How I Became a Camping Mum

(Even Though I Was Scared of and Allergic to Everything Outside)

Let’s not sugarcoat this:
I am not a natural camper.

I’m high maintenance. I don’t do well roughing it. TBH I’m a bit of a b#$%@ after a bad night’s sleep.

In addition:
I’m afraid of snakes, spiders, mud, grass.
I’m allergic to half the things outside.
I didn’t grow up camping.
And up until recently, I had no idea what I was doing.

But when I separated from my partner after 20 years, I looked at my life and at my two teenage kids, 16 and 14, and realised something important.

1) Why not do the thing you’ve built a personality on HATING your whole life?

B) If we were going to become a camping family, now was the time. 

#divorcelifecrisis

I only have a couple more years with the kids while they live at home, a couple more years where they’ll (maybe grudgingly) come along and do things with me.

But honestly, it was more than that.

Facing Fear, One Campfire at a Time

Post-divorce, I realized just how many fears I was carrying.

Fear of repairing things.
Fear of fixing up the house.
Fear of being alone at night in an empty house.
Fear of making big decisions alone.
And yes, fear of doing things like camping without a partner.

Even though the kids would be with me, I was now the adult, the one responsible for their safety and all the logistics out in “the wild”.

AND FFS…I was tired of being scared all the time.
Camping felt like a challenge I could take on, one that would create memories with them and help me grow braver.

Packing was a bit full on. A full car. For one night.

Why I Wanted This for My Kids

I grew up in country NSW, in Tamworth, where in the 80s we were outside all the time.
When we were teenagers, we spent birthdays on properties in the middle of nowhere, sitting around campfires, listening to music under the stars.

I wanted my city kids - indoorsy, non-sporty, more into gaming - to get some of that too.

Not just fun, but also basic survival skills:

• Being able to sleep outside

• Feeling okay without a fridge or a roof over their heads

• Cooking over a fire

And honestly, for me, I’ve become obsessed with the idea of outdoor cooking as a skill, a kind of culinary adventure, a little bit of magic under the stars.

(Again… #divorcelifecrisis. I have no idea what I’m doing.  All I know is my kids think I am Cringe).

One day, I swear, I’ll master smoking a fish nailed to a wooden board by the fire, and that’s when I’ll know I’ve made it.

Our First Trip: Misty Mountain, Kyogle

We decided to ease in with one-night trips within a two-hour drive from Brisbane.
Our first destination was Misty Mountain in Kyogle, and it was beautiful.

It rained a bit, but we camped on top of a hill, watched an amazing sunset, and the kids got to be loud, fight with sticks, swim, kayak, and play with fire (safely, of course).
It was exactly the kind of experience I wanted for us (maybe minus the rain and mud).

But let me tell you, the lead-up was hectic.
I had no equipment, had to borrow and buy a bunch of things, and did a lot of research.

The Hero of Our Trip: The Big Daddy Deluxe

When it came to choosing a setup, I wanted something physically easy because let’s be real, I’m not super strong yet.
After a lot of searching, I landed on swags instead of a tent, specifically the Big Daddy Deluxe.

For anyone not familiar, a swag is like an Aussie mini-tent-meets-bedroll, based on the old-school ones drovers and herders used. Modern swags are like little domed tents with a mattress built in.

We bought two Big Daddy Deluxes secondhand on Facebook Marketplace.
The kids shared one, and I had the other.

✅ Took about 90 seconds to set up
✅ Stayed dry even in the drizzle
✅ A little claustrophobic at first, but I got used to it
✅ Super comfy double mattress inside

The only downside is they’re big. We had to use roof racks to get them onto the car, but that’s a story for another day.

If you’re considering getting into camping and want an easy, stress-free setup, I highly recommend looking at swags, especially the Big Daddy Deluxe.

What’s Next

We’ve got another trip coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’ll report back on how the Big Daddies hold up in heavier rain or heat.

For now, this is our “tent” of choice, and we’re excited to keep exploring together, braver, and a little more outdoorsy each time.