A Camping We Will Go!

It was a long time coming and finally here – our first camping adventure as a family!*  We teamed up with the P Family for the weekend.  As Miss E’s first school term came to a close, we packed up the car the very next day, on a very rainy Saturday, bound for Huskisson (approximately 2.5 hours).

We were disappointed we didn’t get a campsite in the national park as recommended, but this campsite worked out well.  It was quiet, only our tents and 1 other site occupied.  There was wildlife aplenty with kookaburras and bunnies.

Chasing kookaburras

Setting up camp in the rain!

On arrival, Uncle J and Cousin D were frantically setting up camp as there was a break in the rain.  And luckily it was snack time during a big downpour.  By the time our tent was up, the rain had finally stopped so we took the opportunity to stroll to the nearby creek (Moona Moona Creek).

All set!  (Eden's class mascot, Ellie, came camping too)

Cousin cuddles!

Strolling to Moona Moona Creek & Huskisson Beach

Where the beach meets the creek

As night fell, we had a tent dinner (the rain returned) and played a few rounds of UNO until bedtime.  It was an interesting night with all of us crammed into our little tent and the rain pounding on what sounded like very thin nylon.  Luckily there were no leaks and when we awoke, the sun decided to come out.  Yay!

Fun with glow sticks before dinner

Day 2: Hello Sunshine.

Thank goodness for the sun.  If the rain came again, I would of suggested packing it in and trying again some other weekend.  After a walk to scout a fishing spot, we did the White Sands Walk (and Scribbly Gums Track) from Greenfield Beach.  We didn’t make the full loop but had a fun adventure walking through the bush to the white sand beaches.

Bayswater Beach

Not good for fishing but good for wave running

White Sands Walk

Adventure ahead!

I am finding it hard to describe the beaches in Jervis Bay – beautiful, idyllic.  I’ve been to Cape Tribulation, Hawaii, The Caymans, Mexico and Caribbean, and have never seen sand as white.  An added bonus is that most of the beaches were deserted. 

Chinaman's Beach

Who needs pants when the beach is deserted?

Beach play - check.  Now time for lunch!

We had a picnic lunch at Hyams Beach then ice cream in Huskisson village.

Eden doesn't share ice cream
even when one of the cones is not his!

In the afternoon, we tried our hand at fishing however only caught each other and sticks.  It was a good thing we brought sausages!  We used the BBQ’s at the creek and roasted marshmallows too before turning in for the evening.

Father & Son Fishing
Moona Moona Creek

Eden fishing

Eloise fishing

Day 3: Paradise Found

Time to pack down!  While the kids were at the campsite playground, I got the car packed up as cleanly as possible J (yuck, mud)

Campsite soccer

Mid-morning we piled into the car for one more stop before driving home: Booderee National Park.  One of my lovely Mama friends had visited previously and said not to miss Murray’s Beach.  Unfortunately the rain had returned so with our raincoats and umbrellas we hiked in.

Murrays Beach Track

From the bush, we walked less than 10 minutes to PARADISE FOUND.  Our jaws dropped and the kids immediately ran off.  The sand was white as snow and the water, turquoise.  As they ran up and down the deserted beach, I ran back to the car to grab our swim suits and toys.  By the time I had returned the sun was out!  We went for a swim – the water was warm and full of fish (not to MissE’s liking) – and just soaked in the beauty of Murrays Beach.  I am still in awe of it!

Paradise Found, Murrays Beach

Deserted

Finally, it was time to return home.  We stopped in Berry for lunch and a donut (Berry is one of my absolute favourite little towns in Australia, and not just for the world famous donuts).  I had to try a locally sourced alpaca burger from Berry Hotel.  Alpacas are cute and delicious!

Alpaca Burger from Berry Hotel
(Voted one of the best pub burgers in NSW) 

Home Sweet Home

Well, back to the grind of mobile phone and internet access and loads of muddy laundry to do!  One of the best things about our 3 day camping trip was unplugging, and getting the kids dirty!  It was a great 1^st camping trip for the Two E’s… we are looking forward to going again, with some new camping equipment gained (ahem, a tent where we can stand and air mattresses for me and Mr H!  Ouch!  My back!)

*MrH and I haven’t been camping since our honeymoon (9 years ago!).  We camped for 10 days with Wagon Trails African Adventure Holidays (unfortunately no longer adventuring).  We traveled in the world’s most uncomfortable kombi van and camped in a little 2-man tent that we pitched every night across Bostwana and the Okavango Delta.  We braved the threat of rhinos (never mind the campsite was located down the road from a prison, but that they had put up fencing after a hippo ran through camp the week before) and elephants using the tree marker where our toilet (read: hole) was as a scratching post.  So yes, after 10 straight days we wanted a break from camping... 9 years to be exact!  Now that I am writing about this, I think I might do a #TBT (throw-back Thursday) post on it J  Watch this space.