biglapanniversary

09.01.2022 Big4 Gold Coast!! While we absolutely love free camping away from the hustle and bustle, we sometimes feel that a "resort style" fun holiday is in order! For the past week we have stayed at the BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park. We initially chose this place as a base to take the kids to all the theme parks but once we arrived we soon realised that spending $700+ on family passes to a few theme parks that have reduced attractions due to Covid-19 and Winter was not necessary... as the kids were in HEAVEN right here in the park! The park has a huge new water park with 7 water slides and a giant resort style pool, complete with family gazebos, waterslide, jumping pillow and fully licensed cafe! It almost made up for our cancelled trip to Bali! Throughout the week there were lots of time-tabled activities such as trivia quizes and bingo and as a family we cleaned up with some decent prizes too! As you can see from our pics we had a fantastic time and it was really very difficult to leave! Especially with the unwelcome news that a couple of idiots travelled illegally and brought Covid back into the Sunshine State! Apparently they went about their normal daily business around the Brisbane area while they were infectious too! We were going to visit Brisbane for a few nights but have now decided to drive straight on through!!! We really don't want to go anywhere near potential hotspots for fear of having to quarantine!! It's very nerve wracking having VIC number plates in QLD at the moment! Unfortunately lots of people are (understandably) driven by fear and also unaware of the many precautions and border checks etc that Victorians actually need to adhere to BEFORE arriving! Wish us luck and stay tuned for more Queensland fun and beauty! #goldcoastholidaypark #Big4 #familyfun

09.01.2022 After our awesome experience at Fraser Island we've decided to tackle The Cape! In less than a week we'll be driving on endless red dusty roads, swimming in waterfalls and sweating our b@lls off! We can only hope it's as good as Fraser was! We hope you enjoy our short video of Fraser. :-) https://youtu.be/Qa5frX-WKNw

09.01.2022 Cobb & Co Nine Mile Camping Tandur (Gympie) Queensland. We've heard a lot about this campsite and the reviews are good so we thought we'd give it a try for a couple of nights. While being one of the more expensive low cost camps we've stayed - $15 per adult, $10 per child p/n it's obviously aimed at keeping kids happy so we feel it was worth the $$. The campsite amenities are quite rustic, there are a couple of flushing toilet blocks and one old shower block but there are a...lso some drop toilets scattered throughout the different areas which I guess would be handy if you aren't self contained and want to camp away from the main amenities. We stayed mid week which was very peaceful and relaxing and apparently on weekends it's crazy busy with huge groups of local(ish) families and friends enjoying bush camping together. The property was over 50 acres so there's more than enough room for everyone! The small cafe on site are open for icecreams and coffees and you can buy Firewood too. On weekends the cafe has 4 staff working and they make over 250 coffees each morning!! The kids were in animal heaven once more with goats, chickens, dogs and horses to feed and cuddle. Sam was in birdwatching heaven with lots of new species to see and research, like Blue Faced Honeyeaters and Pale Headed Rosellas. The freshwater billabong was ice cold but fun for a bit of a splash around. The adventure playgrounds (complete with pirate ship and flying foxes) and bike tracks kept the kids exploring and entertained for hours. :-) If you're ever in the area and have kids (or even if you don't) we highly recommend this gem of a campsite. #cobbandco #bushcamping #campingwithkids #queenslandcamping

09.01.2022 Lithgow & Surrounds NSW What was meant to be a two night stopover on the way to Dubbo turned into a five night adventure! Partly due to the amazing things to see and do around town and partly due to our little getting bogged situation (see previous post)! This post is about the destination itself. Whoa!! What a breathtaking and fascinating place! Definitely do not just drive through this place. There is an awesome Freecamp at the Wallerawang Lake Wallace Reserve with hot sh...owers, toilets, great playground and dog park and plenty of space for everyone. We were not really expecting there to be much to see or do but we decided to stop in at the Lithgow Information Centre just in case. This turned out to be a fantastic idea! The info specialist, Vicki put together an epic itinerary based on our interests! The absolute highlights of our visit were the Glow Worm Tunnel and the Hartley Heritage Village Riverwalk. We also visited the Hassans Walls lookout, The Blast Furnace and The Magic of Metal Gallery. There were MANY more attractions around the area including Aboriginal art and historic museums but we didn't get to them all. Check out our photos for more detail of each place we visited.

08.01.2022 You'd be forgiven for thinking this is a day spa! But alas, it's the nicest amenities block we've come across! #councilcaravanpark #nelsonbay #travelaustralia #ammenityenvy #runningaroundaustralia

08.01.2022 Fighter World Williamstown NSW While we were staying in beautiful Nelson Bay we had a squadron of F35 fighter jets fly low over our caravan park! It was such a thrill to hear them in the distance and then see them shoot over the top of us. The noise was deafening!!... While we were driving to our next destination we saw a large billboard advertising 'Fighter World', a museum of historic fighter jets. We are not much of a museum family but we made an exception and the short detour to the museum (much to Miss 10's disgust!) When we arrived, we noticed the car park and surrounds were very busy. Wow! This must be a GOOD museum!! While we were looking around inside the large shed of missiles, rocket engines and historic jet fighters; there was a sudden unmistakable sound of a jet fighter starting to take off! (So, that's why it's busy!!) We ran outside just in time to see two Hornet military planes lifting off and for the next hour and a half we were treated to a show of amazing military aircraft take offs, landings and aerobatics! We will never forget the sound of the two F35s that did a very low fly by over the base! The thundering boom pierced the air and our ears hurt for quite a long time afterwards!! What a thrill! Talk about right place, right time!! #f35 #fighterworld #nsw #militarybase #wegotlucky #museumfamily #runningaroundaustralia #missiles

07.01.2022 Collie Farm Miriam Vale, Queensland (40km inland from 1770.....just off the Bruce Hwy) If you're looking for peace and serenity then this hidden gem is for you! We had left our previous campsite with no particular destination in mind.... On our lunch stop, I gave Garry from Collie Farm a call to see if we could stay for the night. "No problem mate," said Garry. "See you in an hour". We were greeted by two beautiful dogs who immediately wanted to play fetch with the kids. Garry showed us the sites and said we could choose. We chose a nice, flat shady spot by a picturesque dam. We were the only campers so it was very private and peaceful. The birdlife was prolific and at night we saw water snakes feeding on insects and frogs in the dam! Garry provided firewood and we enjoyed a relaxed evening around the fire. At dusk, the kids were excited to see an amazing lightshow in the surrounding trees. The hosts have set up solar powered xmas lights that make the whole area look like a firefly / fairy wonderland! Garry told us that he currently has 6 sites. A couple of the sites have access to a flushing toilet. He says there will also be a 2 bedroom cottage available for hire in the new year. Collie farm is dog friendly. Skip and Kelly will happily play with other dogs all day long! We don't have dogs but these two did not leave our side during our stay. Perfection! Check out wikicamps or hipcamp for more info. We recommend giving Garry a call direct. We paid $30 for 2 adults, 3 kids which is very reasonable considering we also got firewood. #queenslandcamping #lowcostcamping #collie #colliefarm #feeltheserenity #travelaustraliawithkids #runningaroundaustralia

06.01.2022 Amazing FREE camp! During our travels we've noticed that a lot of the smaller towns are making a great effort to attract travellers to their towns by offering short stay free camp sites! Some camps can be a little on the dodgy side but many are properly run and maintained by councils. We found this beauty at Cann River Victoria. It's an old caravan park on the river. The sites are really pretty and still have water hookups!! The amenities are clean and there... are cold showers available. Dogs are welcome and it's walking distance to town. It was warm (30+), so we cooled off in the river and went for a walk along the rainforest track. When staying in these types of campsites we always make a special effort to support the town by spending $$ on food, fuel and/or restaurants. Where is your favourite FREE camp? We'd love to put it on our list. #bestfreecamping #supportlocal #travelaustraliawithkids #travelonabudget #CannRiver #riverswim #victoriacamping #freecamping

06.01.2022 Animals Animals Animals! Our 1st Farmstay! We spent the last 3 nights at a rustic little farmstay in outback NSW - Nakadoo campsite (Coonamble).This was our 1st farmstay and it definitely won't be the last! The kids absolutely loved being able to walk amongst, pat, hold and feed the animals with the highlight being a special visit from the farmhouse puppies! ... The people here are next level 'old school' hospitable and welcomed us onto their property like lifelong friends! We met another 3 travelling families during our stay and have loved hearing all of their amazing stories! We can't wait to experience more of outback Australia's farmstays! Please tell us your favourites so we can add them to our ever growing list!

05.01.2022 Running Creek Parklands- Stanmore Queensland. $10 per adult $5 per child p/n. This beautiful open campground is a very popular spot for local Queenslanders on weekends as it's only an hour North of Brisbane. There are portaloos available for use and the serenity is free! We loved our stay here. It was the most expensive low cost camp to date at ($35 p/n) but we felt so relaxed here it was worth it. Firewood is also available for $10 a bag. Aahhhh..... Stay tuned for our next instalment.....a not so nice experience at a nearby free camp!!

05.01.2022 Sydney!!! WOW!!! We had planned to park up at a small low cost camp in a suburb about 40kms out of Sydney and train/bus it into the city each day but reality hit when we realised it was a 3hr+ round trip each day. Instead, we made the spontaneous decision to to leave the van, catch the public transport (once) and spend 2 days and a night exploring Australia's biggest city! As a special treat and because the current state of affairs had made it more affordable, we opted fo...r an apartment with harbour views! All we can say is WOW! What an experience!! We spent hours in the pool, ate out at some fantastic restaurants, navigated our way around the ferry network and visited the Sealife Aquarium. We are still chuckling about the fact that we only lasted 7 days back in our caravan without a hotel stay but we are confident that this stop will be one to be remembered for years to come!! Thank you Sydney for the sun, fun and memories! See more

05.01.2022 Magnetic island Queensland! #stunning #travelqueensland #islandlife #rockwallabies #thebiglap #familytime #magneticisland

05.01.2022 We decided to enjoy a bit of R&R for a week at Airlie Beach Qld on our way up North. We got a great deal with Big4 Whitsundays Eco Tropical Resort with kids stay free so at $42 a night we were happy campers! Our kids aren't huge waterpark fans and get a bit overwhelmed by how busy the big caravan parks can be so we chose the smaller, quieter park. It had a pool, jumping pillow, movie night and ninja course and the kids were super happy! #big4whitsundaystropicalecoresort

05.01.2022 Big Crystal Creek (Paluma Range National Park Queensland).This campsite often comes up on our Facebook feed under the premise of favourite campsites of other travelling families, so naturally it was on our must stop list too. We reasonably easily got our 23'6 van into the campsite. We would recommend avoiding arriving on a Fri or Sat though, as it can get busy. We booked online - $6.25 per person. The campsite is right next to Paradise Pool (huge fresh rockpool with fish and ...turtles). Perfect temperature and even a 2m high rock jump! 3 mins drive down the road are more rock pools and amazing natural rock waterslides! We had this whole place to ourselves for most of the afternoon! We saw two snakes on the walking track in so keep an eye out. The pools were filled with large fish and eels and we had heaps of fun snorkelling here. We absolutely agree that this place definitely warrants being put onto your "must do" list. See more

05.01.2022 Wudinna SA We were a little worried about finding places to camp during the Aus Day long weekend so we decided to go inland for a while! We needn't have worried! We found some lovely quiet free / donation camps and were the only ones there! All had toilets, water and bins too!! Loving these SA camps! Check out the pics for more info on each spot. ... On Saturday the temperature hit 43 degrees so we bunkered down in Wudinna showgrounds as they offered power and water for just $15 per night!!! Air conditioner....here we come!! This place may be hot and in the middle of nowhere but this little town has many surprises and is especially great if you have kids! Right across the road is a public siwimming pool and a free Apex park complete with jumping pillow, pump track, excellent outdoor gym, playground and splash park!! The school across the oval also has great playgrounds and huge zip lines if you happen to visit on a non school day! The showgrounds also have tennis courts, cricket nets and basketball courts so it's like staying in a BIG4 without the $$$ or the crowds! Highly recommend a stopover in this friendly little town if you're ever in the area. We love supporting the little towns! We may have stocked up at the bottle shop too! i

05.01.2022 Feeling so concerned for our friends and family in Victoria at the moment. State of Disaster announced with Stage 4 restrictions for metro / greater Melbourne and Stage 3 for Regional Vic. Take care everyone, you've got this. Xxx

04.01.2022 Love Jimmy! Such a realistic video! This happens more times than we'd like to admit!

04.01.2022 Wowee!! We crossed the border into Queensland from NSW almost two weeks ago! Hopefully this doesn't affect our travels too much!! Checking into restaurants/campgrounds is already beginning to feel like we are under interrogation and we've heard more rumours about people with Victorian licences being refused entry to campgrounds/restaurants!

04.01.2022 Just when we think it can't get any better......we get to hand feed wild dolphins!!! Info: $10 per person, strict covid safe regulations in place so get there early, especially school / public holidays (6.45am) to avoid missing out (only 40 people allowed in today).

04.01.2022 Never would we have guessed that we'd be spending Halloween on Magnetic Island but here we are!!

03.01.2022 Eyre Peninsula. SA The past week or so we've been exploring the beautiful Eyre Peninsula! All of the places below are within about an hour radius of one another and all were awesome! Please have a look through the pictures for more detail of each place. Murphy's Haystacks $2pp or $5 family Wrightys Bayview Camp FREE... Point Labatt Sea Lion Colony FREE Streaky Bay FREE Great White Shark Replica FREE Cape Bauer Loop FREE Perlubie Beach Camp $10 pn See more

02.01.2022 So many awesome free waterfront lagoons and waterparks in Queensland's harbourside towns!!! We found this little beauty in Bowen! #free #travelaustraliawithkids #queenslandtravel #bowen

02.01.2022 Canberra! In Winter! The icy weather and all of the Covid-19 restrictions really limited us to what we could do in Canberra, so we made our own fun and jumped on the light rail, caught a bus through the city and played in muddy puddles!

01.01.2022 Best thing about birthday eves? Dad takes the kids shopping for a couple of hours to buy presents!!!! #metime #bestpresentever