Innehållsförteckning för Issue 598 från Caravan World

Q Hi Dave, I have recently bought a new van with a BMPRO charging system. My question relates to keeping 12V DC power to the fridge while driving. I understand 12V is supplied by the tow vehicle while it’s running. When stopping for a break or refuelling does it continue to draw from the car (auxiliary) battery or does the power management unit in the van switch to the van batteries, and if so will the solar panels on the van roof kick in to assist in preventing a rapid voltage drop? At the moment my van fridge flashes a warning light soon after the car is turned off which indicates to me the van batteries are not being utilised. The fridge is a 3-way Dometic that requires manual…

There are many weight related terms used in the Recreational Vehicle (RV) world. Some are specified by manufacturers — either tow vehicle, caravan or motorhome — and some are actual weights. Because there are so many specifications, it’s no wonder buyers and owners are confused. Much rides on understanding and getting RV weight right, because it affects safety and keeps you inside the law when travelling. AGGREGATE TRAILER MASS (ATM) A rating figure, this refers to the maximum legal total loaded mass of a trailer, be it box, caravan or fifth wheeler, and is specified by the trailer, chassis or caravan manufacturer (note that it includes the Tow Ball Mass, or TBM). In short it is the weight of the van on a weighbridge, resting on the wheels and jockey…

VALUE FOR MONEY “This is a large well-constructed van with sturdy chassis and some smart thinking. $77,990 seems great value.” TOWABILITY “For a big van it towed remarkably well and was balanced perfectly, with no lurching or banging. 3500kg ATM is at the upper limit of some utes, so care needs to be taken when loading with extra equipment in the tow vehicle.” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “It has the suspension and engineering to get into some rough places. Loads of room for toys and plenty of sleeping space for a big crew.” BUILD QUALITY “New Age engineering shows in the chassis, fittings are neatly installed, and equipment is high level. Some may frown at the Meranti frame, but it seems well sealed and shouldn't be a problem with regular…

VALUE FOR MONEY "For a family this is a nicely priced van" TOWABILITY "Van tows quite well and doesn’t require a heavy-duty tow vehicle" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "That being a family on a budget, it scores quite well" BUILD QUALITY "Generally speaking the fit and finish was relatively good. Everything seemed to work as it should." LIVEABILITY "Fairly open plan van, so easy for family use" SELF SUFFICIENCY "Water tank and battery capacity means a limited remote travel capacity" CUSTOMER CARE "12-month factory cover, up to 3 years on some appliances" INNOVATION X-FACTOR "Triple bunk layout is certainly the feature". "Pretty much a standard Aussie van build, so nothing terribly innovative"…

Paradise had some trouble a few years back. In 2017 the doors were shut and the gates locked as creditors chased unpaid bills. It was a tough period with the family owned business seeing great success in the prior 15 years of operation. However, within 60 days of the closure, the gates reopened and production restarted under the guidance of Shannon Burford and a group of investors. Since reopening, Burford has streamlined and consolidated production to seven ranges and around 50 full-body motorhomes plus a sprinkling of converted vans and custom builds per year. This might be down a bit on the pre-administration volume which peaked at about 70 units but with controlled costs the company is better positioned for growth, Burford tells us. With the main office and sales…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Length 5.82m (19ft 1in) Width (excl. mirrors) 2.02m (6ft 8in) Height 1.92m (6ft 4in) Wheelbase 3.57m (11ft 8in) Ground clearance (unladen) 0.23m Kerb mass 2715kg Gross Vehicle Mass 3450kg Gross Combined Mass 6692kg Towing capacity unbraked/braked 750kg/3500kg Towball (max) 350kg DRIVETRAIN Engine 3.0L turbocharged diesel V6, DOHC, 24-valve Transmission Eight-speed automatic Power 179kW at 3600rpm Torque 569Nm at 2000rpm Gear ratios 1st 4.71, 2nd 3.14, 3rd 2.10, 4th 1.67, 5th 1.29, 6th 1.00, 7th 0.84, 8th 0.67 Reverse 3.30 Final drive 3.92 High/low 1.000/2.64 GENERAL Fuel capacity 98L Suspension Independent, upper and lower A arms, coil springs, stabiliser bar (fr); five link live axle with track bar, coil springs, stabiliser bar (rr) Brakes 336mm discs (fr); 352mm discs (rr) Wheels 20in alloy Warranty 3 years/100,000km (whichever occurs…

GRANITE GORGE Just over an hour inland from Cairns are the dry Savannah landscapes of Granite Gorge, a playground of huge boulders where you can hand-feed rock wallabies and swim in the shaded Granite Creek. Day admission to the gorge is $13 per adult. A bag of wallaby food costs $1. Where to stay: Granite Gorge Caravan Park has a range of camping and cabin options in a shaded bush setting. Facilities are modern and pets are allowed (on lead) in the camping area. granitegorge.com.au ETTY BAY Wild cassowaries roam freely at Etty Bay providing almost guaranteed close encounters with Australia’s heaviest bird. Slow down when driving in cassowary territory. Never feed them and ensure food scraps are secured in closed bins. Mobile reception here is limited. Where to stay:…

VALUE FOR MONEY "It might be a small package, but it’s packed with features" TOWABILITY "I reckon it’s an easy towing van without any surprises on the road. Great for outback travel" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "With an external length of 4.40m (14ft 6in) and fully equipped for remote travel, it scores quite well" BUILD QUALITY "Generally speaking, the van is quite well put together" LIVEABILITY "For the most part, the layout is generally user friendly. Some might find the east-west bed configuration a bit awkward" SELF-SUFFICIENCY " With 200Ah of battery capacity, 320W of solar capacity and good water capacity the van is well equipped for remote travel" CUSTOMER CARE "Royal Flair gives a three year structural warranty and applicable appliance warranties" INNOVATION "The slightly unconventional layout is a…

The impressive, upper reaches of Cobbold Gorge were only discovered in 1992 by current owner Simon Terry. Together with a couple of school mates, Simon Terry bush-bashed upstream from the mouth of Cobbold Creek and the trio motored their tinny into the gorge. Three years later, the first boat cruises began, and a bush campground was opened nearby. Today, Simon Terry and wife Gaye run a much-expanded tourism operation, while continuing to graze cattle on the Howlong section of lucrative Robin Hood Station.…

For those who venture outdoors in search of serenity and take joy in the isolation of remote places, there’s value in being able to escape the 24/7 connectivity that dictates modern life. In these moments of peaceful contemplation, we’re able to sift through the clatter and reflect on what’s really important; it isn’t the lack of social media that’ll have us switching on our smart-phones as we re-enter the borders of civilisation, it’s the feeling of being so distant from our loved ones. With the understanding that returning home is the goal of every adventure, I recently decided it was time I invested in a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB); a small GPS device that would allow me to send an SOS signal via satellite in the event of an emergency…

As always happens this time of year, it’s Recreational Vehicle show time. Apart from a number of regional shows, the big city shows are happening, and I have not long been to the Victorian Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow. I don’t often get to this particular event, so it was an opportunity to catch up with industry people that I don’t otherwise get to see. Rather than a show report, I thought I’d just mention a few highlights. NEW TOYOTA HIACE The venerable Toyota HiAce van seems to have been with us forever and has been used in countless campervan conversions. However, a shortcoming of the HiAce has always been the engine location — between the front seats — which made it difficult to use the cab seats as part…

Back in 2014, Colin and Sharon Tidey were enjoying Australia in a Jayco Penguin, which they had fine tuned to suit their own tastes. Now, however, they have expanded their options with a new van and a new lease on their touring lifestyle. The Tideys originally bought the Jayco when they migrated from a camper trailer, and it took them all over the country. Colin, known to his mates as “Scruffy” though he is anything but, undertook a lot of upgrades of his own which served to make it more adaptable to long trips on the road, and the pair were regulars up and down the NSW coast from their home at Denman, in the upper Hunter Valley. But like all things, the Tideys' tastes and desires changed, and a…

NORTHERN LAND COUNCIL Head Office 45 Mitchell St, Darwin E: reception@nlc.org.au P: 1800 645 299 or (08) 8920 5100 W: nlc.org.au/permits/apply-for-permit West Arnhem Office 3 Government Building, Flinders St, Jabiru P: (08) 8938 3000 WEST ARNHEM LAND REGIONAL COUNCIL 13 Tasman Crescent, Jabiru P: 1800 886 911 or (08) 8979 9444 E: info@westarnhem.nt.gov.au W: westarnhem.nt.gov.au Gunbalanya Office P: (08) 8970 3700 WILIGI OUTSTATION (REUBEN AND DAWN COOPER) PO Box 264, Jabiru, NT 0886 3 Wiligi Road, Cobourg Peninsula P: (08) 8979 0069 E: wiligi@activ8.net.au…

Viscount Caravans is something of an old and respected name in the caravan industry. Commencing operation in 1956, at one time Viscount was the largest caravan manufacturer in Australia, easily outstripping the total number of caravans produced today. However, in the mid-1980s for a number of reasons (the cost of fuel being one of them) it all came to an end. Since then there have been several rebirths of the Viscount name but more recently the Concept group of companies have taken on the naming rights and a new generation of Viscount caravans has been born. RV Connection is the Sydney based dealer for Viscount caravans and it was there that I headed when proprietor Adam Walker advised me that the new Viscount Family V3 had arrived at the dealership…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.5m (27ft 11in) External body width 2.5m (8ft 2in) Travel height Internal height Tare 5100kg GVM 7200kg Payload 2100kg Tow capacity 3500kg EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium body frame with steel slide-out Cladding One-piece fibreglass roof and walls and composite floor Chassis Steel Suspension Front coil and rear leaf springs assisted by airbags Water 270L water, 90L grey tank Battery 300A lithium Solar 450W Air-conditioner 2 x Dometic Ibis 4 inverter Gas 3 x 4.5kg INTERNAL Cooking Dometic four-burner and grill Fridge Dometic RUC8408 216L compressor Shower Separate shower/toilet Hot water Truma gas and electric Price as shown: $382,733.45 OPTIONS FITTED Long-range fuel tank (check this one), 12V sirocco fan (2), additional 70L fresh water tank, alloy cab side steps, tow bar, ball and wiring harness, alloy…

VALUE FOR MONEY "Pound for pound, it makes a compelling case against the LandCruiser 79 Double Cab" TOWABILITY "Handled this circa three tonne load without raising a sweat" HITCHING UP "Quality reversing camera and 8.4in touch screen help" CREATURE COMFORTS "Loaded with impressive comfort and convenient features" ACCESSIBILITY FOR SPARE PARTS "Dealer network is expanding but still numbers less than 50 — undoubtedly not as good as established Japanese rivals" FUEL ECONOMY "Not brilliant, but we've seen worse from V8 Nissan Patrols" SOLO PERFORMANCE "Once you get used to its dimensions, RAM is a cinch to drive, laden or unladen" ENGINE POWER "Rolling acceleration (once RAM's 2715kg heft is up and moving) is impressively strong" INNOVATION "Spacious and highly functional interior has been thoughtfuly designed with work in mind" THE…

Judging by what I see in many caravan dealer’s sales yards and at caravan shows, offroad caravans are becoming more popular. Those same vans also seem to be getting larger and higher off the ground. However, Royal Flair’s Razor XT is a step in the other direction. The manufacturer produces a wide range of vans with all kinds of layouts. They have obviously given the aforementioned size issue a bit of thought because one of the newest vans is the Razor XT, designed mostly for RV travellers who desire all the caravan basics but prefer something that is light to tow — with an external body length of just 4.4m (14ft 6in), the XT certainly achieves that. There are two layouts available — front kitchen/rear bed and the opposite. “Getting…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Body length 5.6m (18ft 6in) Overall length 8.23m (27ft) Width 2.43m (8ft in) Height 3.1m (10ft 2in) Tare 2836kg ATM 3500kg Payload 664kg (calculated) Ball weight 190kg (tare mass) EXTERNAL Frame 1.8mm interlocking aluminium with Henrob riveting and composite insulated flooring and roofing Cladding Aluminium composite 3mm Chassis 4in x 4in laminated beam deck with 4in x 2in raiser, all steel 4mm thick Suspension Off-Road Cruisemaster ATX independent suspension includes off-road racing monotube shocks with remote reservoir Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes Duramax disc brakes with AL-KO IQ7 brake controller Wheels 16in 285/75 Mud Terrains on alloys Water 3 x 85L poly roto-moulded tanks with brass fittings Grey Water 1 x 85L Battery 1 x 200Ah Enerdrive Lithium Battery Solar 3 x 170W with Tristar 75A controller Air…

In light of the devastation that has hit much of Australia, be it bushfires or floods, there has been a push to travel to affected communities, and two companies from Queensland have gotten on board. Both Sunrise Caravans, based in Burpengary, and Suncoast Caravan Service, based in Maroochydore, have organised tours throughout the south-east of Queensland. Commencing 11 March, Sunrise Caravans Director Steve Andonovski will lead over 100 Sunrise owners on a trip to Nanango, which over the years has been affected by harsh storms, bushfires and drought. For this trip Sunrise has continued its partnership with Rural Aid Australia, encouraging guests to donate to help bushfire affected regions at sunrisecaravans.family/donateruralaid. Nanango was chosen for the destination for this particular owner’s trip not only because it has been hit hard,…

Sometimes it feels as though the universe is working against you. A speed hump here, a tight bend there, and just when you think you’ve hit the main straight to put the foot down, another obstacle appears out of nowhere, slowing your progress. That’s how it feels with Anita’s health at the moment. We can’t seem to cop a break! And while the public health system isn’t broken, it’s not exactly a well-oiled machine. Recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Anita’s been on a roller coaster towards good health. But to get there, you need medication and that’s where the problem lies. Neurology, it seems, is an under resourced part of the health system. It takes up to six months to get an appointment. And far from the specialists to…

Having a van that came fully optimised has been a bit of a frustration for a fiddler like Colin, so he and Sharon have branched out into other ways to personalise their caravanning, including hand painted wine glasses from Clink Glasses in Victoria. “We found it on Facebook,” Colin explained. “We simply emailed her a picture of the van and she paints it on the glasses in enamel paint, oven baked the glasses for 24 hours and then posted them up to us.” “We get them out whenever there’s a happy hour on somewhere,” Sharon added.…

Gunbalanya is 260km east of Darwin by road, accessed via Cahills Crossing over the East Alligator River at low tide. Wiligi Outstation is a further 160km north of Gunbalanya on Mountnorris Bay. Roads to Cahills Crossing are sealed; within Arnhem Land roads are unsealed and corrugated in parts, navigable by high-clearance vehicles and vans during the dry season (April-October) but impassable during the wet season. Travellers should be well equipped with a first-aid kit and spare tyres. The last major town for fuel, supplies and accommodation is Jabiru, 60km south-west of Gunbalanya. Unpowered camping suitable for caravans and camper trailers available with basic facilities at Merl campground in Kakadu NP near Cahills Crossing — adults $15/night, children $7.50/night, families $38/night. The Border Store at Cahills Crossing provides takeaway food, meals…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.83 metres (28’ 9”) External body length 7.75 metres (25’ 4”) External body width 2.5 metres (8’ 2”) Travel height 3.05m (10’) Internal height 2.03 m (6’ 6”) Nameplate Tare 2900kg Nameplate ATM 3500kg Ball weight 290kg Payload 600kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti Timber Cladding White stucco Hi Profile Chassis Walkinshaw Engineered Chassis – Hot-dip galvanised Suspension Cruisemaster Brakes 12” electric Wheels 16” Federal Couragia A/T Water 2 x 110L Grey water 1 x 110L Battery 1 x 100Ah AGM battery (later models 2 x 100Ah lithium) Solar 1 x 150W Solar (later models 2 x 150W) Air-conditioner Reverse cycle Gree mounted on the roof Gas 2 x 4.5kg Sway control BMPRO SwayControl Slide-out kitchen Dometic External shower Extended A-frame DO35 hitch INTERNAL Cooking Mini grill…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Body length 6.7m (22ft) Overall length 8.56m (28ft) Width 2.41m (7ft 11in) Height 3.02m (9ft 11in) Tare 2300kg ATM 2800kg Payload 500kg Ball weight 169kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti timber Cladding Aluminium cladding (sidewalls), aluminium composite (front, rear & roof Chassis Preston SupaGal RHS 150mm x 50mm (6in x 2in) Suspension Al-KO™ tandem axle load sharing Coupling Ball Brakes 10in electric Wheels 15in alloy Water 1 x 95 litre, 1 x 62 litre Battery 1 x 110Ah Solar 135W Air-conditioner Gree N186 Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control No INTERNAL Internal height 2.03m (6ft 8in) Cooking Thetford Caprice 4 burner, grill & oven Fridge Thetford N 3175 171 litre three way Bathroom Dometic cassette toilet & separate shower cubicle CNC furniture Hot water Swift 28 litre LPG/elec OPTIONS…

VALUE FOR MONEY "Hard to judge as there is not a lot like it, but the build quality and components alone impress" DRIVEABILITY "Leaves the more common lightweight chassis for dead" SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING "Good off-grid capability and comfortable; a near-perfect tourer" BUILD QUALITY "Starting in design and flowing through manufacture, Paradise excel in quality" LIVEABILITY "For a couple it's near perfect, though any extras will find the dinette bed a bit small" SELF SUFFICIENCY "It has all you need" CUSTOMER CARE "An example on how to do it" INNOVATION "The slide-out build impresses" X-FACTOR "Everywhere we went people wanted to know about the Liberation, such is its presence"…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Body length 4.40m (14ft 6in) Overall length 6.88m (22ft 7in) Width (incl awn)2.36m (7ft 9in) Height 3.07m (10ft 1in) Tare 2199kg ATM 2699kg Payload 500kg Ball weight 271kg EXTERNAL Frame Timber — marine ply Cladding Pro Bond Aluminium composite Chassis 150mm/6in rails and drawbar Suspension AL-KO™ Enduro Outback Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes 12in electric Wheels 16in alloy Water 2 x 62 litre Grey water 1 x 62 litre Battery 2 x 100Ah Lithium Solar 2 x 160W Air-conditioner Dometic Gas 2 x 9kg Sway control No Slide-out kitchen Three burner cooktop and stainless steel sink INTERNAL Cooking Dometic 3 burner Fridge Thetford 152 litre, 12V compressor Bathroom Separate shower cubicle & Thetford cassette toilet Hot water Suburban 23 litre gas/elec OPTIONS FITTED None PRICE AS SHOWN $83,912…

VALUE FOR MONEY “For a true offroad caravan that retails for less than $110,000, the Titanium Southern Star ATX would be money well spent” TOWABILITY “With an ATM of 3500kg, the types of vehicles capable of towing will be restricted, however, matched with the right vehicle this caravan handles beautifully on and offroad” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “There isn’t much more needed to make this the perfect offroad touring caravan” BUILD QUALITY “The quality of the build was impressive with no obvious issues to be found” LIVEABILITY “At only 18ft 6in, there is nowhere to hide if you’re in the doghouse when travelling” SELF SUFFICIENCY “Well equipped, with ample solar and water plus a grey water tank — if it had black water storage it would rate higher” INNOVATION “The…