Goodbye Australia, Kia Ora Aotearoa: From the Gold Coast to New Zealand with Two Teen Boys
- eatcleanhealthandd
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
Eat Clean, Health and Dream | Melbourne to Brisbane Road Trip and New Zealand Adventure
Our final morning in Australia had arrived.
Day eight of our Australian road trip.
It was hard to believe that just over a week earlier we had landed in Melbourne, collected our Hyundai Kona with Europcar and set off on what had initially felt like a slightly overwhelming idea.
Driving from Melbourne to Brisbane.
On my own.
With two boys.
One nearly 15 and one 11.
Now here we were, waking up at Nobby's Beach Holiday Park on the Gold Coast (https://nobbybeachholidayvillage.com.au).
With our final few hours in Australia ahead of us before flying across the Tasman and beginning the next part of our summer adventure.
Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Our final morning at Nobby's Beach
The sun was shining as we started making breakfast.
I asked the boys if they fancied one last quick dip in the pool before we left.
The answer was a definite no.
They were ready to get moving.
Well, they were ready to head towards Brisbane anyway.
What they didn't know was that I had another little stop planned along the way.
I had spotted a koala centre on the outskirts of Brisbane.
It was free to visit.
And, as far as I was concerned, if we were in Australia and had the opportunity to see koalas, we were going!
One final stop at Pacific Fair.
Before heading north, we made a quick stop at Pacific Fair.
Albie wanted to have a look in Ghanda for a T-shirt.
Of course, I had a nose around too.
I was very tempted by a few things but managed to resist buying anything for myself.
Archie still wasn't feeling 100%.
He was happy to stay in the car, rest and drink some juice, while Albie and I quickly went into the shops.
That was one thing I had learned and definitely realised during this trip.
Sometimes you have a plan.
But you have to be flexible.
Especially when travelling with teenagers.
Not every day needs to be packed with activities from morning until night.
Sometimes one person needs to rest while the others have a wander or a simple walk on a beach or forest will suffice.
And that's absolutely fine.
Before long, we were back in the car.
Next stop?
Koalas.
Daisy Hill Koala Centre
I'd found Daisy Hill Koala Centre when looking for things to do on the outskirts of Brisbane.
I thought it would be the perfect stop.
It would get us out of the car.
Give the boys some movement.
Allow us to see another part of Australia.
And, importantly, help us fill some of the many hours we had before our ridiculously late flight.
Our Jetstar flight to Auckland wasn't until 23:50.
At the time of booking, that seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea.
On the day?
I was beginning to question my decision-making skills!
I am definitely a morning person.
By the time the afternoon was approaching, the thought of trying to stay awake until midnight was already starting to feel impossible.
Still, we had time to fill.
So onwards we went.
Driving towards Brisbane, the roads became noticeably busier as we headed towards the city.
As we drove into the Daisy Hill area, we followed the road up into a beautiful wooded forestry area.
There was a one-way road system winding through the woodland, and eventually we found parking.
Car park number four.
Which, of course, meant a little bit of a walk and some navigation back towards the centre through the trail.
The Koala Centre itself was closer to the beginning of the road system.
But to be honest, the walk was exactly what we needed.
After so much driving over the previous week, getting out and stretching our legs felt good.
And I had one very good reason for bringing the boys here.
I wanted them to see koalas, in Australia.
Even if it wasn't out in the wild as such.
And when something is free to visit, it is definitely worth considering when you're travelling on a budget and with kids and teens.
At 14 most places consider Archie an adult, so prices soon shot up.
A close-up look at Australia's iconic koalas.
Daisy Hill Koala Centre is not huge. But that's part of what made it such an easy stop.
The centre is spread over a couple of levels, and you enter via a raised walkway.
Before long, we were looking into the gated koala areas.
There were three koalas while we were there.
Some were awake and eating eucalyptus branches.
Others were doing what koalas do best.
Sleeping.
Or hugging a branch while sleeping!
The boys got a really good view of them.
And despite having travelled all around Australia over the years, seeing these iconic animals never really gets old.
The centre also had plenty of information and interactive displays.
It was engaging and educational without taking up hours of our day.
For families travelling with children or teenagers, I thought it was an ideal stop.
Sometimes you don't need a huge attraction.
You just need somewhere interesting to break up a journey.
This was exactly that.
A walk through the woodland after visiting the koalas. Which gave us the opportunity to walk along some of the trails through the park and woodland that we hadn’t done on the walk to the centre.
Again, it was a chance to move.
Breathe.
And enjoy being outdoors.
We'd spent a lot of time in the car over the previous eight days.
So I was always looking for opportunities to get the boys walking without necessarily announcing:
"Right boys, we're going for a walk!"
Because, let's be honest, that doesn't always go down well with teenagers!
But if there is wildlife.
A beach.
A forest.
Or something to explore?
They are usually much more willing.
Eventually, we headed back to the car.
And it was time for a very glamorous lunch.
A car picnic.
Using up the last of our food that was left, that needed using before the flight.
So rather than buying anything else, we made the most of what we had.
This had been a theme throughout our Australian road trip.
Trying to buy enough food without overbuying.
Using up leftovers.
Making meals in our cabins or accommodations and I am a fan of self catering as it definitely helps to avoid the checking for wheat and gluten free options for me.
And avoiding throwing away a fridge full of food at the end of the trip.
Our final car picnic wasn't really anything to write home about.
But it was practical.
And it meant we weren't wasting food or spending unnecessary money on a meal out.
With two growing boys, food costs can add up incredibly quickly!
I'll be sharing more of my self-catering travel tips, meal planning, budgeting and reducing food waste while travelling in another post.
Because after years of travelling, I have definitely learned a few things the hard way!
We still had a few hours to fill and plenty of time before our flight.
So now what?
Neither the boys nor I particularly wanted to head into central Brisbane as bags and a car load in tow and cost of parking, just wasn’t in the mood.
After the amount of driving I'd done, the idea of negotiating another major city wasn't particularly appealing.
So I started looking for somewhere quieter.
Somewhere we could stop.
Rest
And ideally have a little sleep before our overnight flight.
That's when I found Raby Bay.
A beach area not too far away.
Perfect.
An unexpected peaceful late afternoon at Raby Bay, I found somewhere to park overlooking a small green area leading down towards the water.
It was ideal.
The sun was still shining.
Families were gathered together with chairs, food and drinks, making the most of their Sunday afternoon.
People were walking.
Jogging.
Spending time outdoors.
And enjoying the sunshine.
It had such a relaxed feel.
Exactly what we needed before heading into an airport.
And spending the night on a plane, well 3 hours of it.
The boys both fell asleep.
So I left them.
And made the most of the peace and quiet.
I knew I would probably be shattered by the following day.
Because our night wasn't going to end when we landed.
Oh no.
We would be landing in Auckland and then getting straight into a car, via the storage unit Craig and I have in Auckland to pick up some supplies and driving south towards Rotorua.
Sometimes, when I look back at my travel planning, I wonder what I was thinking!
But at that moment, sitting quietly overlooking the water while the boys slept, it felt like the right decision.
We all needed to rest.
One last Australian sunset of this trip.
Eventually, the boys woke up.
We went for a short walk in the remaining
evening sunshine.
The temperature had dropped slightly.
But the sunset was absolutely beautiful.
There was something quite fitting about ending our Australian road trip watching the sun go down.
Eight days earlier, I had been questioning whether I had made the right decision.
Driving alone from Melbourne to Brisbane with the boys had felt overwhelming.
I had been tired.
Jet-lagged.
And suddenly very aware of the huge distance ahead.
But we'd done it.
We'd driven through torrential rain.
Navigated wildlife warning signs.
Stopped in towns we'd never heard of.
Visited Sydney.
Seen koalas, wallabies, crocodiles, rays and sharks.
Walked through rainforests.
Watched humpback whales breach from the coast.
Swum at beautiful beaches.
And somehow made it all the way from Melbourne to Brisbane.
Now it was time to say goodbye.
At least for this trip.
Heading to Brisbane Airport
As darkness fell, we headed towards the airport.
It was time to return our trusty road trip car.
I had been slightly nervous about driving around Brisbane.
Craig has usually been the one driving when we've travelled through this part of Australia before.
But honestly?
It wasn't as bad as I expected in the dark.
There were no major wrong turns.
No accidental lane disasters.
And before long, we were pulling into the rental car returns.
We had made it.
The Hyundai Kona had been a brilliant little road trip car and thanks to Europcar Melbourne and Brisbane:
It had carried us from Melbourne.
Through Victoria.
Into New South Wales.
Up through Byron Bay.
And finally onto the Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Now it was time to hand over the keys.
One adventure was ending.
And another was about to begin.
Airport waiting games
We had plenty of time to spare which was just as well.
We got our bearings and headed into the airport.
Then came the hanging around. Check-in and bag drop didn't open until three hours before our flight.
There were a few technical issues with self-check-in.
Security was busy. And suddenly, despite having hours, time started disappearing.
We were pushing on getting some food sorted.
I mainly just wanted a drink.
The boys, unsurprisingly, wanted food.
Again.
Eventually, after feeding them a snack and making our way to the gate, we were ready.
23:50 to Auckland
Our flight was scheduled for 23:50.
Jetstar.
Brisbane to Auckland.
My plan was simple.
Get on the plane.
Sit down.
Sleep.
And that is pretty much exactly what happened.
Albie was already completely sparko before we had even started taxiing towards the runway.
Archie wasn't far behind.
And I was more than ready to close my eyes too.
I was surprised to see how full the flight was.
Apparently, that route often is.
But there we were.
Three very tired travellers.
Heading across the Tasman Sea.
Leaving Australia behind.
And beginning the next chapter of our summer adventure.
Kia Ora, Aotearoa
The Australian road trip was over.
Melbourne to Brisbane.
Eight days.
Thousands of kilometres.
Two boys.
One mum.
A lot of driving.
A lot of food.
Wildlife.
Whales.
Beaches.
Rain.
Sunshine.
And plenty of moments where I questioned my own sanity!
But we did it or better put I did it with some help from sat nav, whichever son was sat in the front checking as an extra pair of eyes as pulled out of junctions, that is when they were awake that is!
And now, as the boys slept beside me on the plane, I was heading back towards somewhere that has always felt incredibly special.
A place filled with memories.
A place I have explored with Craig.
A place I have lived and explored on my own many years ago.
And somewhere I couldn't wait to show the boys.
Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The road trip wasn't over.
Not really.
Because after landing in Auckland, we'd be heading south.
And the boys were about to discover the geothermal landscapes, beaches, wildlife and places that have kept drawing me back to New Zealand time and time again.
Kia Ora, New Zealand.
We were coming.
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