Officially the most watched TV series in the US last year, Bluey has permeated living rooms around the world and has many of us wondering if a camping adventure or beach trip in Australia would be as enriching for the kids as the Heeler family make it out to be.

Each charming episode reminds us that magic can be found in everyday experiences – and because it’s set in Australia, those experiences take the family to the mountains, to the sea or deep into the bush, on a whim. Sound too good to be true? Why not take a leaf out of the Heeler parenting guide and discover some quintessential Aussie, and therefore quintessential Bluey experiences these summer holidays?

Bondi Beach Sunrise

Have a “barbie” like Bluey (BBQ – Season 1, Episode 7)

Bluey’s Dad Bandit and his mates are experts at grilling shrimp on the barbie and barbecues are such a mainstay of the Heeler’s life that it’s part of Bluey and Bingo’s imaginary play. As well as grilling at home, Aussie families love to explore some of the stunning public “bbq” spots on their back doorstep, like world-class surf spot Bondi beach in Sydney, the eclectic St Kilda in Melbourne and Perth’s pristine South foreshore beaches.

Book a pit at some of Australia’s most stunning beaches and parks, and learn what you need to fit the part, here.

Find fruitbats and other Bluey backyard creatures (Fruitbat – Season 1, Episode 8)

“I wish I was a fruitbat”, says Bluey wistfully after she learns that the nocturnal fruitbats cruising around the Heeler’s backyard at night don’t have to brush their teeth or go to bed. Fruitbats are among the colourful creatures that visit Aussie kids backyards, along with possums, numbats, and even koalas and kangaroos, depending on where you live (there’s also the slithering and creepy crawly kinds if you’re into that!).

Like Bluey, many kids are asleep when the wildlife is out and about, so to experience it up close, it’s best to head to one of the country’s many sanctuaries, like Taronga Zoo, with breathtaking views of Sydney’s harbour, the Koala Conservation reserve on Phillip Island, near Melbourne and Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, in Queensland.

Discover magical sea creatures like Bluey (The Beach – Season 1, Episode 26)

In another relatable episode where Bluey’s mum Chili Heeler needs a moment of peace, Bluey takes a walk down the beach alone and discovers the endless magic of a day by the sea.

Family trips to the beach are part and parcel of the Aussie childhood. Australia has some of the most stunning coastlines in the world, and families are spoilt for choice, with everything from powdery white sand at Rottnest Island, a ferry away from Perth, and wild surf down Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, to Sydney’s ocean pools and sheltered, pristine little harbour bays. There is no shortage of places to build sandcastles and spot sea life, just like Bluey, on your family holiday Downunder.

Go Bush like Bluey (The Creek – Season 1, Episode 29)

When the same old games and the same old playground equipment gets a bit boring, Bluey’s dad Bandit takes the kids, plus their friend Mackenzie, into the neighbouring bush, where, after some initial trepidation, they embrace the forces of nature.

If, like Bluey and Bingo, your children need a little coaxing to become confident nature explorers, Australia can offer the most enriching experiences, allowing gently-guided encounters with everything from dolphins at Monkey Mia near Perth and sea creatures of the Great Barrier Reef, to farm animals at an outback station farmstay. Those looking to learn practical outdoor schools can also join the junior eco rangers program on picturesque Fraser Island – even better, parent participation is very much optional!

Paperbark Camp

Make lifelong friends, and memories, camping like Bluey (Camping – Season 1, Episode 43)

Camping is a mainstay of the quintessential Aussie childhood, and this episode shows it’s not only the memories of cooking on campfires and stargazing that make the memories, but also the friendly people you meet along the way (even language barriers can’t get in the way of Bluey and Jean Luc’s fun).

Families looking to share this wholesome adventure with their children are spoilt for choice in Australia, where there is the option to go full bushman, like at Kakadu National Park, where you can book a crocodile tour, or enjoy the vibrancy and amenities of a campground, like the safari tents at Byron Bay. You can even dip your toes in gently with the home comforts of glamping at many locations around the country, including Paperbark Camp, just out of Sydney.

Images: Tourism Australia (header), Hutchings Camps