How to plan for an extended caravan trip

Our family has been travelling in a caravan for many years. Our first van was purchased back in 1995 and it was an old 70’s Travelhome and we loved it. We have been lucky enough to take many caravan holidays, ranging from short 2 week trips up to 8 week trips around this beautiful country. The first night away, when you start an extended trip is so surreal. It is hard to believe that you are away and can relax knowing that you don’t need to be anywhere and that you can go wherever you would like. So lets dive in and talk through some tips that will help you plan and extended caravan holiday around this great big country.

Pick the date

Now I am sure this sounds pretty obvious, but to be honest it is one of the most important steps. Life gets busy and it is always easy to push the trip back because something has come up. It is important to pick the date and stick to it. Yes you will miss stuff at home, but if you don’t stick to your date you may never leave. Here are some other tips to consider when picking the date to leave.

The length of your trip depends on how comfortable you are leaving your employment and home. Consider a smaller trip first to see how it feels before jumping in to full time travel. Financially it is hard to set out long term on the road unless you sell up or are happy to rent out your property. If you are a renter it would be easier if you were at the end of your lease to ensure a clean break.
If you are not leaving your employment, make sure you speak to management to ensure your extended leave will be approved and if there is a particular time that suits the organisation better. One of our trips I was working in an accounting firm, so taking time off in the first half of the financial year would never have been approved. We agreed the best time was March to May when the firm was quiet. Also consider if you are taking all annual leave or taking time off without pay. You may need to save up some leave to ensure you have money coming in while on the road.
It is also important to consider the seasons. If you are travelling around Australia then you should consider being up north during the winter months and south in the warmer months. Also consider any events that you may want to attend. Skiing in Winter and surfing in Summer. This will make for a more enjoyable trip.

Budget

Whilst the cost of a caravan holiday can vary significantly depending on the type of traveller you are, it is important to consider the following:

You should set a budget and agree with all travelling companions on what your travel will roughly cost. There is a large cost difference between the high end caravan parks and a free camp out the back of a pub. Ensure you have a budget for nightly accommodation as this will be one of your biggest expenses.
Fuel is also a big expense. Do some research on the cost of fuel in other states and ensure your vehicle is running as efficient as possible to keep running costs low. Lots of kms cost lots of money so ensure your trip is planned with this expense in mind.
Meals can also become very costly if you eat out a lot while travelling. Consider a budget for meals and stick to it. If you do not want to cook often just ensure you have the cash to fund your nights out.
Consider expenses at home that you will still have while travelling. When we went away we had friends or family house sit for us. So we still had house repayments, electricity, insurance etc to pay while we were away. You should add these things to your budget to ensure you have enough savings or income coming in to cover these expenses.
Are you going to work while away? There are plenty of jobs around Australia if you plan on working your way around. Many of the positions are lower on the pay scale, like hospitality and agriculture. So it important to still have some savings to ensure that if work is sporadic or not available that you can still travel the way you would like to and not run out of cash.
Budget for any big ticket items. If you plan to do a scenic flight over the Bungle Bungles, or head to Movie World for the day you need to ensure you budget for these adventures. There are many high ticket things you can do around Australia, but you need to budget for the ones you really want to do. We did a trip through the centre that incorporated a 3 day stop at Birdsville for the Big Red Bash music festival. We had pre purchased the tickets but for the family it was over $1000. A couple of big ticket items can blow up your budget pretty quickly.
Consider and budget for what could go wrong. Whilst this is something that you hope will not happen, it is important to have some spare funds just in case. On one of our trips we had to replace the bearings in the car and on another trip we had an accident with an emu. We also spent a lot of money on a child when he fell off his skateboard in Darwin and needed the ED and xrays. These all cost money that we had not budgeted for but luckily we had spare funds. Also consider how much it will cost to fly home quickly if there is an emergency at home.

Do a rough itinerary

Whilst it sounds very romantic to just pack up and travel wherever the road takes you, in reality doing some pre planning can make your trip more enjoyable. There is no point being in Hobart from Monday to Thursday when the Salamanca Market is on your bucket list and only runs on a Saturday. I actually think the planning part is exciting and is one of my favourite past times. I have many itineraries in our map book ready to go when the time is right. Below are some things to consider when planning your trip.

As I mentioned above, consider the seasons. You are never going to have perfect weather on a big trip. But if you have the luxury to plan your trip around the seasons it can make a huge difference. In the northern quarter of Australia they really only have 2 seasons, wet and dry. One example, if you are in Darwin for the wet season, remember that lots of attractions will be closed due to the amount of water and the crocs. Springs and waterfalls etc are unsafe during this time of year due to the water levels and the crocs that sneak into the rivers when they flood. So if Kakadu is something you really want to explore, make sure you visit during the dry season.
Consider the route you are taking. Australia is a really big place and there is a lot of nothing in between. It is good to know how many days it takes to get from one place to the next, especially if you have booked something that you do not want to miss.
The road quality can vary significantly depending on the time or year you travel and the roads you take. If you have a 4wd set up and you plan on doing some outback tracks, ensure you research the road conditions and the best times to travel. We have a 4wd but there are some tracks we would just never travel on. They are rough and rutted and will damage your vehicle. If this does not excite you then ensure your route is on roads accessible by the vehicle you are travelling in.
Consider your accommodation when setting the itinerary, especially if you are in remote parts of Australia. It is important to ensure you will make it to your camp site before it gets too late. Some camps are hard to find in the dark and you run the risk of getting lost or having a run in with the wildlife if you travel after dusk. Even if you do not have a clue where you want to go, ensure in the morning when you leave that you have a reachable destination in mind to reduce your risk.
What really excites you about your trip? If you have decided to head to Cairns because the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list then ensure you plan around that. There are so many things to see along the way that is easy to get swept up and run out of time. Having an itinerary that you roughly stick to will ensure that you see what you really want to see.
Research, Research, Research. Make sure you know what there is to see on the road that interests you. Nothing worse than finding out you have missed something amazing because you did not know it was there.

Consider your set up

If you have camped previous you will have a good idea about what your car and caravan/camper is capable of. You will understand what is needed when on the road and you are probably organised. My one tip for those that have travelled before on smaller trips is to not over pack. It is tempting to think that you will need a lot of stuff while you are away just in case, but you actually do not need much more than what you pack for a weekend. One year we went away for one month to Cairns. As we were travelling up the coast my husband was desperate to bring the kayaks. So we strapped them to the roof of the car and off we went. They stayed on the roof of the car the whole trip except for one day where we felt we should use them. They added weight and height to the car that was very annoying, so annoying we contemplated leaving them in Cairns with family. Something like that can be hired if you feel the need. Otherwise a swim works perfectly fine.

For those that are starting from scratch here are some tips that may help with getting set up with the right gear.

It is more important for your vehicle to be reliable than to have a fancy van. Don’t over capitalise on your van at the expense of your car. The car is what is pulling the van so needs to be in great condition and mechanically sound.
Ensure the van/camper/tent is what you need for the type of trip you want to do. If you are heading up outback tracks then some sort of offroad equipment is needed.
Don’t over capitalise. Caravans can be expensive, so you really need to consider what you actually need. We had a brand new van when the kids were young and it was amazing but now that the kids are bigger and in swags we have an old ’96 model Evernew and it has everything we need. Just make sure you buy within your budget and do not get caught up with the sales pitch when looking. Set your budget and stick to it.
Remember caravan parks have a lot of amenities, including bbqs and camp kitchens. If you are staying only in caravan parks there is probably no need to pack a bbq. If you are doing a lot of free camping or camping without power then you will need to ensure you have the gear so that you can have lights and a warm meal.
Make sure you pack for the weather. If you are heading to Tasmania in winter you will definitely need good boots and jackets and warm bedding. But if you are heading North then thongs, shorts and t shirts will be needed. Just don’t get caught out with cold nights, especially inland in winter. There is nothing worse than being cold in bed. Research the overnight temperatures and ensure you are prepared.

Final words

Here are my final tips of things to consider when planning an extended caravan trip.

Pets – are you taking them or leaving the home? We have a number of pets but rarely take them away. They can be restricting when travelling so if you are considering taking a pet make sure you do your research. You could be limited on where to stay, where to eat and how you travel. National Parks do not allow dogs and there are a lot of parks in Australia. We did take our poodle away one year to Birdsville and we had planned and knew all we needed to know about travelling with a dog. That was until the Birdsville track got closed due to wet weather and we could not get back to get our camper, which we left at the back of the pub at Maree. We had to follow the bitumen road for 1000s of kms out of our way trying to stay in pubs etc while sneaking our tiny little dog in. It was a disaster.
To home school or not. This is very subjective so I will only briefly talk about what we did as everyone will have a different opinion. As the longest we were away for was 8 weeks, we decided not to home school. We instead helped the kids keep journals, which included details of landmarks and how much attractions cost for the whole family. Our kids learnt a lot just by exploring and meeting other kids in similar circumstances. Speak to your school and decide what is best for your children while travelling. Remember to add some down days to your itinerary to ensure any school requirements can be done without rushing.
Consider buying a map book. Yes we all have maps on our phones these days but there is an awful lot of Australia that has no reception. If you are outback or even semi remote, you will need a map book.
My final word of advice is to relax and enjoy. We all lead very busy lives and slowing down to enjoy your holiday can be a struggle. But all your hard work and planning will pay off and your trip will be life changing.