If you take a little peek into our lives, it’s not a hidden fact that we love the bush.

Our home base is in regional Australia, you’ll spot dead giveaways such as Akubra Hats, Bullzye & R M Williams Clothing, RM Williams boots, plenty of Rodeos, with a few paddocks and horse rides thrown into the mix. It’s no secret that we love regional and rural Australia and everything it has to offer.

So it’s with absolute, great pleasure that we get to share with you a wonderful initiative that families across Australia can take part in.

What is Farm Day?

Farm day is simple, it’s a day that brings city families together with farming families to promote fun, friendship and a greater understanding of how important farming is to all Australians. Started in 2006, Farm day is held annually. Each year, city families and farming families register their interest and are then matched together and get to spend a day together to learn, forge friendships and have lots of fun on the way. Definitely a wonderful opportunity to promote the importance of the Australian farming industries, and also to provide a wonderfully educational day for children (and adults too) with lots of fun involved.

Who Can Take Part in Farm Day?

Farm Day was specifically designed for families with school age children. This however is not a strict requirement and other family groups can be accommodated if their is a suitable match available. There are options for farming families who wish to host a city family for a day, and also for city families who would like to experience farm life for a day and learn about rural industries and Australia’s agricultural lifestyle. It’s definitely a great way for children who don’t otherwise have much contact with farms to get hands on and learn about how their food is getting from the paddock to the plate!

How to Sign Up?

Registration needs to be renewed each year to take part in Farm Day. For 2012 the meet ups take place on the 26th & 27th May, there is still some time to register. Registrants are then contacted by the lovely team and hopefully a suitable family match is found. It’s not always possible to find matches for every family, but every effort is made to do so.

Why We are Taking Part?

So you may be wondering why we’re participating in Farm Day? We’ve had a fair bit of insight into farming having lived near, on and around farms in the past, and our children, have raised their own piglet, chickens and veggie patches. Don’t sound like much of a city family do we? I can definitely say that we aren’t, we’re much more country, but we’re not farmers, and while we understand it, we don’t live the extraordinary lifestyle that farmers do.

It’s for this reason when we were approached to participate this year, we jumped on board without hesitation. While we aren’t the typical “city family” the goal for us in participating in Farm Day is so we get to help rally awareness for this wonderful initiative. To share with our readers and visitors just what you can expect by joining up and taking part in this amazing opportunity. We’ll be sharing the details of the process of signing up, right through to the planning, participation and follow up. There will be lots of photos and videos too.

If you’ve found this post in time for the 2012 Farm Day then be sure to register. If not, then stay in touch over at the Farm Day Oz Facebook Page so you don’t miss out on the next opportunity!

On this special day of remembrance, we send thoughts and love to all those soldiers who passed away so bravely defending our freedoms, to the families who lost their dearly beloved, and to the men and women serving our country today. Thank you all! Lest We Forget.

The vast, flat desert lands stretching out before us, have become our backyard. The short green desert shrubs offer a stark contrast to rich redness of the soil which stains our clothing, our tent and our feet.

This is it.

This is what we’ve been waiting for.

My memories drift back to the pictures in Primary School. That day, when the teacher returned from his trip to “Ayers Rock” (back then it wasn’t really referred to as Uluru, white man’s name was still more popular). He held up 4×6 photographs, one by one, flicking through to reveal a golden sunset cascading across the grand red rock. There I was, a child, sitting hundreds of Kilometres away from central Australia, in a tiny school of 60 children in the middle of the drought ravaged bush of NSW. There I sat, in awe, wondering if I would ever get the chance to take photos like that myself.

That’s the power of the rock. Uluru. The grand heart of Australia. It draws you in. Calls you to it.

So here we are. Finally. Almost 15 years later, I was here. The heartland of Australia. Not only did I make it, I was about to take my children, my little people, to stand on the red soils, to see “The Rock”. I knew it would be a special place, but nothing can prepare you for just how special.

As the red dirt and shrubbery whiz by, the view out of the car window changes. Or rather it remains the same, other than one bump appearing on the horizon. There, in the distance, a bump, a rock. It looks so tiny.

The approach to Uluru is surreal. Looking out the car window feels so similar to viewing Uluru through a TV screen. It looks just like I imagined it would. Just like those photos, those documentaries, the collection of images in my mind seem to do it justice, and it looks so small.

We keep driving. All the while our eyes locked on this grand, grand, monolith.

It gets closer.

Closer still.

The shape changes, the view changes, and the real character of Uluru appears.

A weathered exterior, a wounded, battered exterior, ravaged by wind, rain and people, for centuries.

The spirits of the land dance around us. Our eyes look up, and up, and up. I breathe in. I’m here. It’s not small anymore. There is just a grandness, the sheer size cannot be described. I breathe it in again. Now all that’s left is to explore, and take those photos.

 Have you been to Uluru? Share your story……

When we headed off on our National Geographic Holiday, we started our journey with a kind offer by Melbourne Aquarium to explore for the day. We’d been to other aquariums before, so we didn’t expect to be blown away with how wonderful this place was!

We’re keeping our past promise and we’ve combined some of our footage into a video so you can see just how wonderful Melbourne Aquarium is! Welcome to Little Aussie Travellers Video Blogging!

We’d really love your feedback at our first real video attempt, and

Be sure to join our Newsletter over on the Right -> So you can have the chance to win a family pass to the Aquarium!

Nestled off the coast of South Australia is a dreamy island where some of Australia’s precious animals, flora and fauna flourish amongst a largely protected expanse of National Parks. Kangaroo Island has been described as “Australia’s Galapagos”, a title which it more than deserves to hold. Within it’s boundaries it has a world of discovery tucked away for you to explore.

While Kangaroo Island may not be at the top of everyone’s must do holiday destinations, for those looking for a truly unique insight into Australia that cannot be found elsewhere, we believe this piece of island paradise is without a doubt an experience not to be missed.

Situated around 14kms from South Australian shoreline town of Cape Jervis, KI is Australia’s 3rd largest island, with a fluctuating population of 4,400 residents. It’s widest and longest points are 155kms in length and 57kms width, which results in an island that is easy to explore, yet large enough to offer a wonderous variety of landscapes and coastal stretches to bring your inner explorer to life.

Who Should Visit Kangaroo Island?

With it’s Koalas lazing in gumtrees, Sea Lions and Fur Seals basking or playing, Goannas shuffling through the red soils, or Little Penguins waddling up the beach at sunset, this National Treasure offers a wildlife experience that can’t be beat anywhere else within Australia.

Over a third of the island is classified as National Park or Conservation area. This fact coupled with the absence of rabbits and foxes, means a large range of native wildlife has blossomed on KI, with little interference from introduced species or settlers.

As Eagles glide overhead and dolphins bring their young in to rest along the shoreline, KI offers a wildlife wonderland to those travellers who are inspired by nature.

There is also a bustling art scene and intriguing history to be explored, not to mention the rocky formations, white sandy beaches and unique flora that treat your eyes at every turn. Not to be forgotten is the spectacular, mouth watering local cuisine! The fertile lands of KI mean that there is locally produced food, dairy and other delicacies that are offered up fresh on the island at a range of farms and eateries.

Anyone with a love of nature or sense of adventure for activities like sand boarding, quad biking or boating, will also appreciate all KI has to offer.

When To Visit?

Each season offers a different experience on Kangaroo Island. The summer months are the most popular for visitors and tourists as the weather is warmer. During the summer months, animals will predominately shelter from the day time heat and be more visible during dusk and dawn. Visitors are treated to a range of summer wildflowers and Fur Seal pups.

Autumn is the start of the nesting season for the Little Penguins and Glossy Black Cockatoos. Winter is the time that baby Koalas emerge and begin riding on their mothers backs, baby Wallabies emerge from their mother’s pouches too. Look out for Echidna mating trains & Southern Right Whales passing the shoreline too. Visit in Spring for a Wildflower spectacular!

Other Considerations:

One of the most common question we are asked when it comes to choosing whether or not to visit Kangaroo Island is due to the high cost involved. Getting to the island involves either arriving via the ferry with or without your car, or flying in and hiring a car or exploring via guided tour. It can cost around $500 for a return trip on the Sealink ferry and it’s understandable that many people find this cost prohibitive to visiting KI without knowing what to expect. Flying in also means the cost of flights as well as tour or car hire expenses.

So is it worth it? – Without a doubt, yes! If you love all the things we’ve mentioned above you’ll LOVE KI! We’ve got some videos coming soon just so you can see for yourself before you arrive, just how amazing it is. Don’t worry about the cost in getting to the island, as there’s a range of accommodation that will suit your budget. We camped for only $10 a night for all 5 of us including power! So there are ways to get there and afford it, so in our opinion the cost of getting there can be buffered in other ways.

Have you been to Kangaroo Island Already? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you’re looking for Melbourne family activities then we’ve got the place! We were so very, very lucky to be welcomed by Melbourne Aquarium to explore for the day. Sometimes I LOVE being a photographer, because not only do I get to experience the amazingness of places like this first hand, I also get to capture them so memories never fade! Here’s a photographic look at just a few things you’ll see around the Aquarium. If you are in Melbourne with your children and are wondering whether to visit, then DO IT!

Forget the cool morning breeze, when there’s a beach to explore nothing can stop us! During our family holiday to Kangaroo Island we hit the shores of Vivonne Bay to see what we could find, and mother nature let us in on some great finds!

Today for Wordless Wednesday I’m sharing a great one with you:  a big cuttlefish bone with teeth marks in it!

Can you see the teeth marks?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT ANIMAL OWNS THESE TEETH MARKS?

As our goals  to see more of Australia as a family fall into place, we’ve been getting more and more comments about how lucky we are to see so many things and get to go so many places.

People truly would like to know how we get so “lucky” and how we can afford to travel with our kids. The most common remark we get is “wow, I wish we were lucky enough to be able to afford that!”.

The goal of our blog is to inspire other families to get out and see Australia. So it’s important for me to say this:

ANYONE, ANY family can get out and explore Australia! YES that means YOUR FAMILY!!

I know right now some of you are thinking, “but we can’t afford to travel”, or “but I can’t take the time off work” or even “I can’t cope with the kids” or possibly “but the kids won’t like it if we don’t go to theme parks, they don’t really like the bush and stuff!”.

I’m here to tell you to forget everything you’ve been telling yourself right up to this point.

YOUR FAMILY CAN TRAVEL AUSTRALIA! In fact, your family can travel the world if you want to. I’m about to tell you how!

Here’s the secret at how we get so Lucky!……………………………

You just have to want it bad enough.

That’s it, that’s all there is to it, YOU have to want it enough to make it happen. If that sounds over simplistic, well it is, because generally in life we make our own lives much more complex than they truly need to be. So yes, it’s simplistic, but if you REALLY, truly with all your soul want to experience more travel with your kids, then stop fooling yourself and let’s have a look at how to make it happen!

How Much do you Want it?

The real, hard, honest truth about affording family travel is that you just have to want it. I wish I could tell you that you will magically be able to afford a travel lifestyle without any sacrifice, but that’s not the truth. The truth is, that having an ache inside you to see Australia, having an ache inside you to share this amazing country (or any other country) with your children, having an ache inside you to live a life full of joy instead of stress is the true ingredient that most people are missing.

• If you think you want it and you still aren’t doing it, then you don’t want it enough…. yet……
• If you think you want it, but you’re not getting any closer to making it happen, then you don’t want it enough…. yet….
• If you think you want it and you start to put plans in place, sacrifice things to bring your dream closer, then you’re on your way.
• If you truly want to travel, then travel becomes your priority and you MUST push other wants aside in order to make your dream come true

Going Against the Grain.

Like everything in life, there are choices to be made. Too many times we hear about people wanting to “take off and travel”, but they can’t or just won’t. You know what? That OK!! In order for us to travel, we haven’t purchased a house, we homeschool our kids, and we definitely don’t own a big flatscreen tv, or a flashy car. Is there anything WRONG with having those things? GOSH NO! Part of us would love those things, but for us, the need to explore Australia, far outweighs the need to settle down into the norms of society.

Part of living a fulfilling life is about being conscious of your goals, your dreams and your needs. You need to be conscious of your personal goals, you won’t hear me whinging about not owning a house, because I know we’ve sacrificed that in order to travel. So if you REALLY, truly want to travel, you’ll need to look at what you may need to sacrifice. The reality is, many people think they want to travel long term, but they feel much more comfortable owning a home and paying a mortgage than they do out living on the road.It takes a lot of self reflection and maybe a bit of craziness to go after your true “bliss” is this your year to just do it?

Just know this: If you want it, you CAN make it happen, you just need to let go of the things you THINK keep you secure, and dare to live your dream instead!

How Are We Achieving Our Dreams?

Probably being just a little bit crazy helps! We are not rich, I will truthfully and honestly reveal to you right now that we earn less than almost everyone we know. Our circle of friends mostly earn average middle class salaries, and for the most part we earn less than any of them. We earn less because we choose to. We choose to be a one income family, we choose to homeschool our kids, and we choose not to have debt. I do work from home part time, but I need to balance that with being a mum, teacher, wife and book keeper for Matt’s business, so my business is limited to a small, much appreciated group of clients that are great to work with. Matt owns a small business and he works HARD, but we put measures in place that still allow us to live our dreams.

In order to share this amazing experience of exploring Australia with our kids, there’s a few things we’ve chosen to do:

• We have stayed debt free.
• We don’t align material possessions with security or success.
• We accept that life is short, and we truly want the best experience, not just the one that’s “socially acceptable”
• We’re not afraid to go against the grain. (You only get one life, why waste it being the same as everyone else!)
• We SAVE our money for what we want, and make sure we know what it is we want.

 What Can YOU DO?

Take some time to think about what you really want. Then read the posts from some AMAZING families below. These guys are all travelling the world with their kids, don’t take my word for it, take a sneak peek into the lives of some amazing families and you’ll soon be blown away by what you really CAN DO if you want it bad enough!

Read These Stories by Inspiring Families Travelling the World

Only the Very Special, Lucky, Rich, and Perfect (Like Me) Can Travel by Gabi ‘

Anyone can travel by Mary at Bohemian Travelers

Diet shouldn’t stop you from travelling by Amy at livin’ on the road

If Anyone Can Travel Why Don’t You? – Keryn at Walkingon Travels

Not Everyone Can Travel – by Living Outside of the Box

You Have to Be Special Like Us if You Want an Awesome Life – Discover Share Inspire

 True Story: Single mother from Bushwick, Brooklyn, funds long-term trip without having to sell a kidney - Melissa at Break Out of Bushwick

 Anyone Can Travel, Just Let Go by Diya at a minor diversion

 Don’t Be Jealous of Our Travels! Be Happy for Us and Know That You Can Make it Happen Too ! – Susan V. and family

Anyone Can Travel…Just Find Your Way by Kate at Experiential Family

Pity, Envy, and why anyone can travel – Clark Vandeventer of FamilyTrek.org

Travel – Possible? Wandering Photographer

Even Solo Mamas on Government Handouts Can Travel (by Jody):

Anyone Can Travel Can’t They – New Life on the Road

Our Path to becoming Lucky enough to Travel A King’s Life

It’s not every day that you are blessed with the chance to undertake the family holiday of your dreams. For our family, being given the opportunity to explore the Great Ocean Road was a chance we couldn’t pass up and a road trip we wanted to capture photographically as well as we could on the tight schedule we had.

These photos highlight the beginning of our National Geographic Documentary journey. The Great Ocean Road is truly one of Australia’s most spectacular road trips. With so many photos to share, we’re breaking them down into smaller groups. Today we have “Stunning Ocean Views” I still can’t believe how aqua blue the ocean was!

If you like our photos, PLEASE help us become Australia’s Most Adventurous Family. You Could win a $10,000 Travel Voucher too, and we can keep bringing you more awesome photos!

For this post we’re linking up with Trish for Aussie Wordless Wednesday

Vote WALSH FAMILY! At:  http://natgeotv.com.au/nissanxtrail/Profile.aspx?id=165

Click on the link above (natgeotv.com.au ^^) Vote for Us by clicking the yellow vote button on the Right Hand Side of the video

You go in the draw for the chance to win $10,000 in Flight Centre Travel vouchers! There’s unlimited Voting/Entry.

Yes you read that right!!

The time has come for our National Geographic trip details to be revealed and for the battle to be crowned Australia’s Most Adventurous Family to begin!

It feels like forever since we took our spectacular holiday along the Great Ocean Road, down to Kangaroo Island, and we’re finally allowed to share with you all the amazing details of our Nat Geo, Nissan X-trail trip.

We would be forever appreciative to anyone reading this to vote for the Walsh Family

I truly hope that someone we know, or who is kind enough to support us in this are the winners.

We feel so absolutely blessed that we’ve been able to share this experience with our children, and we can’t wait over the coming months to blog all the amazing details about the Great Ocean Road and Kangaroo Island with you all!

When you head over to that website, you will be able to read our diary of our trip, as well as see the promo video that was made using our footage.

Please let us know what you think

Thank you so much in advance for helping us with votes, it means the world and we’re truly grateful.

Please VOTE NOW, but clicking the yellow Vote button on the right hand side and entering your details. You could win $10,000 in travel too! http://natgeotv.com.au/nissanxtrail/Profile.aspx?id=165