Love writing about this journey and hope these help others along the way
https://www.caravanningwithkids.com.au/10-top-tips-for-solo-parenting-vanlife/
10 Top Tips for Solo Parenting Vanlife
Come adVANture with us
Love writing about this journey and hope these help others along the way
https://www.caravanningwithkids.com.au/10-top-tips-for-solo-parenting-vanlife/
10 Top Tips for Solo Parenting Vanlife
I wrote this blog for Coasting Australia and I’m loving that I have documented our FNQ time in so much detail as I am so far behind in blogging our AdVANtures in here.
Enjoy the read
Here are some common questions we have been asked about our Frankie Dean (Jayco FD 19-1) since being on the road.
First of all here is a link to the new Frankie that Jayco have brought out. Frankies younger sister I have decided, Frida I would call her if she were mine. https://www.jayco.com.au/promo/campervans
Where do you all sleep? There is one BIG bed and we all cosy up together and it’s actually comfy. I often remind myself that this time I will not get again, nor will the girls. There are so many magic, funny, grumpy moments and everything between.
How fuel efficient is Frankie? Frankie runs on diesel and uses about 10.8 litres per 100km. So thats around $16.50 per 100km.
Is it easy/annoying to be setting up and then having to pack up to drive off somewhere? We have perfected this over the months. We fill up the water tank, not have the hose attached and we travel light. We leave our outdoor table and chairs and some tubs of gear at ‘base camp’ as we call it. So when we need to head off it’s a simple unplug the power and lock the drawers and swivel the chairs around and turn off the gas..a bit i know but it literally takes a few minutes and with our handy dash checklist we have a smooth pack up.
Is Frankie easy to drive? Now I say SO easy, but initially i was a tad overwhelmed with reversing and driving in traffic etc, but like most things..practice and it all becomes easier. Now Frankie feels better than normal to drive, I love driving the big van that is Frankie.
Please pop a question about Frankie if you have one in the comments and I will endeavour to answer it.
This blog has taken me a while to write, as each time I went to approach it, I was still too excited! The Zoofari stay at Western Plains Zoo was ‘simply the best’ … yep, singing here … ‘better than all the rest’ …
Firstly, it was Gem that this experience was
Here’s some info about the Zoofari stay from me. but also click here to go to the website.
The Zoofari Lodge Stay includes:
Zoo entry for two days
Bike hire (including ones with kiddie trailers)
Amazing African-inspired dinner and breakfast, as well as local wine tasting and cheese platter
Pool 🏊🏻♂️
Stunning safari-inspired luxurious tent-style accommodation (think
Behind-the-scenes night safari (I have fallen in love with rhinos) and morning animal feeding and behind-the-scenes visit (we all love giraffes
The build-up: I had told Harps that we were doing
Once we got to the Safari
Dubbo is totally worthy of a family holiday and if you’re up for a once-in-a-lifetime experience (or twice, as I already want to go back), check out the Animal Lodges Zoofari Packages.
Some photos are my own but I must give some photo credit to Dubbo Zoofari stays … and some of the guests too. Sharing is caring!
Here’s some tips:
I suggest taking a ‘ride’ on the wild side, as in
I am so glad we took the bike option (you can drive, walk, buggy or bike). It’s just so much fun and a chance
The Western Plains Zoo is our new
The zookeeper talks are great – we listened to the one on cheetahs and watched them get fed. They made the cutest noises and Gem was very keen to help!
But my
The girls, especially Harper have
Taronga Western Plains Zoo – we love you!
White rhinos 🦏 are now my
This experience has also got me thinking about visiting Africa … we’ll start by rewatching Out of Africa today 🦒
Arriving in Broken Hill we were greeted by a super friendly fella at the Broken Hill Tourist Park and an ensuite site! These are the BeSt! Even though we have a little bathroom on board Frankie the ensuite sites just feel so special with all the space! The check in process was great! Tips for where to go, what to see etc
Even though I’m not a ‘ tour’ kinda girl I decided to book onto the sunset sculptures tour for the following night.
The Broken Hill Tourist Park is up there with the friendliest we have been to. Maybe it’s because lots of people are travelling through and have driven a long way or maybe it’s the great little bbq area where people gather. I love that this park has a paper towel dispenser near the bbq and the bbqs are FREE. The other travellers gave me road advice and tips for where to stop on our next big driving day etc as well as shared stories.
This is our Broken Hill must visit list
First things first.. coffee!!
The Silly Goat for breakfast and coffee. The Cafe is super funky and as we sat down I was planning how we could visit again before we left. Coffee was amazing and the brekky too. Loads of yummy raw treats available … need to go back !
Then as we were off to Silverton I noticed a building atop an old big mine site, the Miner’s Memorial so up we went, the view is great.
Silverton has something for everyone. The old Jail has been turned into a museum and the girls and I loved this, especially the cell that’s set up with a ball and chain in it, we played guards and prisoners for ages ! There is so much history here and a lovely friendly fella on the desk who answered all the girls questions. Then there’s the Donkeys and the Mad Max Museum and the Pub and Mundi Mundi lookout! That’s amazing! I will let the photos tell you more !
Bells Milk bar was next for a spider and to check out the feeling of stepping back in time to the REtRo era! I loved it and there is a kids area which Gem loved, the spider was super sweet and brought back memories of my Nanna and Pa serving these at their bar to the grandkids when I was young. As Harps drank her spider I shared this story with her.
Broken Hill sculptures at sunset were the best way to end a fabulous day ! We booked a tour though our caravan park and it was the highlight for me ! A really special place. The moon was gorgeous and we watch the sunset, the changing light on the sculptures was magic. Our tour guide Irving was full of stories and treats ( wine n dip etc ) and was great with Gem and Harps. Highly recommend.
I am loving seeing so much of Australia with my girls ! Feeling very lucky 🍀
After Sydney, this was just what we needed. The Forster Big 4 is the perfect combination of nature at your doorstep and resort style. BLISS!
We went straight to Forster Great Lakes caravan park, where we had the most informative welcome and discovered that we had arrived a day early, so we were given a grass site with en-suite for night one, and then moved to our booked site for the rest. En-suite sites … who knew! The luxury. Harper especially loved it.
Forster and Tuncurry are joined by a bridge, and both are as alluring as each other. Pulling into Forster and Tuncurry was like driving into a movie; the water was such a gorgeous blue I kept going on about it. Harper was sure it must look better through my glasses and took them and tried them on, and yep, my polarised sunnies did make a difference. But the waterways are magic – filled with pelicans, boats, oyster leases – it’s just so picturesque.
Aqua aerobics is offered twice a week and it’s gold! Old-school tunes are cranked and a pool full of happy holidaymakers move to the music. Gem, Harper and I may have brought the average age down by a fair chunk, but we loved it as much as any of the grey nomads. Harper especially – she stayed focused and rocking out perfectly in sync with the pool waves.
The
I love what this park is creating. And although maybe I didn’t totally fit the demographic, there were enough families with kids around to keep the children happy. As for me, I just
We met an awesome Spanish family and had a super fun night chatting and sharing stories with them.
The next day I decided that I would take the girls on the Amaroo dolphin watching tour. This was amazing. I cannot recommend it enough.
The Big 4 Great Lakes is something special. Each day you get a text message with details of the evening meal you can purchase from the cafe. Harper loved this option, while Gem and I kept it simple and cooked in the van and super well-equipped camp kitchen.
It’s a dream.
I felt like I could have just relaxed into a state of parent-retirement-village lifestyle with the kids, lol 😂
We will be back for sure.
I’m sitting on the couch at my aunt’s place, one child asleep next to me on a fold-out bed, the other in said aunt’s bed, while aunt is in the spare bed. Musical beds, I like to call it. Frankie is parked in the driveway, and we are enjoying this time back in familiar surrounds, knowing that soon it will be time to hit the road again. We had to pop back to home base for a few reasons, and it’s been a good time to regroup, declutter the van, and fill up on hugs and share some stories (I have loved this bit).
I have decided to share some tips
Parked at these Parks … AND LOVED THEM! All the parks listed here, I would highly recommend. I have just popped in a
South Australia
Hahndorf for views and an on-site restaurant and one of the BEST bouncy pillows we have found in two months. The Hahndorf Resort set the bar high.
Victoria
Healesville Big 4 park is a dream, Badger Creek makes this place special, along with many other amazing things … Yarra Valley Parklane Big 4
Bendigo Big 4 Parklane is forever in our memories for two reasons: for the amazing indoor playground and disco, and for Harper nearly losing a finger trying to get an avocado seed out. I recommend the park BIG time … but not the nearly-losing-a-finger bit …
Traralgon Big 4 … no words … apart from … AMAZING! OK, a few. Like a holiday destination itself: high ropes course, putt putt, laser tag, go carts and more, and Grants
NSW
Tathra Big 4 with the pool where Gem learnt to swim. I felt like I was in Bali in this pool and played the best games here with the girls.
Situated on a gorgeous bay is Kiama Big 4. A big, gorgeous park with a stunning bay in the centre of it. This beach is the best!
Forster Big 4 was such a treat! I wanted to retire early and enjoy the onsite meals and exercise classes along with the fishing and bike tracks.
That’s all for now … more to come!
Please do leave a comment if you have a read and find something interesting or helpful as it does keep me writing 🙂
At the end of the day…
I get tears in my eyes watching these two girls of mine!
This space and time is priceless and I am beyond grateful. So a massive thank you to all who have supported us in all the different ways ❤️
Yes, there is still laundry to do, meals to make, arguments to police 👮♀️ and parenting to navigate, but the joy and the calm and the time together is the BEST!! So very happy to have the chance to do this trip.
We are finding that now the school holidays are over we are meeting more ‘travellers’ and ‘full-time van-lifers’ on the road, whereas in the holiday season we met lots of people on holidays … makes sense right?
What this ‘non-school holiday’ time is bringing is lots more people who are up for a chat and have lots of time.
Junee has been a real town of connection in this way, a welcome surprise.
After a slow morning at camp where we met a fellow
I am loving the conversations, and I am loving the experience of my girls talking with a variety of people and sharing the learning that is happening.
In Junee we camped next to a retired 73-year-old man living full time in his camper, and he not only cooked us some delicious Dutch croquettes, but he sat with us and shared his life stories of travel and love and loss. Then Gem wanted to play horses again, so Harper continued chatting while we played. An hour later Harper and the ‘neighbour’ had covered many topics – aspirations, safety, herbs. Then later in the evening Harper chatted to a grandma for a good while and returned to me to tell me all about the best-paying jobs for juniors in the takeaway employment arena and about her family.
I cannot believe how many kind and open people we met in Junee. Another woman who stands out in my mind is the lovely woman who, while we were at the lake fishing, was riding her rodeo horse. Spotting her ended the fishing quickly, as Gem’s love for horses is HUGE, and we got chatting and later went to her horseriding and agistment place and the girls got to ride a horse! What a day!
People are so kind ❤️and people sharing stories really is a beautiful thing ❤️ Yay for great little inland towns and their people ❤️
After a good bit of R and R on the pool lounges at Kiama Big 4, I was ready to show the girls the city life. After debating whether we should stay at Lane Cove National Park or with family, we opted to stay with my cousin. You may think it would be a no-brainer – that of course, we should stay with family – but the reason I had to really think about it
Sydney with kids. On a budget. Hmmm … First things first:
1) Get an Opal card, top it up and get to know the public transport routes.
2) Visit the Zoo – make a whole day of it! See the shows (especially the seal show) and pack snacks and lunch etc. There is something special about Sydney Zoo – maybe it’s the chairlift thingy (what are they called?) that takes you to the top, or maybe it’s the view of the harbour, but its just special.
3) Ferry fun for everyone. Just catch one and cruise around. So much fun. One of our
4) Stay local. Enjoy the area you’re staying in … walk the streets, check out the houses and the little township if it has one, visit the local pool. We were staying in Beecroft and loved the area: so different than home and the Epping pool is inexpensive and really picturesque. Again – pack snacks.
5) Homemade Home and Away Summer Bay Tour – looks like this …
1. Wake Home and Away fan with Home and Away theme song.
2. Head to the carpark near the Barrenjoey Lighthouse – pay $10 an hour for car parking (totally worth it).
3. Go to the Pier Diner and Alf’s Bait Shop. Be filled with joy!
4. Have massive muffin at the diner (really called the Boatshed).
5. Take a photo with a photo of Alf that is in the Bait Shop.
6. Pat the dog that Alf has patted.
7. Swim swim swim and walk the beach.
8. Soak it all in – the view is amazing!!
9. Discuss all the scenes that have happened on the pier.
10. Head to the Summer Bay Surf Club (Palm Beach Surf Club) and do a photo shoot.
11. Talk about all the scenes filmed there.
12. Swim between the flags and dream of seeing H and A fans
13. Drive around the Palm Beach
Harper, 11, the Home and Away fan (like her mum) had the BEST day!
6) Opera House and
7) Glebe
Sydney, there was so much more we could have explored, but better leave some things for next time. I’m learning less can be more and to love every step of this journey … and not to get caught up in ‘should’ve’, ‘could’ve’ … etc …
Making a commitment to blogging is certainly seeing me stick to it … even if I am once again very behind.
The great thing about
So … winding the mind and the odometer back again to the gorgeous town of Lakes Entrance (thank goodness I do take notes):
Lakes Entrance: We loved this town so much; we got to stay in a stunning, well-equipped holiday house called the Lakes Beach House with a friend I made whilst walking the KIWT (Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail in 2017). It was nice to be in a great big space again, and we parked Frankie and explored the house and got excited about all the rooms – especially the kitchen. It’s a cook’s dream, so we ate extra well whilst we were there, as I just love having a big kitchen to cook for everyone in.
Now Lakes Entrance has some major draw cards, one of them being mini golf. It’s everywhere!! We played and laughed our way around the course on the main street. I never knew Harper had some many little cheating tendencies – like getting down low and blowing the golf ball towards the hole. There are about six mini-golf places to choose from (well, ok, maybe just four, but it seemed like lots!).
My other top tip is to do the hike out to ‘The Entrance’ that Lakes Entrance is named after. Our friend ‘guaranteed’ that we would see dolphins and seals – and we did! The walk is great, even with a four-year-old on your back most of the way. There
There is a family fun fair that runs over the holiday period right on the Esplanade. These fairs are always fun, but they are also money pits, and as we are on a tight budget and I am consciously trying to ensure the girls have some delayed gratification, the first night we were there we just walked around the fair. While we were doing that, we each decided on three things we would do the next day. This was actually a really fun way to get excited about going to the fair and
The local fish ‘n’ chips are great, and we had a lovely picnic in the park. Cycling along the shared cycle/walking path is beautiful too. When we left, it was lovely to be back in our van, and it was
Eden
Some friends we made in Traralgon who are doing their lap of Oz this year recommended Eden as a good place to spend some time, and I’m so glad they did.
Eden is not only my daughter Harper’s middle name, but she is named after Hacienda Eden in Mexico – a very special place where I spent many months in my mid-20s. Being on the road and visiting Eden, NSW has taken my mind back to my travels in Mexico and the people I met there, and how the experience shaped me.
Eden, NSW has a stunning Art Deco whale museum with stories galore. Our
In Eden, the walk along the coast and along the river system is lovely and popular with locals and their dogs, which Gem loved. There’s lots of fish to be seen and of
Tathra… Wow! I spent most evenings having a look at realestate.com for houses here. Tathra exceeded our expectations. What a dreamy little spot; there’s something about the hills, cliffs, bay and quaint little town that makes me want to return every year, buy a holiday house (let me dream) and have friends join me for holidays. The kids can play at the fair and surf the break by the surf club. It’s got a sweet holiday vibe, and the bush alongside the sea is dreamy.
During our days we rode along the bike path down to the Bega River, walked the tracks up to Tathra town, counted lizards and played for hours on the beach. Harps took a surf lesson and learned lots about getting out past nasty shore dumpers with @coastlifeadventures. We explored the local shops, including the op shop for the vintage find of the year – a times-tables monkey, see photo – and fell in love with a variety of puppies all here on holidays. We also spent an afternoon at the Tathra hotel listening to live local music and enjoying the new park! We also went to the
Begas Heritage Centre is also a must visit if you like cheese taste tests and fancy slipping into a cheese coma from too much cheese … lol. There’s loads of vintage machinery and history of the farming in the local area there. We went twice. Candelo is a little town out of
Bermagui was our next location and the weather gave us a stormy welcome, our first bit of wild weather. The next morning the clouds had cleared and we walked to the Bermagui Blue pools and spent the most splendid day exploring, Snorkelling and swimming and
I have found synchronicity with timing when one is
The drive to Kiama felt long for some reason, so we had to stop in Batemans Bay for a game of mini golf, and I’m happy to say, Harps didn’t cheat and was well and truly improved.
When we arrived in Kiama, we found our park was super exciting. The Big4 is right on a gorgeous little bay, and we were lucky enough to be camped next to a lovely family with whom we shared lots of time over the next three days. The park was once again a family dream with something for everyone. In pool sunbeds (me), waterslides (Harper),
Frankie is going so great and gets lots of interest at caravan parks and when we are out and about. People love looking at the layout and how we live. We even saw another Jayco FD19 on the road the other day and mashed to connect via instagram. Loving this van life and all the adVANtures it brings.
Next stop Sydney... please leave a comment if you read something that resonates with you. Or leave a question if you have one. I hope the blog is helpful and I’m happy to be recording it for myself and the girls too.