Caravan family's 'gap year' trip around Australia exposes booming travel trend
Malissa and Hamish Rumney are raising their kids Lincoln 9, Eloise, 7, on the road.
When you think of the term gap year, your mind might wander to a high school graduate jet-setting across the globe before eventually settling down into full-time work or uni. But closer to home, there's a new trend emerging among Aussie families who are calling it quits on their busy schedules to live in a caravan on the road.
Previously considered the travel of choice for retirees, otherwise known as Grey Nomads, caravan travel has long been a popular choice for many Aussies. But now it's offering more "freedom" to parents with young kids too. Last week, Yahoo News Australia revealed that "travel schooling" is on the rise.
The term refers to home schooling children while adventuring across Australia. For most, that means working and living out of a caravan. Among them are parents Malissa and Hamish Rumney, full-time travellers who've been on the road for 14 months.
The couple, originally from Tasmania, sold their house and pulled their kids, aged 9 and 7, out of school to make it possible.
"Mainstream schooling wasn't ever really made for them in the first place," Malissa told Yahoo from the road this week. "At the start, while getting used to living in a van, it was more difficult but now they love it. They both say they never want to go back to school again".
Do you have a story about homeschooling on the road? We’d love to hear about it! Carly.bass@yahooinc.com
Taking a gap year to travel the country, while daunting for some, is "the best thing we've ever done" according to Malissa. While some fear removing children from the schooling system could hinder their learning ability, those who homeschool argue the practical lessons on the road are far more rewarding.
"We do about an hour of focused schoolwork a day then everything else is just learning on the road as we go. For example yesterday we visited some caves and they were swimming in thermal springs," the mum of two explained.
"The schooling system isn’t really set up for certain kids. My kids, who are neurodivergent, don’t really fit the mould.
"I was getting phone calls all the time saying my daughter can’t sit still, she won't listen. It’s because she wanted to be outside playing. I won’t say it’s always easy but for me, the payoff is worth it."
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Rise of home schooling registrations across Australia
Today there are about 40,000 Aussie kids being taught by their parents outside of the classroom (not specific to travel schooling, but home schooling more generally). That's more than double the number registered in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Families who opt to home school their children must register with their state education department.
Rebecca English, a senior education lecturer at the Queensland University of Technology, is all for practical learning, agreeing that "it can be really difficult for [some kids] to concentrate in that [classroom] environment".
The experts agree that while "every family and child is different" the younger they are during the gap year, the better. Primary-aged kids tend to be more resilient and less impacted by major changes.
Parents must consider 'risks' involved with gap year travel
For those contemplating an extended trip around Australia, parents must consider home schooling their kids, education and school absenteeism expert with Australian Catholic University, Matthew White told the ABC week.
"For a gap year, you'd have to really factor in home schooling … and how they're going to be engaged academically. The research says there's no safe levels of absence [from education]," he said. "The immediate risk is lost learning."
Second that, removing kids from school could lower self-esteem in some and present difficulties in re-engaging with peers, he warned. But that's not been the case for Malissa's kids. Their break from school has actually benefitted them in big ways, she said.
Kids have become 'more confident and sociable'
In the last 14 months of travelling, she's noticed a "massive" change in her two kids. "They've become "far more sociable" and "it's really helped with their confidence".
While her son Lincoln was "always up for a chat" her daughter Eloise "was far more reserved". Now they're making friends more easily than ever before, with so many like-minded families on the road.
"It seems like everybody has the same idea and everybody's living the same lifestyle," she said.
"There’s been a massive growth in speaking with adults too," Malissa added. “My son will sit down with Grey Nomads, for example, and chat about his travels. It's great to see".
And their travels have made them grow closer as a family too. Previously, work and school schedules meant they "barely" had any quality time.
“It's been the best thing for our family,” she said. She admitted that while it might not be for everyone, she encourages other families to “absolutely” give it a go.
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