Get out and explore
Are we there yet?
These are words Mila and Ryder Lynch ask their parents on a short road trip but if they see the swags on the roof of their 4WD or the caravan hooked up, they never ask the question.
The reason is simple, they know they are heading out for another adventure.
Dad Lee Lynch took out a bank loan as soon as he turned 18 to buy his first 4WD and he has been adding to his outdoor toys ever since.
When Lee started going out with Kel, the pair enjoyed many a day and night exploring the great outdoors and it wasn’t long before she too was hooked on nature.
To say they are adventure junkies is an understatement and their first big trip is a testament to that reputation.
Their trip to Cape York was one the couple had often talked about but it was always put on the backburner because they needed adequate time off work to do it.
That time arrived with the birth of Ryder five years ago. So, after a C-section birth and with Ryder just seven weeks old and Mila not quite two years of age, the family set off on the journey of their dreams.
They camped remotely, had a stop at the Bramwell Cattle Station and travelled the most iconic 4WD track in Australia, the Telegraph Track, a rugged trip of 350km.
They didn’t book any accommodation and free camped most of the way and while it was thousands of kilometres to travel, it was the final 500 metres on foot that was the hardest for Lee.
“He was carrying both the kids, wearing thongs and had to walk down this hill to reach the tip of Cape York, there was a group of motorbike riders already there and they were clapping him as he came down the hill, he was struggling, it was funny,” Kel said.
As a family, they go away most weekends and struggled, like we all did, being locked up at home during covid.
For three months they only talked about where they would like to go and as soon as travel restrictions lifted, they brought out a map of New South Wales, shut their eyes and randomly pointed to a destination.
So earlier this month they headed to Lightning Ridge, another spectacular spot that Kel said was just perfect for families.
The thing they like about this lifestyle is all the discoveries they make along the way, the little hidden gems in the mountains and along bush tracks, wherever the track may take them.
Then there are the trips that they combine both the van and the swags.
“We sometimes set up the van in a park but then pack the car up with the swags and go off into the bush and camp for a couple of nights and the kids just love it, they really enjoy being outdoors,” Kel said.
“Ryder would live on his bike if he could and the kids are always making new friends and love going to the beach and the bush,” she said.
Occasionally, when away, they might watch a movie after dinner or if it is raining, or to drown out the sound of the dingoes as happened on Frazer Island, but the majority of the time this Lynch family is just exploring nature at its best.
While readers might be inspired to head out bush, Lee does have advice to those starting out.
Too often, almost every trip this family takes, they come across people who, as Lee says, don’t have much of an idea.
“We see people who have rolled onto their roof, just inexperienced, so I suggest people practice their driving on mild tracks and not try advanced tracks too quickly,” he said.
As for camping, Lee and Kel said you will soon know if you like it and they suggest a weekend at Broke’s McNamara Park which is a free camp site or maybe Lake St Clair.
As for equipment, there are hundreds of things you can buy to make your stay more comfortable but there is one thing Lee will never go without.
“I’ve got a fridge in the back of my car, stuff mucking around with eskies and ice,” Lee said.
And did we mention his new driving/camping buddy Cameron Vallance just happens to be a mechanic which comes in handy if things go wrong.
“That’s the only reason I’m friends with him,” Lee laughed.