In 2023, our family of five decided to hit the road for a few months in our camper trailer.
Before we even left, the planning stage was… well… chaotic in true us fashion.
We filled our kids’ rooms with every belonging we owned, making space for a couple to move into our home to take care of our dog, Duke. The deal? They’d feed him, walk him, and live rent-free in our home while we were away.
Looking back, it was nice to come home to a house that was almost as we left it — we only had to reorganise one room instead of the entire place.
But next time? We’ll rent it out. Let’s just say constant bills, rising mortgage rates, and the mental load of keeping things running while you’re gone takes more out of you than you think.
Originally, we’d planned to return in time for a wedding in November. But life threw us a curveball. Thanks to some drug-affected neighbours, we found ourselves back a few weeks early… but more on that later.
Seths school was supportive of our decision and we will absolutely try do it again!
How It All Began
The idea started in 2022, one random night after dinner. We were chatting, and the next thing you know, that weekend we were in Melbourne “just looking” at camper trailers.
That “just looking” trip turned into a week of heavy research… and then putting down a deposit. Classic us. Our 15k budget rose to 30k. Again, classic us. But we don’t regret the Austrack!
What We Looked For
Luke’s must-haves:
- Weight and overall look
- Suspension and build quality
- Sturdiness (aka, could it survive cape york?)
Kayla’s must-haves:
- Kitchen setup
- Hot water access
- Bigger is better (especially with 3 kids in tow)
We went from considering EzyTrail to locking in an Austrack — and honestly, no regrets! The selling point? A larger bed for the kids and a lounge area that converted into a bed, which became our 8-year-old’s “own room” for the trip.
We survived; but I am so glad to now have a caravan because using caravan park amenities for 6 months was a pain especially every night or early morning, and somehow we were always SO far away.
Making It Happen
Once we said “Let’s do it,” the rest was a blur. We juggled our work schedules for all of 2023 to make sure we could leave in the winter months — our departure date was set for May 1st.
We almost nailed it… only left four days late waiting for car parts to arrive.
We worked our butts off, spent more than we probably needed to before leaving (doesn’t everyone?), and spent countless hours mapping our route (I literally wrote to the days and then threw it in the bin).
Our plan was to be off-grid 90% of the time, only treating ourselves to caravan parks when we needed a proper reset. (oh how our expectations were wrong thanks to instagram lol). Wikicamps was our bestie. Purchased a portable diesel heater, 2 fans (one evap), easy to pop up toilet ensuite, “light chairs”. We spent so much time buying new things that were lighter or more compact that honestly we should have taken stuff from home and IF it didn’t work, we just change it on the trip. Every big town has a BCF.
We sold my car a few months prior and shared the one car, put that money to paying off all debt so we left with only mortgage to pay. (Again, next time I’d cut off interenet & subscriptions).
We upped our car insurance to include all the extras, house insurance, and applied for long service leave.
Prepping the Ute (and the Camper)
While I was knee-deep in camper trailer upgrades, Luke went full “boys and their toys” on the ute.
By the time he was done, I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a single part that hadn’t been swapped, upgraded, or replaced. We lost track of our pre-travel spendings, but I can confidently say between the ute modifications, purchasing camper and all the upgrades it was $70k.
Luke’s Ute Upgrade List (aka just in case we need it) –
- New canopy
- Onboard water tank
- Bull bar
- winch
- Lights galore (I love lights)
- Recovery kits
- Upright fridge in the canopy with a Kings lithium battery (regret kings purchase… but that’s another story)
- Rock sliders
- New tow ball and bar
Honestly, everything — because “we might need it.” And, to be fair, we actually did end up using most of it. My personal contribution to the ute? A spare wheel cover with my business logo,it’s about balance.
Kayla’s Camper Trailer Projects
My fun was all about getting the camper road-trip ready. I upgraded just about everything except the suspension:
- Electrical system overhaul
- New batteries and solar setup
- DC charger
- Mounted hot water system
We kept the boat rack, which ended up being both handy and a hassle. It stored recovery gear, surfboards, our makeshift clothesline, and sometimes even a shower base for rinsing sandy kids before bed. But… it also meant one more step at every setup and a bit of extra weight. Small trade-off, but still something we’d rethink next time.
Before the big trip, we took the camper out as much as possible to figure out what worked. Clothes ended up stored in the canopy, we got a custom mattress made, and we nailed down our set-up roles which was basically Luke do everything and I watch kids, then I go in and make beds lol.
Choosing Clothes for Life on the Road
If there’s one thing we learned quickly — less is best. But Lukes guitar had to come travel with us – even if it took up a huge amount of space in the canopy.
We each had a small Big W storage tub for clothes(23Ltr), and if it didn’t fit in there, it simply couldn’t come. That little rule saved us so much space. The jackets got put in a vac-sealed bag. One side of the canopy was for ‘kitchen’ and the other side was our wardrobe. The dog box was filled with tools and anything dirty/sandy.
We loved having a flexi-tub. During transit it carried the kids toys, but it was a make-shift pool, laundry basket, dishes basket, groceries – anything and everything! Buy one and leave it in your caravan shower base! Skate boards for the kids were 10/10 too.
A good pocket knife for Luke was a must; whether it was just opening the packet of meat for BBQ or something more handy, it was an everyday use!
Shoes we packed: boots, sandals, thongs, and sneakers. Honestly? We could’ve skipped the sneakers.
Op shops along the way were a game-changer. Let’s be honest — what mum can go six months without buying clothes? The trick? Take your old clothes, wear them out, and replace them on the road. That way, you’re not lugging around extras.
For the kids, I still packed a few of their “best” clothes. My logic was simple — they’d outgrow them by the end of the trip anyway, so they might as well get worn. And once we hit the warmer weather, we were all about bathers everyday.
We sent home our chainsaw after the first 8 weeks as we never used it and barely had the opportunity for a camp fire anyhow with restricitions at parks. So we just purchased kindling and wood from bunnings or sites.
Things We Loved (and a Few We Could’ve Left Behind)
When you’re living out of a camper trailer with five people, every little hack counts. Here are a few things that made life easier — and a couple we probably could’ve skipped.
Pram – For our 1-year-old, it earned its spot. Not used every day, but absolutely worth having when we needed it. We invested in a travel friendly one.
Sauce bottles from the kids’ lunchboxes – We repurposed their juice bottles for sauces, vinegar, and other condiments. Pantry space was tight, so these were perfect (could even use laundry liquid so you dont lug the whole thing – we went through a few mishaps with those bottles lol)
Meal prepping at camp kitchens – Cooking in bulk and freezing meals made those long travel days so much smoother.
Laundromats over caravan park machines – Cheaper, bigger, and faster. And if we needed to dry clothes while at a park, we’d blast our little electric heater inside and hang everything up like a makeshift clothes dryer.
Water toys – Arm floaties, snorkels, inflatable pool toys, and noodles were a hit.
Travel oven – Rarely used it, but looking back, we should have.
DUNE fry pan with glass lid – The real kitchen MVP. Used it almost every day.
Hammocks – Rarely set them up, but when we did, the kids were obsessed. Would definitely take them again.
We also upgraded our batteries to iTech lithiums — lighter weight, way more usage, and a game-changer for power. Added solar before we left, and even ended up adding more while we were on the road. One tip? Avoid Kings. Trust me on that one.
Honestly, there are probably a hundred other little things we did before we left that I’ve already forgotten (it’s been two years now, after all). But if you’ve got questions about setting up for a trip like this, ask away — I’ve got plenty of tips tucked away in my brain somewhere.
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