Camping on the coast

During the holidays we took the boys on a quick camping trip down the coast. We decided to try somewhere new and as it was a last minute decision and the school holidays most of the camping grounds close by were booked out. 

We wanted somewhere within 2 hours of home, lots of trees and space, somewhere the camp sites were not too close together and the beach nearby. I also needed an amenties block + hot showers. 

I'm more of a glamper than a camper! ;)

We found a great spot in the Killalea State Park that met all our needs. We set up camp, had lunch then headed to the beach for the afternoon. We headed to Mystics beach, it was a bit of a hike down the hill to the beach but worth it for the open space, great waves and a visit from some dolphins + a crab! There is also another beach nearby called The Farm if you want to try something different.

After the beach we all had hot showers to wash the sand off and chilled out for the rest of the afternoon. You could tell that Summer was over as it got dark quite early and you could feel the chill in the air. It was a bit of a shock to the system after our seemingly endless hot weather!

The sunset through the trees was amazing. Those colours....

As we were trying to keep things easy for ourselves we didn't pack a lot of food to make meals.

 Just mainly breakfast cereal, milk, drinks, bread, snacks/fruit and we decided to go into the nearest town Shellharbour to pick up some fish n chips for dinner. 

There is a cafe near the campsite called the Farm Cafe but they closed early afternoon. We did grab a coffee from here the next morning but the coffee was terrible! So couldn't really recommend it.

We stayed for 2 nights and the boys loved having the space to run around and "explore" 

I forgot how early you go to bed when you're camping, it must be that fresh air that gets you tired! As the boys and I got ready for bed and snuggled down for the night, Simon took a photo of the tent and night sky from outside with his GoPro. It looked beautiful and warm glowing in the night.

The glow was given by a few strings of lights hanging down from the tent pole.

They're battery run ones I got from Typo a few years ago.

The tent still fits us all as a family of 5 and even with the boys getting bigger. We have 1 x double inflatable mattress in there for Simon and I and 3 x single mattresses for the boys and there is still tons of space. We have the 4m bell tent from Wild Things.

I always take sheets and a doona for Simon and I but the boys are happy with sleeping bags on top of their mattresses. All our clothes and toiletries are kept in the car to free up space in the tent.

We also set up a portable 3m x 6m gazebo for shade + shelter, it has sides that can drop down to protect from the wind if needed

Have you been camping lately? Any favourite camping spots you'd like to share?

Camping on the beach - November 2016

We decided last minute to join some friends and head down the coast camping for the weekend.

We picked the boys up from school at lunch-time and drove down with the car and trailer loaded up.

The sun was shining and the ocean sparkling and once the tent and gazebo were set up we enjoyed a drink as the sun went down and enjoyed the view. For dinner we made ham + cheese toasties and the boys loved the novelty of cooking over the fire. 

What is it about camping that makes you tired? Must be all the fresh air!

We were all in bed early and woke up to an amazing view. Simon and Finn pulled on their wetsuits and headed out to take advantage of the waves.

We brought the totem tennis down and it kept the boys entertained when they weren't in the water. They also enjoyed exploring the rock pools and when Mr Whippy drove into the campground their day was made! 

It was so nice to get away and just slow down. The early nights and lazy days felt great and we're refreshed  and ready to get into the week and the busy time leading up to Christmas.

I get asked a lot about where we go to camp - we went to Coledale camping grounds just north of Wollongong. We love the fact that you are camping right on the beachfront.

We've been looking for another site that suits us but so far haven't found one.

You can read about our camping must haves here

Our tent is a 4m bell tent that we bought from Wild Things Gallery.

We love it for the height and feeling of space inside plus it looks nice ;)

All 5 of us fit inside snugly. We had some wild winds on the Saturday night and our tent was one of the only ones that stayed standing so it is pretty sturdy, also waterproof.

We also take along a gazebo for extra shade that we set up alongside the tent.

I took all my photos on my new iPhone 7+ and was so impressed with the camera.

It's just so much sharper than my previous phone. Love it!

How was your weekend?  What did you get up to?

Our camping weekend - including our wish list for a successful camping trip.

We went camping over the weekend. We found the perfect little spot only one and a half hours from home, right on the beach. It's been over 5 years since our last camping trip, I had always found camping a little uncomfortable and a little too hard when the boys were younger but now they are older we decided to give it another go. Also the fact it poured down rain the last couple of times we camped didn't help the cause! We decided to put together a camping wish list that would ensure we had a relaxing weekend and this helped us to have a wonderful time.

Our Camping Wish List

*Must be within 2 hours of home

*Beach front or a feeling of space around the site

 (no neighbours too close or people constantly walking by)

*Grass site - no concrete or dirt

*Town close by for coffee, snacks etc

*Toilets and hot showers

*Spacious and comfortable tent with room for 5.

(has to be quick and easy to set up)

*Good weather

(no rain forecasted)

We picked the boys up from school at lunchtime and headed down the coast. The car was packed and we had lunch for them to eat on the way. About 10 minutes from arriving at the site it started to drizzle and I had visions of us setting up the tent in the rain but luckily the rain stopped. Phew!

It was our first time using the bell tent but Simon had went through the assembly instructions and had unpacked the tent at home to have a look and suss it out. The boys were eager to help out and the tent was up in no time.  We parked the Kombi alongside the tent as the kombi has hooks attached to the internal gutter from which we secured a 3m x 5m tarp to be used as an awning for some shade through out the day. 

After our camp was set up the boys all went for a quick surf out the front. The water was very cold. Goodbye summer! Wetsuits definitely needed. We ordered a wood fired pizza and garlic bread to pick up from the local shop 10 mins away and then Simon and I settled into our chairs for a couple of drinks as the sun went down. Bliss! We lit a fire (we brought along our own fire pit) and the boys roasted marshmallows but decided they preferred them uncooked! 

To make the weekend a bit easier we didn't want to have to make our own lunch and dinners. We were happy to pick up takeaway from the town nearby. I did bring along cereal, bread, vegemite, fruit and snacks for us to eat through the day. Also an esky full of water, milk and a few beers, Pimms and Gin & Tonics ;) Of course you could bring a bbq or use the camp bbq's if you prefer.

The sun was shining when we woke up bright and early on Saturday. It was great to stick our heads out of the tent and be met with such a beautiful view.  Simon and Finn went out for a surf while the little ones and I had our breakfast and soaked up the sun.

We all headed down to the beach later and it was great to see that the beach was patrolled and was perfect conditions for both swimmers and surfers.  Later on we drove in to town to have a little look around and pick up some muffins, juice and coffee for morning tea.

Being so close to the beach there was always a lovely breeze and we spent the afternoon reading, playing uno, listening to music and using the ipad until the battery ran out! Although the Kombi has a second car battery which we used to charge our phones and ipads. I know it's not really camping to have all your gadgets but they were great to have after a long day at the beach. I guess we were "glamping" more than camping!

The tent was also a lovely space to lounge around in. The high roof and windows and door open made the space feel airy and I had brought along our linen and pillows so we were all comfortable. 

Our bell tent is 4 metres in diameter and we easily fit in a double air mattress and 2 single ones. 

Noah slept in between Simon and I on the double but next time I will bring another single air mattress as there was plenty of room. I made up the beds with sheets and doonas, as sleeping bags make me feel claustrophobic plus we don't have any! I hung a few strands of battery operated festoon lighting and this gave the tent a lovely glow at night and was enough to read by. The rug was an old cheapie that we had in the garage and was perfect to wipe the sand off your feet before hopping into bed.

We really had a wonderful and relaxing time and will definitely be doing more camping trips in the future. I think 2 nights was enough for us to start with but we might eventually stay longer.

I'm looking forward to checking out more camping grounds near by.

Info on our bell tent

We had lots of questions about the bell tent from the other campers and people asking to have a peek inside. We bought our tent from Wild Things Gallery and had looked at it set up in their store and decided the 4 metre tent was the perfect size for us but they also have a 5 metre one if you want something bigger. We loved the style and the fact that it was made from a durable, waterproof canvas.

Plus it had to be easy to set up and transport. The bell tent comes in a duffle bag which is so easy to pack up and carry.

We placed a tarp underneath the tent when setting up to give the vinyl floor extra protection from any sticks and stones hidden in the grass. You need a claw hammer to hammer the tent pegs in (use the claw to leverage them out when packing up). We also packed a dustpan and broom to sweep the floor so it packs away clean as dirt stains the canvas.

Our Camp Packing List

Tent

Airbeds and linen/sleeping bags/mat

Foot pump for beds

Lights for tent 

Torches for kids/toilet trips

Awning and poles -  shade

Ground sheet

Chairs

Fire pit- firelighters, firewood/heat beads, lighter

Side table to pop your drinks etc on 

Table for food prep

All food kept in a large sealed plastic tub

Disposable plates, cutlery and cups

Garbage bags

Esky + ice

Drinks

Books, cards, football

Surfboards and swimming gear

Camera

I think that was everything we needed for a great weekend away.

Although as we were close to town and anything we needed we didn't really need too much.

We camped at Coledale, 1. 5 hrs south of Sydney.

The towns nearby were Austinmer and Thirroul. They had that old school coastal vibe.

Are you a camper or glamper?

Any camping trips coming up? What's your camping must have?