Family road trips in a campervan or vehicle are the ideal way to experience Australia. Australia has broad highways, beautiful landscapes, and magnificent sights.
Read on if you plan to hire a van, wagon, or vehicle. We’ve put together a guide for your next family trip, including what to carry, the best family camping places in Australia, whether to travel in a tent or van, activities on the road, and cooking with the family.
With some advice and a checklist, it’s an inexpensive, simple vacation. This advice can help you pack for your next family trip.
Camping With Kids: Essentials
Camping requires meticulous planning and preparation. Regular campers have their stuff ready in the carport. You may rent tableware, camping chairs, cooking pans, and sleeping bags if you’re camping in a campervan.
If this is your first family camping vacation, we’ve compiled a list of essentials to carry.
- Clothes, towels, and toiletries
- First-aid kit, sunscreen, bug repellant
- Evening lighting: torches, lanterns, glow sticks, solar lights
- Pots, pans, serving spoons, tongs, chopping boards, and knives
- Clean sponges, detergent, anti-bacterial wipes, trash bags, and tea towels
- hats, sunglasses
- Buckets,
- Water bottles
- Alcohol
- Stove, fuel, matches
- Tent, chairs, umbrellas
- Nighttime, PJs, sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, cap
- Games, boards, bats, balls
Where Should Families Camp?
So many campsites to choose from! Australia has several seasides and national park campgrounds.
Consider your family’s needs before choosing a campsite. Need a camp kitchen or a fully equipped campervan? Showers? Need a power supply for your tent or campervan?
First-timers should choose a campground with plenty of amenities. Camping with
- Water!
- Laundry and bathroom
- BBQs/fire pits
- Camp kitchen with fridge
- Playground
- Convenience shop close (for forgotten items)
After identifying your best selections, reserve your campervan and campground early. Many families book their favorite campsites a year in advance, so plan early to secure a place.
Campervan Or Tent? Which Fits Your Family?
Everyone goes camping for various reasons, so consider if a tent or campervan is appropriate for your next family vacation.
Tent Advantages
A tent lets you feel like you’re outside while protecting you from wind and rain. Tents come in different shapes and sizes, so there’s one for your large or little family. Tent sites are cheaper than campervan sites.
Tent Disadvantages
If you’re camping in a tent and have a car, you can lock up your belongings. You’ll need additional stuff to sit, eat, and cook in the evenings.
Campervan Advantages
Campervan/motorhome hire Melbourne for a family camping trip reduces stress. Your campervan has a bed, table, kitchen, and fridge.
The battery allows for a well-lit space at night, perfect for putting the youngsters to bed.
Children’s Camping
Family camping vacations create memories. Here are family games for all ages.
Nature Scrabble
This encourages kids to explore the vast outdoors. Hide camping goods for youngsters to locate in this popular camping game. Or, take a walk about the campsite and develop a list of objects to spot or gather, such as a green leaf, a stone, or a seashell.
Tent-Hanging Dream Catchers
Dream catcher-making is simple. Bring your yarn, beads, and an embroidery hoop.
Relay Camping
As the night becomes cooler, make building the campfire a game. Split the family and scramble to acquire supplies (rocks, firewood, and paper).
Sandcastle Build-Off
Host a family sandcastle competition at the beach. The best turret wins. If you’re not near a beach, use twigs and twine to make a building.
Rainy-Day Fun
If it rains during your trip, don’t worry. Here are some ways to occupy the youngsters till the sun returns.
- Bring board games and Uno cards.
- Bring coloring books and comics
- Fill a craft box with wool, lollipop sticks, stickers, paper plates, bottle caps, coloring pencils, paper, and glue.
- Most Australian campgrounds are covered, so host a talent show. You may invite other families’ children to join in. Adults can also enjoy it.
- Tent-picnic. If it’s raining, nothing beats a picnic under a tent.
Children’s Camp Cooking
Camping’s finest part is cooking over a campfire. Having a vehicle or campervan means you can pack more food. Enjoy your nibbles and beverages! Holiday!
Plan dishes with few ingredients to avoid overcomplicating things. Five- to six-ingredient dishes are best. Some ideas:
- Campfire nachos are made with corn chips, cheese, salsa, and refried beans or chili.
- Baked potatoes with toppings – wrap them in tinfoil and roast them over the campfire. Serve with cheese and beans, canned chili or tuna mayo, and coleslaw.
- Bring pre-cooked rice and add sweetcorn, canned mushrooms, chicken, soy sauce, onion, and garlic. Finish with an egg.
- Cook pasta and add a package of cheese sauce for mac and cheese. Grate fresh cheese on top for extra cheesiness.
- Baked eggs with beans — A classic morning dish, this is a terrific camping supper for the family. Heat beans with chili and adds eggs. Bread and butter are recommended.
Banana boats are easy and delicious. Peel and halve a banana. Wrap chocolate or a Mars bar slice in tinfoil. 5-10 minutes on the campfire is all you need.
