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Gayle Bentley lives by one simple rule when it comes to family life on the road: “You only get 18 summers with your kids — make them count.”
It’s one of the reasons the Bentley family chose life on the move. For them, home isn’t a street address, it’s wherever their On The Move TRAXX Series II van is parked.
After five years of travelling, the family – kids Elliot and twins Tracey and Megan, mum Gayle and dad Russell, covered a lot of ground and made plenty of memories, including eight months exploring Tasmania.
“We used every bit of that eight months,” Gayle said. “There’s just so much to see.”
Cradle Mountain, caravanning in the snow and an all-out snowball fight in Hobart top the list of highlights.
“The kids loved Tassie. We homeschooled while we travelled — life doesn’t stop just because you’re on the road. We still worked, they still learned and we made it work.”
For Gayle, who has a condition similar to multiple sclerosis that will eventually affect her mobility, the trip was about making the most of now.
“This was our big one — the ‘go and do it while we can’ trip,” she said. “We’d been to Tassie years ago when I was pregnant with our eldest and always wanted to go back. We weren’t putting it off any longer.”
Of course, travelling as a family isn’t always smooth sailing.
“The usual parenting stuff still happens — meltdowns, bickering, cabin fever. An 18-foot-six van can feel pretty small some days. That’s when you take a walk, give each other space, or do something on your own for a bit,” she said.
Over the years, Gayle’s picked up a few tricks for keeping things simple and sane:
After nearly a year on the road, the Bentleys wrapped up their trip at the 2025 On The Move Owners Retreat — their third one so far.
“We’ve met some great people through On The Move,” Gayle said. “We all keep in touch online, but it’s better in person. Facebook’s great, but nothing beats a chat and a hug.”
For Gayle, the road is less about escape and more about time — time together, time outside, time to make the most of what’s in front of you.
“Just go,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. The kids won’t remember the planning or the mess — they’ll remember the good stuff. That’s what matters.
