January felt like one of those months where real life and travel life collided — full of people we love, places we wanted to be, and costs we couldn’t quite dodge. It was big, social, and a little chaotic, and our budget reflects every bit of it.
Staying around Melbourne during the school holidays was always going to be expensive. Caravan parks crank their prices up, metro areas get crowded, and everything from fuel to food seems to cost just that little bit more. We knew that going in, but we chose to stay close to family and friends, and honestly, we wouldn’t change that part.
Still, the numbers don’t lie. This was a costly month, and it’s given us a clearer idea of how we’ll handle school‑holiday travel in the future — stay further out, drive in when needed, and avoid metro pricing where we can.
Here’s the quick snapshot before we dive into the details.
Where the Money Went 💸
Here’s everything we cover in this month’s wrap‑up.
This Month at a Glance 🧭
- 🏙️ Metro caravan park prices surged due to school holidays
- 🍽️ Dining out dominated thanks to family catch‑ups
- 🚐 1185 km of metro driving and day trips
- 🛏️ 31 paid nights, 0 free
- 🌡️ A 46°C towing day increased fuel usage
- 🏕️ Favourite stay: Lilydale Pine Hill Caravan Park
- 🎒 Gear used most: Kickass induction hotplate
- 🔥 Gear not used: Camp oven
Cost Per Day & Cost Per Kilometre ⛽
- Cost Per Day: $316.69
- Cost Per Kilometre: $8.28
A combination of metro pricing, social outings, and a heatwave towing day pushed costs higher than a typical month.
These numbers don’t mean much this month as we were pretty stationary in January with the emphasis on spending time with family and friends. As the months progress and we are on the move, these numbers will become more meaningful to help with budgeting.
Monthly Spend by Category 💸
Accommodation jumped to the top due to school holiday metro pricing — a good reminder of how location and timing can dramatically affect costs.
Top 6 Expenses 📊
Dining out and accommodation dominated this month, driven by family catch‑ups and metro holiday rates.
☕ Did this help your planning?
We share every dollar we spend so you can plan your own adventure.
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Month‑to‑Month Trend Snapshot 📈
This is our baseline month — trends will begin from February onward.
Rolling 3‑Month Average 📉
This will begin populating from April onward.
Review of Last Month’s Goals 🎯
No goals set — this is our first month tracking.
But the lesson is clear: we need goals, especially around accommodation and dining out.
Category Breakdown 📂
Accommodation 🏕️
Metro school holiday pricing hit hard. We paid premium rates to stay close to family, and while it was worth it, it’s not something we’ll repeat during peak periods.
Dining Out 🍽️
OUCH! A big social month meant lots of meals out. No regrets — but it’s an easy place to trim next month.
Groceries 🛒
Reasonable and consistent. Nothing unusual here.
Fuel & Transport ⛽
A 46°C towing day increased fuel usage. Slowing down helped, but the heat still made an impact.
A lot of local driving without the caravan on. Ltrs per 100 klms were good.
Caravan & Vehicle 🚐
Routine costs plus a couple of small repairs (door lock, shunt).
What Went Up This Month 📈
- Accommodation
- Dining out
- Taxi fares
- Social activities
What Went Down This Month 📉
- Free camps (zero)
- Fuel efficiency
- Gear usage (camp oven untouched)
Wins of the Month 🏆
- Amazing time with family
- Found a caravan park we loved
- Pension cards arrived
- Marked all 2026 school holiday dates to avoid peak pricing
Where We Overspent 💸
Accommodation and dining out — by a long way. Unsustainable and can’t happen again.
What We’re Changing Next Month 🔧
- Add a recurring 6‑month reminder in your phone or calendar
- Check expiry dates on bandages, saline, antiseptics, and medications
- Top up consumables like wipes, gloves, cold packs, and tape
- Replace anything used during the last trip
- Make sure each kit is still stored in an easy‑to‑reach location
Unexpected Costs 😬
- Our guide to PLBs and emergency communication
- Our review of the Starlink Mini
- Our UHF radio setup in Ernie
- Our 4 Pillars of Communication safety series
- Dining out blowout
Best Value Purchase 💡
Nothing really stood out this month.
Biggest Waste of Money 🗑️
Coffee machine + grinder ($487).
We love it and I think it will save us money in the long run — but really bad timing.
If You’re Travelling This Route Soon…🧭
Avoid metro caravan parks at any time but especially during school holidays unless you absolutely need to be close to the city.
Gear We Used Most 🔥
Kickass induction hotplate. We love this thing.
Gear We Didn’t Use ❄️
Camp oven — heavy and unused. In fact, we haven’t used it in 8 months.
Fuel Strategy This Month ⛽
None really as very little towing, but….
46°C towing day → slowed to 90 km/h and took long breaks.
Fuel usage still higher than normal.
Caravan Park / Campground of the Month 🏕️
Lilydale Pine Hill Caravan Park
Quiet, clean, friendly, great location — but no pool.
Free or Low Cost Camp of the Month 🌙
None this month.
One Thing We’d Do Differently 🔄
Avoid metro caravan parks during school holidays. Stay further out and drive in.
January in Pictures 📸
A visual snapshot of our month on the road.
January might have stretched the budget more than we’d hoped, but it also reminded us why we travel the way we do — for the people we see, the places we return to, and the moments that make the costs feel worthwhile.
If you’ve travelled this route or tracked your own monthly expenses, we’d love to hear how your experience compared.
Share your wins, surprises, or questions in the comments — we always enjoy swapping stories with fellow travellers. Here’s how February turned out.
