An annual Homecamp tradition, on Father’s Day we speak to a handful of rad outdoor Dads to ask them a few questions about raising kids outdoors, and what they’ve learnt in the last year. This year, we chat to Jed from Wild Road Wanderers who lives life on the road, Martin a regenerative farmer from Victoria and Doron, founder of Homecamp. Let’s dive in.

Meet Martin, a regenerative farmer in the Strzelecki Ranges and Dad to Huxley and Rohan. Martin’s dream of making the world a better place has led him down the path of working with GreenFleet, a carbon offset not-for-profit that supports Martin’s farm vision.

Martin: My partner Rebeka and I live with our two sons, Huxley and Rohan (11 and 9), on a 580 acre farm that we manage, in the Strzelecki ranges, just south of Warragul. I grew up in Sweden and Rebeka is from Western Australia. We have always had the ambition to live and work in nature and about this time last year the opportunity presented itself.

The farm is owned by GreenFleet, a carbon offset not-for-profit organization, and the plan is to reforest half of the farm whilst we practice regenerative grazing on the other half, to see if we can fix enough carbon in the soil to make it a future avenue for carbon offsets. I have always dreamt of making the world a better place and now, at last, have the chance to do so, in a very tangible way.

Besides our love of the outdoors we have a passion for creativity, Rebeka being an artist and me a musician. Our boys are into sports, motorbike riding and camping.

How has parenting changed you the most?

I sometimes jokingly say that parenting is the worst, and at the same time, the best thing that has happened to me. It is the end of a lot of freedoms that most people take for granted or might not even be aware of. But more importantly, it has given my life a much deeper purpose and meaning. It has given me insights into life that I think would be very difficult to obtain in any other way. Among other things, it has taught me commitment, responsibility, compassion, patience and honesty.

What are some lessons you believe kids learn from being outdoors?

 Gratitude is a big theme in our family. We even have a nightly routine, where at the dinner table we all talk about three things we are grateful for. Spending a few days camping is a good reminder of what luxury our everyday life consists of, with all that modernity provides. It also provides the opportunity to learn and hone some basic survival skills, enables us to spend some quality time together without the constant interruption of devices (no screens allowed when we’re camping) and last but not least, it helps our kids to develop a deeper appreciation of the natural world.

Top camping spot for adventuring with kids, and why?

For us, anywhere in the Victorian high country, close to a river, would be our choice. We love setting up camp close to the river with swimming and fishing just a stroll away. To make things more interesting we like going on hikes, taking in the views and perhaps visiting a historical sight, both of which there are plenty of throughout the mountains.

Meet Doron, Homecamp founder who is raising three kids on the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria.

How has parenting changed you the most?

I’ve realised how impatient I can be and it’s something I’ve had to work on as kids can test you in all sorts of ways! I find that I am more inclined to seek stability rather than change, and there’s way more planning for the future and working towards goals than life pre-kids. For me, there’s less emphasis on myself, less navel-gazing and focus on the family instead. It’s all about responsibility, which I think is a net positive for growth and with that, there’s been a definite shift in values and how I perceive the world. 

What are some lessons you believe kids learn from being outdoors?

Being outdoors can teach them a lot about the hard knocks of nature. For instance, last week we discovered the entrails of a rabbit in our backyard which the kids were fascinated by. We agreed it was probably eaten by a fox which opened up a discussion about predators and hierarchies in nature. A great lesson in reality!

Top camping spot for adventuring with kids, and why?

Too many to mention as we have it all in Australia. Steph and I have been lucky enough to walk the Larapinta and once did a big trip to Arnhem Land. It’s wild up there. We are planning a lap in a 4WD and camper trailer and will definitely be heading to NT, The Kimberly and beyond. Camping, fishing, surfing, diving – all the things I don’t get to do day to day by being a business owner!