Two kids under three, inexperienced caravanners and a year-long trip around Australia, what could go wrong?
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The Malliate family from Figtree sold up, packed up and headed away on their first ever family trip in late June. The Illawarra Mercury were there when they left and six weeks later we're catching up with them down the road in Queensland.
For Chris, wife Lauren and their children Elijah, 2, and Xavier, 10 months, the plan was to head up the east coast to warmer weather, quickly.
From their beachside camping spot at Clairview, around 200 kilometres north of Rockhampton, in Queensland, Mrs Malliate told the Mercury the trip so far has been amazing, but also testing.
"There's no regrets, but there's been times when we've gone 'oh my god this is too much, let's go home'," she said.
The first-time caravanners sold their home to buy their new caravan and they're documenting their anticlockwise loop of Australia on their Instagram page @magical_lapofthemap.
"We've seen some epic places and it's been amazing," Mrs Malliate said.
One of their first stops was Muttonbird Island near Coffs Harbour where they had their first wow experience.
"We went for a walk, it was a steep climb and we saw a pod of whales jumping and playing just off the island. It was just beautiful and unexpected," she said.
The couple estimate they've only used a handful of things they bought along for the kids.
"Having less stuff forces us to get out and enjoy nature. Elijah digs with a bucket and spade and he's even learnt what an epiphyte is," Mrs Malliate said.
- For those of you who don't know - an epiphyte is a plant that grows on the surface of another plant.
With the good comes the challenging, especially with the logistics of having two young children on the road for so long.
Click on the photo to see more pictures from the family's trip.
"Each night, 5pm to 8pm is crazy," Mrs Malliate said. "The kids have a bath in a Bunnings flexi-tub at the bottom of the shower with us leaning on the toilet.
"When Elijah's having a tantrum he's having a tantrum in a 19-foot square box [the caravan]."
Among the toughest things so far is for the couple to find time for just the two of them, or time alone for that matter.
"We've been moving around every three days, pack down, drive and you've got the kids and we're so tired, and my youngest gets up every two hours during the night," she said.
When a storm rolled into their campsite while they were off sightseeing one day, they discovered there's a camping etiquette among those who live on the road.
A fellow camper kindly rolled in their caravan's awning and saved it from being destroyed or ripped off in the wild winds.
"The community in caravan life is, no matter if they're a grey nomad or a family, they're looking out for you," she said.
When Elijah's having a tantrum he's having a tantrum in a 19-foot square box.
- Lauren Malliate
Despite the tough times, the good times trump everything, the couple said.
"If you want to do something in your life, even if it scares you, just do it," Mrs Malliate said.