Thread: Around Australia with kids - how long?

We've done a couple of month long breaks with our kids, one across the Simpson and one to Darwin via Maree and back via Ayres Rock. We've also done 6 weeks in the US and 4 weeks in the UK. We scheduled our holidays around the mid winter school holidays and took additional holidays or long service leave to make up the difference. Saves the hassle of taking the kids out of school and doing home learning on the road but our style of holiday is not generally relaxed or slow . We put 7000 miles on one rentacar and 5000 on the other in the six weeks in the US.

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by Poida4x4

My wife and I are planning on taking the kids out of school in a few years and taking them on a big trip around Australia. Mostly West Coast, NT, down the middle. Not necessarily the East Coast. I'm thinking the two middle school terms would be best, but maybe 6 months is longer than required. I'd like to just slow right down and not ever feel hurried.

What are your thoughts and experiences?

All I'll say is do it before they become teenagers who know everything..... Melb to Perth with a 15yo lad and 14yo girl was enough to incite murderous feelings... In ALL of us.

Originally Posted by Tins

All I'll say is do it before they become teenagers who know everything..... Melb to Perth with a 15yo lad and 14yo girl was enough to incite murderous feelings... In ALL of us.

If you wait until they get to mid-teens you won't be able to afford the food.

When you get up and find out that they have only left the crumbs in the Weetbix box and they have used all the milk you'll have a couple of miserable deaths for them in mind. Then when you've come to terms with breakfast consisting of only black coffee you discover that there's no water and the dishes haven't been done because there's no water. Nearest resupply was about 150km of backtracking. And yes, this happened when we took our grandson and his girlfriend away with us.

We've since found out that it's doable providing boundaries and expectations are properly managed. We've traveled with a young couple doing what you're proposing and the kids and parents had a wonderful time and they are currently planning their next trip with more input from the kids.

I reckon 6 months
But, it will seem like 6 years!

BTW
I have some kids you can take with you if you like?

Originally Posted by Markf

If you wait until they get to mid-teens you won't be able to afford the food.

When you get up and find out that they have only left the crumbs in the Weetbix box and they have used all the milk you'll have a couple of miserable deaths for them in mind. Then when you've come to terms with breakfast consisting of only black coffee you discover that there's no water and the dishes haven't been done because there's no water. Nearest resupply was about 150km of backtracking. And yes, this happened when we took our grandson and his girlfriend away with us.

We've since found out that it's doable providing boundaries and expectations are properly managed. We've traveled with a young couple doing what you're proposing and the kids and parents had a wonderful time and they are currently planning their next trip with more input from the kids.

pppppp......doesn't it?