Victorian Mini Convoy

Have you been looking at our big convoy trips and feeling a bit unsure about taking on such a big adventure? Well don’t worry - we’ve got you covered with this smaller-scale, but equally awesome, mini convoy!

We’ll meet up in Ballarat and head west to some of the coolest and most interesting places in Victoria and South Australia. We’ll see one of Victoria’s biggest waterfalls, visit World Heritage-listed caves, see the fossilised remains of ancient megafauna, try camel milk ice cream, feed wild possums and kayak up the Glenelg River. Plus we’ll spend plenty of time relaxing at campsites, making heaps of new friends. It’s going to be amazing!

So grab a second-hand tent, pack some spare clothes and let’s go!

What does it cost?

The cost is $582 for adults and $493 for kids aged 5-17. Kids aged 4 and under are free. A deposit of $200 per person is required when the booking is made, with the balance to be paid by 6 June 2024. We have a weekly payment plan available.

Our trips are built around creating social opportunities for kids, so NDIS recipients may be able to claim some of the cost. Click here to learn more about that.

When is this happening?

This trip will run from 25 November - 3 December 2024, with a bonus night at the end for people who want to try free camping.

What’s included?

The ticket price includes accommodation for 7 nights at powered campsites.

We will be staying at an unpowered free camp site on the 8th night. You’re very welcome to join in if you would like to try free camping, but if that’s not for you or you’re in a rush to get home that’s no worries.

All camp sites, including the free one, have toilets and showers. Some also have water hook up points.

The ticket price also includes tours of the Naracoorte Cave fossil centre and fossil caves, a tour of a camel farm at Robe and a canoe tour on the Glenelg River.

What about people with social anxiety?

As with all of our trips, you’re welcome to join in as much or as little as you like.

You can drive from place to place with the convoy, or do it in your own time. You can keep to yourself or hang out with the group around the campfire. It’s totally up to you.

We just want everyone to have an amazing holiday, feel comfortable and have a super memorable camping experience safe in the knowledge that they’re not alone if they need support. Plus it’s a lot easier and less stressful to holiday with kids if they’re having a great time with new friends!

This trip has sold out. Please click below to joint the waiting list.

Day 1

We’ll meet up in Ballarat on day one and get to know each other a little bit before we drive to our first campsite - the Grampians.

We’re only spending one night at the Grampians, but there will be plenty of time to check out the area.

There’s an easy 2km round trip walk to MacKenzie Falls if you’re keen to see one of the largest waterfalls in Victoria, or a longer walk to the bottom if you’re feeling adventurous.

If you’re a bit tired after the drive you can just rest at the campsite and watch the kids make new friends.

Day 2

We’ll drive about two hours across the South Australian border to Naracoorte on day two, where we’ll set up camp for the next two nights.

There are lots of cool things to see in Naracoorte. There’s Bool Lagoon, one of the largest and most diverse freshwater lagoon systems in southern Australia, as well as the Sheep’s Back Museum and Pioneer Park. If the weather’s good you can swim at the very cool Naracoorte Swimming Lake.

Day 3

We’ll head to the World Heritage-listed Naracoorte caves on day three. This is going to be really awesome.

We’ll take a tour of the fossil centre and Victoria Fossil Cave, where we’ll walk through magnificent speleothem chambers to the fossil chamber. For over 200,000 years this chamber was a pitfall trap, storing the remains of thousands of animals, many of which are now extinct. Our guide will tell us all about the accumulation of bones in the caves, excavation techniques and current research. We’ll even see complete skeletons of megafauna species.

The fossil centre and fossil cave tours are included in the price of the trip, but if you’re keen to spend more time in the caves or take on a more adventurous tour there are plenty of options available for a small additional cost. You can see the full range of tours here.

Day 4

One day four we’ll say goodbye to Naracoorte and drive about 1.5 hours to Robe, on the beautiful Limestone Coast, where we’ll spend the next two nights.

There is so much to see and do in Robe! There’s the the lighthouse, Beacon Hill Reserve Lookout, Customs House Museum and the Cape Dombey Obelisk, which is perfect for a sunset selfie.

Robe is also home to Long Beach, where you can drive your car along the beautiful white sand, even if you don’t have a 4WD.

If you’re looking to go further afield, there are tours available that will take you to very special secluded beaches, either in your 4WD or theirs.

Day 5

We’ll still be in Robe on day five, so there will be plenty of time to check out the area or rest around the campsite.

In the afternoon we’ll take a tour of a local camel farm, where we’ll try camel milk and camel milk ice cream! We’ll also head out to Transmutation, where they’re doing amazing work recycling plastic into beautiful and useful things.

Day 6

We’ll drive about 1.5 hours to Mount Gambier on day 6, where we will camp for two nights.

This is where we’ll have one of the most exciting experiences of the trip - hand feeding the wild possums at the Umpherston Sinkhole! The sinkhole is an amazing place during the day, with beautiful hanging gardens, but it’s even cooler at night when the possums come out looking for visitors to feed them. They’ll come right up to you and take food out of your hand.

There are lots of things to see in Mount Gambier, including a war museum, conservation parks, Centenary Tower, Mount Schank, Engelbrecht Cave and of course the famous Blue Lake.

Day 7

We’ll take a tour along the beautiful Glenelg River in canoes on day seven. The river is perfect for flat water canoeing and is home to some spectacular wildlife and scenery.

The tour will take us downstream, so the paddling will be very easy. They have single-person and two-person canoes and kayaks available, so there’s something for everyone.

Day 8

We’ll pack up on day eight and drive 2.5 hours to Lake Bolac, where we’ll camp right on the foreshore.

Day eight is a bit of a bonus day. If you need to get home quickly or you’re not keen on camping without power, you can definitely push through from Mount Gambier and be back in Melbourne in about five hours.

If you’re not in a hurry or you’re interested in trying free camping, you’re very welcome to join us for the final night. There are toilets and showers at this campsite, but no power. We have batteries in our caravan, so if you need to store milk in a fridge, charge your phone or plug something in, that’s no worries.

Day 9

It’s time to head home on day nine, but not before we swap email addresses, Discord usernames and phone numbers.

We’ll say goodbye to all our new friends, promise to post lots of photos on the group’s private Facebook page and look forward to seeing each other soon on a longer convoy!

FAQs

Are dogs allowed on the trip?

Unfortunately not. We are staying at some national parks on this trip, so dogs are not allowed.

Will there be internet?

Yes there will be. We’ll have a Starlink satellite dish with us, so there will be internet available at every campsite.

What’s the total drive time?

All up it’s about 9 hours of driving over the 9 days. It’s a total of around 780km.

Do I need a 4WD to join this trip?

We’ll be sticking to paved roads the whole way, so your normal car will be fine

Do I need a caravan?

Definitely not. You’re welcome to join us with whatever you have - a tent, camper trailer, van, caravan, motorhome or bus.

We’ll be very happy to help you get set up and packed up at the campsites, so don’t worry if you’ve never been camping before. This is the perfect opportunity to give your kids a cool new experience. There will be plenty of people around the help or lend you anything you forget to bring.