Young mum's guide to East Coast road tripping adventure

We won’t beat around the bush, travelling with kids can be challenging. But it can also be incredibly rewarding and an experience you’ll remember for years to come. With Mother's Day just around the corner, we caught up with Julia and her young family to hear about her experience travelling with an 8-month old bub!

Julia writes about the convenience of travelling with a caravan as a family, as well as some of her favourite restaurants, beaches, and hidden surf breaks along the way!

Is this your first time travelling with Camplify?

Yes!

Who did you travelled with on your recent trip with us?

My husband and our 8-month-old daughter along with my twin sister’s family who also hired a van through Camplify. We all headed north to escape the Sydney rat-race for 3 weeks together!

Why did you decide to choose Camplify for this adventure?

We just loved the range of options to choose from and the ability to read reviews and chat to the owners. My sister had also used Camplify once before so they recommended it too.

Camplify allowed us to dip our toe into the world of caravanning without a huge investment.

How did you find travelling with a toddler?

A lot easier than we expected! We’ve always loved camping and road trips but now our daughter has come along we wanted something that could accommodate life on the road with a baby. The van was perfect - it gave us the space and convenience of a home, without having to sacrifice on experience.

A van is a whole new world of convenience and we absolutely loved it. When friends asked us about Camplify, we compared it to Airbnb but for camping/caravanning adventures.

Would you recommend a van for other families considering going away?

Definitely. A van is a whole new world of convenience and we absolutely loved it. We loved having an outdoor shower when you get home from the beach. The outdoor kitchen was amazing, especially when our baby girl was sleeping inside the van, we didn't need to disturb her. As an added bonus, our van featured a king-size bed and air conditioner! It was a road-tripping luxury.

What was your favourite part about caravaning as a family?

The ability to completely switch off. When you are in your own home you fall into some bad habits, especially with TV. But on our trip, we were able to be completely present and appreciate the things around us. There was a constant stream of entertainment being so close to nature. Our baby girls had some hilarious experiences with wildlife... a kookaburra swooped down and ate food off their plates, Goannas joined us for afternoon drinks and we saw a huge wasp eating a spider.

Where we stayed:

We hired the van for about 3 weeks and our road trip started in Sydney and our furthest point was Rainbow Beach.

Sydney - Elizabeth Beach

When we left Sydney our first stop was Pacific Palms Caravan Park, Elizabeth Beach near Boomerang and Blueys Beach

Elizabeth Beach - Crescent Head

Crescent Head Holiday Park

Crescent Head - Cabarita Beach & Hasting's Point

Cabarita Beach where we stayed at Hastings Point Holiday Park.

Hastings Point - Burleigh Heads

Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Beach Tourist Park

Burleigh Heads - Noosa & Rainbow Beach

Noosa River, Noosa Holiday Park

Noosa - Sydney

The weather then took a real turn and the rain and flooding hit the East Coast, so we made a dash home via a rural route - through Warwick, Goondiwindi, and Tamworth before arriving back home in Sydney.

Our favourite places and recommendations:

BEST BREKKIE Cabarita Beach, Nectar Juice House

BEST CAFE WITH A SIDE OF ART Little Parliament Rainbow Beach

BEST RESTAURANTS Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads La Costa Cantina at The Med, Crescent Head

BEST COCKTAILS Halcyon House, Cabarita

VAN LIFE MOMENT When we set up a playpen using the park bench seats at the caravan parks to contain the girls.

BEST THING WE MADE IN THE VAN Mexican night with Margaritas ;)

BEST SECLUDED BEACH Double Island Point, Rainbow Beach

BEST SURF Crescent Head

BEST CARAVAN PARK FOR KIDS Hastings Point Caravan Park

BEST CLOTHING SHOPS Heidi Beau, Blueys Beach Coastal Folk, Crescent Head

BEST ADVENTURE 4X4 driving to Double Island Point and along the Rainbow cliffs at Raindbow Beach

BEST WALKS We're currently right in the middle of a charity walk for my daughter so we walked EVERY day on our trip. Some of the stand out walks were:

• Noosa National Park walk to Dolphin Point

• Tallebudgera Creek Conservation Park Walk (Burleigh Heads ocean view walk)

• Pacific Palms to Blueys Beach walk

• Crescent head cliff walk - Big Hill Rainforest walk

We met some beautiful people along our walks who showed so much support, it really blew us away. Nice to combine our adventures while doing something good.

Where’s next on your Aussie bucket list, and why?

Broome and The Kimberley, it’s one of the areas we haven’t explored yet. It seems rugged, vibrant, and jam-packed full of wildlife. But maybe a NSW South coast trip before that with our dog Gary...do you have pet-friendly vans? A Lot of the parks were dog-friendly during the off-peak period.

What song is top of your road trip playlist?

Sons of the east - On My Way.

Anything extra you’d like to add?

2020 was a particularly tough year for a lot of people and businesses. To add to that our daughter was born with a rare heart condition in mid-2020 and it really put things into perspective.

I'd say to anyone thinking about booking a trip, don’t put things off. Book the holiday. Try something different. Travel to places you've never been. Switch off. Be in the moment. You really won't regret it!

Want to learn more?

If you've enjoyed reading about Julia's little family, check out her Instagram, @julia_jaque.

If you fancy recreating Julia's trip, you can even hire the same van Julia and her family used here. Or hire the van Julia's sister hiredhere.