Innehållsförteckning för Issue 594 från Caravan World

Welcome to my first issue as editor, and thanks to Anji Bignell for leaving the magazine in great shape through her inspired efforts to revamp the look and content. We wish her all the best in her tree change future and look forward to her special features over the coming months. Having landed at Caravan World through my contacts in sister publication Trade-a-Boat, I am familiar with how things are done here. I look forward to the challenge of bringing exciting and relevant stories to you in coming issues. My involvement in caravanning goes back several years, both as an owner and as a reviewer of vans for various publications. My wife, Heather, and I have a well-travelled single axle offroad van which we try to take out as much…

Jayco’s new conversation-based YouTube Innovation series aims to showcase Australian innovators making waves in their industry and hear how they turn to caravanning and camping to switch off. Launched on November 1, the first episode features an interview between Dan Hawkins (pictured), Executive Chef at the Prince Hotel in St Kilda, Victoria and Australian TV personality Emmylou Maccarthy. With a focus on caravan cooking, in the video Hawkins explains that the key to camping cooking is preparation. “My family and I are always going camping,” Hawkins says. “When we’re on the road, it’s important that I do the cooking and my wife and family put their feet up and relax, so it’s always about what I can do to make it easier for myself. The key is in the preparation.…

Crusader Caravans has donated a new Chameleon Box Camper to assist LifeChanger Foundation in programs to support teenagers in regional communities. LifeChanger Foundation provides resources, skills, education and pathways to combat the issues faced by young Australians. Its aim is to help young people maximise their potential and build a positive self-identity. It provides a number of programs for different age brackets with the aim of developing and training communities to support young Australians navigating life and its pressures. The newly re-skinned Chameleon Box Camper will be involved in programs such as the Awaken the Hero campaign and the LifeChanger Challenger Series, to help teenagers develop a sense of self and confidence in their abilities as they move through life. “Our youth already have what it takes, they just need…

Q David, My Jayco van battery is charged with a Setec ST-III power supply when on mains power and a solar panel when in storage. The Breaksafe battery is charged via a 220V plug pack when on mains power but is not charged at all when in storage for most of the year. After reading the answer about charging a Breaksafe battery published in issue 591, I wondered whether it would be safe to connect the Breaksafe battery charge input to my caravan house battery instead of the car 12V. Would I need a diode between the house battery and the Breaksafe battery to prevent discharging the Breaksafe battery when free camping? Regards, John Badger A Hi John, Glad to see that you are one of the few who…

The major gongs in each price category are the most sought after, but there is gold to be won elsewhere as well. It would be unfair to lump all entrants into one category; there is just too much difference between entrants, and their likely buyers will be different too. So while we categorise vans into price brackets for the major prizes, it leaves some stand-out entries unrewarded. Some crucial criteria transcend price alone, such as Build Quality. A well built van of any price is a well built van, after all. That's why for BAV we also celebrate the van with the best Build Quality, the best Customer Care, the most Self-Sufficient van, the most Innovative entry and the van with the highest overall Value For Money — perhaps the…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Competitively priced and has an excellent warranty” TOWING PERFORMANCE “Strong engine and gearbox let down by soft suspension” HITCHING UP “Reversing camera with guide-lines helps here” CREATURE COMFORTS “Not overly flash but has everything you really need” ACCESSIBILITY OF SPARE PARTS “Holden has a large and well-established dealer network” FUEL ECONOMY “Turbo-diesel engine sips reasonable frugally for the car's size” SOLO PERFORMANCE “Ride comfort of coil-spring rear end comes to the fore” ENGINE POWER “Not the smoothest or quietest diesel but plenty of towing urge” INNOVATION “Trailer sway control a valuable feature” X-FACTOR “Solid and dependable, but not much that's out of the box”…

FUEL CONSUMPTION (AS TESTED) 18.6L/100 As if to undermine the argument that leaf springs and a beam axle are inherently inferior to an independent suspension setup, the leaf sprung Royal Flair did a solidly impressive job on this test. The van proved decently stable, resisting the tendency to pendulum and yaw that marked some of the lesser performers. Its 2880kg Tare weight made it the second heaviest van on test and this again may have paid dividends in terms of its ability to better withstand the gusty crosswinds encountered. The van’s impressive 62.5km/h average time was the second quickest by a decent margin, indicating drivers felt comfortable towing it at slightly higher speeds than some rivals. There was, however, the not unexpected pay-off at the bowser, where the extra…

FUEL CONSUMPTION 18.5L/100km As the heaviest van on test at a weighbridge verified 2960kg, if anything was going to test our tow rig in these challenging conditions it would be the New Age Manta Ray. This independent suspension-equipped van had the highest ball weight at 290kg and there’s no doubt the Trailblazer felt its extra weight. This was most notable on the hill climb section, where roughly 80 per cent throttle was required to maintain a steady 80km/h climb. Despite this, good road speed was still maintained, as evidenced by the combo’s 55.8km/h average speed, which places it exactly mid-field. The fact the engine was working harder to deliver this speed can also be seen in the stats, which show the Trailblazer using 18.5L/100km while hauling the New Age Manta…

FUEL CONSUMPTION 16.6L/100km The excellence of the Snowy River’s twin torsion-beam suspension quickly became apparent out on the test loop. Despite it being just the fourth of eight vans towed on the day, we immediately declared it “the best van yet”, which was clearly premature with half the field still untested. However, it did indicate that the Snowy River’s composure behind the Trailblazer immediately put driver and passenger at ease, thanks to its impressive stability and the reduced adverse impact this had on vehicle handling. The 2410kg van was the second lightest on test but still obviously heavy enough to have an impact on vehicle handling and performance. However, there was nowhere near as much of the pendulum and yaw movement as experienced in the Essential and Regent. Sideways…

FUEL CONSUMPTION 17.4L/100km Purely by coincidence we concluded our test day with the lightest van on test, the Design RV Forerunner, which tipped the scales at just 2330kg, some 630kg lighter than our heaviest contender. However, at 180kg the Forerunner’s ball weight placed it mid-field in this metric. Whether it was the fact we could see the finish line after a long day of towing, or that like a horse that sees its home paddock the Trailblazer pinned its ears back, this combination set a scintillating circuit average of 70.9km/h. This was far and away ahead of the next fastest average speed of 62.5km/h, and some 25km/h faster than the slowest contender. No doubt the lighter Tare made a difference, but the weight difference between the Forerunner and the…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.9m (33ft) External body length 6.4m (21ft) External body width (incl awning) 2.46m (8ft) Travel height 3.05m (10ft) Internal height 1.98m (6ft 4in) Tare 3115kg ATM 3500kg or 3990kg (tow vehicle dependent) Payload 385kg or 875kg Ball weight 200kg EXTERNAL Frame Interlocked aluminium wall frame secured with solid high-tensile steel punch pins Cladding Metallic alloy cladding Chassis Hot-dipped galvanised 150mm x 50mm (6in x 2in) Suspension Kedron KRS airbag Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes Dexter disc brakes Wheels 17in alloy Fresh water 2 x 100L, 1 x 65L Grey water 1 x 60L Battery Lithium 300Ah Solar 4 x 150W Air-conditioner Truma Aventa Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control Optional Kitchen Optional INTERNAL Cooking Dometic four-burner, grill and oven Fridge Dometic 218L, 12V compressor Microwave LG…

VALUE FOR MONEY “While it will set you back $130K, you get a lot of van for that” TOWABILITY “No issues at all whether highway cruising or bouncing along dirt tracks” LIVEABILITY "Good layout with plenty of storage space” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “A bit more battery and solar capacity wouldn't go astray for those off-grid pursuits” LAYOUT “New cafe dinette comes up trumps” QUALITY OF FINISH “High quality fittings and finishes used throughout” CUSTOMER CARE “The five-year factory and 20-year chassis warranty is hard to beat” BUILD QUALITY “Built well from the ground up” CREATURE COMFORTS “Everything you need to be comfortable is in this van” INNOVATION “Not prepared to just do what has worked before” X-FACTOR “Pushing the boundaries of frame and chassis design”…

1. Time your trip west of Cairns for the cooler winter months from June to August. 2. Buy a fossicking licence online at qld.gov.au/recreation. 3. Arm yourself with picks, shovels and sieves, a sturdy bucket for your finds, a wide-brimmed hat, and plenty of water and sunscreen. 4. For topaz and aquamarine, head for the creek beds to dig behind tree trunks and boulders where gems often settle during annual wet season floods. 5. When hunting for agate thunder eggs, try searching down the slopes as heavy wet season downpours can wash geodes downhill.…

JENOLAN CAVES, NSW Getting there: The caves are 175km west of Sydney. Access roads are not suitable for caravans, which are best left at Oberon. Jenolan Caves Rd from the north is closed to uphill (departing) traffic between 11.45am and 1.15pm. Westerly departure between these times is via Edith Road to Oberon. Stay: Jenolan Holiday Park in Oberon is the nearest for caravans, with large grassy sites, modern amenities, laundry, dump point, camp kitchen and barbecues. Powered sites will set you back $30-$44/night, unpowered $28-$34/ night (low-peak). Cost: Show cave tours $42-$47/adult, $28-$32.50/children/pensioners, $95-$105/family. Adventure caving costs $120-$250/person. More information: www.jenolancaves.org.au; www.jenolanholidaypark.com.au. BUCHAN CAVES, VIC Getting there: The caves are 360km east of Melbourne via Princes Hwy and good sealed roads from Bairnsdale via Bruthen or Lakes Entrance via Nowa…

Young families are no longer the main demographic who enjoy caravanning and camping — they have been overtaken by those in the young/midlife no kids segment, according to the latest figures from Tourism Research Australia. The 20-29-year bracket is largely fuelling this shift as they spend more time on the road, with expenditure by camping and caravanning visitors increasing by 17 per cent to $7.9 billion. Tourism Research Australia, a government body that provides statistics and research on both international and domestic tourism within Australia, says it was the strongest June quarter in a decade. An annual increase of 8 per cent in caravan and camping jaunts meant a breakthrough 13 million domestic trips for the first time. South Australia and Northern Territory led the way with growth of 23…

Back in May I took part in the Australian Motorhoming Lions Club (AMLC) attempt on the Largest Parade of Camping Vehicles (RVs) at Barcaldine, Qld. It has at last been verified by the Guinness World Records organisation at 868 vehicles. Many took part in the event and it was good (and a relief for moi) that it finally became official. AT BEST AUSSIE VANS It’s been slightly busy over the last few weeks, I have to say. As you’ll see elsewhere in this issue, the annual Best Aussie Vans (BAV) event at Inverlock, Vic, has not long happened. It was interesting to note that some of the judges’ comments on various features occurred more than once. The position of the microwave is always a subject for comment. It’s usually placed…

LOCKING UP Q Once you have fitted a Cruisemaster DO35 drop-on coupling, how do you make it secure when you have uncoupled your caravan? On my existing hitch I can put a bolt and padlock through it to stop people from stealing my van. Michael Trigg, via email A There are a number of options here. Cruisemaster makes a lock for its DO35 which works by inserting a dummy pin into the DO35 and locking the other end. There are other manufacturers’ locking systems available as well. Just Google DO35 anti-theft and check them out. In addition to locking the hitch there are other devices available too, like wheel clamps, trailer alarms and, for the sophisticated, GPS trackers. Or you could try something simple like a high tensile chain through…

Each year the convoy of caravans that stretches around our coastline and into this country’s vast interior gets longer. As more Aussies discover the delights of caravanning, the mobile homes we travel with are tending to become bigger and better. These larger, more comfortable and sophisticated vans require powerful and structurally sound tow rigs to safely handle payloads of up to 3.5 tonnes. For many the task of choosing a suitable tow vehicle is as great a challenge as choosing the van itself. Holden has a deep relationship with caravanning in Australia that goes right back to the original locally-built 48-215 (FX). Just as caravans have changed incredibly and for the better, so too have the rigs we tow them with, and these days Holden customers have several quality options…

If you’re anything like most of the population, Christmas day can be fun, but also very stressful. Maxing out credit cards to tick off Santa’s Christmas present wish list for the kids and overstretching the dollars on an extravagant lunch or dinner is a surefire way to blow the budget. So planning to hit the road over the festive season is a great way to downsize on the presents and keep the big day as simple as possible. Here are some simple tricks to making your holiday a stress-free zone. GET APP SAVVY Do you opt for first in, first served free camping? Or a destination that has family-friendly facilities by the beach? Pet-friendly accommodation that’s not overcrowded? Or are you after space away from the rat race, that’s kid…

With a name like Phoenix, you just know that there’s going to be a reference somewhere in this review to 'rising from the ashes'. Well, not wanting to disappoint, I can assure you there will be. The Phoenix is no stranger to the pages of Caravan World, having taken out the top gong in Best Aussie Vans in 2018. But rather than resting on their laurels, the team from Sunland have been hard at work, listening to customer feedback and also drawing from their own real-world experiences to come up with a new interior fit-out on this latest iteration of the Phoenix. “While many other offroad van manufacturers choose to run larger diameter, aggressive tyres, Sunland has gone against the grain and chosen 245/75R16 all terrains” Meeting up with owner…

I’m sitting in the middle of a dusty creek bed at noon, digging and sifting, weary and waiting to slam my pick into something big and crystalline. With a reputation as one of the best places in the country to unearth gem-quality topaz (and aquamarine, citrine and smoky quartz too), O’Brien’s Creek, a few hundred kilometres inland from Cairns in Queensland, is a popular spot with a wellfossicked past. Campground manager Simon Harrison jokes that he used to have to hide behind a tree to stop the topaz from jumping out at him, but after hours spent scratching around in the sand with no results, it’s obvious that I’ve got a lot to learn. Finally, beginner’s luck strikes and there’s something shiny sitting in my pan with that telltale crystal…

Drive: O’Brien’s Creek Fossicking Reserve is located 285km west of Cairns. From Mount Surprise, take the signposted turn north and continue for a further 35km. Agate Creek Fossicking Area is located 70km south of Forsayth via gravel roads that are suitable for caravans during the dry (wintertime) months. Stay: O’Brien’s Creek Unpowered campsites at O’Brien’s Creek Campground cost $10/adult, $5/child (4-16 years) and $30/family. For week-long stays you get the seventh night free and there are discounts for long-term fossickers too. The camp provides free use of its fossicking gear and arranges on-the-spot fossicking licences. Camps come with firepits and access to hot showers, toilets and drinking water (pets welcome). You can find them on Facebook or phone Simon Harrison on (07) 4062 3001. Stay: Agate Creek…

Back in issue 592 we introduced our new touring rig, the Lifestyle Reconn R2, kitted to suit the style of touring we like to do. Well, you will be pleased to know we took it out for its maiden voyage in early October to one of our fave destinations, the Flinders Ranges. Even better, our trip had been pre-organised as part of Octoberfest 2019. Octoberfest is a jointly-run event by the Mount Lofty Rangers and Whyalla 4WD Clubs over the October long weekend each year. Members of four-wheel drive clubs in South Australia and beyond are invited to participate, rub shoulders with other enthusiasts, discover some new tracks and camp in a bush environment. Pre-organised trips of varying difficulty showcase the best of the region, from challenging four-wheel-drive treks to…

Like last years’ event in Echuca Moama, we kept Best Aussie Vans 2019 (BAV) simple. We found refuge in one region for a week complete with eight vans, five judges, strict criteria and a crack team of photographers, writers and videographers. But for BAV 2019, we had two significant changes, in a new title sponsor and a revised scoring criteria. Boating Lifestyle Adventure (BLA) is well known in the marine industry as the go-to supplier for manufacturing and finishing components like fibreglass for boat building and windows for, well, seeing through. With a product catalogue that requires two hands to lift, there is something for every boatie, which presents an opportunity in the RV sector as many products cross over. BAV was their launch into RV with BLA RV. Not…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Length 4887mm Width (excluding mirrors) 1902mm Height 1840mm Wheelbase 2845mm Ground clearance (unladen) 213mm Kerb mass 2194kg Gross Vehicle Mass 2820kg Gross Combined Mass 5700kg Towing capacity unbraked/braked750kg/3000kg Towball (max) 300kg DRIVETRAIN Engine 2.8L intercooled turbodiesel four-cylinder, DOHC Transmission Six-speed automatic Power 147kW at 3600rpm Torque 500Nm at 2000rpm Gear ratios 1st 4.06, 2nd 2.37, 3rd 1.55, 4th 1.16, 5th 0.85, 6th 0.67 Reverse 3.2 Final drive 3.42 High/low 1.000/2.62 GENERAL Fuel capacity 76L Suspension Independent, double wishbones, coil springs (fr); five link live axle, coil springs (rr) Brakes 300mm discs (fr); 318mm discs (rr) Wheels 17in alloy Warranty Five years unlimited km/ seven years' free servicing* Roof load 100kg RRP $46,990 (plus dealer and ORCs) PRICE AS TESTED $48,840 (plus dealer and ORCs) ACCESSORIES FITTED Tow…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 5.95m (22ft 11in) External body length 5.6m (18ft 6in) External body width 2.35m (7ft 9in) Travel height 2.87m (9ft 5in) Interior height (roof raised) 2m (6ft 7in) Tare 2558kg ATM 3200kg Payload 600kg Ball weight 239kg EXTERNAL Frame/body Marine ply 18mm Cladding Probond Chassis Supagal Suspension Leaf springs Coupling AL-KO Brakes Drum Wheels 245x16in Water 2 x 95L Battery 2 x 105A Solar 2 x 160W Air-conditioner Gree with Wi-fi Gas 2 x 4kg Sway Control AL-KO ESC Kitchen Slide-out barbecue INTERNAL Cooking Four burner Thetford (3 x gas, 1 x electric) Fridge Thetford N614E184L Microwave NCE Bathroom Thetford C223CS toilet and fibreglass showers Washing machine NCE 3kg top-loader Hot water Suburban OPTIONS FITTED No extra options fitted PRICE AS SHOWN $102,184 on road, Vic…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 9.03m (29ft 7in) External body length 7.2m (23ft 7in) External body width 2.5m (8ft 2in) Travel height 3.05m (10ft) Interior height 2.03m (6ft 8in) Tare 2860kg ATM 3460kg Payload 600kg Ball weight 254kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti timber Cladding Probond exterior (composite panelling) Chassis Walkinshaw Engineered Chassis inclusive of 6in rolled A-frame (hot-dip galvanised) Suspension Cruisemaster XT Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes 12in drum electrically activated Wheels 265/75 R16 Federal Couragia A/T Tyres (x5) Water 2 x 110L (fresh), 110L (grey) Battery 1 x 100A lithium battery and BP35HA charging system Solar 1 x 150W Air-conditioner Yes Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control BMPRO Sway Control INTERNAL Cooking Gas cooktop (mini grill) Fridge Thetford N3175 171L three-way AES Microwave NCE NCE23LFB Flatbed Bathroom Toilet and shower (plus…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.5m (27ft 10in) External body length 6.7m (22ft) External body width 2.4m (7ft 10in) Travel height 3.05m (10ft) Interior height 1.99m (6ft 6in) Tare 2349kg ATM 2949kg Payload 600kg Ball weight 141kg EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium Cladding Fibreglass Chassis DuraGal Suspension AL-KO torsion Coupling AL-KO 3.5-tonne ball Brakes 12in electric Wheels 235/75/R15 Water 2 x 95L (fresh) Battery 1 x 100Ah Solar 1 x 120W Air-conditioner Houghton Belaire Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control Dexter is optional (not on review van) INTERNAL Cooking Recessed Thetford MK111 mini grill Fridge N3185 Thetford 185L Microwave NCE 20L Bathroom Thetford toilet and fibreglass shower Washing machine 2.5kg top-loader Hot water Suburban gas/electric OPTIONS FITTED No extra options fitted PRICE AS SHOWN $57,990 on road, Victoria MORE INFORMATION For more…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 7.9m (25ft 11in) External body length 6.1m (20ft) External body width 2.45m (8ft) Travel height 2.95m (9ft 8in) Interior height 1.98m (6ft 6in) Tare 2220kg ATM 2720kg Payload 400kg (optional upgrade) Ball weight 170kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti timber internal wall frame Cladding Aluminium composite Chassis Galvanised box frame Suspension Leaf spring Coupling 50mm AL-KO hitch Brakes 10in drum Wheels 205/75/R15 light truck alloys Water 2 x 95L (fresh) Battery 100Ah AGM Solar 160W Air-conditioner Ibis 4 Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control Optional INTERNAL Cooking Recessed Thetford mini grill — gas and electric Fridge 190L Dometic RMDX21 Microwave NCE Stainless 23L Bathroom Dometic porcelain bowl toilet and shower (optional external shower) Washing machine NCE 3.2kg top-loader Hot water Swift 28L OPTIONS FITTED No options fitted…

What makes a good offroad caravan? That might sound like an easy question but in reality it is not. For a start, there is a bit more involved than just taking a road touring van and putting a beefed-up suspension and a set of offroad tyres on it. It’s more complicated than that and the clue in part comes from the southeastern area of Queensland, where a number of caravan manufacturers are located. Just about all of them are users and if you take the team at Kedron Caravans for example, part of the design experience comes from bush travels by the Gall family when making the Gall Boys videos and doing a few trips in conjunction with Toyota Australia. “Everything from the chassis to the kitchen fitout suggests a…

VALUE FOR MONEY “A very relative term but the van is well appointed and definitely a niche product” TOWABILITY “Van tows well but does require a heavy duty tow vehicle” LIVEABILITY “Everything is where it should be with few compromises on space” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Most definitely for offroad use, given the fitout and fittings” LAYOUT “A little different to the usual front bed/rear bathroom arrangement and one that works well” QUALITY OF FINISH “Everything fitted is to a high standard” BUILD QUALITY “I couldn’t find too much that wasn’t fitted correctly or where it should be” CREATURE COMFORTS “Well, this van had just about everything for comfortable offroad travel in style” INNOVATION “Nothing too radical but the Kedron policy of continual improvement was evident” X-FACTOR “I’ve seen Kedron…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.3m (27ft 3in) External body length 6.24m (20ft 6in) Width 2.48m (8ft 4in) Travel height 3.03m (9ft 11in) Internal height 1.9m (6ft 4in) Tare 2502kg ATM 3500kg Payload 998kg Ball weight 194kg EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium welded frame Cladding Resin core fibreglass Chassis Aluminium and hot-dipped galvanised steel Suspension Cruisemaster XT (coils) fully independent suspension system with twin shocks on each wheel Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 offroad hitch Brakes AL-KO 12in drum brakes Wheels 245/75R16 All Terrains on 16in black alloy rims with 1 x spare Fresh water 190L and 60L Grey water 130L Battery 100Ah lithium Solar 180W panel Air-conditioner 3.5kW Aussie Traveller A/C system Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control DSC INTERNAL Kitchen Laminate benchtops, glass splashback and gloss white stylelite door and drawer fronts…

Agate is a translucent cryptocrystalline type of quartz that is often cut into thin ‘slices’ to reveal bright bands of colour that look electrifying in the sunlight. A large deposit was discovered in northern Queensland’s Agate Creek in 1900, now a public fossicking site. Discoveries here might include solid agate of many colours, or agates with party hollow interiors filled with stunning amethyst, calcite or aragonite crystals. Every find is unique but the agate from Agate Creek is predominantly red in colour thanks to its high iron content. You might also discover amethyst, citrine and quartz too.…