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Surfing from Sydney to Brisbane in a Campervan!

The road trip from Sydney to Brisbane on the pacific coast highway is legendary.  900kms of beautiful untouched beaches, charming little beach towns, wild bush, wineries, wildlife galore, and epic waves.  Of course the best way to explore this beautiful country and immerse yourself in nature is in a camper-van!  We recommend allowing at least a week for this trip, our trip was 15 days.  We rented our camper-van from Britz and we had an amazing experience driving up the coast.   Below is our highlights, and places we totally recommend you to go!

  • Seal Rocks.  We discovered this little hidden gem by accident and it ended up being one of our favorite spots!  Surrounded by Myall Lakes National Park, Seal Rocks feels remote and isolated even though your only 3 hours away from Sydney.  The beautiful unspoiled beach has little right handers on a northeast swell, and because the break is inside a bay, its protected from the wind.  Seal Rock is a mellow wave, so its perfect for long boarding and youngsters learning to surf.  Theres another surf spot right around the corner called “Treachery” for more experienced surfers.  We parked our camper van at Reflections Holiday Park , and we couldn’t have been happier with our experience.  The park is located right across from the beach and the facilities are all brand new.  They have an epic little community camp kitchen and grill area that literally sits right over the water, a perfect spot to watch the sunset.  While at Seal Rocks make sure to take a walk to the Sugarloaf Point lighthouse, for some amazing views.  We loved Seal Rocks so much that after visiting at the beginning of the trip, we returned to stay our last two nights.

  • Another awesome find was the Billabong Zoo,  located in Port Macquarie.  Again this wasn’t on the itinerary, but when we saw the Billabong Zoo signs we decided to check it out, and I’m so glad we did!  The zoo is small compared to the “Australia Zoo”, however because of this there were no crowds.  We  loved the Kangaroo enclosure which was brimming with a ton of kangaroos and wallaby’s all ready to be pet and fed.  They also offer free “zoo encounters throughout the day, we especially liked the koala encounter, where we were able to pet the koala, and take pictures with him.  The zoo was a really great experience and we highly recommend it!

  • Port Macquarie has a relaxed coastal vibe with delicious food, cute shops and really fun surf.  Take in the dramatic scenery on the “Coastal Walk”.  Stretching 9kms long, you can break it up into a shorter walk or challenge yourself with the whole shebang.  There are a number of surfing beaches surrounding the town, in fact “town beach” has 3 main breaks that offer a variety of waves.  Port Macquarie also has a ton of good eats, with a variety of ethnicities to choose from.  Overall this town has so much to offer, and is a great place to spend a few days.

  • Point Plomer is located right outside of Crescent Head, about 20 minutes away from town on a dirt road. We were told by some locals at a surf store in Port Macquarie that this was their favorite surf spot, so we decided to check it out, and I’m so glad we did!  Point Plomer is in a national park so its remote and secluded, and the campground is located right on the beach.  Even though it was a busy weekend, we happened to score the perfect spot to camp with amazing views of the ocean.  There is so much wildlife here, we were able to see wild dingoes, dolphins, and a ton of different birds.  The wave at Point Plomer is really fun, a nice little right point break, with few, if any people out.  Point Plomer was one of the funnest waves I surfed while in Australia and we will definitely be back!

 

  • Another local recommendation was Arrawarra Headland.  Located in Coffs Coast region, Arrawarra is a nice mellow right pointer with friendly locals.  We stayed the night at  Arrawarra Beach Holiday Park and had an amazing spot right on the ocean.  Upon arriving at Arrawarra we took a long walk down the beach and saw a wild kangaroo for the first time!  Check out the video below of this magnificent creature.

 

  • I LOVED Yamba!  We stayed two nights in this cute little sea-side town because we loved the relaxed vibe, the good eats, boutique shops, and the friendly locals.  The surf wasn’t too bad either, despite one day that was pouring rain.  Check out Angourie point and Spooky beach if you’re an experienced surfer, and Turners or Main beach if you’re a beginner.  I also highly recommend checking out the pub at the Pacific Hotel, it’s the perfect setting for a beer or wine overlooking Main beach.  If your lucky you might see some dolphins in the surf.

These were just a few of our favorite highlights of our trip to Australia.  It’s an absolutely beautiful country with super friendly locals and we will definitely be back.  If you have any questions about our trip leave them below, and if you’ve already been down this stretch of Australia, I would love to hear your highlights.

Is New Zealand on your bucket list?  Check out 5 Things You Must See on New Zealand’s North Island!

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Protein Balls!

Do you want a quick bite that packs a powerful protein punch?  These protein balls will do the trick!  They are quick and easy to make and are the perfect “after workout” protein snack.  There is a ton of good stuff in these protein balls and as a bonus there gluten free, vegan, whole grain and dairy free.  Give them a try and let me know in the comments below how you like them!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup organic peanut butter
  • 1/4 Cup honey (or brown rice syrup for vegans)
  • 2 TSP vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
  • 1/4 Cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
  • 1 TBSP Hemp hearts
  • 1 Serving collagen powder (optional)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Dash of salt
  • 1/4 Cup dark chocolate chips (use vegan chips if needed)
  • 2-4 TBSP water

Directions:

  • In a mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the water.
  • If the mixture isn’t sticking together, slowly add in a TBSP of water at a time until the mixture holds together well.
  • When the desired consistency is reached, form 1″ balls.
  •  Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for 1 week.

Enjoy!

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Lemon & Roasted Garlic Hummus!

 

I LOVE hummus, I mean who doesn’t right?  This mediterranean dish is popular all over the world and we all know why, its delicious!  Hummus is packed with protein, heart-healthy fats, and fiber.  Its a staple in my fridge, and perfect for substituting mayo, and as a dip for fresh cut veggies.  Instead of store bought hummus, check out this simple recipe you can whip up in minutes.

Roasted Garlic:

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (a toaster oven works just as good).  Peel and discard the extra papery outer part of the garlic, and slice 1/4 inch off the top of the head. Drizzle a little olive oil over the tops of the head and wrap the garlic tight in a piece of tin foil.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  You know the garlic is done when the garlic is soft to the touch (please use oven mitts, its hot).  Let it cool, then use your fingers to squeeze the garlic cloves from there skins.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups canned chickpeas
  • 2 Tbsp Tahini
  • 4+ Tbsp Olive oil
  • Roasted garlic –
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp salt & pepper
  • Paprika (sprinkle)
  • 2 ice cubes

Instructions

Add all ingredients (except paprika) to a food processor or blender.  Blend until desired consistency, I prefer a smooth texture.  After you have reached desired consistency, place hummus in a serving bowl, sprinkle with paprika and enjoy.

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5 Tips for camper-vanning New Zealand!

New Zealand is called “Gods own country” by the locals and when you finally see it, you will understand the reference.  This country is like no other, untouched and unspoiled.  There is so much diversity on these two islands, from beautiful deserted beaches, glaciers, rainforests, and amazing fjords.

When we decided to camper-van around New Zealand, we had no idea what we were in for!  This would be our first trip ever in a recreational vehicle, and in a foreign country where they drive on the other side of the road.  Our trip was planned for 16 days, and originally we wanted to go to both Islands, but after realizing NZ is WAY too huge, we decided to only circle the north island.

Our flight arrived in Auckland late at night, so we stayed the night at the Novotel right at the Auckland airport, and I’m so happy we did.  Our flight ended up being delayed 3 hours, so instead of arriving at 8pm, we arrived well after 11pm.  It was really nice being able to walk right out of the international terminal, across the street to the hotel and into our comfy beds.  We also woke up to an amazing breakfast buffet before starting our adventure.  If your going to Auckland, I highly recommend Novotel.  Check out these five tips, to save you money and make your camper van experience a good one.

  1. Book your camper van directly with the company.  

    We rented our camper van from “freedom campers”, they are a smaller company located on the out skirts of Auckland.  There are a ton of different websites similar to “expedia” (but for camper vans), to get quotes.  I do not recommend booking with one of these sites, reason being they charge extra for their services, when you can go straight to the company itself and skip the extras.  We made this mistake when booking our NZ camper van, and we ended up paying almost $300 more then just going straight to the company.  So long story short,  use the search engines to figure out what kind of camper van you want and how much you wanna pay, but go straight to the company to reserve.

  2. Don’t be cheap, get the insurance.

Another thing I recommend is getting the extra insurance, the van is BIG (I almost backed my husband into an overhang) and the cost for repairs are expensive, save yourself the stress and pay for the insurance!  Another bonus to getting the full insurance is you don’t have to put a bond on your credit card.  Some companies charge up to 7 grand on your credit card, until you return it in sound condition, then they will refund the money.

  1. Get an automatic transmission van

Our camper van was an older model, so it was a standard (stick shift), with the steering wheel on the left side.  I know what your thinking, all of this AND you have to drive on the opposite side of the road?  It wasn’t as bad as it sounds, so please don’t let this discourage you from camper-vanning this beautiful country!  Thankfully my husband is left handed, so he had no problem shifting with his left hand, and he quickly got used to driving on the left hand side of the road.  But if we could do it again, we would have paid the extra to get an automatic transmission van.  This country is huge, there are many winding roads, and down/up shifting  gets old fast.  Save yourself the hassle and your foot getting tired, by renting an automatic.

  1. Freedom camp as often as possible.  

Freedom camping is basically free camping on public conservation land.  But as you may have heard, you cant freedom camp unless you have a “self-contained” vehicle (van with a toilet).  There are a TON of places to freedom camp, the kiwis are pretty chill people, and unless there are signs that say no freedom camping, your ok.  Just use your common sense, don’t disturb the locals and leave no trace behind you (as in take your trash with you).  We tried to camp every other night at a free spot, that way we could charge our vehicle at a paid site every other day.  Almost every town has an iSite (visitor information center), a great resource where you can check the area for freedom camping spots.

  1. Dont reserve at holiday parks ahead of time.  

We visited NZ during the last 2 weeks of December, directly during the holidays.  When we planned the trip we were worried that we needed to reserve the holiday parks in advance because we were traveling during the peak season.  However, since we didn’t know what towns we would be in and when, we decided to play it by ear, and I’m so glad we did!  Only one time did we come across a park that was booked, and this was on the weekend of New Years.

So if your visiting in the off season, I wouldn’t worry about booking early.  The greatest thing about camper-vanning, is your traveling with your home!  If you want to stay longer/shorter in certain areas you can, and having that flexibility and spontaneity is part of the adventure!  Another small tip, download the app camper mate where you can search the area your in for holiday parks and freedom camping spots.  Also if your planning on arriving to a town late at night, find a holiday parks on camper mate, and call ahead to reserve your spot, because often times the office will close early.  Several times we had the office leave us a packet for our camp site on the office door upon arrival.  Check out our tour of the van we rented in Australia below.

To this day, camper-vanning New Zealand is one of my favorite trips!  There is nothing like experiencing “Gods own country” in a camper van.  Check out         5 Things You Must See on New Zealand’s North Island.

If you have any questions about camper-vanning NZ please leave them below, and if you have camped there before I would love to hear  about it.

 

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5 Things You Must See on New Zealand’s North Island!

 

New Zealand is hands down one of my favorite places to visit.  This country is so beautiful and diverse, and the people are extremely nice and welcoming.  We traveled NZ in a camper van, and being able to experience nature while camping was an experience I will never forget.  Were not big city people, and prefer to be out in the country, so here are a few off the grid experiences that we really enjoyed.

  • Visit the seaside village of Piha.  

Piha is a beautiful dramatic black sand beach just outside of Auckland.  This beach is popular with the locals, and after visiting you will understand why.  It is vast and dramatic with rugged cliffs at each end, and lion rock in the center dividing North and South Piha beaches.  Lion rock is Piha’s war memorial and you can climb half way up, but not all the way to the top.  The village is backed by the Waitakere ranges regional park, which has beautiful rainforests and trails to waterfalls.  “Kitekite falls” is a 2.2 mile hike up to a dramatic 3 tiered waterfall, with a swimming hole below the falls.  Whether walking the vast beach or exploring the rainforest, Piha is definitely worth the visit.

  • Picnic at Muriwai lookout.  

Muriwai lookout track is not far from Piha beach, and the short walking track leads to a viewing platform with some of the best views on the west coast.  If your visiting from August-March, you can check out the Gannet colony that nest here.  The view from the colony is super impressive, with the thundering waves below and black sands of Muriwai beach stretching to the North.  This spot is perfect for a picnic lunch while watching the birds nest and listening to the waves.

  • Drop into the lost world.  

If you like a little adventure, I highly recommend abseiling (repelling) into the the lost world, one of the highlights of our trip.  Located in Waitomo, the lost world is a 100 meter (328 foot) cave.  Its  not for the faint of heart, dropping off the platform and free hanging over this massive void will give even the most adventurist butterflies.  However I felt extremely safe, the guides at “Waitomo Adventures” were very well trained and experienced.  You abseil slowly down to the bottom of the cave, bouncing and turning to to take in the sights, all the while the roar of the Mangapu river echoes from the cavern below.  You then climb your way through the cave exploring glowworms, gigantic formations and huge caverns.  We did the 4 hour tour,  and It was perfect, not too short or too long.  Check out Waitomo Adventures  to get more information.

  • Waikite valley thermal pools.   

After a long day of hiking and exploring, Waikite valley thermal pools was just what we needed.  Located right outside of Rotorua this facility offers several pools (with varying temperatures) fed from the “Te Manaroa springs”.  Because the are drained and refilled every night, the pools are extremely clean.  If you have children, there is a large pool kept at 96ºF, perfect for swimming.  They also have restrooms complete with showers, laundry facilities,  and campsites for RV’s.  While your there take a stroll on “Te Manaroa” walkway to see the violent boiling water of the spring.  Check out there website for more details.

  • Ohope beach and the town of Whakatane. 

This beach town wasn’t on our itinerary but after finding epic waves we ended up staying 2 nights.  The warm waters, abundant sunshine and safe waters of Ohope beach  is popular with the locals.  Located at the west end of Ohope, is a 15 minute walk to a hidden gem, Otarawairere beach.  This secluded beach is only accessible by foot or kayak and is totally worth the effort.  The town of Whakatane is super cute and worth checking out, it has adorable little cafes, bookshops and boutiques. This little town and beach was one of our favorite places to visit.

These were just a few of our favorites in this amazing country!  If your thinking about camper-vanning, check out “5 Tips for Camper-vanning New Zealand”.  If you’ve traveled NZ I would love to hear about your experience, please comment below..