Weekend Camping Getaway

 

Mount Barney Lodge Country Retreat

Whether you’re an adventure seeker or just looking for somewhere to relax, Mount Barney Lodge Country Retreat is perfect. It’s a great camping spot near Brisbane and is easily accessible. Mount Barney Lodge is in the Scenic Rim at the foot of Mount Barney. You can take advantage of the many hikes in the area which are beautiful, or you can swim in the creek which passes right through the campsite. There are also nearby waterholes you could explore. While you’re there, why not check out the towns and villages nearby that offer several wineries, cafes and farm gates? At night, pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy a nice long chat with the company you enjoy.

Location: 1093 Upper Logan Rd, Mount Barney
Distance from Brisbane CBD: 120 km / Around 75 minute drive
https://www.mtbarneylodge.com.au/​

Safari Tents

Not far from Brisbane is the Scenic Rim’s picture-postcard countryside. There, you will find Nightfall, a glamping accommodation that nestles beside the cool clear rapids of Christmas Creek, not far from where the water flows cleanly from the ‘wilderness end’ of Lamington National Park. Apart from the countless hiking opportunities available, Lamington National Park is close to the historic Stinson Wreck site. When you’re not busy exploring the expansive views to Byron Bay from Point Lookout, enjoy the complimentary Australian sparkling wine and gourmet platter by the awesome folks at Nightfall.

Location: Lamington National Park, Queensland
Phone: (07) 5544 8070
Distance from Brisbane CBD: 105 km / Around 1 hour’s drive
https://nightfall.com.au/

Bubble Tents

Ever wanted to live in your own bubble? Bubble tent Australia is an off-grid pop-up glamping tent situated on a secluded part of a 1000+ acre working farm. This requires a fair bit of driving, about 10 hours from Brisbane, if you love road trips. Once you’re there, you’ll find yourself enjoying a wood-fired bath while taking in the pristine sunset views as the curtain of darkness is gently pulled up across the valley. Then wake up to the first glow of sunrise gently in the morning. This is definitely a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience. The tent also comes with climate control inside, where you can make it whatever season you want at the touch of a button.
Location: Between Mudgee and Lithgow.
https://bubbletentaustralia.com/
Note: QLD – NSW borders open.

Introducing a New Partner to Your Family

 

Keep It As Brief As Possible

If you can, try to keep the first meeting short and sweet. Limit it to an hour, or a couple of hours, at most. A short meeting will take some of the pressure off, not to mention saving yourselves the awkwardness of a long visit, or stressful sit down dinner. Try a coffee meet up or just pop in to say hi. Once everyone is more comfortable, you can start planning those dinners and holidays together. But first, start small.

Brief Your Partner on the Family Dynamics

Please, please don’t let your partner go into this meeting feeling clueless. If you can foresee a misunderstanding, then give your partner a heads up and brief them about your family’s dynamics. You don’t need to air the dirty laundry but a broad overview of important or sensitive issues can really help. You don’t want to scare your partner. You just want them to be prepared so they can “roll with the punches” if needed.

Keep It Positive

Remember to avoid sharing too much baggage and limit the negative references about your family as much as possible, especially if it’s early on in the relationship. You want your partner to look forward to the meeting, not scare them so they end up not wanting to meet your family. The intention is to keep them informed, not to cause them to have negative expectations about meeting your family.

Introducing Your Partner to the Kids? Read This.

When introducing your new partner to your kids, it’s best to ease them into it. Remember parents…their needs come first, so take things slow. A new relationship may be a relief to you, but your children, no matter how old they are, aren’t likely to share the same sentiments. You know your children best, so take your cues on their reaction, tolerance, and adaptability to change. Practice patience when breaking the news to them and allow time for them to absorb and adjust. Perhaps start by telling them you have started seeing someone and just take it from there. Give them a chance to talk about their feelings about the situation. Should there be concerns, practice listening, validating, and understanding. Let them know that it’s normal to feel unsettled about the whole thing. Validate their feelings and never reprimand. They may feel like this new person is coming in to replace their other parent or take you away from them. The most appropriate thing for you to do in this case is to reassure them that nothing is going to change – you will always be their parent, you will always make time for them, and they will always come first.