SunriZe Adventures

05/04/2023

On our way to Tannum Sands. We have never been there, so if you have suggestions, happy for comments.

Happy Easter everyone. May you grow closer to each other this weekend and during 2023.

Happy Easter ✝️

18/12/2022

We are back in our birth country since 2016 and treated ourselves and our 2 Aussie kids to an experience of a life time; Marloth Park which is nestled next to the Kruger National Park. Feeding Zebra's, Kudu's and big, fat warthogs, started our mornings with a smile and a full heart.

Watch this space for more to come♡

03/10/2022

We had such a blast on our short stay at Tin Can Bay Tourist Park! 🏕

The park is walking distamce from the esplanade which leads to multiple little beaches, play areas, the harbour and to dolphin feeding! Rainbow Beach is a short drive away and our lunch at Brent's Burgers was amazing. After packing up and driving home, we recommend stopping over at Fraser Grill.

13/06/2022

The Perfect Weekend Camping Spot

The rain on the Sunny Coast has eventually stopped and to celebrate we found a great place to camp. Check out our full post at our website: sunrizeadventures.com

19/04/2022

We bought a camper trailer!😍

Head to our website to get the full low down on what trailer we got, and how we made the decision.

https://sunrizeadventures.com/?p=124

19/04/2022

We have just launched our blog! 🤩🍾

Go visit our website and have a look around. Be sure to subscribe to keep up with all our adventures!

https://sunrizeadventures.com/

We also now have a an email address should anyone which to get in touch. Check out our website of bio for more details.

We bought a camper trailer! Posted on April 19, 2022April 19, 2022 by vanzylerich We bought a camper trailer! Are you thinking about buying your first camper trailer or caravan? With hundreds of alternatives on the market, deciding what would suite you can be a daunting experience. We have recently....

04/04/2022

Our baby arrived yesterday after 5 months. We are packed, excited and butterflies in our tummies as we are driving to our first destination for 2022.

09/08/2021

CAIRNS, JULY 2021

What a great way to escape winter and head North to enjoy sunshine, beach and mocktails for an awesome long weekend 30th birthday party. Now, I would like to highlight that, taking kids, 2yo and 7mnth, on a jammed pack holiday is exhausting! By day 2 we had to scale down as both kids and us were over stimulated, exhausted, emotional and felt rushed. Nevertheless, our amazing friends were supportive and understood our dilemma.
After a 2hour flight, we arrived in Cairns. We were so grateful and thrilled to be back at our most recommendable holiday destination. We have overused the Esplanade as it was greatly enjoyable by our daughter. The Muddy Puddle and nearby Muddys Café are two definite places to visit with kids. Make sure to bring along togs and an extra pair of dry clothes for the little ones. We took a ferry to Fitzroy Island the very next day. Make sure to pack alot of snacks and a waterbottle, but have limited bags. We walked the scenic route to Nudey Beach which was quite a steep and rocky path for a toddler, thus we had to carry her at some parts. We hired snorkelling gear, at the main hotel, and eventhough the water wasn't super clear at some parts, it was still mesmerising. We took the 8am and 2:30pm ferry which was more than enough time to enjoy the sun, explore and eat at Foxy's. The next day we went to Kuranda via scenic train ride and skyrail back. At a loss for words for both rides. Yes, the train is a long 2hour ride but exceptionally beautiful, with several photo perfect moments. Kuranda is a very small artistic town with lots to offer. On arrival, she just had to buy a Cassowary plush toy, dad's favourite Aussie bird. We decided to take Fleur to the butterfly park and was that not a hit! She loved seeing all the colourful and different sized butterflies. The Skyrail back was phenomenal and out of this world. Our friends spotted a salty when they crossed the river. It is a quick 45min ride and absolutely spectacular. The staff was extremely helpful on both rides with helping us with the pram and getting our kids on and off. After 3 busy days, we had to settle as the kids were super tired. We had lunch at the Dundee Aquarium restaurant and sat right in front of the fish tank. Fleur was in awe with all the fish, especially the sharks. The floor manager was fantastic with providing me space to rock Uli to sleep and giving Fleur a colouring-in page and pencils to settle her while we eat. The small souvenirs shop has some cute and rememberable gifts or toys.

We ate at a few remarkable places like Villa Romana for some exceptional Italian dishes, Courtyard for a yummy family Nachos plate, Vitalia's Street food for a delicious pizza pocket or Jimmy's Burgers.

Rydges was perfectly situated close to the Esplanade in a quiet section however, it is quite old and the room quite small for a family of 4. We did however had a spectacular view morning and night.

It was a busy holiday which we most certainly have learned from a few things and cannot wait to take the kids there to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef. As for now, Cairns is beautiful but not yet a destination for young kids like ours.

*Most important note to all travellers by air: pack lots of snacks and don't try to go device free on planes, haha!

27/06/2021

We are staying home for the next couple weeks as we have a BIG trip coming up at the end of July. And because it is freezing of course! 🥶

We are keeping busy though. Check out this little DIY job! Brackets to mount Maxtrax to our roof rack sell for around $230. 😲 You could buy another pair of Maxtrax for that price! So we came up with a $30 solution! 🤑

A 2mm flatbar which we have cut to size. Drilled a couple holes and got longer bolts. Took me all of 30mins. 🤩

Do you have any good camping DIY ideas?

17/06/2021

SPLITTERS FARM, JUNE 2021

After looking at our calendar and having a big gap between our adventures, we decided to tackle the cold and go camping as a family at Splitters Farm, Bundaberg QLD. On arrival we had a safety briefing and afterwards a nice damper you grilled yourself over the fire. We booked the non-powered site, like we use to and did not find it a problem at all. We have our gas stove, firewood, marshmallows, thermals and Alaska sleeping bags, we were ready for winter camping. I am not going to lie, it got icy cold, quickly and immediately. At 9pm, it dropped to 5°C and maybe even lower as the night progressed. It was really cold. But then we were embraced by the sun in the morning, animal sounds and warm coffee. You quickly then forget the night before. The farm has a 10:00am animal feeding tour you can attend. You walk around the farm to each animal court and get introduced to either a handsome race horse, spitting alpacas, baby goats, muddy pigs and piglets, sheep, ducks, cows and so much more. Seeing the face my daughter expressed at each animal, feeding them food, was definitely a high point of the weekend. They have an amazing tree house for the kids to play in, which they enjoyed till noon. Apart from the animals and treehouse, there are many things to keep the kids entertained. With the open grass fields, the kayaking, the Saturday night movie and the go carts you can hire, the choices are unlimited. The amenities are really a luxury if you are camping. It is beautifully designed, perfectly located and well and truly clean and tidy. There are numerous picnic areas around the farm where you can enjoy the views. Their farm kitchen is under construction but will definitely be another key thing to add to the list of why to come. Only 15 minutes away from Bundy, it is perfectly tucked away in the bush. We only drove past it, but if you were to stay longer, an option is to go to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation Museum. Not only for the artefacts but they have a wicked playground which was tempting us to stop. Overall, the cold was a little rough, especially with a 6mnth old baby, but never the less, an adventure one must do. It is a beautiful place, kept well with amazingly friendly staff.

17/06/2021

Terella Brewing, January 2021

What a great way to start 2021; a place where young and old are kept happy 100% of the time. This brewery is set in the valley side of Yandina and definitely worth a visit. We took our 2-year-old and newborn bubba for a visit. Although he slept-feed-slept-repeat, she was in awe of the animals. We visited every cage, numerous times, and eventually I stopped and she wondered off. She enjoyed touching, cuddling and making the animal sounds. I have been searching for a place like this for quite a while now and am super thrilled we stumbled upon this place. There is enough parking for everyone, enough space to roam free amongst the animals, watching the feeding time and not to mention the craft beer. We comfortably sat inside under the shade while Erich ordered a six-plate craft beer and 2 delicious pizzas. There are lawn games one can get to play with friends as well as a big dirt mountain for kids to climb and play. The people are extremely friendly and we felt very welcomed. But, our favourite thing of the day was when they moved the animals from the petting zoo to the open spaces to roam freely. Fleur loved seeing them run across the lawn, one by one. Overall, this was a fantastic getaway, which will happen again shortly.

17/06/2021

Hangar O, January 2021

A place a stone-throw away from home, but yet it felt like a necessary, well-worth getaway. Surrounded by grass fields, open spaces, calmness, soft nature sounds and a smell of fresh air, makes this place the best country hide out. It is amazing with its vast fields and minimalist look. Hangar O has family cabins, massive no electrical camping grounds, long drops, a billabong, coffee station that overlooks the microlight landing field and a guest only swimming pool. What more do you need?! As we had a newborn, we decided to treat ourselves with a cabin while our friends camped nearby. Each cabin has an outside shower and a personal BBQ area, supplied with a bag of wood. The cabins are luxuriously decorated with only the essentials. The staff are exceptionally friendly. We absolutely loved Hangar O as our first family of 4 camping site. It had just enough for us to relax, keep our toddler occupied and manage the demand of newborn stage. It is beautiful and well worth the drive. It could be the best place to camp and try out your new camping gear before embarking on a trip around Aus. You will quickly learn what to bring and what to leave. It is a recommended must in our books.

17/06/2021

K’gari (Fraser Island), October 2020

We have been to Fraser Island once before on a day trip, but in October 2020 it was time for us to stay a few nights and explore more of the island. Erich organized a long weekend and a group of friends took three cars over to Fraser via the Manta Ray barge at Inskip Point.

We camped at Dundubara campsite which is about halfway up the west side of the island and is one of only a handful campsites that have a dingo fence, making it ideal for younger families like ours. There are toilets and coin operated showers, and you can make a campfire in the provided fire rings. All and all, it’s a great campsite and we would definitely consider going back there on our next trip to Fraser.

During our time on the island, we spent our days swimming in the infamous blue waters of Lake McKenzie, dipped our toes in the Champagne Pools at Indian Head, took a few selfies at the Maheno shipwreck, and went down Eli Creek - a natural lazy river. We enjoyed our time so much and our only reproach was not staying a couple more days. There is so much more we could have done, but with a 2year old and Charlene being 7months pregnant, we had to take it easy.

We can’t recommend Fraser enough! The place is a paradise for adventurists and there are numerous things to do and see. Fraser will definitely see us again!

15/06/2021

NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort September 2020

Our very first time staying in a small flat at a Big 5 Park! The room gets cleaned every day with a new fresh set of towels. It is small, warm and equipped with only the essentials. Absolutely loved the little ground flat and our patio. Will I come again, definitely? This was our getaway where we showered our daughter with endless love, attention and fun before we became a family of 4 later that December. It was worth every penny. She LOVED the splash park, from early in the morning till late in the afternoons. We also played dome mini golf with her crying at the end as her ball was gone, haha! It is packed with kid friendly activities, equipment and fun sessions for all to enjoy. I have found that there are not a lot of activities for 1- 3-year-old's as this probably is the clingy to mommy stage or the difficult tantrum stage. It would be nice to have an activity set for them where they can enjoy in the fun too. Nevertheless, there are great places you can go sight see if you do wish to travel a bit. We went to the DFO and came across the Lindt store. Oh my, what a treat! We bought a box for $30, best choice ever. Our little munchkin was running up and down after eating half a ball. More chocolate for us, whoopee! Another great family friendly place is the Rockpools in Broadwater Parklands, Southport. Fleur enjoyed the endless time of running up and down the stream, saying hi to all the creatures and making new friends. We loved this place and only wished we knew about it earlier. The Park is situated at a decent place, right next to the main road which makes it easily accessible. The restaurant service is fantastic and fairly quick. It was a great getaway as a family. We highly recommend this place. Next time we will be camping.

15/06/2021

1770 Captain Cooke Holiday Village, October 2019

Captain Cooke in 1770 Agnus Waters, was our first camping destination when we moved to Australia with our dogs. But this time, we brought our 1-year-old daughter. A completely different viewpoint now that we are a family. It only got better! This is my favourite place to camp; quiet, green, blue beaches, swimming pool, soft white sand, nature, spectacular sights and the calmness you get is phenomenal. It is my, our, heaven! It is amazingly structured and catered for families with kids and dogs. The staff are always pleasant, helpful and friendly. It has a pool you can access during the day; at night they have movie nights and during school holidays some activities for the young ones on the lawn. Their campsites are always clean and well maintained. They do have small cottages but we love our tent. We have camped here during pre-winter and full-on summer with their tropical rainfall. And we are still back for more. There are beautiful blue and white beaches, a small town close by if you need some items or want a quick meal at a Café, and beautiful walking trails that leads you to surreal sights. It is a must for any family. We will definitely be back soon. We are planning to come back this year, 2021, with 2 kids now. It was a great getaway as a family. We highly recommend this place.

15/06/2021

NSW Lennox Head (Reflections Holiday Park) April 2019

During April 2019, we decided to take our 7month old little girl on her first camping adventure. We headed from the Sunny Coast down to the northern beaches of New South Wales and pitched our tent at Reflections Holiday Park in Lennox Head. Lennox Head is a laidback beachside village, with a beautiful stretch of beach and amazing surf. The campsite adds to the beauty and sits right next to both the beach and a tea-tree lake. Reflections Holiday Park has large camp sites, clean amenities and you can even bring your pooches along. We were particularly impressed with their family bathroom, which made bathing our little girl a whole lot easier. They also have a large camp kitchen and a number of gas barbeques available.

We kicked-off a new family tradition on this trip, which is viewing the sunrise together on our first morning of camping. It was quite incredible to see the sun come up over the east coast, though it being a particularly cold morning, I don’t think little Fleur agreed. We spent our days exploring the northern NSW towns, attractions, and beaches. Lennox Head is a stone through from Byron Bay and we enjoyed both the beaches and viewing the eccentric shops and cafes, while always being on the lookout for the Hemsworths that live in the area. We made sure to walk up to the lighthouse and stand on the most Eastern point of the Australian mainland! We also headed down to Ballina to go find the Big Prawn, which sits right next to the local Bunnings, making it one stop to take a photo and grab a snag.

The locals at Lennox Head are moving at a gentler pace, making it a great place to relax and unwind. In the end, the village crept into our hearts and we had to employ all of our willpower to make the trip back home. And after watching all the surfers from beach side lookouts, we now got ourselves a couple surfboards and started learning to surf. We will definitely go back soon.