I am challenged with taking my two grandsons, 7 & 9 years old, and their father on a Caravaning trip, starting in Goulburn NSW.
I am expecting that anything longer than 2 - 3 days could be risky as a first time event, and anything too far away just as risky.
I am hoping that someone may have some suggestions as to where we might visit / stay, that includes activities for young active boys. They love fishing / yabbying, have never camped out or had to dig a hole behind a tree.
Please, I need some experienced guidance on this one. I expect to be doing it early August for 2,3 or 4 days if it all goes well.
Dubbo Zoo would be different to what you have said but something for all the age groups mentioned. Maybe even duck across to the South NSW coast. Camps Australia Wide would tell you some places to stay.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
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North Head Moruya NSW. Showers only but fresh water tank too. Planes to see when they come in (near the airport), fishing, allowed to have a fire (wood supplied? not sure) long beach to walk, Mogo Zoo not far away.
Just find a nice free camp, with enough room to run around, enough sky to see stars, enough bush to find some creatures, enough water to maybe trow in a line .......... might just be 20 kms from home
What sort of budget do you have? Free or paid camping? We have been taking our grandson for an annual camping holiday from age 6 to 14 when holidays with grandparents became not as cool as spending time with friends. We did touring and staying in one place. Last 2 years in a park for 2 weeks with great kid friendly facilities very close to home. other years we have had driving and camping holidays ....we have had a trip to Agnes Waters and Rubyvale where we did the usual things in those places, went snorkelling, went on on a trip on a duck (amphidious vehicles), tobogoned down the sand dunes and checked out the historical places where Cpt Cook landed at 1770 etc and then to Rubyvale where we tried our luck fossicking. Another year we went to Lightning Ridge, Dubbo zoo and Mudgee.
We always tented and the experience was something he would not have had otherwise ... he learnt a lot of camping skills. Now his sister is going on 6, we will be starting the process all over again but this time in a campervan
fishing was not very interesting for the grandson .... Too much sitting down just waiting for a fish to bite. Remember the young kids have a lower attention span than the older ones .... Many need to be "entertained". Now for my grandson, if he has his X-box, he would disappear for hours on end and only emerge for food?
Bottom line is to go somewhere that interests kids otherwise they many get turned off the idea for the future. Our special holidays were all while we were still working and had a company car, so we were lucky in the areas of cost. We still intend to make the annual holiday special for the G/daughter, but will obviously be considering costs also.
One option that you may wish to investigate is the holiday parks in the state/national parks. not sure where you are from, but we have Copeton Dam near Inverell on the plan for next year... Has fishing, swimming, lots of kids in school holidays, powered and unpowered sites ....
Well, i do hope our experiences will give you some food for thought .... Whatever you choose, kids always remember holidays with their grandparents .... We wantEd to give our grandchildren something that their grandparents never had. Great that you want to provide those memories as they are very special and last a lifetime for everyone.
-- Edited by chaslib on Sunday 19th of May 2013 10:08:47 AM
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The Maccas ....
2013 Avida Esperance Motorhome - based in northern NSW.
How about Dalmeny? It's run sort of as a caravan park so you have the amenities of a park but it's way more relaxed than a regular CP. Good fishing and a great beach to play on. Narooma is close by and you could stop at Mogo zoo either on the way there or on the way home. The coast will be warmer than anywhere inland in August.
