Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 555 i Caravan World

Colorado Caravans owner-director Jim Moutsias has done the hard yards in the caravan industry. It’s fair to say he’s earned his stripes – and it hasn’t been all peaches and cream. Back in 1999, Jim cut his teeth as an upholsterer, installing blinds, curtains and seating for Regent Caravans. He then moved on to Caprice Caravans before opening a handyman business for 12 months. But the call of RV manufacturing was continually resonating so Jim downed his jack-of-all-trade tools and was lured to Majestic Caravans where he enjoyed a three-year stint acquiring specialised skills in building caravan furniture. Around 2005, Jim began working with Creative Caravans and built furniture from the ground up. At the time, the company was constructing one caravan per fortnight, but Jim eventually was promoted to…

Dreamseeker is proudly referencing iconic Australian characters and places through its caravan range, celebrating the lives of magnificent Australians and directing RV enthusiasts to our most famous landmarks. In this respect, the Dreamseeker Jumbuck – named after the infamous character from the poetry of Banjo Paterson – is an exciting project. CW tested this contemporary 6.1m (20ft) family van from the Caravans-R-Us dealership in Newcomb, just outside of Geelong, Vic, and travelled to the seaside town of Portarlington, overlooking Port Phillip Bay. The Jumbuck is a veritable home-away-from-home, and I reckon will prove a hit with the kids as well as mum and dad. It’s a modern take on the bunk-style caravan complete with a caravan-queen island bed and three bunks with a view. It is also packed with features…

The dual cab is the hero of the one-tonne utes, both for work and play. But, despite being the most popular configuration, not everyone wants or needs a five-seater ute. The single cab has plenty going for it — it’s much cheaper than a dual cab and, for a couple who want to leave their van and head deeper into the bush, the single cab has one major advantage. That advantage is a much longer tray than a dual cab – the perfect basis for a tool box to store camping gear and on which to fit a roof-top tent. ATTRIBUTES The D-MAX SX is a pretty basic ute, but that’s its attraction for many — not to mention the lower price. The SX is one grade up from the…

Extended towing mirrors are essential items in any caravanner’s kit. That’s because they are key to successful and safe towing, as well as being mandatory in all Australian states whenever the caravan is wider than the tow vehicle. The mirror must give you vision for the full length of the vehicle being towed behind your car. Don’t skimp on this one. The simple truth is, you need to be able to see clearly down the side of the caravan and you will need towing mirrors when your existing mirrors can’t provide a clear view past the caravan. The problem is, the variety of mirrors on the market makes choosing the right mirror a bit of a conundrum, given the price tag can vary from a handful of dollars to hundreds…

The most awarded holiday park in the Northern Territory happens to be on the doorstep of some of the most unique and spectacular scenery in Central Australia. The BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park in Alice Springs is not only the perfect base from which to explore the magnificent Red Centre but also provides first class accommodation and facilities. It takes a man of great vision to create a park of such calibre and you only have to spend a couple of minutes with owner Brendan Heenan to know he’s the inspiration behind this ever-changing caravan park. He’s not easy to catch, as he likes to be involved with the day-to-day running of the place; always looking for new opportunities and dealing with difficulties as they arise. Brendan made time in…

“Uluru is one of our country’s icons and rightly so – to stand in front of this giant monolith is to come face to face with nature’s power and majesty” One of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders rises up abruptly in the heart of the Australian desert, captivating millions of visitors from all over the globe every year. Uluru is one of our country’s icons and rightly so – to stand in front of this giant monolith is to come face to face with nature’s power and majesty. At 348m high, Uluru is an imposing sandstone rock situated on the western side of the Simpson Desert. First named Ayers Rock by William Gosse in 1873 after Sir Henry Ayers, its name was changed to Uluru after the land was handed…

Not long ago, I thought I was going to be writing this column from a motorhome parked in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. I was temporarily stuck for a reason very rarely experienced in Australia. Backtracking slightly, like our fearless editor Laura, I like to do a bit of hammering around the ski slopes in winter. This year, I opted to borrow a motorhome out of Christchurch, NZ, and head south to the Wanaka region, which has easy access to the ski resorts of Cardrona and Treble Cone. My motorhome was a Roller Team Rambler, an Italian-built motorhome designed for the British and New Zealand markets, so the entry door is on the nearside and, apart from the manufacturer, all the appliances and components in the motorhome looked pretty familiar to…

Location Great Lakes, NSW Gear Canon 1DX, ISO 800, f13, 1/60th second, 125mm lens Composition A slower shutter speed and panning has been used to capture the motion of the main subject in this photo. The backlight of the sun frames the subject and enhances the detail of the water. Handy hint When practicing panning, try different shutter speeds to increase or decrease the movement which, in turn, changes the dynamics of the image and the action of the subject. Photographic fact Capturing motion in photography to convey that an object is moving is done in two main ways. One is to let the object move and the background stays fixed. Or, as in this example, you can use motion to eliminate the distracting elements (other swimmers) and focus the…

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services has set aside 15 large drive-through bays for day visitors towing with a caravan or camper trailer to the Carnarvon Gorge NP. The sites were established as part of $1.8 million overhaul of the Carnarvon Visitor Centre, opened by Tamara O’Shea, the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing in July. A spokesperson for the QPWS said the day-use bays were located at the entrance to the car park for drivers’ convenience. The authority said the Gorge camping sites, which are open during three holiday periods each year, remain exclusively for tents, small campervans and trailers, and urged travellers to avoid camping on flat ground near creek crossings within the park, due to the risk of flash flooding.…

CW field editor Mal will be a familiar face to many readers, as he has been writing for the magazine since 2003. Mal primarily reviews caravans, but he’s also a motorhome tragic so we let him write the odd motorhome review to satisfy his cravings. He also brings his musings about the industry to readers through his monthly column, Street Talk. Your favourite place in Australia to visit and why? The NSW and Victorian alpine and sub-alpine areas. I reckon they offer something in winter and summer. Your top bush survival/camping tip? Tell someone where you are going and how long for (not particularly original, I know!) What 3 things would you take to a desert island? Kindle or iPad with many books loaded, iPod for playing music and audio…

Not too long ago, I was wandering around a regional caravan show looking at all the usual suspects when something different caught my eye. A new name in Australia, Euro Caravans had a range of caravans on display and, ironically, it was their most obvious feature that almost caused me to miss them - the vans are all relatively small in size. There are currently three models available - the SunSeeker, Glider and NR Freedom. All are built in Poland using a number of familiar manufacturer components - Al-Ko, Dometic, Thetford and Truma. All the new vans have the required electrical and gas compliance certificates, as well as the necessary nearside entry door. Poland might be a new manufacturing country as far as Australian imports are concerned but central European…

Anyone who has studied a language will know that most are full of short-cuts that are hard for a non-native speaker to grasp. For instance, when someone says “I’m just getting a rego check done on my car”, we all know what that means. Likewise, when we went to pick up this review River Diamantina from Parravans Caravan World at Windsor, NSW, it had a label stuck on it which said ‘Prado Friendly’, I knew what that meant, as would many towing folk. But, to non-towers, it might be more of a mystery. Basically, it means that the caravan can be legally towed by the popular Toyota Prado, which has a maximum towing capacity of 2500kg. But just so everybody’s clear, it means the fully-loaded weight of the caravan is…

It’s your dream. You’ve worked hard to get it and now all you have to do is tow your brand new caravan on the adventure of a lifetime. The problem is, you haven’t towed anything bigger than a box trailer full of junk to the tip twice a year. Or maybe you’ve been towing for years – perhaps you’ve been towing for so long that it’s become mechanical and you can no longer remember why you do things the way you do. There's no need to be flummoxed. With a little care, and by going back to basics, you can get out on the road and towing safely with the right knowledge under your belt. TOW CAPACITY The first tip is to know your weights and measures. Here’s the jargon…

Caravan World has joined forces with Kokoda Caravans to give away a custom-built offroad van to one lucky CW reader. Victoria-based Kokoda Caravans is generously supplying a Kokoda Force GTX-Trail offroader, valued at $68,990, for the exciting reader giveaway. And several businesses with a close association to the caravan industry have kindly donated products which will be fitted to the van – Thetford (toilet and fridge); Worthington (one-piece floor); Roo Chassis (chassis); Coast to Coast (Suburban hot water system and stoneshield); Aussie Traveller (awning and EuroVision windows); Nikpol (Motivi laminate, shell-lock handles, internal grab handles, twin basket slide-out pantry, steel lift-up stays, a roll of piano hinges, and a forerunner track); signature Floors (vinyl flooring); Urban Republic (cupboard door material); MPC (blue tyres). The Force GTX-Trail is engineered specifically to…

  “I can already hear the Simpson Desert calling. Nope, scratch that; this is Australia calling” When it comes to remote outback towns, Birdsville is like the cream of the crop for most 4WDers. It’s a town that just beams with character, and it definitely has its fair share of interesting history. But you know what? The real reason this place has shot to stardom in the world of the tourist is the fact that it lies on the edge of the mighty simpson Desert. Yep, if you're tackling the simmo from the east, this place is the last stop for food, fuel and supplies before you hit the sand. As you can imagine, the humble little town of Birdsville is pretty darn remote as far as fully operational towns…

“We were amazed at the vast array of wildlife that started to appear, once they got comfortable with their human visitors” Located 90km west of Grafton, on the New South Wales mid-north coast, there is a hidden gem just waiting to be explored. At the very peak of the Great Dividing Range, at 1100m above sea level, lay two World Heritage-listed national parks on either side of the highway. On the northern side, you will find Washpool National Park (NP) - a rainforest environment with pristine creeks, and cool temperate areas that have been set aside for camping and day areas with basic facilities. On the southern side, you will find the Gibraltar NP, with generous private campsites, flushing toilets, and several barbecue huts. Fires are permitted and wood is…

“I’m not too sure I’d like to go canoeing with the rhinos. Our crocs are scary enough” One of the best things to add to your travelling rig is some form of boat, but it’s amazing how many people tell you they did exactly that, and got it wrong. Usually, it’s because the boat and motor severely cramped their rig somehow. You see plenty of small boat motors mounted on A-frames and in the backs of utes butn without some planningn they can be pretty awkward. Mind you, if you love your fishing and you're heading north, a boat’s almost mandatory. I’ve got mates who won’t leave home without one! If your rig has been engineered to take it, then fine, chances are it'll work and work well. My biggest…

Spend any time on the road, be it a few weeks, months, or even longer, and there’s a good chance you’ll be sharing your journey with others. More so with a destination holiday, but even on a road trip, such as the mighty Gibb River Road, you’ll invariably end up bumping into the same people at the various overnight camps. Sharing the journey with like-minded travellers adds to the experience. We’ve made some life-long friends with people we’ve met on the road. With shared interests and experiences, it’s hard not to instantly gel, and with the advent of social media these days, it’s easy to keep in touch. But, for some people, social interaction can be a bit of a challenge. So what’s the secret? BE HAPPY It goes without…

I just can’t hide my feelings away any longer. I’ve had a lifelong love that tantalises and frustrates me, but then takes me to heaven and back. It's elusive to capture, fights tooth and nail, yet is soft and delicious to taste. Some call them gumbos, great grey submarines, men in grey suits and, others, sweet William but, to me, they’re just plain old gummies – one of the most satisfying, yet frustrating, target species of the saltwater kingdom. I find it quite amazing that much of the country turns their noses up at eating shark, especially such delectable morsels as gummy and school shark which are both marketed as flake. Their delicious flesh is enhanced by their rich diet, which mainly consists of crustaceans, squid, worms and small fish,…

IN THE DARK This is one for the electrical gurus. I have a PX Ford Ranger, an August 2015 model. The caravan has Narva LED taillights. The Ranger's electrics won't operate the indicators properly — the indicators flash at three times the normal rate and occasionally do not work at all. An auto-electrician has installed resistors in line on the caravan, one on the left and one on the right indicator, but to no avail. I have been to five Ford dealers who all recommend the purchase of an adaptor with built-in resistors. That doesn’t work either. A trailer interface unit for $350 plus fitting to the car is, I think, an expensive fix. I may have to re-fit bulbed tail-light sets. As an aside, there are a number of…

Have you ever noticed how many Evernew caravans and pop-tops are on the road? Start counting next time you’re on a major highway and you’ll be amazed. More impressively, they are found all over Australia. During our most recent visit to Port Douglas, Qld, they were only out-numbered in our caravan park by Jaycos. This says two important things about the brand that is still building vans in Heidelberg, Vic, by the same founding family, only a stone’s throw from where the first Evernew took shape in 1963. One is that around 8000 Evernews have been built since then; the other is that a lot of them are obviously still going strong, thanks to the unshakable policy of founder Bruce Bailey and son-in-law Darren French that they should survive a…

Queensland's sunshine Coast provides a beautiful array of caravanning and camping opportunities within a short drive of Brisbane. That's why, when you find a hidden sunshine Coast gem, it's hard to resist it, especially when there's also a chance to review a new caravan. When I heard about Neurum Creek Bush Retreat, bordering the Mount Mee section of D'Aguilar National Park, minutes from the rural township of Woodford, I thought it was the ideal spot to visit with the new spinifex EpiX. RIGHT OFF THE BAT On first impressions, this custom-built spinifex looks ready to provide a fine home-away-from-home. Getting off the blacktop successfully requires two important criterion to be met. Firstly, a van needs a strong, well-built chassis and, secondly, it needs suspension that can handle the rough and…

Avida’s Eyre motorhome stands apart from the rest of the brand’s range due to its slightly European flavour. Externally, it has a streamlined look and low height and, inside, the layout and fitout has a distinctively compact European feel about it. There are two version of the Eyre available – one with a slide-out and one without, both with the choice of single or double beds. In keeping with the European theme, the Eyre’s motive power comes from a Fiat Ducato MultiJet 180 with an X295 chassis, giving the motorhome a GVM of 4495kg. The Tare weight of 3408kg gives it a very generous load capacity of 1087kg. On the road, the 3L turbodiesel pushes the Eyre along nicely, and the low slung body results in good handling. I have…

The dream of hitching up a caravan and exploring the open road is an achievable one – all you have to do is hitch up the van. The trouble is, with a seemingly endless array of caravan hitches and accessories available, it's difficult to know which hitch is best for your caravan. Thankfully, there's a good number of Australian-made hitches to choose from these days, including Vehicle Components, Trigg Bros., Hitch-Ezy, Treg and others. Stephen Trigg of Trigg Bros., said, when it comes to selecting a hitch, while it’s best to trust your caravan manufacturer, his advice would be to always buy Australian-made. Australian-made hitch manufacturer Vehicle Components boss Chris Goddard said the difference between hitches is largely directed by Australian Design Regulations, which dictate how they are fitted and…

There is one overriding reason why many travellers take the unsealed Tanami Track from Alice Springs, NT, to Halls Creek in the southern Kimberley, WA – it’s about 1000km shorter than the all-bitumen alternative via Katherine, and nearly 650km shorter to Kununurra, the gateway to the famous Gibb River Road. However, to simply brand the Tanami as a ‘shortcut’ is to do one of Australia’s signature outback highways a disservice. If you are already planning to do the Gibb, you might as well save all that time and travel and add the Tanami to your trip – up or back. If you are intending to skirt around the Kimberley to the south on the fully-sealed Great Northern Highway on your way to Broome in an onroad caravan or camper, then…

When it comes to the great Aussie adventure, only a few places really earn the title of an absolute must-see location in my books. For me, these types of places are usually home to historical events that, in some way or another, have helped shape us as a nation. Locations that will take you back in time and give you a whole new outlook on life, if you’re lucky. If you haven’t already guessed it, I’m proud to say that the district of Innamincka is one such place, or it was for me, at least. You see, for many people, this place is just a dot on the road map, but it has also become an iconic location for many travellers exploring outback Australia. Why? Well, that’s because Innamincka (or…

At the Mackay Airport, Qld, recently, my dreams came true! I actually flew a helicopter during a one-hour flying lesson. I've loved flying in choppers ever since a day, many years ago, when a pilot friend of my son-in-law took four of us for a flight over the Mornington Peninsula, Vic. I was sitting next to Roger the pilot and, in the back, were my daughter Jackie, son-in-law Gary and seven-year old grandson Cameron. When we landed Jackie asked Cam, “How was that?” and he replied, “Boring - nothing to do but look at stuff!” It wouldn't have been cool to tell us he enjoyed it but I believe he talked of nothing else for a fortnight at school. Since then I’ve done many helicopter trips including the Bungles, Vanuatu,…

Frozen peas are one of the staples in my freezer when I’m travelling. They can be used in so many ways such as soups, sauces, side dishes and pastas, as well as being a handy ice pack for sore joints or a headache. Green Pea Carbonara Carbonara sauce has a lighter, sweeter taste when you use peas in the sauce. The sauce will also have the most wonderful green colour. You will need either a hand-held food processor, small food processor or a blender to ensure a smooth sauce for your pasta. Or, if you don’t mind a more rustic texture and don’t have room in the van for the above appliances, then a good bashing with a pestle will suffice. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes The…

QLD EVENTS CHARLEVILLE CUP Nov 1 Culminating in four days of race-day action, Charleville Cup Festival runs head to head with the Melbourne Cup with fine food, food, fun and fashion and world-class. Charleville, coordinator@charlevillenc.org, www.charlevillecup.com.au COOKTOWN RACES Nov 5 Experience a real country race meet at the second oldest turf club in Queensland, with horse racing, fashions on the field, book makers, bar and catering on site and music. Cooktown, 0419 593 694 STANTHORPE ROCKS Nov 11-13 Stanthorpe rocks with live acoustic acts at the Beer Garden and Aussie legends under the Super Tent plus an International Food Village, a Massage Temple and joy lights over Ballandean, and camping on-site all weekend. Ballandean, www.stanthorperocks.com.au MARY RIVER FESTIVAL Nov 12 Kickback and enjoy bank-side tunes festivities with music, art and…