What tips and tricks have we picked up along the way?
Well we are sure to pick up a few on the 2006 road trip but let's see what pearls of wisdom we picked up last time. We did a road trip around Australia in 1994 for 4 months so we have a bit of prior experience at this sort or thing. It was a bit different back then as we didn't take a caravan so it was mostly tenting or the occasional motel or on-site van. Also, we had 3 kids (6,8,10 years) travelling with us. We registered the kids for Distance Educaton which we can highly recommend. They only did two formal subjects (Maths & Language Skills) and picked up the rest just from the trip itself.
Now over 10 years later it will be without kids but with another couple (Karen & Gary) who have their own car and van. So what are we doing differently? For starters, this time we have worked out we need longer (6 months) and the kids (much older now) will have to fend for themselves at home!
It's good to have a plan, an iinerary, but don't be tied down to anything. Be flexible! There is usually no need to book ahead so long as you arrive by 4pm. If you are passing through a popular tourist destination and it is school holiday time then that is a different story. So be aware of school holiday dates in each state.
An exception worth noting is Lawn Hill Gorge (QLD). There are strict limits on numbers and so you need to book 6 months in advance for the campground. Another great place you need to book ahead is for overnight stays at the lighthouse on Wilson's Promontory. See the accommodation page for more information. For great maps all around Australia with marked camping areas ranging from Free Camps to reasonably priced Caravan Parks and National Parks it is worth buying a copy of this book. Camps Australia - The ultimate guide for the budget conscious traveller. We referred to our copy every day of our round Australia trip in 2006.
Make sure you talk to people at each place you stay as they are the best source of information. You hear about great places to visit and places to avoid. Some of the best places are off the beaten track and so you may not read about them in tourist brochures.
Tips for travelling on corrugated dusty roads
- You only need to cover the vents in your van if it is a VERY dusty road (fine dust). With the majority of dirt roads minimal dust comes in through the vents in the door and back of the fridge and it is best to leave them open. If you need to cover the vents then you should not run the fridge while travelling (our fridge runs on DC when travelling). Use heavy plastic taped over the outside - we used some of our old pool liner cut to size which could be reused when necessary. Also put the plug in the sink to stop dust coming up there too. We 'siliconed' and/or taped around any opening to the outside to stop dust (and possibly water) coming in. This included water pipes and wires - look for openings from the fridge area to other cupboards that may allow dust to pass through.
- We put an 'egg carton' foam mattress layer on top of our van mattress as they typically are too hard and uncomfortable and covered that with a cotton mattress protector to hold it all in place. The left over foam, once we had cut it to size (our mattress is queen-size in length and double-size in width), was used to line the base of cupboards that held items such as cooking pans, toasters etc. This stopped them sliding around and bouncing too much. It also could be cut to wrap neatly around water pipes etc that went to the outside. This effectively acted as a filter for possible dust coming into the van.
- Have one child each side of the back seat separated by an esky so there is no fighting - definitely need to keep them apart. Decide at the start who will sit where are why and don't consider changing. This eliminates the 'my turn in the front' or 'he had longer on the left side than me' arguments.
- Buy a roll of the antislip plastic matting to use to line food cupboards etc so things don't slip around when travelling. Try Spotlight stores for a cheap roll of it.
- Buy Corelle crockery - virtually unbreakable - as it is MUCH nicer than plastic and travels better than china. You can buy wine glasses in sturdy boxes of two - same with beer glasses. KEEP them in the cardboard boxes so they travel well. There is no substitute for glass when drinking wine and beer.
Tips for travelling with kids
- A handy tip is to make 'hold-it-alls' with many pockets that tie on the back of the front car seats for each child. This keeps all their pens, paper, books and other handy items close by while travelling.
- The kids should all have their jobs and know what to do to set up when you get to each campsite BEFORE they are allowed to explore or play
- Have one child each side of the back seat separated by an esky so there is no fighting - definitely need to keep them apart. Decide at the start who will sit where are why and don't consider changing. This eliminates the 'my turn in the front' or 'he had longer on the left side than me' arguments.
Tips for first timers travelling with a caravan
- We like to cook 3 or 4 meals [eg apricot chicken, a curry, spaghetti bolognese (not the pasta)] and freeze them 2 nights before we go and put them in the caravan freezer. Use old rectangular chinese food containers as they stack well. This saves a lot of cooking on the days when you have long drives. Having frozen meals in the caravan freezer helps to keep it all cold when you are between destinations and don't have the fridge turned on to DC.
- We keep the basic crockery, cutlery, pans, utensils, bed linens, towels and food items (that store well) in the van at all times ie we have a separate set of everything so we don't need to pack it all each time we go - it is always in the van.
- After we return from a trip we wash the linens, towels etc and then put it all back and even make the bed up again so you are ready.
- We keep our crockery in a slide out plastic box which allows you to pack more stuff on top of the box also ie use it as a shelf. We have a crockery stand & collapsible shelf we put on top of a cupboard when we stop for any length of time. We need to do this as our van 'pops up' from half way ie no cupboards above waist height.
Tips and tricks sent in by readers
If you have already done this type of trip around Australia, please send us your 'tips n tricks' and we will place the best here for the benefit of other readers.
Cherie writes: Hi I've just come back from a trip to Alice springs on pretty rough roads. Talking to the guys at MountDare they say they recently had 4 late model Holden Rodeos with the front towers of the shockers breaking - something to watch out for???
The Egons write: Have a look at the Gov site related to fuel economy for most vehicles - Green Vehicle Guide
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