We left Uluru and set our sights on Coober Pedy. With 733km between us, we chose to break the journey over two days, opting for a free camp a few hours north. Once there, Ollie practiced his whip cracking while Lily collected wood and started a fire all by herself. She claimed it was because she was cold, but I suspect it was more about toasting marshmallows. That evening was delightful; we enjoyed the fire, and the kids got a dance party going with some music.

The next morning, we continued to Coober Pedy and enjoyed lunch at a lovely Indian restaurant before visiting Tom’s Opal Mine. Our tour guide, quite the character, shared detailed insights into opal mining and recounted stories of his valuable finds and the negotiations that followed. The kids, armed with UV torches, eagerly hunted for opals and quickly filled their bags. Before leaving, they had a thrilling ride on a chair lift up a mine shaft. We topped the tour off with afternoon tea of scones, then the children “sold” their finds to the guide. After assessing their collection, they negotiated prices, leading to some fun exchanges involving coins, chocolates and Chuppa Chups.

That night, we eagerly anticipated our stay outside the van in a cave. Although not enormous, it felt spacious compared to the cramped van where we had spent the last 18 weeks. The kids collected more opals from discarded piles nearby and admired a stunning sunset. To our surprise, Coober Pedy became a highlight we could have explored even further.

As this was our final destination, we set off the next day for the long journey home, planning three long days to meet Oliver’s wish of returning in time for his basketball game. Along the way, we enjoyed free camps, despite the chilly nights. Lily was determined to build fires, spending considerable time gathering wood since we carried none.

Returning to Melbourne, it felt strange to be back in traffic and the realization that our adventure had concluded hit us. We had accomplished our goal of exploring our amazing country, spending quality family time, and creating lasting memories. Along the way, we also formed friendships we look forward to nurturing, either when they visit Victoria or on future adventures.

Here are some stats and highlights that will help sum up our trip:-

Number of days = 111

Total kms driven = 22,350

Hours spent in the car = 386

Fuel consumption = 14.6l/100km

Total Spent of fuel = $7,000

Highest diesel price per litre = $2.93

States travelled through = 4

Biggest fish caught = 45cm

Soft toys bought = 10

Highest temperature = 45 degrees Celsius

Highlights

• Best sunset:
  • Broome from the Camel Ride (L)
  • Sandy Cape (O)
  • 80 mile beach (R + G)  
• Favourite meal during the trip: Dhal Daddys – Marget River
• Favourite campsite:
  • Monkey Mia (L)
  • El Questro (O)
  • Sandy Cape (R)
  • Pender Bay (G)
• Strangest foods tried: Dugong, Camel burger, Crocodile Jerky, Bush Figs
• In car entertainment: Tans in a Van playlist, Simon’s Adventure Stories, Wizard of Oz, The 39 Clues book series, etc.

That’s all for now. Next up we have already booked in a trip to Japan in Dec/Jan so look out for Tans in Japan!