by Loreena Walsh | Places To Go
Australia is one of the best places in the world for any four wheel drive fanatic. It’s rugged and harsh landscape imparts a thrill seeking adventure for anyone in pursuit of an adrenaline rush. From the shores to the country, there are tracks that boast smooth coasting along the sandy white beaches all the way to cavernous mountains where there are dipping roads as far as the eye can see. So where are the best tracks? While normally spoken of in hushed voices and murmurs around the campfire or passed through years of Chinese whispers, we are here to uncover three of the best tracks that you must add to your bucket list.
Anne Beadell Highway
The Beadell name has long been associated with the explorations of Australia’s remotest and dangerous tracks ever created in the outback. The Anne Beadell Highway was built in the late 1950’s and features 1,350 awe-inspiring kilometres of lonely desert roads and twisty, narrow and sometimes sandy lands where the vegetation is so thick it impinges the trail. Your 4WD will be put to the test as this is one of the toughest paths known in Oz. Remember, to complete this adventure, you will need a number of permits and you must be wary of the blackout dates that won’t allow you to pass through protected areas.
The Cape-Telegraph Road/Peninsula Development Road
Consider yourself to be a pretty fearless person? What if I were to tell you that you could take on a track that allows you to come in contact massive saltwater crocodiles? Would you do it? The route from the most northern point of mainland Australia is a challenge for even the most experienced four-wheel-drivers. The 743 kilometre track can take at least five days and is filled with lush rainforests. Tip: Be sure to take on the Cape Telegraph Road/Peninsula Development Road during the dry season which is May to November, to avoid getting stuck in some dangerous and muddy situations.
Canning Stock Route: Wiluna to Halls Creek, Western Australia
If you like living on the edge, going from place to place without so much as a fuel stop, then the Canning Stock Route might be just for you. Incredibly rewarding (once you’ve finished it of course) this route has a warranted reputation as one of the more difficult trips in Australia. The great thing about this trail is the level of variety, one moment you are gliding over sand dunes, the next you are holding down your lunch over rocky patches. It originally served as a cattle route and features Aboriginal rock art, old cattle wells and the Wolfe Creek meteorite crater. Be sure to give your legs a rest and check out these attractions throughout your journey.
There you have it! These are the best tracks to tackle for an explorer at least once in your life. What are you waiting for? Fill up your Land Rover full 4WD and get off the beaten track today.
by Loreena Walsh | Sponsored Posts, VIC Destinations & Activities
The Yarra Valley is well known for its wine tasting tours, but the region also has plenty to offer for families. Whether you’re looking for a day out from Melbourne or a weekend away, you’ll find no shortage of attractions to keep the kids occupied. Stop at scenic lookouts, go berry picking, take a wander along the pleasant walking trails of the Dandenong Mountain Range, or go sledding at Lake Mountain before enjoying a picnic utilising fresh produce from the area’s farms. It’s also ideally situated a short drive away from Melbourne, minimising time in the car. If you’re bringing the family along to the Yarra Valley, you won’t want to miss the following fun filled activities.
Healesville Sanctuary
Do your kids love animals? Take them for a day out at the Healesville Sanctuary in the Yarra Valley. It’s one of the world’s best places to spot Australian wildlife in its natural habitat, set on 70 acres of untouched bush land. The sanctuary is home to kangaroos, wombats, dingoes, platypus, and koalas, among others. There’s also a café and working animal hospital offering tours. Best of all for your budget, children under the age of 15 can visit for free on holidays and weekends.
Puffing Billy
The Puffing Billy Steam Railway is an excursion that both young and old can enjoy. It’s the oldest steam railway in Australia, travelling 24 kilometres through the Dandenong Ranges. You’ll pass ancient fern gullies and old growth forest along the way, potentially spotting native wildlife from these open sided carriages. There are often special events held on the Puffing Billy, including pantomime performances and dance evenings. There’s a café on the car if the family starts to get peckish, and tours are run throughout the year.
Gulf Station
The Yarra Valley is home to many working farms, and one of the greatest pleasures of a visit to this area is visiting them to go berry picking, pet the tame animals, or learn more about the agricultural way of life. One of the original working farms is Gulf Station, which has been in operation for 160 years. Let your children learn more about the area’s original pioneer lifestyle, by visiting the original outbuildings that make up this working station. The farm is still home to chickens, geese, horses, and pigs, and offers a number of trails to wander along and enjoy a picnic in the countryside.
Trees Adventure
If your children have energy to burn, take them away to the Trees Adventure in the Dandenong Ranges. Your kids will get the same type of thrill through looking at these giant flying foxes and ziplines as you do when looking at bmw motorcycles on Bikesales. The zipline courses are ranked by difficulty, ensuring that there are courses for both young and old. Participants are all attached to safety lines, for added comfort. The Trees Adventure Park is located in a rain forest, with a number of interesting old growth trees to spot. You may also spot native wildlife such as owls, possums, or kookaburras.
Whether you want to learn more about the Yarra Valley’s farmstead heritage or take a wild ride through the trees, there’s plenty to keep the kids entertained on a day out from Melbourne.
by Loreena Walsh | ACT Destinations & Activities
The buzz of the election is slowly quietening itself to an almost inaudible lull, and one victim left in the wake of the fury is the very city that serves as home to the politicians who invoke such chaos.
Canberra.
I’ll be first to admit that when I thought of great holiday destinations I didn’t automatically consider Canberra, for Families. It sat awkwardly, boasting its position as the Nation’s Capital, but never really enticing me to visit. Sure, I thought about taking my kids to show them parliament house one day, but for the life of me I couldn’t think of a reason to visit. I’d been once, for a few hours and had no intention on rushing back, but I was wrong.
That’s right, I’ll admit, that after experiencing some of what is on offer in our Nation’s Capital, that I was totally, utterly wrong. Canberra is an amazing holiday destination for families.
With only a couple of days to adventure around the city, a variety of experiences quickly had us realising we’d been missing out by not visiting earlier, and that we’d be returning to experience everything we couldn’t fit into our itinerary this time around.
Canberra is a city that offers families fun, history and relaxation all rolled into one, so if you haven’t considered visiting before, here’s a few things you can do while you’re there, it’s only the tip of what’s on the agenda in the region.
Australian War Memorial
Be sure to immerse yourself deep into our country’s history at the Australian War Memorial and Museum. Walking up the stairs to the war memorial, row upon row of names demand an upward glance as they tower overhead on plaques lining the walls of the upper levels. Red fabric poppies sit, tucked neatly in between as a sign of respect to the thousands of loved ones who lost their lives in the fight for freedom of those here at home.
Continue on through the museum and prepare to be swept into yesteryear with a range of interactive displays, historical archives and hands on activities for the kids.
National Portrait Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery was not my first choice for an outing with kids. I’m a fan of introducing my children to arts and culture, but I wasn’t sure what they’d take away from the experience of this gallery. WOW! I don’t know exactly how to describe the brilliance of the collection on display here.
We were delighted to see portraits of one of our favourite musicians Gurrumul, along with Princess Mary and other Aussie icons. The kids got to try their hand at a range of activities including creating their own self portrait which resulted in some interesting artworks.
Questacon
The National Science and Technology Centre, Questacon is a play haven for children young and old. Hours can be whittled away, lost in a whirlwind of science and learning that is cleverly disguised within fun activities. This playground of family goodness is definitely worthy of an entire day to make the most of the experience.
Australian Institute of Sport
The kids were overjoyed to meet real athletes and try their hand at basketball. The interactive centre allowed them to kick soccer goals, test how far they could jump, or how fast they could throw, try their hand at the rowing machines and a whole range of other fun. If you’ve ever wondered how and where our athletes find their success, you’ll find your answers here.
There are many more great family activities to do in Canberra, and hopefully we’ll get back there soon to update you and explore all the things we missed.
by Loreena Walsh | SA Destinations & Activities, Sponsored Posts
Wow, to say we were inspired by this video is an understatement. You simply have to watch it, it is the perfect representation of childhood beach memories, and makes me a little homesick for the coast as we sit here in Central NSW.
So, in celebration of such a beautiful video, hopefully you’re as inspired as we are, we’ve tracked down some things to do in South Australia with kids.
Adelaide Zoo
This amazing zoo is open from 9:30 to 5:00 every day of the year, including Christmas, so whenever you are in Adelaide it will be open for you to visit. There’s a magnificent range of animals on display, definitely something for every member of the family. From lions and tigers, hippos, flamingo which are a stunning pink colour, one of my favourites, the meerkats, and lots of birdlife, reptiles, Australian native animals and even Sea Lions.
The funniest thing happened to us at the zoo, it was something I didn’t even remember until I looked back at the photos to write this piece, (as you can see by the photos the kids are much younger), but I giggled when I saw the picture below. We had been walking through the animal petting zoo when a goat hopped into the buggy that we’d hired to push the kids around in for the day. Cheeky thing it was!
The cheeky thing managed to get all the way inside the buggy and was difficult to get out, it got a big giggle from the kids too.
To get to the zoo, we’d recommend public transport, most of the parking in the area is via parking meter and this can add up if you plan on spending all day there. There’s a range of animal encounters that you can do, but you’ll need to check age limits as young children may not be able to do many of the encounters due to safety, also, book these before arrival if you’re wanting to participate. Visit http://www.zoossa.com.au/adelaide-zoo to find out more.
South Australian Museum
This amazing museum boasts the largest collection of Australian Indigenous cultural objects in the world, along with meteorites, fossils, dinosaurs, and a giant squid model that fills an entire elevator shaft! There are plenty of artefacts inside the museum that have wonderful historical stories to accompany them, and there is also a Science Centre nearby. Visit http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au to find out more.
South Australian Maritime Museum – Port Adelaide
Let your kids escape in a whirlwind of pirate adventures as they walk the gangplank. This attraction offers plenty of interaction for children which is important when looking for family things to do. It consists of three levels that unfold into an exciting range of exhibits worth taking the time to explore and discover, so give yourself plenty of time to enjoy. There’s a lighthouse nearby and entry is included in the cost of your ticket, so let the kids enjoy the spiral lighthouse staircase for added fun. Visit http://www.history.sa.gov.au to find out more.
Explore Coober Pedy
If you’re looking for a unique tucked away in South Australia for families, the Coober Pedy offers something you’ll never forget. We’ve written before about the Old Timers Mine and recommend this to everyone. There’s also Tom’s Working Opal Mine where you can find out about modern day mining and a range of other adventures and tours within the town, such as Josephine’s Gallery and Kangaroo Orphanage. Find out more information at Coober Pedy Tourism Attractions website.
Explore Nature
The beauty of South Australia is it’s spectacular mountain ranges, stunning beaches, and the harsh beauty shining radiantly from the heart of the desert. If you’re looking for coastal relaxation, bush adventures, or desert trails, then South Australia has everything your family could dream of and more. I can’t write something about SA without mentioning a family holiday to Kangaroo Island, it should be top of every nature loving family’s to do list.
Have you visited South Australia? What is your favourite thing to do there?
This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own.
by Loreena Walsh | NT Accommodation, NT Destinations & Activities
I’m a firm believer that it’s the parts of the journey you don’t plan for that have the potential to make the most memorable moments. Our travels through the Northern Territory proved this theory. We had a list of most popular icons we wanted to tick off our list. When we arrived in Central Australia we headed straight to Australia’s largest icon, but once we’d explored Uluru with the kids, we discovered there was more to the region than just the popular monolith.
We visited the Olgas, only taking a short look because the kids were so little and had already done a lot of exploration, it was a beautiful sight, and I can’t wait to take them back there now they are getting older.
We’d made friends with an overly friendly emu at Curtin Springs who apparently had a fetish for hot chips and made its way into the car in search of a treat, and I may or may not have given a little squeal at it’s enthusiasm.
Then we figured, while we were in the area, we should probably visit King’s Canyon, so, not knowing where we were going to stay, we headed off into the unknown to discover another part of Australia’s brilliance.
Central Australia is red. The dirt stains clothing, cars, skin, anything that comes into contact with it, so at this stage of our journey, almost everything had taken on an outback hue.
As we travelled toward Kings Canyon we spotted a place to stay; “Kings Creek Station”. A working camel station that also offers accommodation, so we figured why not. To this day I still remember the conversation Matt had with the guy who checked us in, and my reaction at the time makes me giggle now.
“Would you like a grassed site or are you happy just on the dirt? We try our best to keep a couple of grassed sites.”
(Remember the outback is dry and dusty, keeping green grass here DOES take a lot of effort, and it was something we hadn’t seen in a while, let alone set our tent up on!)
“Nah mate, don’t waste your grassed site on us, we’re happy with the dirt, kids are covered in it already.”
I tell you, grass seemed like such a luxury at the time, although I didn’t really mind, I was used to the dirt by then, but I really remember wishing we could have just one day with some greenery under the tent. If we had to make the choice again though, I’m sure we’d do the same thing, that red stain is part of the outback experience.
So, what do you eat for dinner when you’re staying on a camel station? Why, camel stroganoff of course. We figured we should get into the spirit, and while I haven’t had the opportunity to eat camel since, it was a nice meal at the time, and I’m sure we’ll give it another go when we take the kids back again, this time trying one of the famous camel burgers.
Kings Creek Station was the first campfire we’d had in a while, so we pulled out the marshmallows, took in the amazing outback sky, and it was such the perfect place to base ourselves for exploring Kings Canyon the next day.
There is just something so beautiful about the Northern Territory, it’s industry, it’s people, it’s culture and it’s red dirt that stains everything from your clothes to your skin, before making it’s way to steal your heart. It’s the little things, the unexpected things that will make your journey so much more memorable. I can’t tell you enough to look beyond the major landmarks and soak in the small, memorable moments you’ll look back at so fondly for years after your travels.
by Loreena Walsh | SA Destinations & Activities
During our family travels, we often get asked what our favourite part of Australia is, and while my reply, for the most part is, “All of it”, there are some special spots that are just that extra bit special, and South Australia is one of those spots. While we’ve only shared fleeting moments with South Australia for the most part, it holds some of our most special moments ever across this awesome country of ours, and it holds so much more waiting for us to discover it.
When we were asked to share just why we would recommend South Australia to other travellers, I thought the best way was to share with you some of the memories it holds for us.
Adelaide was the end of our first big Australian holiday, after driving all the way from Darwin right through Kakadu and down through the red centre, we breathed our last breath of adventure in Adelaide before flying home, changed and bitten by the travel bug forever.
This stunning city rests in my memory as a beautiful city full of heritage buildings that left me longing to discover the secrets held within its streets. With the ocean air whispering its way through the region, reaching far toward the greenery of the hills hugging the distant views of the city. I remember thinking “I could live here”. Driving toward the city, we were greeted by a welcome party of black swans going about their way in the middle of the road on the grass median strip, stunning!
Inside Coober Pedy Old Timers Mine
When I think back to visiting Coober Pedy with kids it’s a town that brings back memories of a moonlike landscape, filled with mounds of dirt left behind as evidence of the constant search for opal. We ate some of Australia’s yummiest Pizza there, it was our first ever stay in underground accommodation and our first walk through a real mine at the Old Timer’s Mine.
Nestled just 14 km’s off the South Australian coast, Kangaroo Island holds a special place in our hearts as the place where we were filmed by a National Geographic crew, swam with dolphins, camped for Byron’s fifth birthday, and fulfilled our dream of visiting, something we’d waited for years to do. It’s a place we’ll return to and definitely somewhere I could settle down for a while.
South Australia is the state that took my breath away as we drove through The Coorong for the first time. Spotting glistening wetlands out the window of the car left me breathless as we whizzed on by in the car, travelling on a short deadline. Just between you and me, it’s one place I’ll be returning to for lots of exploration. Not to mention the Fleurieu Peninsula which again, due to our tight deadline we only experienced during the dark of night, but how I long to explore its beauty in the day time!
South Australia is a state full of green hills, beautiful countryside pastures, pristine beaches, and stunning, harsh deserts that surprise you with their beauty that lay waiting to be discovered in the most unusual of ways.
Tourism South Australia has created a range of videos available on their Youtube channel that highlight some of the great parts of South Australia and after watching them, we’re sure you’ll be as in love with South Australia and wanting to explore as we are.
If I sound like I’m in love, then I am, and I can’t wait to return back to explore more of South Australia and share each part of our experience with you guys. Have you visited South Australia, or is there somewhere special that you’d like to visit there? We’d love to hear about it.
“This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own”
