8 go Wandering

19/10/2023

A bit of a walk through the camper... whilst there was a moment! No insta perfect decorated camper, we have minimal gear for weight and mess reasons. This is working for us. Follow up in comments.

18/10/2023

Sorry for the slow posting... there just isn't enough hours in the day for all the adventures and facebook!

We recently left the Bright area and OMG what a beautiful place the whole area is. The rolling green hills, the massive granite Mt Buffalo, the snowy peaks! We decided to go absailing and right down to the 3 year old had a go. Highly recommend you give it a go if you get a chance.

08/10/2023

We finally found a wombat in the wild!

07/10/2023

Turn your volume up full and listen to this. We were in the Grampians and a storm was forcast to move through so we parked in the open car park of a camp grounds so we weren't under trees, tied down the bed fly covers and went to bed. We got very little rain but this is the sound we woke up to as the wind moved through the valley.

The pops you here were things hitting the camper it didn't actually really rain. The photos are some.of images from only metres from the camper.

29/09/2023

South Australia you were a blast!

We have lifelong friends in Adelaide that we just had to see and spent some lovely time with them.

We saw dolphins, fished, played on awesome playgrounds and restocked the fridges. Dave did a few adjustments on the camper so we now have 12v lighting at flick of a switch and think we are rather fancy!

We were surprised how quickly the scenery changed from winery to outback as we headed north. We felt like we were in NT again.

25/09/2023

A tiny little single room cave, but so worth the visit! caves. The guides were a wealth of info and so much fun. Put this one on your travel plans. cave.

22/09/2023

The winds have not been kind to us and after spending another sleepless night at Mt Gambier with gale force winds, I was reluctant to camp by the beach the next night with the weather forcast. So we got out the trust Wikicamps app and found Bellwether cellar door with glamping tents and site available.

Add this one to your list to visit. Sue was so lovely and what a camp site! There was the cute donkey that greeted us as we entered, with the highland cows in the other paddock. After being shown to our site that are positioned far from other campers we were told to use anything from the garden we liked for dinner.

The camp kitchen was rustic and well stocked with camp ovens so we cooked our dinner over the coals of the fire, with herbs from the garden.

I was amazed to see a full size claw foot bath which I soaked in and had some mum time.

The next morning Mabel the resident Mareema was a constant companion to the kids, we fed the chickens and collected the eggs, kids climbed the tree house and I loved looking through the 150 year old shearing shed converted into a cafe and wine tastings.

The whole place was a breathe of calm and peace and we will be back.


Glen Roy Shearing Shed

16/09/2023

We have been camping alone most nights. Had a day hiking to a seal colony and came home after dark... school holidays must have begun down here as we have company now!

14/09/2023

Great Ocean road has been beautiful. We are only doing about 40km a day driving and hours of walks and exploring. Yesterday we visited Wreck Beach and the anchors of past ships. The 300 steps to get down to the beach that disappears at high tide over looked some stunning views. We saw the most interesting little holes in the rock beach area... with little micro climates my kids called aquariums. A magical spot but probably don't tow a van down the rather steep road. We had to race the light to get back up the steps before dark and just made it.

A place a lot of people don't go to as the access is tricky and road in is steep so it was really just our foot prints in the sand.

10/09/2023

Some days travelling is hard with children. Yesterday a child threw up in bedding whilst we were free camping so no access to water or washing machine.

Thankfully it was something he ate (or licked or who knows what... he is 3!) And not a gastro bug. So there was the drive to find somewhere to wash. The only place in town was blocked by a cycle race so we had a lovely walk to the jetty and around town and finally got to the laundry to find it had burnt down. I was desperate knowing we were down a blanket for a child and also free camping for next 3 days so the smell would be awful by the time I got to it. A very kind caravan park we were not staying in let me in to use theirs. I sat for an hour in that room with the washing and it was actually a chance to have a moment to myself.I could be cranky at the 3 plus hours of driving and mucking around to try and wash some sheets that would take 2 mins to do at home, or I can choose to add it to the list of memories and not get worked up about it.

I have struggled a little more then I thought with the constant intensity of being on the road this time. My bed isn't as comfy and I am sure that isn't helping. It is a lot of work to make sure everything is where it needs to be, everyone is warm, we have somewhere to sleep tonight. I am also struggling that not all my kids are here and one is 1500km from me for the first time. There is little down time between wanting to see things, feeding people and keeping the car from looking like a tip.

But those down times are so soul feeding. The sitting around the fire, the sunrises, the views, the knowledge that we are gaining. The joy and wonder in the kids faces, the new foods we are trying the people we see.

So if you have a chance to travel with kids... do it. It is hard at times to the point of tears but remember you have hard things at home too, todays is just getting a toddler to the toilet at 3 am in 0degrees! It is so worth it, but don't think you will pull up and pull out your chair have a wine. There is still life things that have to be done some of which are harder then at home, and the flip side that you will remember forever some pretty awesome memories being made every day. The bond between my kids is growing in front of my eyes and that is such a privilege to see.

06/09/2023

A day in mebourne with 6 kids is not only amazingly expensive but also exhausting.

Rainy and cold to start the day it lifted a little through the day. The kids got there own Myki card so we could catch trams and buses. We explored the little lane ways and ate foods we have never tasted before. The children saw their first sky scrapers. Dave had the best coffee ever, Miss 17 who loves art visited the museum and saw her first Rembrandt. Mumma got to Lindt, and teen sons got to the Ice Rink.

Day ended with pancakes at 9pm and tired tram trip home to realise buses were done for the day and we had a 20 min walk in the dark to our site switching who was carrying who.

Was so thankful for an ensuite sites at Big 4 in Mebourne... and a powered sites with a heater to come home to!

We are glad we made it to Melbourne but also won't be staying! It is somewhere to come with the older kids again for sure, for the little ones it was a long long day of 25,000 steps according to my watch.

Bring on the Great Ocean road and some open spaces again.

03/09/2023

We love good food and we found the most amazing little Italian pantry called Trulli. It was just so delicious!

01/09/2023

Feeding a family of 8, including 3 hungry teens and a toddler that wants to snack allllll of the day, can be tricky on the road. Tonight we used some local handmade choritzo, local bacon, garlic, onion, carrots, corn from cob, broccoli and some sad spinach in the back of the fridge I found. Some spices and some fresh Bega cream, pasta and we had a creamy pasta for dinner. All cooked on our little $25 stove from Big W.

Our go to lunch meal is wraps, I have the salads in the fridge in the car all the time and we have either Turkey or Salami or ham as well.

Was hoping to be allowed to light fires for both warmth and cooking but so far we have had to use the stove mostly.

What are your go to camping meals?

01/09/2023

We stopped at Bega with plans to see the cheese factory of course! What else does one do in Bega?

Very disappointed, there is a shop and cafe, very little info about how you make cheese, or much of the history. So we went on an adventure and explored the coastline. Seeing the ocean felt like home, although the coastline here is much different to home. We saw a Humpack whale and Calf migrating south. Miss 7 decided to sing to make them come closer to shore but apparently she isn't Ariel as they kept heading south. Mr 7 discovered an Echidna next to the path and our mad keen birdwatcher was excited to see Sea Eagles.

We chambered over rocks, found a few look outs and an old wharf being restored. Found an oyster farm and boardwalk and played tag in the sunshine. Found a great playground so we had a cook up on their BBQ and headed home to Bega.

29/08/2023

Snow was found, and enjoyed and hated by some!

29/08/2023

28/08/2023

Final camper repairs we were doing whilst at some dear friends house have been completed. So we have left in search of snow. Found some in the distance today and camping at Thredbo Diggins tonight heading up to Perisher tomorrow.

We saw our first wild wombat whilst setting up today, drove through some of the thousands of acres burnt in 2019 fires, had an inconsolable 3year old testing our patience and did our installation proper camper set-up.

24/08/2023

Today was all about friends and restocking and fixing some issues with camper.

Day time weather is shorts and shirts... nights are another story!!!

A drive to Wagga to try and source some canvas glue to save out rotting 40 year old canvas. Eventually found something at Bunnings that should work. A chance encounter with a farmers market and sour dough store. Our eldest daughter works at an amazing little sour dough store, so we had to try it off course!

Then home to hot roast chicken dinner, and whisky to warm us all up.

23/08/2023

Our trip has begun! Early morning hike up Sawn Rock and then a day in the car. Passing some amazing fields and visiting Parkes. Heading to the foot of the snowy mountains to stay with friends.

The temps have dropped as we have driven today and the beanies are out!

We have set the camper up twice so far to sleep and both times manage to tear the canvas... repairs will need to be done.

07/01/2023

We decided to do a quick single night camping and have done a tyre! Oh well, it is all part of the adventure!!! Thankful for the passer-by that stopped and gave us a hand.

26/07/2022

Looking at the memories from 12 months ago makes us miss the road in every way!

Today the homeschool group here in Bundaberg area went on a Nature walk to Sharon Gorge. It is also a free camp, pretty much on the highway but lovely still. Toilets and water and a lovely walk to the Burnett River that is currently at minor to moderate flood level due to rain in the catchment.

22/01/2022

Today we packed up the kids and added a friends kid and heading to Utopia Falls. This freshwater swimming hole is on the other side of Mt Walsh, near Biggenden about an hour and half from our house. We have been before and knew we had to be early. Arriving by 8.30am we got the last couple of car parks and then there is a short hike into the swimming hole. It looks different from our last trip after the recent floods.

2 weeks ago the area had a massive rain event resulting in flash flooding that was swift and absolutely above every level that had been recorded. Dams burst, homes flooded, cars were washed away, cattle and belongs scattered for kilometres.

We teamed our adventure this morning with a little fencing help this afternoon. Thankful our friends are ok, and the clean up is well and truly underway. Amazed at how well they have done in such a short time. Some clean up in the cattle trough and we called it a day. So lovely being out in the country when it is so very green!

04/11/2021

On the weekend we went and visited my Grandad in Toowoomba. He is 94 years old and the sweetest man on the planet, I wished we lived closer. We were amazed how green the country is, it was so beautiful.

First time setting camper up since we got back and the kids all said how good it felt to be camping again!

13/10/2021

We live in a sugar cane town. With price of sugar diving over the last 20 years we have gone from 5 sugar mills in the area to just one as more and more farms are converted to small crops and macadamia nuts. My 5 year olds have never seen a cane fire! I remember as a child every night we would have black snow as the ash from cane fires fell. Mum knew to get the washing in by 4pm, and there was no big deal but more and more they cut the cane green now and we don't see the fires, particularly in the town area I do hope it never dies out completely , it is such a beautiful memory of childhood running and clapping the ash with your hands and it would disappear. Have you ever seen 'black snow'?

20/09/2021

How can one miss something that was so very annoying when you were there! The red dirt! This was in the Northern Territory at a random stop beside the road, it was pure red sand and actually felt amazing to walk through, but it stuck to EVERYTHING!

14/09/2021

We are home, and there is a bit of a void without seeing a new site every day! So we have started to see more of our local area. Travelling has really shown us how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful place. Today's after school adventure was Barolin Rocks. Appraentky one of the top 10 shore dive spots in the world, and just around the corner from our home. We had a westerly blowing so the ocean was flat, if only it wasn't so cold today!

07/09/2021

We are home... and have so many things to still post as we didn't have internet or we simply ran out of time on the trip! This was the last day in the car, as we were asked what we would change from the original setup. If you have followed for awhile we did a video at the start of the trip with how we thought it would work and it mainly did with a few tweaks. We moved things around so the things we touched most and we needed to use .multiple times a day were easiest to get to.

03/09/2021

Our eldest boy wants to be a chef, or more particularly a patissiere. So when we find out a French Patissere had set up a cafe at Carnarvon gorge we had to try it!!! The last few photos were at Biloela Rise Bakery.

And yes for those that know the area, it isn't far from home!!! We are sleeping in our own beds and feeling the familiar beat of our hometown of Bundaberg. This adventure is over and the next one is one day closer! Walking into our house, we all remarked how big it seemed! So unpacking begins! Lots of places we didn't post on yet so I will do retrospective posts!

01/09/2021

Carnavon Gorge... We hiked in with 4 packbacks of food and water and essentials and 1 baby on the 5 eldest backs. The twins, (5) did so very well, but we're not able to quite do the whole 20km. Some very sore shoulders and legs were the result, but it was so worth it. We got over the final river crossing and to the car park as it got dark enough for needing a torch.

Back at the caravan park, we saw platypus in the wild! These cute little creatures were a lot smaller then I thought.