Great Ocean Road trip with the family behind @vanlifestraya

Claire and Luke, the family behind @vanlifestraya, recently jumped back into van life - along with the latest addition to their family, toddler Beau! With many travel restrictions over the last few years, Beau had never met his UK-based grandmother Wendy. So, when the opportunity arose, Wendy took the opportunity to jump on a flight from the UK over to Melbourne for their first proper camping holiday as a family! Read on to learn more about the highlights of their trip, what it was like staying at BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park, and how they managed camping with a toddler!

First off, the van details!

Claire, Luke and Beau stayed in Dandy the van:

Wendy stayed in Journey for Five the caravan:

After picking up his mum from the airport, they headed straight for their first destination, Anglesea. As soon as Wendy (Beau's grandmother) saw Beau for the first time, she wrapped her arms around him and, for once in his life, he didn’t resist the cuddle. It was a beautiful moment.

"We loved checking out some of the local cafes (particularly GROW and Poppies Café), and the BIG4 Anglesea Holiday Park we were staying at was amazing. Wendy got to see kangaroos in the park on her very first morning, and Beau loved chasing all the birds and the giant jumping pillow."

"From there we headed to Apollo Bay, which we’d planned to use as our base to explore the Otways. The weather improved and we had an incredible few days. Highlights were our hike down to Beauchamp falls and walking around the Californian Redwoods - both absolutely stunning and a must-see if you’re in the area. We really loved Apollo Bay too, a quaint little town with seals and stingrays in the harbour (we were lucky to see both!), and also a beautiful protected beach (which the locals called ‘Mums beach’, and we could see why). Absolutely perfect for families and kids, and Beau loved it.

Continuing along the Great Ocean Road, we then made it to Port Campbell, where we based ourselves and saw the magnificent 12 Apostles. We arrived on a beautiful day and were surprised at how incredible the Port Campbell main beach was. Again, perfectly protected for kids and our little water frothin’ baby!"

"The main attraction was the 12 Apostles, which we visited multiple times. Sunset was truly magical and we heard that sometimes you can even see penguins arriving at the beach from the lookout. We didn’t spot any during the time we were the, although we probably didn’t stick around long enough ;)

Our highlight was doing Gibson Steps, and doing it at a time when we essentially had the beach all to ourselves. We went at 8am and had a pearler of a morning, with incredible light hitting the rocks and cliffs. Couldn’t believe our luck, and were in awe of the raw beauty of the place."

"Our other highlight from that area was the beach at Loch Ard Gorge. If you’re lucky enough to have a nice day, it’s an absolute stunner of a view from up top. It reminded us of a mix between a Greek island and Phi Phi Leh in Thailand. Beau loved it as it offered good swimming and lots of shade from all the mighty cliffs.

After spending 5 days in the Port Campbell area, it was time to head back towards Melbourne for our final stay at the BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park. We did something a little different and instead of booking a cabin, we hired a caravan through Camplify for Wendy called Journey for Five, so that she could test out # caravanlife, and so we could be set up right next to her in our van!"

"Wendy was excited, but a little apprehensive about the caravan idea, as typically she doesn’t do a lot of camping or caravanning-type holidays. But as soon as she stepped into the van, and saw all the mod cons and how spacious and comfortable it was, she was definitely won over ☺

Not to mention how pleasantly surprised she was with the facilities at BIG4 Wye River Holiday Park. Thinking it would be similar to her caravanning holidays in the UK from when she was a child (which of course would have been a LOT more basic!), she couldn’t get over how good the showers and facilities were!"

"It was great that we didn’t have to do any driving, towing, or setup work at all. The caravan was delivered right to our campsite, and everything was set up (TV, awning, tables and chairs, etc) by the incredible owners for us. All we had to do was sit back and enjoy… and that’s exactly what we did!

As for the park itself, it’s one of the best we’ve ever stayed at! We absolutely loved it. Mainly because it felt like we were in the heart of the hinterland (deep in nature), whilst actually being right next to the beach. Couldn't really ask for a better location!"

"The walk along the river is truly beautiful, and there are lots of kangaroos to spot. Not to mention the park's incredible child-friendly facilities (basketball court, go-karts, giant jumping pillow)... which is a dream for families and kids.

Beau absolutely loved it. He loves being outside generally, but with the added birds and ducks that he can endlessly chase thrown into the mix... we have one happy baby! Along with having both the river and the beach on our doorstep - it would be hard to re-create a better setting and mix of activities."

"Just outside Wye River there's lots of nearby attractions to choose from. Down the road we visited Kennet River, where we saw a koala and a tiger snake! Then we checked out Lorne and Esrkine Falls which are both well worth a visit.

Unfortunately all epic trips have to come to an end, and it was time to say our goodbyes to Wendy, and drop her back off at the airport to fly home. But the trip was incredible, and one we’ll never forget. So if you’re considering exploring the Great Ocean Road, then stop thinking about it! Get onto Camplify and hire a van or caravan and let the adventure begin. You won’t regret it!"