A Single Mother’s 3,000-Mile Trek Across Australia With Her Daughter

Welcome to another edition of Solo Female Travel Stories, where we highlight the journeys of remarkable women traveling alone to inspire you to embrace more adventure in your own life.

Earlier, I told you about Becky—a courageous single mom who traveled solo once her child was grown. But Liz took a different path: she brought her daughter along. Together, they conquered Australia’s Bicentennial National Trail.

I realize this isn’t a typical solo female travel tale—Liz wasn’t technically by herself. Yet she was solo in a deeper sense, carrying the full weight of responsibility for her child throughout the entire expedition. Her courage and determination moved me, and I’m sure you’ll feel the same.

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Here is Liz’s story:

A Mother Who Walked 3,000 Miles Alongside Her Daughter

What inspired you to begin your BNT adventure with your child?

The unstoppable pair

For a long time, I had dreamed of saving enough money to take a full year off work and travel with my young daughter. But where should we go? And how would we do it? Should we backpack across Europe? Volunteer in orphanages throughout Southeast Asia? Our world is overflowing with possibilities and decisions, and sometimes it’s hard to finally commit and make a choice. I knew I wanted this year to be monumental—something neither of us would ever forget. I also craved a challenge, something that would push us both beyond our comfort zones and teach us to tap into our inner strength.

When I first learned about Australia’s Bicentennial National Trail, I was captivated. Originally called the National Horse Trail, the BNT stretches an astonishing 3,311 miles (5,330 km) from Healesville in the south to Cooktown in far north Queensland. It winds along the foothills of the Great Dividing Range and the Eastern Escarpment, showcasing some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the nation. The trail gives access to some of Australia’s wildest and most remote terrain and is considered the longest trail of its kind in the world.

After digging deeper, I discovered that previous trekkers had completed the trail using donkeys, horses, their own feet, bicycles, and even camels. Still, very few had managed to finish the entire 3,000-plus miles. As someone who has been crazy about horses since childhood, I was hooked. I had found our big year, our dream journey, our challenge! I decided that over the next 18 months, I would find suitable horses and get them ready for the rigors of the trail.

What unexpected advantages came from traveling long-term with your child?

Liz’s amazing daughter!

Since finishing the trail, my daughter has developed a real talent for making the most of whatever she has. She’s also at ease being alone and doesn’t depend on anyone or anything else for amusement. I believe those long days on the path helped build her inner strength and resilience.

What were the toughest parts of traveling with your child as a single parent?

Sticking together through highs and lows.

I always found it unsettling being the only adult. After all, if something happened to me, what would become of my daughter? Now that she’s older, I’ve made sure she knows how to operate our emergency SPOT tracker if I’m unable to, and we regularly discuss what to do if one of us gets injured.

Which destinations do you recommend for female travelers with children?

On the BNT Trail

The entire BNT is excellent for solo women—in fact, most of the trekkers we encountered were female. Nearly everyone we met along the way was wonderfully encouraging. A few years ago, my daughter and I walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, which I think is a perfect experience for children. People make a huge fuss over kids on the trail, there’s so much to see, so many people to meet, and endless activities to keep them engaged.

What hurdles have you had to overcome to make travel a way of life?

I typically work for a few years while simultaneously planning the next big trip, then take a significant block of time off to explore, and then repeat the cycle. I’ve been working for a year since finishing the BNT, and my next adventure is the Mongol Derby in 2018!

What advice would you give to single parents who want to embark on a similar adventure with their children?

Preparation is everything—make sure you’ve thought through every possible scenario and are ready for it. Build up to larger, more demanding trips by starting with smaller, manageable ones. We did this by spending weekends camping and trekking with our horses before taking on a longer, more difficult journey.

Preparation is vital

A huge thank you to Liz for sharing her experience! You can follow her blog at Donkey Dreaming.

If you’d like to read more, check out Ruth from Florida, Becky—a single mom from Arizona, Roberta from Italy, Wangechi from Kenya, Archana from India, Thia from Indonesia, Julie—a ‘not so young’ traveler from Australia, and Courtney from California, a traveling stylist.

READ NEXT: The 20 best places to travel alone.

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