Innehållsförteckning för Issue 593 från Caravan World

"Movin’ to the country, gonna eat me a lot of peaches…" that’s the song, right? It’s been a slow progression of living on and off in the city, to finally make that transition to the sticks; well, not quite the sticks, but the beautiful north-west region of Victoria. And with that tree change, sadly means I will be leaving my role as Senior Editor of Caravan World magazine and timing out from the big smoke. However, you will be seeing me pop up in these pages as I traverse more of this fine continent and write about it. It’s been a blast. In this summer touring issue of Caravan World, we’ll be taking the Volkswagen Beach Caddy for a weekend hoon to the seaside — a perfect getaway for the…

Work has commenced for a $7 million upgrade on the Adelaide Showgrounds in Wayville, which will turn part of the property into a caravan park. The work, which is set to create more than 100 jobs, will transform a 2ha space into a multi-use space for caravan use that comprises about 10 per cent of the Showgrounds. It is projected up to 80 caravan and motorhome owners can be accommodated for 10 months of the year when major events are not running. “We have had calls over the years for people wanting to come and place their caravan here at the Showgrounds and we haven’t been able to do it,” says John Rothwell from the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society at the launch of construction. The caravan industry is estimated…

Not so long ago I spent a day at the Caravan, Camping, Lifestyle Expo at Olympic Park in Sydney. That was followed on that same weekend by a visit to the Motorhome, Caravan and Leisure Show at Mystery Creek, Hamilton — New Zealand that is. Not something I would recommend but I really wanted to get to both shows and it’s good that we live in the jet age, thank you Mr Qantas. There were some similarities between the Aussie and Kiwi shows and some very interesting differences, mostly reflected in the industry. For starters, the major NZ shows are usually done in tandem with an NZ Motor Caravan Association (NZMCA) rally. The NZMCA is very much run along the same lines as the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia…

It’s not an understatement to suggest that there are quite a few caravan designs available in the Australian market that do look a bit similar, both inside and out. Consequently, when someone produces a caravan that looks a bit different, then it tends to draw attention. Such is the case with Crusader’s new Chameleon range of vans that were introduced at the Brisbane caravan show earlier this year. At the time, the new vans were not available for review, but one eventually came my way from the newly opened Crusader Newcastle (NSW) dealership. “The shape is not only designed to be reasonably aerodynamic but also to be able to carry things, like for instance a kayak on specially-fitted racks" THE COMPLETE PACKAGE What makes the Chameleon look a little different…

The best way to enjoy the social side of your travels is the daily ritual of Happy Hour whether you are staying in a caravan park, national park, outback station, or beside the road in an overnight rest area. Towards the end of the day, out come the camp chairs, a few drinks and nibblies and with those camped nearby we all enjoy an hour or so of sociable chit-chat; usually about our travel experiences. Now, if you take things a little further and like the idea of travelling with others, then this has some other quite useful benefits as well: having someone to lend a hand if you experience trouble (mechanical, accident, illness or otherwise), to enjoy the comfortable feeling of ‘safety in numbers’ to benefit from others' travel…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 6.4m (21ft) External body length 8.7m (19ft 6in) External body width 2.4m (7ft 10in) Travel height including air-con 3m (10ft) Internal height 2m (6ft 5in) ATM 2925kg GTM 2692kg Tare 2325kg Ball 233kg Axle rating 3000kg Tyres 235/75 R15 Colour White/black checker EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium box welded Cladding Full composite with internal aluminium frame Chassis 6in DuraGal box tube frame and extended A-frame Suspension AL-KO Torsion Independent Coupling Standard 50mm Brakes 10in electric Wheels 4 x 15in, alloy Water 2 x 95L Battery 1 x 100Ah AGM Solar 1 x 120W Air-conditioner Belaire 3000 Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control Optional INTERNAL Cooking Thetford oven and grill cooktop Fridge Thetford 190L double door Microwave NCE Bathroom Yes Washing machine 2.5kg Hot water Gas and electric…

The Adria Action 361 LT is unique in design. It has streamlined curves that start on the front wall and make their way around the upper bulge on the rear wall and down to the moulding that contains the tail-light cluster. Fitting in with the curvaceous lines are the large sky-view hatch above the front window and the rather unique window in the rear wall. Glasfaserverstärkter Kunststoff (GFK), aka fibreglass is used in the modular construction of the 361 LT which is designed to give the triple effect of light weight, strength and the previously mentioned good looks. Tinted polyplastic acrylic windows are fitted all-round and the habitation door is a Hartal stable door type, with a concertina-style insect screen. The downside of the van shape is that it is…

There is so much to love about getting away from the city for a couple of nights. For one, there’s the fresh air. And of course, a warm campfire at day’s end. But the best thing of all, in my opinion, is the lack of light pollution and the dark skies. Out in the wilderness, photography isn’t just something to do during the day. When the stars come out, I often forget to sleep... For the uninitiated, star photography can seem complicated. But, the truth is, awesome night-time shots are well within most people’s reach, provided they own a few necessary items of equipment and follow a few simple guidelines. Here, I’ll do my best to run you through what it takes to do the galaxy justice. EQUIPMENT There are…

VALUE FOR MONEY "At under $50K, this has to be very good value for a dual-purpose vehicle" DRIVEABILITY "For a commercial vehicle, it drives and handles very well" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "Lightweight camping that does not involve towing or too much fiddling around!" BUILD QUALITY "Everything fitted together very nicely!" LIVEABILITY "A fairly cramped interior but very much designed for living in the great outdoors" CUSTOMER CARE (WARRANTY/AFTER PURCHASE) "Five-year unlimited warranty" SELF-SUFFICIENCY "Very limited but then it’s not designed for that at all" INNOVATION "Some nice little ideas in a very small camper" X-FACTOR "Fun machine for lightweight camping!"…

Back in CW591 (October issue), we went down the ‘customer is always right’ path with a Q&A regarding client-focused industry financier Credit One. The customer-centric Credit One was mentioned in the same breath as retail magnates Harry Selfridge and Marshall Field, and business mogul Ray Kroc — the brainchild behind iconic fast-food chain McDonald’s. Credit One shares a common denominator with these customer-oriented pioneers: ‘putting the customer first’. Obviously, Credit One is a stickler for customer-driven satisfaction… So, here’s another behind-the-scenes Q&A with one of its clients who is as ‘happy as Larry’ with the distinctive services Credit One offers. Based in Mackay, Queensland, Dean Virtue collected a Reconn R2 HyperCamper from Lifestyle Campers’ Brisbane HQ in late July. Here is his response to a personalised customer experience with Credit…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES External length 5.8m (19ft) External width 2.1m (6ft 11in) External height 3.1m (10ft 2in) Internal height 1.98m (6ft 5in) Tare 2800kg GVM 3500kg Licence Car Passengers Two- berth ENGINE Base Vehicle Toyota Hilux Engine 2.8L turbodiesel Gearbox Six-speed auto Max power 130kW@3400rpm Max torque 450Nm@1600-2400rpm EXTERNAL Brakes ABS disc front, drum rear Fresh water 90L Grey water 50L Solar 3 x 115W Batteries 2 x 100Ah lithium (for review van) Air conditioner Dometic roof mount Gas 2 x 4kg EQUIPMENT Cooking Webasto diesel (option) Fridge Vitrifrigo SLIM 150, fridge freezer 150L, 12V compressor Microwave oven Camec Toilet Dometic cassette Lighting 12V LED Shower Flex hose combo Hot water heater Truma D2 19L Heater Truma D2 OPTIONS FITTED Diesel heater 1 x 100Ah lithium battery 3 x 115W…

In this DIY, we demonstrate a 12V caravan plug change from a 7-pin round to a 7-pin flat plug. Most (if not all) newer cars/tow vehicles also use the flat trailer plug harness, so updating the caravan plug is a worthy assignment. You'll need an assortment of basic tools including flat/Phillips driver, pliers, side cutters, stanley knife and suitable electrical tape. NB. These images and step-by-step captions depict the simplicity of a 12V caravan plug change performed by The RV Repair Centre foreman, Paul Hewat, in Bayswater (Vic). STEP1 Remove the plastic half cases from the 7-pin round caravan plug as shown. STEP2 Once the cases are removed, remove the wires progressively from the 7-pin round plug as shown. Handy Hint: It's good practice to take a few images of…

In our line of work, we attend more than enough caravan, camping and outdoor shows to have seen just about every exhibition building and showground the country has to offer — yet we’ve never experienced anything quite like OutdoorX. One sunny weekend in September, a contingent of staff headed to Queensland’s Gold Coast and made our way to the show. Bypassing the typical outer-suburban sprawl that so often surrounds events of this kind, we rolled into the manicured marina village of Sanctuary Cove. Right away we could tell that the events crew there weren’t messing about with the first-ever edition of their new outdoor lifestyle show. Of course, by now, putting on a spectacular show is second nature to Sanctuary Cove. While the location may be new to the world…

If you’re like most of the camping population, the summer months are spent camping close to water, be it for recreational activities such as fishing, enjoying the great outdoors, or just keeping cool. It could be the ocean, a sheltered bay, an inland lake or camping on a river. The only problem is the sheer mass of people seeking to do the same. If you’re looking to secure your patch of paradise this summer, take heed of the following tips. BOOK AHEAD Popular touring destinations will be booked well in advance, with many requiring minimal bookings. Caravan parks require at least a week’s stay in peak season, so factor that into any plan. National parks may even have a ballot system, so the earlier you book the better. Many families…

The concept of renting out your personal assets for cash is not a new one — but it’s taking the RV world by storm. You can trace it most famously back to the advent of Airbnb in 2007, when two US college buddies came up with the bright idea of offering their loft to others as a B&B-style accommodation complete with breakfast and wifi. Now it’s worth more than $45 billion, is set to go public next year and is used by hundreds of thousands of people each day around the world. For RV owners, the concept is the same — renting out your caravan, camper trailer or motorhome when you are not using it to strangers looking for a holiday. Over the last few years platforms including Camplify, SHAREaCAMPER,…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 5.74m (18ft 10in) External body length 3.9m (12ft 10in) External body width 2.18m (7ft 2in) Travel height 2.31m (7ft 7in) Internal height 1.92 - 1.6m (6ft 4in - 5ft 3in) Tare 1261kg ATM 2200kg Payload 939kg Ball weight 120kg EXTERNAL Frame N/A Cladding Fibreglass Chassis DuraGal painted Suspension Leaf spring Coupling Ball Brakes 12in electric Wheels 15in alloy Water 2 x 62L Battery 1 x 105Ah Solar 170W Air-conditioner Air Command Sparrow Gas 1 x 9kg Sway control No Kitchen Two-burner hob/BBQ and stainless steel sink INTERNAL Cooking No Fridge Dometic CRX1110 108L Microwave No Bathroom Thetford cassette and flex hose shower Hot water Swift 28L gas/electric OPTIONS FITTED N/A PRICE AS SHOWN $39,990 on road, NSW MORE INFORMATION Crusader Newcastle 39 Pacific Highway, Gateshead…

• Use UHF radio contact (either built into your vehicle or small hand-held model) between the vehicles to check on each other, point out things of interest/photo opportunities, arrange when to pull up for morning tea or change of driver or a ‘comfort stop’, warn about traffic hazards ahead, etc. • Generally try to keep a distance of at least 300m to 500m between vehicles allowing other faster vehicles to easily overtake one of you at a time – truckies in particular hate to see ahead of them a bunch of slower moving caravans/RVs travelling closely together – spreading out it is much safer for all road users. Another reason for this spacing out is to have time to relay points of interest over your radio to the others behind…

VALUE FOR MONEY "A well-equipped van at a keen price but some fittings may prove to be not be as durable as locally-built rivals" TOWABILITY "It’s a big thing, and longer than most, yet it tows well" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "For asphalt and light-duty dirt roads, the NewGen 19.6 will do the job. For more adventurous journeys, something smaller, more rugged or nimble may be required" BUILD QUALITY "Vacuum-formed composite 25mm walls on welded alloy frames with aluminium outer and fibreglass inner surfaces, a 48mm fibreglass particle floor and one-piece roof belie the mid-range interior fitout" LIVEABILITY "Most of what you’d need, and plenty of what you’d want is included as standard" CUSTOMER CARE "NewGen offers a full-factory 3-year warranty" SELF-SUFFICIENCY "Adequate power and water reserves for a few…

That feeling of taking an overseas trip doesn't have to mean abandoning all that's familiar about caravanning. A serendipitous meeting with a convoy of international caravanners from the UK, USA, and New Zealand heading from Cairns down the Pacific coast to Sydney’s Blue Mountains reveals how they had managed to turn an overseas holiday into another unforgettable RV adventure. 50 YEARS ON FOREIGN SHORES The International Caravanning Association started rolling 50 years ago and, when we met, had found its way Down Under. The group, including 10 couples from the United Kingdom, three couples from New Zealand, one couple from the USA and one from the Netherlands, had gathered Cairns in tropical North Queensland. Rather than find a way to haul their own rigs halfway around the world, this international…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 5.2m (17ft 1in) External body length 4.06m (13ft 4in) External body width 2.2m (7ft 3in) Travel height 2.54m (8ft 4in) Internal height 1.95m (6ft 5in) Tare 1000kg ATM 1400kg Payload 400kg Ball weight 100kg max EXTERNAL Frame N/A Cladding Fibreglass composite Chassis AL-KO hot-dipped galvanised Suspension AL-KO IRS with shock absorbers Coupling AL-KO ball anti-sway Brakes AL-KO override Wheels 14in alloy Water 50L Battery 1 x 100Ah Solar No Air-conditioner Truma Saphir Gas 2 x 4kg Sway control No Kitchen No INTERNAL Cooking Dometic two-burner Fridge Dometic RM8501 100L Microwave No Bathroom Combo with Thetford cassette toilet and flex hose shower Hot water Truma 14L gas/electric PRICE AS SHOWN $39,990 on road, NSW MORE INFORMATION Sydney RV 9 – 20 Lemko Place Penrith, NSW 2750…

From coast to high country, while in the Central Gippsland region, take the time to visit some of these incredible natural attractions: The Tarra Bulga National Park offers walking trails dwarfed by giant ferns and towering mountain ash trees. Here you can explore several walking tracks, including the Tarra Valley Rainforest Walk and Fern Gully Nature Walk, each with their own remarkable natural sights and resident birdlife and local wildlife spotting. Feeling ambitious? The Grand Strzelecki Walking Track (100km) connects magical Tarra Bulga and Morwell National Parks and while it has challenging parts, there’s also easy walks within it to suit trekkers of varying fitness abilities. You’ll walk amongst dense rainforest and tall eucalypt forests with its local wildlife including the South Gippsland koala, the only genetically intact remnant of…

Back in time when the vehicle of choice for many people was either a sedan or station wagon, I owned a series of station wagons. Mostly because of the ability to carry gear around or to use for weekend camping. For the camping bit, I owned a freestanding, framed tent (originally made for a Subaru) that had a gusset on one end to fit around the rear of the vehicle with the tailgate open. That meant the car could be used for sleeping and the tent area for cooking and eating. It was a great arrangement, particularly since the tent was freestanding and could be left erected without the car. “That sort of camping style seems to have faded out, but I was reminded of it recently when I took…

AL-KO’s electronic stability control (ESC) has been the popular choice for caravanners in Australia since its launch in 2012. But now, there’s a new leap forward in trailer safety: Dexter Tow Assist. Dexter, AL-KO’s US-based parent company, has partnered with Bosch, the global leader in vehicle safety systems, to create the first trailer sway mitigation system that includes ABS and an odometer. I was lucky enough to be invited down to the Australian Automotive Research Centre in Anglesea, Victoria, when AL-KO and Bosch were doing final testing. Having a firsthand view of the rigorous testing they were undertaking gave me a lot of confidence that Tow Assist is the new must-have trailer safety technology. Here’s the scoop. SWAY MITIGATION Combining inertia and wheel speed sensors that recognise sway, Dexter Tow…

VALUE FOR MONEY "Not badly priced compared to some 4WD motorhomes" DRIVEABILITY "Winner on bush tracks, highways and carparks" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "Ideal for 4WD travel and rough bush tracks on a tried and trusted cab chassis" BUILD QUALITY "Very well put together, I reckon" LIVEABILITY "Fairly compact interior but still OK. Great for outdoor living" CUSTOMER CARE (WARRANTY/AFTER PURCHASE) "5-year Toyota warranty, 5-year structural warranty" SELF-SUFFICIENCY "Quite good, especially if the right electrical options are chosen" INNOVATION "This is the latest from Explorer which seems to be continually developing models" X-FACTOR "Undoubtedly the four-wheel drive ability and motorhome build"…

During a recent six week road-trip, we had the opportunity to stay at a mate’s bush block – smack bang in the middle of nowhere. Perfect. He and his partner have a shed which has been converted into a Grizzly Adams-style man cave, complete with potbelly stove. They also leave a small run-about parked for when they’re at the property. Our mate invited us to use his vehicle to give our own rig a break. The problem was that – while he’d left the bonnet ajar and the battery on charge – the electrical lead to the charger had popped off sometime in the preceding weeks. Looking at the attachments, it occurred to me that this probably wasn’t the first time this had happened. And I know it’s not the…

The South Australian Government has reversed a ban on products that allow towing upgrades to vehicles to carry greater weights. The Government had instigated a 12-month ban but now joins New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania in allowing motorists to carry and tow more weight. It has also accepted a new testing regime regarding the safety and integrity of towing upgrades and Gross Combination Mass (GCM) revisions. The Western Australian Government is set to make a call on that regime toward the end of this year. The State and Territory jurisdictions cover in-service vehicles — those that have left the showroom floor. In line with the current Australian Design Rules, GCM revision and towing upgrades can be done on pre-registered vehicles. Only Queensland and the Northern Territory motorists…

Q Dear David, I have recently read with great interest your article regarding battery placement in caravans and a subsequent response to the article submitted by Alan L (CW585). I totally agree with your comments that the care and maintenance of the batteries is a serious issue. The battery issue I have experienced and would like to share was similar and involved a split battery case. Our van is stored at our residence, under full cover and has power supplied at all times. It may sit for several months at a time between trips. The battery charger is a CTEC unit maintaining the two 100Ah maintenance-free AGM batteries located in the front boot and housed in standard plastic battery cases. The batteries were installed in June 2015 and the…

Have a great listing: This includes lots of technical information about your RV and the inclusions you are offering, and amazing photos that really show it off (consider having them done professionally) Be personal: Potential renters are interested to know about you as well as your RV so on your listing include some information about yourself and where you have travelled. Be responsive: Get back to renters quickly when they make a query or booking. Customer service: Make the whole process smooth, be as flexible as you can with arrangements and you’ll be getting amazing reviews in no time (which will boost future bookings). Create a renters’ handbook: Include checklists of things to take, turn on and off and maintain while on the road. Don’t be afraid to be detailed!…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Great for anyone on a budget who desires the caravan lifestyle” TOWABILITY “Excellent towing prospect” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Definitely well suited to an outdoor lifestyle” BUILD QUALITY “A few areas where fit and finish could be improved” LIVEABILITY Van has all the essentials but fairly confined interior” CUSTOMER CARE (WARRANTY/AFTER PURCHASE) “Two-year national warranty/10-year on cabinetry items” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “Has enough battery and solar panel capacity for limited remote stays” INNOVATION “For the overall design and layout, the van scores quite well” X-FACTOR “It’s a refreshing change from the usual caravan designs”…

Camping locations Doolans Bend GPS -36.023015°, 146.654183° Rutherglen Caravan and Tourist Park www.rutherglencravanandtouristpark.com.au Yarrawonga Holiday Park www.yarrawongaholidaypark.com.au BIG4 NRMA Yarrawonga-Mulwala Holiday Park www.nrmaparksandresorts.com.au/yarrawonga-mulwala/ Forges Beach # 1 GPS -35.996172°, 145.963423° Forges Beach #2 GPS -35.994847°, 145.956866° Barooga Ski Beach GPS -35.918417°, 145.672501° Wattle Beach GPS -35.923960°, 145.674180° Paradise Beach GPS -35.929612°, 145.685851° RACV Cobram Resort www.racv.com.au/travel-leisure/racv-resorts/our-destinations/cobram-resort.html Barmah Lakes Campground GPS coordinates -35.957898°, 144.958399° Moama Waters www.moamawaters.com.au Dump points Yarrawonga Dump Point (potable water) GPS -36.018192°, 146.008707° Mulwala Dump Point (potable water) GPS -35.976644°, 146.023871° Cobram Dump Point GPS -35.921670°, 145.652393° Strathmerton Dump Point (toilets and showers) GPS -35.925968°, 145.479224° Echuca Rotary Community Park Dump Point (donation, potable water) GPS -36.146212°, 144.733599° Information centres Rutherglen www.explorerutherglen.com.au Yarrawonga Mulwala www.yarrawongamulwala.com.au Barmah Forest Heritage & Education Centre www.visitthemurray.com.au/places-to-go/central/suncountry/products/barmah-forest-heritage-and-education-centre Echuca Moama www.murrayriver.com.au/echuca-moama-visitor-informationcentre-1105/…

There’s a quiet revolution occurring in the caravan business which is introducing a new layer of well-specified, low-cost caravans to the market; some insiders hope the entire industry will get a much-needed boost as a result of these new wheeled desirable residences. With caravans now arriving assembled from overseas, buyers have another tier of choice — large vans with lots of inclusions at attractive prices. The supposition is that these low-cost vans will entice non-owners to dip a toe into caravan ownership and in due course move onto something less general, more specialised and more upmarket which might suit their needs better. Caravan World was given a sneak preview of the just-arrived NewGen 19.6 prototype — chassis number #19001 — which measures 5.94m (19ft 6in). It differs in minor details…

The sight of a ‘real life’ traditional scarecrow with straw arms, legs and torso with an obligatory battered old hat on its head, has always been a sight for sore eyes. With most of the Aussie population living in towns and cities these days, the novelty of seeing one of these Aussie icons out in a paddock is, for most of us, a pretty rare experience. It seems however, all of this is slowly changing with the old image of scarecrows now taking a back seat and a new breed of ‘stone the crows’ starting to pop up everywhere! THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH SCARECROWS Now, we’re not talking here about some of the modern day, whiz-bang bird scarers like flashing mirrors, revolving CDs, artificial bird distress squawking noises, replicas…

VALUE FOR MONEY "A fair bit of caravan for a budget price" TOWABILITY "Easily towed by a wide range of vehicles and highly manoeuvrable" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "Lightweight touring van" BUILD QUALITY "Some items give the impression of being flimsy but mostly they are just light weight" LIVEABILITY "Fairly tight interior but room to move" CUSTOMER CARE "Seven-year water ingress warranty" SELF-SUFFICIENCY "Has the basics like battery and water tank but limited remote travel" INNOVATION "Typical European in that there’s a good use of space" X-FACTOR "Aerodynamic, affordable, stylish van"…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES External length 4.88m (16ft) External width 2.07m (6ft 9in) Internal height 1.12m (3ft 8in) Travel height 1.87m (6ft 2in) Tare (kg) 1653kg GVM (kg) 2280kg ENGINE Base vehicle Volkswagen Caddy Engine 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged petrol Gearbox Seven-speed automatic DSG Max power 92kW@4800rpm Max torque 220Nm@1500-3500rpm EXTERNAL Fresh water No Grey water No Batteries Vehicle only Solar No Air-conditioner No Gas No INTERNAL Cooking No Fridge No Microwave No Bathroom No Lighting Vehicle only Hot water No OPTIONS FITTED N/A PRICE AS SHOWN RRP $46,990 MORE INFORMATION For your nearest dealer visit www.volkswagen.com.au…

Those visiting Tamworth during festival season are advised to plan their visit early and take advantage of the varying accommodation options. “The Toyota Country Music Festival (TCMF) has grown over the years into Australia’s biggest, and is a truly unique event,” Pengilley says. “Over 10 days each January, the city of Tamworth welcomes thousands of visitors from all over Australia and the world, and plays host to 700 performers at over 2800 free and ticketed events. The diversity of performers, venues and stages, and experiences is what sets TCMF apart, as well as the family-friendly atmosphere. “TCMF has a heap of great accommodation options for those travelling in RVs and caravans, from an abundance of caravan parks throughout the region, to camping grounds located just minutes from the Tamworth CBD.”…

Over the last decade or so, Explorer Motorhomes has gained itself something of a reputation in the motorhome world by building a range of four-wheel or six-wheel drive motorhomes, all built on either Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger cab chassis. That’s significant because most motorhome manufacturers seem to have but one 4X4 model. In more recent times, a new model called the Pathfinder has been added to the range. It too can be based on either a Hilux or Ranger cab chassis but in the case of my review vehicle, Toyota supplied the motive power. Getting to the essentials, it comes with a 2.8L turbodiesel engine that delivers a maximum of 130kW of power and a very healthy 450Nm of torque. The latter being excellent for serious four-wheel drive rough…