Luke Vandenberg

Australian film-maker, adventurer, farmer who loves to take his kids on experiences outdoors, teachi My name is Luke Vandenberg.

I am passionate about taking my children on wild adventures and teaching them life lessons through story telling and nature.

06/08/2024

Had some fun breaking the new rig in. Feels really good to get up on these roads with my own fourby! Also, bloody cold out this morning!

04/08/2024

New video on the bearded bushranger. Last week I headed out to a patch of bush with only a few items, to see if I could get through the coming night with cold rains. I build a survival shelter with the waxed canvas poncho and practice some bushcraft.

02/08/2024

New rig! And first goal achieved of 5 goals in 5 years.
At the start of the year I set out with 5 goals I wanted to achieve in 5 years (all based around being more competent in the bush) first on that list was to get myself a 4wd. My pathway into the outdoors and camping was via hiking and surfing, and not 4wdriving like a lot of other folks. When I returned to Australia 2 years ago after 10 years in Africa, I needed a car .. And ended up with a wagon so I could sleep in the back when doing long trips down to the coast with the kids. But over the last few years, driving our farm Landcruiser, going on 4wd trips with mates in the high country, and exploring more and more remote places in the bush .. I knew it was inevetable that I needed to get myself a 4wd , that could also still act as a family car to race around with the kids in the suburbs when needed.
Originally I was looking for a 120 prado, but couldn't find anything that was ticking the boxes I wanted. Since I've driven a Mitsubishi for the last 2 years and it's done me well, I was pretty happy with this Pajero when I it came up and had most of what I was looking for (Except for those bloody big towing mirrors which will be coming off)
Sure it ain't no troopy .. But it will do the job, and take the bearded bushranger channel to new heights (quite literally when you think of the high country)
Kids are stoked as well.

30/07/2024

Those who know me well, know that I have a bit of an obsession with this stuff. I know it's bad for the pants and the fruit trees .. but nothing makes me feel more like a little kid then going outside and looking at all the frost!!

13/07/2024

New video up now on the Bearded Bushranger youtube channel.
3 Day Snow adventure to a historical hut and summiting a mountain!

11/07/2024

Couple of snaps from my recent 3 day snow camp last week.
It was great to push a little further in the snow this time around and do a decent hike, spending a night at a historical hut and then pushing on to the summit of a nearby mountain.
We got lucky with up to 20cm of snow over the weekend, and getting to experience white fluffy powder on the summit. By the last day, it was slowly melting away and turning to the wet icey stuff Australia is known for. I do hope we get a few more dumps of snow this winter, as I'd like to get 2 snow camps in this year!
Video should be out this weekend so stay tuned, it's a good one.

27/06/2024

Stoked to try out the waxed canvas drifter poncho by This thing is going to be perfect for the bearded bushranger camps and adventures, being versatile enough to act as rain protection, a ground sheet, blanket or tarp. Pretty keen to test this to its limits ... Including a backcountry snow camp in the high country next week. The more I continue along this journey of using traditional materials, the more I realize it's entirely possible to rely on the old ways when out bush.

23/06/2024

Kids had a great time in Bali over the last week. Managed to get them out for a surf a snorkel and a fish. It was exciting watching them really surf for the first time and getting up on the board. Got a little video of our time in Bali up on Lukes Little tribe youtube channel. Link in bio.

17/06/2024

This was one of the coolest places I have camped.
The first night was incredibly cold and got into freezing temps. I was near the opening of the cave with a fire next to me, but still struggled to stay warm, tossing and turning .. Warming my back for 30 minutes, then my front for 30 minutes. On the last night I tucked right into the back of the cave where there was a separate little section. By lying against the cave wall and having the fire reflect onto me I was toasty .. So toasty it actually felt like I was in a bit of an oven.
I've got the cave camping bug now, I will have to come back to this place next year, preferably when it is pouring down with rain. Maybe instead of living off a tiny bit of jerky I can have a big cook up in it.
If you haven't watched the new 3 day winter survival video, make sure you head over and have a watch on the bearded bushranger.

08/06/2024

New video up on the tube. I look into the Australian bark Gunyah shelter that was common among our indigenous and build one for myself. I also practice some bushcraft, cook up some native tucker, and sleep on the ground next to the fire during winter with only a sheepskin.

02/06/2024

New video up on Lukes little tribe youtube channel.
A few weeks ago I was able to take Ethan and to Wilsons prom for a day of fishing, cooking, rock scrambling, sunset viewing and a whole heap of laughs.
Make sure to check it out.

22/05/2024

Have you seen my latest youtube video with
Getting in touch with our 1900s sailor spirit, we walked 27km along a coastline that has had many historic shipwrecks. I love the Victorian coastline, often rugged and gloomy, there is a special type feeling to the long windswept beaches and craggy headlands. Perhaps not as pretty as the glistening blue bays of NSW or tropical palm laded beaches of Queensland .. there is a still a beauty along our coast though. I try to imagine what it would of been like sailing along here 100 years ago. It may have put dread in a common sailor, with the uninviting long beaches with nowhere to dock ... yet people still settled here, in quiet shacks and lonely farms. Walk along the beaches for long enough and you come across some of the treasures from history past.
You can watch the full video on the bearded bushranger youtube channel.

06/05/2024

Mountains or the coast?
A few photos from my latest hike in the high country with
I grew up as a kid who couldn't get enough of the coastline. All I wanted to do was be on the coast and surf. And to this day I still love exploring the coastline and get some stoke from pulling into a little barrel on the bodyboard.
But as I get older, it's the mountains that draw me in ... such a vast expanse of land out in the Vicco high country with so much to explore. the peacefulness of the bush and eerie sound of the wind rolling along mountain tops is what gets me.
So what about you? Do you prefer the coastline or the mountains?
You can watch my latest video on the bearded bushranger.

03/05/2024

What is the best campsite you've ever stayed at?
Comment below and let me know.
High up into the alpine line, this campsite with Mattsy from the had the most incredible views of the Victorian high country. Sitting around the fire at night, with the stars over head, in a remote wilderness, surely is one way to feel alive.
My video will be up on Sunday morning 8:00 am where you can watch Mattsy and I battle it out on the notorious Viking circuit.

01/05/2024

Some of you may be familiar with the famous bush painting 'Down on his luck' painted by Frederick McCubbin in 1889. The picture perfectly encapsulates the harsh tendencies early life in that bush that the old bushies used to face. A despondent and exhausted swagman sits among a rather tranquil setting in the Australian bush.
On my latest trip out in the Victorian high country, walking like a traditional swagman, I sat down by this tree on the second day when first reaching camp. I was exhausted and slightly worried that my swag setup was not going to be ideal for this type of mountain hiking. While sitting there trying to catch my breath I had a stark realization that it felt like I was in that painting .. and I had to pose and get a photo of my very own version of 'down on his luck' .. sure I got the hand placement wrong, but I think I did pretty well trying to imitate that old Australian painting.
My video of this epic adventure will be up on the weekend so stay tuned.

20/04/2024

Camping with your dog in a storm in a bark shelter!
New video on the bearded bushranger. I took our new kelpie pup down to my bark hut to camp out for the night. We tried to see if the hut would hold up in the coming storms, and cook up a beautiful venison stew.
Check it out.

13/04/2024

New video up on the bearded bushranger. I headed into some local bushland recently to try out my new camping hammock. I wanted to do it with a swagman twist though, and decided to carry it all in with the style of a traditional bedroll. I quite like the setup and I could see myself doing this on bigger trips. Check it out.

06/04/2024

New film up on the bearded bushranger for your Sunday viewing. I set out to make my own bark hut / humpy

22/03/2024

Video up on youtube of a new little series where I take my kids out fishing on day trips. I grew up with a deep love for the ocean, and was often exploring it at a young age due to camping by the coast as a kid. I really want to pass that love down to my own kids, so I decided to try and take Ethan out for his first spear fish, and we have a catch and cook. Although he couldn't get a fish on the end of the hand sling himself, I was really impressed with how comfortable he was in the deeper water, diving down to the bottom and just checking it all out.

19/03/2024

Well this old boy turns 37 today. The body feels a little slower, the zeal of youth has faded a little, and I may look at the world differently then my 20 year old self. But when I'm outdoors, I'm still a child at heart ... living out some kind of imaginary 'Robinson Crusoe' adventure ... living off the land, cooking fish on a fire, building little shelters. I hope I get a few more years where I can still keep up this lifestyle.

03/03/2024

'The sea has many voices.' It baffles and infuriates humans because we cannot subdue or comprehensively understand it. We haven't even completely mapped it, let along explore it. - T.S Eliot'

'The veranda is an interval, a space, where life is improvised. The beach, in Australia, is the landscape equivalent of the veranda, a veranda at the edge of the continent.' - Phillip Drew

New video up on the tube! I tap into those inner feelings of a teenager by the sea side again on summer holidays, and head out for a coastal catch and cook camp on a secret spot my mate and I have been exploring for years now.

28/02/2024

These hot summer mornings, waking up on a secluded beach to a calm flat ocean!

The coastline will always feel like home to me. Even though I’ve been venturing into the mountains the last few years .. it’s the coastline that I grew up exploring, surfing, fishing and camping on. It holds a special piece of my heart down here. My body has always fallen into a relaxed state of being when my skin feels dry from sea salt, sand in my hair, and a slight burn to my arms and legs. Body exhausted from being in the water all day. It’s times like these that transport me back to those nostalgic memories as a kid on summer holidays. When the world and everything in it felt so big and full of potential.

On a recent coastal camp trip I did, I felt like a kid again on summer holidays. Falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing and cicadas chirping.
To come out here, and soak myself into this environment .. it’s a blessing. One to be cherished with gratitude.

New video dropping on Sunday.

25/02/2024

Let's go!! Heading out to a river bank to build a shelter out of an oil skin tarp, catching trout and roasting wild rabbit on the fire. Video up now on youtube.

18/02/2024

Watching the stars from a river bank with a fire going. Where else would you rather be?
Video coming out this weekend. Stay tuned.

17/02/2024

This is honestly one of my favorite packs .. especially when I am trying to lighten the load and go more light weight. I've been rocking the Walaroo pack for a few months and I take it on most trips now, including the Vicco high country, NSW coastline and the mountains of Uganda. Perfect for those into ultra light hiking. Check nevegear if you need a new pack, they also do great quilts and sleeping bags.
You can use the code: LUKE10
If you do, it's no extra cost to you, but I do end up getting a small cut which helps me in making more content. I don't do much affiliate linking with gear, only stuff that I genuinely do use, but Nevegears stuff certainly fits into that catogory.

08/02/2024

This little girl turns 6 today. Being a father to a daughter and watching her grow up so fast is both wonderful and frightening at the same time. Sometimes I wish she could just stay little forever, as my little girl ... but at the same time watching her grow up and discover new things and knowing one day she'll be an independent young woman is an amazing thought. For now .. I'll be enjoying the early years and cherishing each day that God gives us together. Happy birthday to ema ... plenty more fishing camps together to come ❤👨‍👧🐟

05/02/2024

How's this for a camp spot. On the weekend I headed out to one of my favorite rivers in Vicco with my daughter, and his boy. Made a little shelter out of my oil skin canvas tarp, caught some trout and ate wild rabbit on the fire. Perfect way to start off my first camp in Australia for the year.
Lots of adventures coming this year so stay tuned.

04/02/2024

Rock climbing, Wild Antelope meat, Camping on the edge of the world. All of it in the second part of my African wilderness adventure on youtube now.

28/01/2024

New video online. Part 1 of my Uganda mountain hike is up on my youtube now. Watch me climb some serious elevation, try out some local moonshine and camp in one of the most epic spots I have ever camped.

10/08/2023

Warm fire, cold night, stars in the sky and a hip flask and baccy pipe to keep you company.

Address

470 Berwick Road
Narre Warren East, VIC

Website

https://www.youtube.com/c/LukeVandenbergFilms

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Videos

New video on youtube at 4:00 pm. A few weeks ago, before we left for Africa, I took my kids for a kayak fishing camp down on the great ocean road! It was a pretty chilled camp, but we caught a bunch of fish and camped with some koalas. Make sure to check it out. #catchandcook #fishing #breamfish #breamfishing #reeffishing #oceanfishing #friedfish #fish #australianfishing #outdoors #adventure #explore #wilderness #ocean #coastallife #coastalliving #campfire #campcooking #wildcamp #wildcamping #coastal #oceanvibes #beachvibes #campwithkids

Gday folks. The other week I made a video where I traveled back in time for a day and a night, and camped like a bush settler from the 1800s. After reading my new folklore of Australia bush I was inspired to do another traditional swagman / bushman camp. I also prove that I can actually cook rabbit and damper without burning it too bits, and make my own oil skin tarp shelter. Video will be up on Sunday at 4:00 pm. Stay tuned. #bushmen #australia #hiking #camping #campingaustralia #traditionalcamping #swagman #bushman #traditional #australianoutback #survival #bushranger #history #historic #australia #australianhistory #camp #camping #swagcamping #outback #campfire #explore #adventure #vintage #historicalaustralia

If you haven't seen it yet, part 2 of the swagman video is up now on youtube. #bushmen #australia #hiking #camping #campingaustralia #traditionalcamping #swagman #bushman #traditional #australianoutback #survival #bushranger #history #historic #australia #australianhistory #camp #camping #swagcamping #outback #campfire #explore #adventure

Walking 60kms through the Aussie outback as a traditional swagman. Full video on youtube. #bushcraft #bushmen #australia #hiking #camping #campingaustralia #traditionalcamping #swagman #bushman #traditional #australianoutback #survival #bushranger #history #historic #australia #australianhistory #camp #camping #swagcamping #outback #campfire #explore #adventure

So my latest film is up on my youtube. Link in bio. I explore a bit of the life of the old bushy, or swagman. And I teach some of this history to my son, while heading out bush and going for a traditional camp on a hipcamp location. #swagman #bushman #bushcraft #traditionalcamp

My latest youtube video where I camp in an old swag and tarp, explore the Bunurong coast and camp at a @hipcampau location . While I also reflect on what these special places mean to me and my children. Link to full video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUDlyWOk1Eg #discovervic #bunurongcoast #swagcamping

Here it is. My latest video. I took Ethan for an overnighter on Mount Samaria in Victorias high country. It was a bit of a chilly one, but beautiful scenery. I'd appreciate a watch and a comment if you have the time. Link in bio. #highcountryhiking #landscapelovers #campwithkids

Can you have a wild feeling adventure in the suburbs? In my new vid I set out to explore my own backyard and show that you can have an adventure in the suburbs if you're willing to get a little creative. #hike #hiking #trek #trekking #trails #journey #bushcraft #bush #camp #backyard #backyardadventure #outdoors #rainyadventures #adventure #explore #wild #wilderness #minimilist #offtrack #childhoodadventures #campwithkids #bushcooking #campcooking #wildcookout #parenthood #adventureinthesuburbs #girlsadventures #thesuburbs