This campaign was launched by Tourism Australia in January 2020, as part of a national bushfire recovery effort to encourage Australian’s to see their own backyard, whether it was for a weekend away or a longer journey. It was tapping into the idea that a lot of Australians wanted to assist communities impacted by the horrific bushfires experienced over the summer and promoted ideas to visit areas impacted directly or indirectly and spend in the shops, restaurants, hotels, caravan parks – anywhere and everywhere.

Little did we all know that ‘holidaying at home’, would be our only possibility this year! With the pandemic hitting across the world, there has been no option but to stay in our own country and until very recently, in our own state.

Naturally I’m a huge advocate for holidaying in Australia because to me it has it all and yes, that includes history with over 65,000 years of indigenous history prior to the first European contact in the 1600s. Who doesn’t envy our huge sky, clean oceans, rainforests, reefs, wide open spaces and of course our native animals. The caravan and camping lifestyle is the best way to immerse yourself in the best attributes of our country and that’s why Tourism Australia are now promoting ‘Travel Your Road’ as an addition to ‘Holiday Here This Year”.

Tourism Australia is partnering with companies such as Big4 holiday parks, Discovery Parks, Top Parks, Family Parks, Ingenia Holidays, NRMA Parks and Resorts, CamperMate, and camper hire businesses Britz, and Apollo to inspire Aussies to hit the road! This way we can still help regional Australia after the devastation of drought, bushfires and then Covid.

By visiting the websites of the companies mentioned you can plan holidays, book deals for caravan parks and find out what there is to see and do in regions across Australia. Taking a road trip and spending money in these towns will be beneficial for them but also for you. There’s no better way to unwind and give yourself a break than to hit the road, breathe in the fresh air, get back to nature, go fishing, bushwalking, have a campfire and simply relax.

Most people have probably heard about the brands mentioned but one name you may not be as familiar with is CamperMate. For caravan and camping enthusiasts and anyone who loves a good road trip, they have an app you can download which helps you find everything you need while you’re on the road in Australia and New Zealand. I’m proud to say that I will be contributing to ‘Stories from the Road’ for CamperMate which you can see by visiting the website, signing up for the newsletter and downloading the app, and it’s totally free. A very useful feature of the app is the GPS supported map function where you can zoom in on destinations and find caravan parks, campgrounds, places to eat out, things to see and do, public toilets, supermarkets and more. There are photos and descriptions of places to stay as well as contact details and links to websites and Facebook pages. You can also read and add comments on caravan parks and read trip advisor reviews. There is a search function where you can type in a destination to see what camping and caravan spots there are and other facilities nearby. It shows paid and free camp sites too.

You can download maps for use offline and when you’re online you can also get live weather and safety alerts if you opt in for them. CamperMate has a Facebook page where you can read reviews, hear about deals on caravan parks and gear and read stories on places to see wherever you are heading. So keep CamperMate in mind, download the App and give it a go – it’s free so you’ve got nothing to lose.

See you on the road or at a campsite somewhere

Glenys