A caravan family’s ‘gap year’ trip through Australia reveals the booming travel trend

When you think of the term gap year, your mind may wander to a high school graduate flying around the globe before finally committing to full-time work or college. But closer to home, a new trend is emerging among Australian families looking to ditch their busy schedules and live on the road in a caravan.

Traveling in a caravan used to be considered a preferred travel destination for retirees, also known as gray nomads. Traveling in a caravan has long been a popular choice for many Australians. But now it also offers parents with small children more “freedom”. Last week, Yahoo News Australia revealed that “travel schools” are on the rise.

The term refers to homeschooling children while adventuring around Australia. For most, that means working and living in a trailer. Among them are parents Malissa and Hamish Rumney, full-time travelers who have been traveling for 14 months.

The couple, originally from Tasmania, sold their home and took their children, aged 9 and 7, out of school to make this possible.

“Regular schooling wasn’t really designed for them in the first place,” Malissa told Yahoo from the road this week. “It was harder to get used to life in a van at first, but now they love it. They both say they never want to go to school again.”

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Taking a year off to travel the country is, according to Malissa, “the best thing we’ve ever done,” although it’s daunting for some. While some fear that excluding children from the school system could impact their ability to learn, those who homeschool argue that hands-on teaching on the go is far more rewarding.

“We do about an hour of focused homework a day, and we just learn everything else on the go. For example, yesterday we visited some caves and bathed in thermal springs,” explained the mother of two.

“The school system is not really suitable for certain children. My children, who are neurodivergent, don’t really fit the mold.”

“I kept getting calls telling me my daughter couldn’t sit still, she wasn’t listening. That’s because she wanted to play outside. I’m not saying it’s always easy, but for me it’s worth it.”

Increase in home schooling enrollments across Australia

Today, approximately 40,000 Australian children are educated by their parents outside of the classroom (not specifically for travel education, but for home education in general). That’s more than double the number recorded in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Families who choose to homeschool their children must register with their state education department.

Rebecca English, lecturer in education at the Queensland University of Technology, emphasizes hands-on learning and agrees that “it can be really difficult.” [some kids] to concentrate on it [classroom] Environment”.

The experts agree: “Every family and every child is different” and the younger they are during the gap year, the better. Elementary school-aged children tend to be more resilient and less affected by major changes.

Parents need to consider the “risks” associated with gap year travel

For those considering a longer trip across Australia, parents should consider homeschooling their children, Matthew White, an education and school absence expert at the Australian Catholic University, told ABC Week.

“For a gap year, you would really have to take homeschooling into consideration…and the way they engage academically. Research shows there are no safe levels of absence.” [from education]” he said. “The immediate risk is lost learning.”

Second, taking children away from school could weaken some’s self-esteem and lead to difficulty reconnecting with their peers, he warned. But that wasn’t the case with Malissa’s children. Their break from school has actually benefited them greatly, she said.

Children have become “more self-confident and sociable”.

In the last 14 months of her journey, she noticed a “massive” change in her two children. “They have become “far more sociable” and “it has really boosted their confidence.”

While her son Lincoln was “always up for a chat,” her daughter Eloise was “far more reserved.” Now making friends is easier than ever with so many like-minded families out and about.

“It seems like everyone has the same idea and everyone has the same lifestyle,” she said.

“Speaking to adults has also increased tremendously,” Malissa added. “For example, my son will sit down with Gray Nomads and chat about his travels. It’s great to see.”

And through their travels, they have grown closer together as a family. Previously, work and school schedules meant they had “barely” time.

“It was the best thing for our family,” she said. She admitted that while it’s not for everyone, she encouraged other families to “definitely” give it a try.

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