Innehållsförteckning för Issue 574 från Caravan World

BRIGHTER FUTURE

“ONE THING I DID NOTE IN MY TRAVELS, IS THE INCREASED PREVALENCE OF ELEVATING BEDS FITTED TO MOTORHOMES" Just last week, I spent some time looking over motorhomes from Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, France, Britain and Spain. Where was I? Three hours away from the east coast of Australia in Auckland, New Zealand. Yes, you can if you wish, see any number of motorhome products from international manufacturers. There are even a few North American-built motorhomes as well, but given the road widths, they are not as popular. I was roaming around in a German-built Bürstner Lyseo using it as a mobile office and accommodation while I was there. It was in many ways, a typical German-built motorhome, based on a Fiat Ducato chassis and having a layout that…

3 min

12V GURU

This month we welcome yet more technical expertise to these pages. Led by David Bayliss, the 12V Gurus behind BMPRO have joined the Caravan World family as technical advisors. The BMPRO line-up consists of the industry-leading 12V power management systems found in all Jayco and New Age caravans, and in other iconic popular RVs BMPRO's role is to help us help you with tricky questions about the future of RV power management and how to get the best of your current systems. David is an avid camper and outdoorsman, having explored our lands for more than 30 years. His favourite locations are deep in the Simpson Desert and the Pilbara region — two places that strengthened his resolve to understand and educate on power and water…

YOUR TOW KNOW REVEALED!

“IF THE BALL LOADING IS TOO HEAVY HANDLING AND STEERING WILL BE IMPAIRED, AND THE TOWBAR MAY FAIL" In issue CW572, we invited readers to take the Caravan Council of Australia's great tow test and provide us with a top safety question for a chance to win a Hema HX-1. The test was prepared by semi-retired automotive engineer and road safety advocate Colin Young in an effort to improve safety for caravanners and fellow drivers out on the road. In this issue, we provide you with answers to quiz shedding light on essential legal and technical terminology, including ratings and masses as well as safer driver responses when you're on the road. LEGAL AND TECHNICAL ITEMS, TERMINOLOGY, RATINGS AND MASSES 1. WHAT DO THE FOLLOWING ABBREVIATIONS MEAN? 2. ARE THE…

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

“PUT IT THIS WAY – WATER IS LIKE THE GRIM REAPER FOR FUEL SYSTEMS!” Australians rely heavily on fuel to get around, especially for us caravan owners. We’ve all heard the horror stories about that brand new $100,000 diesel vehicle copping a whole lot of bad fuel and costing the owner their left arm and half a kidney to repair, right? The problem is that fuel is an unstable, organic liquid that has a tendency to go bad. To be blatantly honest, most of us wouldn’t have a clue what our fuel goes through before it ends up in our vehicles. We forget it has to be transported from the refinery, often shipped from overseas, to be trucked across the country. It’s pumped through pipelines, barged and stored in a…

STRICTLY SELF-CONTAINED?

Talk to the thousands of grey nomads who are travelling around Australia about the type of experience they want, and the answer will typically be the same. They’re seeking low-cost or free camp sites, primarily so they can stay on the road longer, and see more by spreading their budget further. There’s also an element of wanting a quiet spot to relax and reflect. To live the good life. This type of experience usually means they are self-contained. They have toilet facilities on board, are self-sufficient with power and water, and literally can stay anywhere and ‘leave no trace’. Self-containment is, however, a term which has RV travellers and industry divided, primarily because of what it means about who can stay where, and whether those who aren’t self-contained should be…

FACTS

CAMPING Basic national park campgrounds at Towns River, Butterfly Springs, Limmen Bight River and Southern Lost City, provide toilets, picnic tables and fire pits. There are three bush camps along Roper River at Didi Baba, Mountain Creek (unsealed boat ramp) and Yurrlmundji (pit toilets). All charge nightly fees of $3.30/ adult, $1.65/child aged 5-15 years and $7.70/ family (no pets). Munbililla (Tomato Island) has 4G mobile reception, hot showers, free gas barbecues, drinking water, picnic tables, rubbish bins, a dump point, central fire pits and a boat ramp. Fees are just $6.60/ adult, $3.30/child aged 5-15 years and $15.40/ family (no pets). SUPPLIES Limmen Bight Fishing Camp provides the only fuel and basic supplies on the 338km stretch between Roper Bar and Cape Crawford. Stock up before leaving Mataranka in…

TRAVELLING IN PACKS

Camping with a group of friends or family can be great fun. Without television and electronic devices to distract them, kids use their imagination to create games, and play. Being in the great outdoors encourages both kids and adults to come together socially, too. We often spend the day entertaining the kids and then regroup in the afternoon for a social drink and discussion about the day’s adventures or what's ahead the next day. Whether you are camping in a tent, caravan, or cabin, there are a couple of quick points to remember when travelling in any group: • Respect other nearby campers by complying with any noise restrictions • Avoid encroaching boundaries onto neighbouring van or tent sites • If kids are riding bikes or scooters on the roads,…

CROWD PLEASER

IN BRIEF Sleek bunk combo van Ticks the value for money box Family-friendly fun machine Whoever does the market research at New Age Caravans, is bang on the money! Take the New Age MR20BC (Bunk Combo) for instance; it's contemporary interior and ample storage make this perfect for the whole family. Actually, it’s not rocket science, as statistics suggest that more young families are adopting a caravanning lifestyle than ever before. According to peak national body, Caravan Industry Association of Australia — based on Tourism Research Australia’s tourism figures — the 30- to 54-year-old age group accounts for 47 per cent of the domestic caravan and camping economy, at 5.5 million trips per annum. That predominantly includes the 34-55 (family market) target demographic. Yes, family caravanning has not only rejuvenated,…

BIG SHIFT

Anyone familiar with Jurgens vans will know they have a very distinctive look about them. Although the company has South African origins, the flavour is European in many respects. But Jurgens' new Solaris C66 line is somewhat a departure from the manufacturer’s normal style. It’s not only in looks either, because Jurgens describes its new Solaris range as “the best of premium caravanning” and it comes with a price to match. Through brilliant organisation, (ahem, sheer luck), when I contacted Kratzmann Caravans’ operations manager Dale Lawrence, I was able to get my hands on one of the first of the new Solaris caravans. Don’t tell our Editor Tim van Duyl that. He thinks it was my amazing psychic sense that detected a new caravan model fresh out of the factory.…

NEXT LEVEL

In the Australian caravan manufacturing business over the last decade, there has been a veritable explosion of 'offroad' caravans, with terms like “extreme” and “ultimate” being bandied about with enthusiasm. Overuse might be a word I’d use, with some manufacturers seeming to think it’s okay to fit a beefed-up chassis without doing much about the body above. However, there are quite a few boutique manufacturers like Kedron Caravans that specialise in offroad caravans and will use ordinary names, like say, the TE’5 Topender. A name without too much pretension that suggests where the van might be capable of travelling to. It also happens to be the flagship range in the Kedron stable. Kedron’s marketing man Glen Gall grins when I mention the above subject of “offroad” caravans as he introduced…

NOMAD ART

There is nothing better than relaxing by the fire, especially once the cooler months are upon us. We picked up a Nomad Australian Animals fire pit from MetalArt Bylaser for our recent cover shoot and we’re so impressed we thought we’d share our thoughts. Made with mild grade steel and fully collapsible, the Nomad is a popular portable fire pit by this Queensland based company. Their name gives away their artisan approach to metal work. Specialising in laser cut steel for gardens, fire pits and more, their work is as much aesthetics as it is practical. The key being, the micro-millimetre accuracy of the laser cutting process that creates intricate patterns and images. Lighting the Nomad was easy with small vent holes that are handy to poke a lit match…

QLD VAN SAFETY PROGRAM RETURNS FOR 2018

QUEENSLAND RENEWS SAFETY CHECKS Caravanning Queensland has renewed its free RV safety check days, for a fourth year. CEO Ron Chapman says, thousands of caravans and other recreational vehicles take to Queensland’s roads every year and safety should be of the utmost importance. “The safety check days allow caravan and recreational vehicle owners to have their vehicles inspected and weighed to ensure they meet Australian design rules and road safety regulations,” Mr Chapman says. “As caravanning grows in popularity, so too does the need to ensure caravans are operating safely and simple things like adding a tool box to the back, popping a kayak on the roof or even travelling with extra water tanks can cause the van or vehicle to become overweight, and overweight loads are dangerous loads. “We…

5 min

PAYING IT FORWARD

“HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE COST OF … SETTING UP THE BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE, SO YOU CAN ENJOY THIS REMOTE OUTBACK ADVENTURE?” Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run a community store along one of Australia’s great remote outback tracks? The Mt Dare Hotel on the western fringe of the Simpson Desert; Cameron Corner store in outback New South Wales; or the Kunawarritji Community store on the Canning Stock Route. On the plus side, you’d meet a lot of interesting people from all walks of life; people with a sense of adventure and a zest for life. And you’d see all sorts of vehicles, from motorbikes, 4WDs, custom offroad vehicles, tractors and even the odd walker with a camel. On the negative side, being…

Q & A

TYRE-ING WORK Q Following weeks of preparation and research, we excitedly set off on our first road trip with our new caravan in tow. Our maiden voyage was a complete success, and we managed to trek over 5,000kms without an incident, not even a flat tyre! On our recent return, a fellow grey nomad advised me that we should either jack up our caravan so the wheels are off the ground or park the caravan on tyre savers to avoid flat spots while waiting for our next adventure. I know that a few millimetres of rubber tread is all that rests between the road and our prized possession and we want to be sure that we avoid unnecessary damage to our caravan’s new tyres. I am interested to know if…

Congratulations to Margaret Sullivan for successfully filling in the quiz and providing us with this awesome question on shackles below.

Safety-Chain shackles should: • a. Comply with Australian Standard AS2741-2002 • b. Have a Grade and Working Load Limit in accordance with the ATM Rating of the particular caravan/camper trailer • c. Comply with Administrator's Circular 0 - 1 - 3 • d. All of the above And the answer is: 'd' All of the above. For her efforts, Margaret has won this beautiful HX-1 Navigator, for the ultimate on and offroad GPS navigation. Combining dedicated street and 4WD navigation, the HX-1 will guide you anywhere in Australia with superior topographic mapping, turn-by-turn navigation, and the ability to link up with fellow travellers. You'll have your pick of the destinations, too, with more than 45,000 campsites, caravan parks and touring points presented clearly on an LED 7in multi-touch screen. For more information about the…

Webasto – your gas free solution for independent travelling

Air Top – Air Heaters Quiet powerful operation Low power & fuel consumption Use whilst parked & on the move Dual Top – Combination Heaters Heat & hot water from one unit Easy to use multifunction controller Low power & fuel consumption Thermo Top – Water Heaters Compact and efficient Fast heat up times Can be combined with fan radiators to provide cabin heat Diesel Cook Top High cooking power up to 1800 W No naked flame and no fumes Robust high quality Ceran® cooking surface RV Compressor Fridges Extensive range of Uprights and Drawers Available as DC Only or AC/DC Robust high quality with Danfoss Compressors…

Girt BY DIRT

If you’re planning to travel about Central Australia around mid-August or are looking for something a little different then lock the Henley-on-Todd Regatta into your itinerary. It’s one of those colourful, wacky outback events which is a one-day “boat” race held in the typically dry river bed of the Todd River that passes through Alice Springs. Yes, I did say boat race in a dry river bed. I imagine it would be the one in the world that would be cancelled due to the presence of water, which did actually happen in 1993. The Regatta has been running for more than 50 years starting out with its inaugural event back in 1962, as a way for locals to have some fun and raise money for charity at the same time.…

Out to Play

Situated 143kms south east of Melbourne along the South Gippsland Highway is the beautiful seaside town of Inverloch that's never short on family fun. Fishing, boating, windsurfing, kite surfing, surfing, swimming and stand up paddle boarding (SUPing) are popular activities at Inverloch. We set our caravan up on a quiet, sheltered site at Inverloch Foreshore Camping Reserve, separated from the sandy shores of Anderson Inlet only by native vegetation. The campground offers powered and unpowered grass sites and contains several clean amenities blocks. Keen to explore, we crept along one of the many sandy paths leading out to the inlet's stunning open coastal plains. “Each afternoon we found ourselves lazing on the shores of Anderson Inlet as our two girls, aged 6 and 8, entertained themselves in the 'warm baths'…

4 min

All Roads South Lead

Getting to Kangaroo Island is fairly easy; hop onto the ferry in Cape Jervis and 45 minutes later you step down on the other end in Penneshaw, KI's main port. The 16km long journey across the gulf is quite luxurious aboard the large SeaLink ferry, while relaxing in a comfortable lounge or taking in the views from outside and feeling that refreshing sea breeze on your face. About half way through the journey you begin to see the contours of the island and can’t help but wonder what it has in store for you. With a population of around 4500 people, Kangaroo Island welcomes close to 200,000 visitors a year. However, don’t expect crowds of tourists similar to those in the gulf of Thailand — Kangaroo Island absorbs the travellers…

MEMORY MAKER

IN BRIEF 720kg Tare on-roader 12V and 240V compatible Vintage cred at camp It’s hard not to like teardrop campers. Petite, curvy and laced with retro charm, they evoke memories of sepia-toned coastal road trips in an era where seatbelts were optional and sunburnt kids were par for the course. The warm glow of nostalgia paints such bygone days in the most flattering of light, and we in the present day seem inevitably drawn to the flame. Or perhaps those are just my millennial sensibilities; the kind that compel me to seek new age fun with a vintage feel and suffer nostalgia for things I’m too young to have experienced. Either way, I think the Tucana is adorable. I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve been up close…

PLEASURE SEKA

Windsor is one of our enduring and well-loved caravan names that for many years was built in Melbourne. The giant West Australian Fleetwood Corporation purchased the company in 2003 to expand its appeal, before moving production in-house to Perth in 2013 as part of Fleetwood’s long-running Coromal brand. At the same time, the Windsor range was treated to a significant makeover and adopted the aluminium frame and Coromal's proven independent suspension. With recent changes to processes and an increase in staff, quality control is on the up, and warranty has strengthened with national roadside assistance and a wider service and dealer network. Windsor caravans are now exclusively pop-top configurations with the Seka aimed at touring couples, the Silhouette as an offroader, and the Rapid, with expanding ends, suitable for families.…

Here’s what’s happening around the country in the coming months.

QLD BIG SKIES FESTIVAL April 28-May 6 The 106th Dalby Picnic Races open this four-day event; including a music festival program, camp cook-out and a hot air balloon breakfast! Camping is available on site. www.bigskies2018.com.au COOLY ROCKS ON Jun 6-10 Itching to kitch? Check out the retro action at this free, five day event, with a street parade, poodle and pug parade, peddle car show 'n' shine, and more, www.coolyrockson.com QUEENSLAND CARAVAN, CAMPING AND TOURING SUPERSHOW June 6-11 Stock up on the latest 4WDing and camping gear at one of the sunshine state’s biggest travel and outdoor recreation shows. RNA Showgrounds, www.caravanqld.com.au RICHMOND FIELD DAYS Jun 15-16 More than 100 regional exhibitors display livestock, agricultural supplies, fashion and homewares with a sideshow alley, a Beef Dinner…

5 min

AUSTRALIAN MADE

“AUSTRALIANS SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THEIR CARAVANS. OUR INTERIORS NEED TO BE AS TOUGH AS OUR EXTERIORS” Enterprising expats and Willow RV co-founders Eddie Wills and Ian Jow understand your average Aussie overlander. Although racking up at least a decade of experience in local RV manufacture each, the two bring outsider perspectives, initially establishing their careers in South Africa and the UK respectively. Eddie says Aussies travel greater distances compared to South African campers who stay at one destination for three weeks at a time, predominantly dining outdoors. But in Australia, cold snaps factor into our climatic extremes driving campers indoors. “Australians [comparably] spend a lot of time in their caravans. Our interiors need to be as tough as our exteriors,” Eddie explains. Sharp observations like these have…

3 min

TRAVEL HAPPY

Michael and Maureen were at Graeme Claxton Reserve, SA, when they snapped a photo of their 2011 LandCruiser 200 Series and 2012 New Age Jewel 21ft rig. The couple from City Beach, WA, have traversed the Nullarbor to the east and back three times. “We always stop off at Graeme Claxton Reserve on the Murray River near Cadell, SA, on our way to and from Mildura, Vic, where Maureen's mother lives.” Having wandered more than 35,000kms, the couple say this site is their favourite, closely followed by Oura Beach on the Murrumbidgee River in NSW. “If there are better sites, hopefully we will find them on our future trips,” writes Maureen. Vincent and Lynne Burling posed for this photo on a trip through central NSW on the way…

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Write to: Caravan World Postbag, 125 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North, Victoria 3161 or email: submissions@adventuresgroup.com.au Please include your full address (not for publication). Letters chosen will be edited for publication, may be shortened, and may appear online. DO SCUPPER VENTS WORK? Last issue, David Gilchrist opened up the debate on scupper usage in his article Clearing the Air. In response, we invited readers to share their insights into their usage. Here's what you said: YES: SET UP IS KEY I have had five caravans, all fitted with scupper vents, and I tow my current van with a ute fitted with a canopy and two scuppers installed. I believe scuppers do work but as your aerodynamics expert says, they have limitations, so…

9 min

MAINTAINING A JOCKEY WHEEL

A jockey wheel is considered a plain and simple caravan item – but looks can be deceiving. Actually, it’s an integral caravan accessory as many avid adventurers experiencing a jockey wheel collapse while manoeuvring their caravan will attest. Jockey wheels are invariably subjected to substantial abuse and receive little ‘love and affection’. They’re also subject to a great deal of dust and road grime. Foreign particles find their way into the mechanisms of the jockey wheel and in particular cause corrosion and pitting of the ball race and its cup washers – components that take the load when you wind up the front of the caravan. This wear results in a grinding, rough feel as you turn the handle. When they fail to operate correctly they generally cause havoc. (Ever…

4 min

GOOD IMPRESSIONS

“TYRES WEAR DIFFERENTLY ON TOW VEHICLES AND CARAVANS AND BETWEEN DIFFERENT BRANDS OR MODELS OF VANS” Keeping your van and tow vehicle in contact with the road is a very desirable thing. As your caravan tyres are the only things that directly connect your caravan to the road, they and the wheels on which they ride are very important, despite sometimes being taken for granted. ON THE RIM While it’s very nice to have caravan rims that match your tow vehicle, load carrying capacity (otherwise known as load rating) is key. Dave Martin, the local manager for Beaurepaires Burpengary, says you need to make sure your van rims have a sufficient load rating for your van, are suitable for the van's axle configuration (single or dual axles), and are matched…

Breaking Loose in LIMMEN

Our best paid plans went AWOL just 50km inside Limmen National Park when wheel bearings shattered by too many unrelenting NT tracks sent us limping back to Borroloola on the back of a tow-truck. After pulling an all-nighter in the McArthur River Caravan Park, we set off again for round two with tougher bearings and lighter wallets, determined to shake out the fishing rods, stoke a campfire and lose ourselves in one of the most isolated wilderness areas in Australia’s far north. Etched with deep, emerald rivers and lily-covered lagoons, Limmen protects great swathes of woodlands and towering sandstone spires. Basic bush camping and corrugated access roads help deter all but the most passionate anglers and solitude-seekers, who arrive in well-stocked, offroad rigs for lengthy stays in the NT’s remote…

FACTS

Caravan camping is available at Inverloch Foreshore Camping Reserve, wwwinverlochforeshorecamping..com.au, (03) 5674 1236 or BIG4 Inverloch Holiday Park, (also on the Anderson Inlets, behind the foreshore campgrounds), wwwinverlochholidaypark.com..au, (03) 5674 1447. Offshore Surf School, wwwoffshoresurfschool.com.au. has surf and beach hire and lessons. Bass Phillip Winery is open by appointment only. Visit www.bassphillip.com or phone (03) 5664 3341 for more. Bunurong Environment Centre. Visit wwwbasscoast.com.au. or phone 1300 762 433 for more.…

SOUTHERN Coast Gems

“Easily one of the most pristine and isolated stretches of the NSW coastline, the Sapphire Coast is a favourite summer playground of mine for its excellent mix of quiet bush camps, tranquil lagoons, wild surf beaches and colourful towns" Easily one of the most pristine and isolated stretches of the NSW coastline, the Sapphire Coast is a favourite summer playground of mine for its excellent mix of quiet bush camps, tranquil lagoons, wild surf beaches and colourful towns. Located halfway between Melbourne and Sydney, and stretching roughly from Bermagui down to the Victorian border, this region is perfect for RVers who enjoy walking on long stretches of empty beach just as much as perusing the streets of colourful country towns. Even though I’ve spent plenty of time on the coast…

GREATER pull

IN BRIEF 4WD HiLux conversion Well setup for remote travel 6WD available as an option At Explorer Motorhomes there’s definitely a theme of evolution with its motorhome designs, all of which are based on either Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger 4WD cab chassis. These are the vehicles of choice for many motorhomers who like to get offroad, but cannot afford bespoke designs of larger vehicles. There are a few practical issues even with HiLux/Ranger-based vehicles. The first is usually a weight limit, i.e., keeping the overall weight within the bounds of the vehicle’s GVM. Another problem for many people is that most of these designs have a transverse bed in the Luton peak above the driver’s cab. A third issue is that, given the vehicle’s limitations, internal space can be…

9 min

GET INTO GEAR

“DESPITE THE NUMEROUS CREEK CROSSINGS OVER WHICH THESE ROUGH MOUNTAINS RAMBLE, NONE CAUSED THE AIRBAG SUSPENSION ANY CONCERN” Exploring the headwaters of the Condamine River in Queensland’s south east provided us with a chance to test one of the latest SLRV caravan custom-builds, the SLRV Discoverer 2100. Driving within the purview of Mount Lindesay and the second highest peak in Queensland, Mount Barney, we travelled the back-roads through the McPherson Range, twisting along rugged mountain tracks, all the while looking for a gravelly creek crossing or steep muddy ascent that might cause the rig to falter. AROUND THE OUTSIDE Settled by a babbling creek crossing, the custom-built Discoverer 2100 caravan had the look of a van set for adventure with a package that includes airbag suspension, galvanised chassis and body…