If there is one top tip for a happy family trip in a campervan, it is this: get the youngsters out of the vehicle for much of the time. A campervan tour is great for the freedom it offers, but kids get bored easily, so it is important to build activities into your itinerary.
Fortunately, there are countless natural resources here, so as long as you’ve got the right clothing for the time of year, plus maybe a bit of sports kit, you’re laughing.
Bats and balls are all you need for some children, and if you add a bit of structure to that in terms of a game with rules, such as cricket, it only costs a few dollars to get them active and engaged for an hour or two. Chuck in a frisbee and you’ve got something everyone can have a go at as long as there’s a bit of space – and Tasmania has plenty of that.
Don’t forget their togs, cossie, bathers or whatever you want to call them, because the island is fringed with great beaches, which are DIY fun factories in themselves, and there are public swimming pools all over the place too.
Don’t Forget the non-Sporty Types
Not all kids can be pacified with a bit of running around, but if you’ve got a bit of a nature buff in your party, that’s another surefire winner in these parts. Take them on a boat trip at Cataract Gorge Reserve near Launceston and they’ll go home with a new fund of knowledge plus a thousand pics and selfies to show their friends. Take them to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Hobart, and that will have the same effect. There’s the Tasmania Zoo up north, where they can enjoy the age-old fun of seeing unfamiliar creatures up close but at a safe distance.
For the daring among you, there’s ziplining with Hollybank Treetops Adventure at Underwood, near Launceston. That’s the sort of thing that may involve some parental participation, and if it’s a bit out of your comfort zone, go on and push yourself: it’ll be worth it for the memories. “And we even got Mum up there,” they’ll tell everyone as they flash the phone pic of an adult grinning through gritted teeth.
How about Seahorse World at Beauty Point in the Tamar Valley? Seahorses are real creatures, and there is also a fabulous aquarium there. Perhaps you don’t want to make it too educational for fear of reminding them of school, but all this sort of thing takes place out in the real world, not online, so why not make the most of it?
Have they ever been on a proper old train, like in the Harry Potter films? Take them to the Don River Railway and they’ll be off in their imagination to a place much more interesting than anything at home.
Teenagers are Kids Too
It can be more of a challenge to keep teenagers amused, and it’s up to you how much you regulate their online time. This kind of trip can be part of the growing-up process, though, so you can instil a bit of culture in them with gigs and movies, particularly in Hobart and Launceston. And there are restaurants everywhere, so they can broaden their tastes in that respect, maybe with some locally caught fish or shellfish. And that is no hardship for the parents.
Make the Travelling Part of the Fun
If the attractions on your itinerary are quite far apart, you’ll need to keep the youngsters entertained on the move, so don’t forget to bring a few board games and a pack of cards. And in Tasmania, I Spy takes on a whole new dimension.
Fun Can Be the Ultimate Way of Bonding
A campervan trip around Tasmania takes the family away from the humdrum home life and can break bad cycles and introduce shared pleasures that last a lifetime, so it’s important to throw yourself into it – and hope the kids come along in spirit as well as body.
