7 tips for families traveling doing a road trip in North Queensland for the first time

Even though a part of the charm with a road trip is the spontaneity and side quests, it's a good idea to have a rough route sketched out. Not because you have to have pre-booked all your campsites (although it can be a good idea depending on seasonality), but because alignment with the kids is key when you start the engine. It's often easier to prevent crisis when the children knows what to expect from the day, how long the next stretch is and somewhat what to expect when you're taking the next break. Is it to take a beach stroll, go for an ice cream or is it to overlook scenery? Mentally preparing can prevent spontaneus meltdowns.

Tropical North Queensland is a great destination to visit almost all year round but there are some things you should keep in mind that could ease the decision making. 

Seasonality & timing

Although it's winter throughout most of Australia, the months of June, July and August actually comes with pleasant temperatures of between 20-25 degrees, lots of sun since it's dry season and less humidity. Most travelers you'll meet at the campsites are Australians from Melbourne, Sydney and other places south who heads up north to escape the cold during this time. During these months it's also beginning of whale season meaning that you might encounter humpbacks on their migration northwards and they sometime appear quite close to the coast. If you book a day of sailing in the Great Barrier Reef or maybe even a scenic flight you'll have a great chance of seeing some of the World's most impressive species. Lastly, this time of the year it's also more or less stinger free, meaning that the chances of encountering dangerous jellyfish if you go for a swim in the ocean. 

If you on the other hand are planning a trip to North Queensland during the European winter, you'll get higher temperatures both in the air and in the water. Especially when you stay at campsites it makes it a bit more appealing to go for a dip in the camp site pools as these are often only heated by the sun. It can get quite chill during June, July and August - which could get the kids disappointed (we're talking from experience). 

Because North Queensland is a tropical part of Australia with lots of rainforest, it also increases humidity when traveling during the Aussie summer - so expect humid days and bring an extra t-shirt if you're going for full day trips.

It can be tempting to just go with the flow and book your adventures from day to day. We also love this way of traveling, but there is a risk that the experience you really wanted to try get's fully booked. Especially the bigger experiences such as scenic flights overlooking the Great Barrier Reef, Rafting trips etc. You don't have to book everything from home, but make sure to secure the bucket list adventures when departing - that way you also have a few bearing marks for your trip route. 

In addition to the logistic part having some bigger things pre-booked also allows you to talk about some of the things you're going to experience in advance with the children, which again from an alignment point of view can help navigating your expectations for your road trip.

It's like with every long haul flight, if you have prepared with plenty of snacks and entertainment, it usually makes the time go by much easier when you are on the road. When you go grocery shopping, give your kids the chance to choose snacks of their own. New country, new super market, new snacks. It's almost an experience in itself and you would be amazed how fun this is for the kids to roam around Coles or Woolworth in search for the perfect snacks.

Speaking of grocery shopping; since you live in a camper or motorhome, you'll most likely cook most meals in the campsite kitchens so it's a good idea to avoid meltdowns by having your kids co-deciding what to eat for dinner, and for on-the-go lunches as well. Make those boring every day tasks at home a joint venture including cooking the actual meals at the camp sites.

Cairns is usually the entry point of every good road trip in North Queensland, and lots of people tend to drive southwards immediately. You can do that as well, but we recommend that you allow some time north of Cairns at some point during your road trip. The Daintree Rainforest is where it gets really tropical. It's the world's oldest rainforest and has a variety of wildlife so big that you will be amazed. From saltwater crocs to the majestic cassowary - a bird native to this part of Australia with the height of an adult human being.

In Daintree you can go river cruising spotting crocs, do a zipline adventure or opt in for a snorkeling trip in the Great Barrier Reef. How many kids can brag with having snorkeled the Reef?

We know that a road trip of course implies a lot of driving, but especially when you're traveling with children, you might want to consider to plan for some chill days. Find a nice camp site from home (preferably with a pool), and allow for some down time where there is no agenda other than having a nice day at the camp site or exploring the nearby towns. Many campsites offers, aside from a swimming pool, often also bouncy castles, bike rental or small day trips. The concept of road tripping alone can be daunting for especially the little ones, and the magic disappears if you drive to a new place every day. We recommend that instead of chasing an unbelievably ambitious route, that you scrap a few places here and there and make room for some days where there's nothing on the agenda. The excitement of going somewhere new is much higher when you have spent some time at the same place.

Aside from everything mentioned above, there are a few things that can make your road trip with the family even smoother.

• Pack in soft bags. It makes it so much easier to store in the cabinets available. 
• Unpack your bags on day 1 - especially bigger motorhomes comes with plenty of overhead cabinets.
• Every time you go grocery shopping in the big supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths, there's parking for big vehicles in the far back. Remember that so you avoid driving around in tight spaces with a big camper.
• Book a campervan one size bigger than you would expect. Especially if your road trip is longer - the extra space will be worth the money and you'll feel less cramped.
• Remember to do side quests. Visit that waterfall 10km of the route, visit that small town with a cozy harbor, eat homemade muffins at a strawberry farm or take a small detour to eat lunch in a scenic spot. You might end up missing some epic treasures on the way if you only stick to Google Maps.
• Make sure to have a mobile subscription that allows you to use data in Australia - You don't want to get lost in the outback with no GPS.
• Download good e-books and create a playlist in collaboration with the kids. Time flies by when you're listening to a good book.
• Make a good bedtime routine for your motorhome. New places and new impressions is part of a road trip - so keeping bedtime routines gives a safe space and better nights.
• Use campsite toilets as often as you can - then you don't have to empty the camper toilet constantly. It's not a nice task.

Of course these tips and tricks don't apply to everyone and every family has its own routines. But if you are dreaming about a road trip adventure in North Queensland, don't hesitate to reach out through the button below. We know a road trip in Australia is not your everyday holiday and is often a trip you save up for over a long period of time. We will do our utmost to make sure that trip becomes the trip of your life and something you and the children will remember for a long, long time. 

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