Travel Campervan with kids – at your own pace!
What happens when a mum with little camping experience hires a campervan? DANI JACOB tells all!
It’s been 17 years since my one and only genuine camping experience, so when I was given the opportunity of a weekend away in a campervan with all the bells and whistles, I was beyond excited at the prospect.
It definitely sounded like an easy version of taking on the great outdoors, all in the comfort of a Maui campervan with a TV, fridge, air conditioning, toilet, shower, an oven, a cooktop and a microwave. I chose their Cascade 4 berth camper, which came with two double beds, and could accommodate a baby or booster seat for my 18-month-old daughter. Beware that not all camper vans are suitable for baby or booster seats, so if you do require one, make sure the model you are hiring can be fitted with a seat. It was like a first class suite on wheels!
These campers are designed for compact living and everything has a place, so it’s definitely worth doing some menu planning and shopping to ensure you have everything you need. After all, you’re not going to find a 7-Eleven at a campsite!
With a friend’s Hunter Valley homestead booked for the second night to attend a 40th birthday, I checked out the NSW National Parks and Wildlife website (nationalparks.nsw. gov.au/camping-andaccommodation) to find the perfect spot for night one.
And what choices there were! A caravan park with power and pools, a beach stay on the beautiful Central Coast of NSW
or a secluded bush location (access permitting). You can even move a map around and see the camp options up close.
My chosen destination was the Munmorah State Conservation Area which provided two choices – Frazer or Freemans campground in the middle of a beautiful national park with pristine beaches and easy access roads.
The prospect of hitting the open road filled me with excitement, but I was also a little nervous and anxious about my ability to drive such a beast. How big would it be and would I manage its size? The one I chose seemed to be right in the middle, size-wise.
But it was far easier than what I thought (once I got past the noise of things rattling in the kitchen cupboards!) and I didn’t get honked at once in three days of driving! I set up camp at Freemans, which came with free barbecues and clean bathrooms for a small fee.
Waking up to the sound of birds and the waves was lovely, and the other campers I met were friendly and helpful. With a picnic table and awning provided, we could enjoy the great outdoors with all the comforts of home.
I made a few rookie mistakes – leaving one set of keys at the depot and losing the satellite dish to a low branch on a dirt road – but loved “roughing it” in a luxury van, and can’t wait to take my daughter on another road trip!