Written by Shelley McIntyre
What a trip so far… The Red Centre has been everything and more we had hoped for.
We made this trip about the journey, not just the destination. We chose to head up Outback QLD via the Matilda Way so we could visit some beautiful spots we missed on our lap of Oz four years ago. Highlights included Tambo, Longreach, Winton and Julia Creek – all favourites along the way, with so much to see and do.
I’ll be honest though – this trip has been busy. Trying to do it all in 4–5 weeks as a family with two energetic boys and a lively staffy puppy has kept us on our toes! We are resident travellers though, so we were quite organised from the beginning with our prep!
We’ve enjoyed every camp we stayed at on the way through Outback QLD. Our pre-planning of marking down where we wanted to visit and stay was perfect, plus we added more stops along the way when we decided to wing it! We always use WikiCamps for reviews and felt safe in all the camps in Outback QLD.
Our days were long, with 4–6 hours of driving each day. Sometimes we didn’t make our camp by sunset, as we’d hoped— because of slower morning pack-ups after a big drive the day before. But driving through an outback sunset is just as stunning.
With so many one-nighter camps, the big days took their toll. We haven’t done long drives like this in a few years, and our boys (7 & 9) needed a lot of entertaining. It wasn’t just iPads all the way—we played lots of different games like counting animals and coloured cars, Spotto, Lego, cards games, journal writing, schoolwork and plenty of reading. Without these, sibling rivalry and tiredness would quickly boil over— as any parents who has taken kids on a road trip, knows all too well!
Meanwhile, us parents were juggling fuel stops, dump points, water fill-ups, where we were staying each night, and calls with the boys back home who are running our business. It was definitely busier than when we travelled with toddlers.
By the time we reached the Red Centre, we were pretty exhausted. Thankfully, we had a few extra days down-time in Alice Springs before starting our West MacDonnell Ranges hikes.
Steel, our puppy, has handled the trip better than we expected. He still sleeps a lot and hasn’t barked or whined on drives. We made sure he got a walk, water and a chew toy every stop!
It’s not always rainbows and lollipops though. As Steel is still a puppy, we’re still training him on rights and wrongs which is a challenge after long days. Despite our days spent exploring, Steel would be full of energy and need lots of walks too.
This was a big learning curve for us, but the boys were amazing helpers and Steel is well on his way to being a real traveller dog.
Renting a caravan through Ezy Hire Caravans has been a great choice for our 5-week adventure. We found it easy to tow with our DMax, and quicker to set-up compared to our old Jayco camper. Having our own toilet and shower has been a huge bonus, and overall, the extra space made it feel like home on the road for our family.
Set-ups and pack-downs are much easier with the caravan than our old camper. Hubby takes care of the outside while I set up the inside. Taking everything out of their secure travel spots, a quick sweep and some windows open, and we’re ready to start the day.
A bonus of a bigger van this time around was that it has solid walls—this meant less road noise at night and no flapping canvas in the wind like the camper. We definitely felt more safe and secure on this trip!
We had dreamed of visiting the Red Centre for years, and it was so good to finally get here.
We based ourselves in Alice Springs for five nights at Discovery Parks (as the National Parks aren’t dog-friendly). The kids loved the pools, slides and jumping pillow – and we loved finally letting them run free and meet new friends.
We recommend you book your dog-minding in early. There are a few places in Alice Springs you can choose from and some also have overnight boarding if this suits you better. We booked Steel into the Dog House for two days, and though it was tough to leave him, he was well cared for and loved his time at the kennel. That gave us time to immerse ourselves in the magic of the Red Centre. We absolutely loved hiking the West Macs—with the wildflowers in bloom it was all so stunning. The gorges are freezing this time of year but definitely worth a dip, especially at the beautiful Ellery Creek Big Hole.
Driving in and seeing Uluru for the first time is breathtaking. The magical feeling stays with you every day you visit. We camped at Ayers Rock Campground, enjoying the luxury of power, heating and air-con for the chilly nights and hot days of August/September.
We organised puppy sitting in advance through Facebook pages connecting us with locals working at Ayers Rock Resort, which was really helpful. This allowed us to visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta (Olgas). We loved the challenging but beautiful Valley of the Winds hike (7.4 km). It was tough but our boys smashed it. We recommend starting early with plenty of water – it heats up fast by mid-morning.
Sunrise and sunset views of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta were must-dos. The colours are breathtaking to witness. We also enjoyed a few paid experiences such as riding bikes around Uluru’s base and the Field of Lights experience – both incredible and family-friendly.
We then drove to Kings Canyon for three nights at Discovery Parks. The kids absolutely loved it here, making friends and braving the icy pool after hikes, while we enjoyed live music at the sunset bar. Puppy minding was again essential for us to complete the Rim Walk – another highlight we wouldn’t have missed. We recommend asking the resort about puppy minding if you’re staying here!
We only had 12 days in the Red Centre and probably would have loved three more to really soak it all up—especially considering the long drives. Still, we managed Alice Springs, West Macs, Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon with two kids and a puppy in only 12 days– and we’re proud of that. It’s definitely do-able if you’re a family considering the same! Ultimately, while the pace of this five-week adventure has been full-on, we’re absolutely loving every day on the road and the chance to enjoy this time with our kids. Making these memories together as a family is what is important to us.
The boys were fantastic little travellers, and Steel surprised us with how well he coped. A big shout-out to my hubby, Joel who has driven over 7,000 km in four weeks – a huge effort and there’s still more to come!
Now we’re making our way south through SA, with a first-time visit to Coober Pedy before hitting Broken Hill and Silverton in NSW and then heading home. I think we’ll need a ‘holiday’ after this holiday – rest and some much-needed “me time” (without the boys)!
Don’t forget to follow along for more fun adventures as we hit the road with 2 kids and puppy! @4_macs_makin_trax
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