Innehållsförteckning för Issue 622 från Caravan World

To paraphrase the words of Lloyd Bridges in Flying High, it looks like we picked the wrong week to hit the road. The price of diesel hit a new high when we filled up in Merimbula and although the cost seems to be easing as we wander around the south-east of South Australia, it’s still higher than you would hope. Of course, these are small first world worries in comparison to the European catastrophe that still rages on. How lucky we are in Australia, ongoing floods aside of course. And what a great country to explore in a caravan. The weather is on our side with sunny days and a tailwind that is keeping the fuel burn down. It’s always a surprise to me how much conditions affect fuel economy…

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, Jayco is returning to caravan and camping shows. It’s first appearance will be at the Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow, set to take place 6-10 April. As part of the line-up on display, Jayco will debut its new camper trailer alongside range favourites such as Journey, All-Terrain, Starcraft and CrossTrak. “We’re thrilled to announce our return to shows in 2022. With domestic travel and caravanning booming in Australia, we're more excited than ever before to be back showcasing our fantastic Jayco range,” said Scott Jones, Jayco National Sales Manager. “With domestic travel still on the incline, there are so many newcomers to the RV market and these shows provide a great opportunity to get a hands-on look at our range, as well…

VENTILATION INSULATION Dear John, I own a caravan with a Four Seasons Hatch positioned centrally over the queen island bed like so many other caravans. However, as I lay in bed it occurred to me that although this hatch provided varied ventilation when required, it was also a large source of heat loss in cold weather and also heat gain in hot weather because it provided no insulation whatsoever. Therefore, I designed an insulated clip-on ceiling panel (same colour as ceiling) almost flush with the Insulated caravan ceiling to provide a clean aesthetic view over the large recessed uninsulated area of the Four Seasons hatch. I now have the option of clipping this insulated panel to the ceiling when required. I thought this idea may be of interest to other…

Making the most of relaxed restrictions and open borders, readers Graham and Carole Franks headed north into Queensland’s artistic outback. “Enjoying our COVID freedom doing the Sculpture Trail near Aramac/Lake Dunn area in outback Queensland. This is our second time through here and couldn’t wait to get back the sculptures are amazing artwork and love Lake Dunn. We travel with our 2013 Toyota 79 series Trayback Ute and our 2011 Trakmaster Nullarbor a brilliant outback travelling combination.”  Ray Blick’s photo shows that you don’t always need a caravan to get away from it all and enjoy some time by the water. “This time no caravan so we decided to free camp on the beach north of Geraldton setting crayfish pots and feasting on the bounties from the ocean. We spent…

When exploring roads less travelled through Victoria’s Wimmera and Mallee, you’re guaranteed three things — more or less empty backroads, interesting towns and villages, and all sorts of hidden treasures to discover, including, in this semi-arid region, at least thirteen lakes. The Wimmera and Mallee regions occupy an enormous chunk of Victoria. Extending from the Grampians to Rainbow, and from the South Australian border in the west to Navarre in the east, the Wimmera covers an area of approximately 30,000sqkm. The Mallee, which occupies around 41,000sqkm, covers the most northwesterly corner of Victoria, bounded by the South Australian and New South Wales borders. Both the Wimmera and Mallee are more or less completely flat, meaning driving is easy. More than 60 per cent of land is under agricultural production in…

SOLAR RANGES According to REDARC, COVID-19 has inspired many Australians to explore their own backyards rather than travel internationally. REDARC has been supplying Australians with energy solutions for decades and is well versed in national camping trends. Tim Chivers, REDARC RV Business Development Manager, says solar products are becoming increasingly popular. “Solar power allows adventurers to stay off-grid, with power, indefinitely. The new REDARC solar blankets are the ultimate portable solar option. The blankets are up to 25% lighter than our previous range and up to 40% lighter than our folding and fixed solar panels, making them quick to set up and pack down, meaning it’s easy to move around to chase the sunshine,” he says. THE CHANGING NEEDS OF MODERN TRAVELLERS The rise of solar powered products and the…

I first used a weight distribution hitch when I borrowed my father-in-law’s caravan 30 years ago. To be completely honest, I didn’t have a clue what it did, and I found it a little bit scary because of the obvious spring tension imparted when you ‘crank up’ the system. I suspect I am not the only one to have this perception of these often misunderstood devices. Fortunately, I have a fair bit more caravanning under my belt now and the luxury of drawing on the knowledge of some genuine industry experts on the subject. Rather than describe how to use one, here we have a crack at explaining what happens to help you decide if a weight distribution hitch is right for you. It gets a bit technical so this…

Western Australia’s Kalbarri may have been in the making for over 400 million years, but only recently did it receive a wild makeover. In early 2021, the coastal town of 1350 was severely affected by tropical cyclone Seroja. Kalbarri and neighbouring town Northampton were caught up in the cyclone’s path of destruction across the state’s mid-west region. Seventy per cent of buildings were either damaged or devasted in each town. But yesterday’s gloom does not mean Kalbarri is doomed. Slowly but surely, Kalbarri is rising from ruin. Located 570km north of Perth, the popular resort town remains one of the state’s top family-friendly destinations. And although it may currently lack places to wine and dine as a result of cyclone damage, the town’s true zest is found outdoors, with a…

CHEESY BLT BREKKY SCONES TOTAL TIME: 45 mins SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • 2 cups self-raising flour • ½ tsp salt • 1 tsp sugar • 1 tbsp butter • ½ cup milk • ¼ cup water • 1 egg • Shredded lettuce • 4 cheese slices • 4 eggs, fried • 250g middle bacon, fried • 2 tomatoes, sliced • Salt and pepper • Mayonnaise and tomato sauce, optional METHOD Get the campfire ready with some hot coals. Sift flour and salt into a bowl, add sugar, and mix. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix milk, water, and egg in a separate bowl. Add most of the liquid to the breadcrumb mix and form a soft dough, adding more liquid if needed. Put on a floured…

Most caravans are fitted with pull out awnings which have a number of moving parts requiring maintenance from time to time. The key to smooth operation is to keep the awning arms aligned and lightly lubricated. Silicone is the lubricant of choice as it doesn’t tend to attract dirt. Many of the moving parts have latches and other retainers to keep everything in place. Sometimes these retainers can become loose and fall off or they may break. Keeping an eye on these parts can prevent you having any dramas out on the road. Andrew Phillips from the RV Repair Centre shows us some of the things to look out for. The awning we look at here is a Carefree one, but there are a number of other brands that are…

BMPRO has released a new addition to its range of RV smart technologies — ProSmart Starter. Designed to promote accessibility, ProSmart Starter will allow newer RV users to get comfortable with using a RV smart system before adding devices later. This means they can monitor their essential functions and appliances at their own pace. ProSmart Starter includes the SmartLink node, one 12V cable, and the provision for connecting four water tank sensors. The system can also be paired with 40 SmartConnect Bluetooth sensors, allowing for the monitoring of temperatures using SmartTemp, tyre pressure using SmartPressure and readings of gas bottle levels using SmartSense — all viewable from the ProSmart mobile app. To install the ProSmart Starter system, simply place the SmartLink close to the power source (12V battery), mount it…

Tamworth Court House recently saw the conclusion of a court case that offers a reminder about the dangers of overloading a caravan, and only using if for its intended purpose. Following the conclusion of an almost three-week trial, the jury took under an hour to find Stephen George Russell guilty of dangerous driving by towing a grossly overloaded caravan when a crash killed his wife and stepson in 2019. The prosecutors argued Russell had essentially used the caravan as a trailer while the family were relocating from Tamworth to the coast. At the time of the crash, the caravan was more than 800kg over its maximum weight, with possessions like a freezer, barbecue, linen, and photo albums found at the scene. According to the trial, about 40km past Walcha, Russell…

Following a two year hiatus, the non-for-profit Grampians Grape Escape festival will be held 29 April–1 May in the foothills of Mount William on the edge of the Grampians National Park. The festival is set to offer world-class wines, gourmet food, and live music, with over 100 exhibitors to appear over the three days. Kicking off with the first ever Feel-Good Friday, Saturday and Sunday will feature cooking demonstrations from chefs Geoff Jansz and Emmylou MacCarthy, culinary masterclasses and demonstrations from expert exhibitors, and a range of food stalls to tickle the tastebuds. For more information and tickets, head to grampiansgrapeescape.com.au.…

Hi, I read with interest Ron Moon’s article in issue 619 regarding sand driving. From experience over the years, I fully agree with the comments, but a question arises that I didn’t see covered. I agree Light Truck (LT) tyres with All Terrain (AT) tread is the go, maybe Mud Terrain (MT) for mud and Highway Terrain (HT) for the black stuff for a car, but what is best tread for the van? It isn’t required to drive nor steer, as it’s just being dragged. Are the aggressive tyres that seem to be the current trend the go or should LT with HT tread with more rubber on the road and less flex within the tread be better? I agree this would change if the tyres matched but very few…

Back in time, in a galaxy far, far away, when Holden Kingswoods, Ford Falcons, and Valiant Regals roamed the earth and were used as regular tow vehicles in Australia, towing specifications looked a little different to what they do today. In some cases, they were specified by the caravan manufacturers and usually only mentioned one thing — engine horsepower, and preferably V8 horsepower at that. Weights didn’t often get a mention and were you able to travel back in time and mention things like GVM, TBM, GCM and ATM, you’d received some very puzzled looks. “Gross Combined Mass is specified by the tow vehicle manufacturer and is the maximum allowable mass of the tow vehicle and the caravan” About a decade ago, one of those, Gross Combined Mass (GCM), only…

• Edenhope Lakeside Caravan Park, on the banks of Lake Wallace, has powered sites from $33 per night. Gas barbies, camp kitchen, recreation room, laundry, stroll to main street, visit edenhopelakeside.com.au. • Lake Charlegrark Caravan Park and Cottages has powered sites for $30 per night for two people, visit lakecharlegrark.com.au. • At Lake Lascelles, Hopetoun, there are powered camping sites on the lake from $20 per night, which include hot showers, camp kitchen and flushing loos, contact Mallee Bush Retreat, phone 0439 529 973. Mallee Bush Retreat also has unique farm-style accommodation on the lake, such as little silos, shearers’ hut, and stone buildings. • Travelling without the van? Nhill’s Rintoule’s Union Hotel has renovated upstairs rooms, most with ensuites, for $100 per double per night, Honeymoon (or second honeymoon)…

The Great Green Way is the 345km stretch of the Bruce Highway (A1) that connects Townsville and Cairns. It is aptly named for passing through Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, a region of breath-taking tropical beauty with the closest mainland access to the Great Barrier Reef. The scenic drive can be completed in five hours non-stop but it’s better to take a few days (or weeks) to experience bushwalking in rainforested mountains, white-water rafting on untamed rivers, strolling along palm-fringed beaches, snorkelling on coral reefs, and the friendly, relaxed lifestyle of North Queensland sugar towns. Don’t rush it, just sit back and enjoy this amazing journey. THE WET TROPICS OF QUEENSLAND The ‘Wet Tropics’ embraces almost 9000sqkm of North Queensland’s coastal ranges. As its name suggests, the region receives…

Cataract Gorge rocks — it’s ancient (about 200 million years old), it’s mighty (with tall, tubular dolerite boulders dominating the landscape), and it’s wild in parts, especially standing on the footbridge watching the flooding South Esk River gouge a path through the bedrock. But it’s also tranquil in other areas, like the basin where Aboriginal people have been gathering for thousands of years and where tourists now come to enjoy the serenity. It’s also super accessible. With all this geological magnificence around me, you’d think I was in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been over, around, and even through a lot of gorges and gaps, canyons and chasms all over Australia, and I never tire of exploring them. But most require an effort to get to there, usually in the…

Australia wasn’t always as it is today. A short 65 million years ago, this continent was attached to Antarctica and located 7200km south of where it sits now, before tectonic forces triggered our continental drift to the north. In a world that was generally warmer than today, temperatures in the south of our embryonic land mass were generally much cooler, with what would become Victoria pretty similar climatically to northern Alaska today. Sea levels globally were as much as 168m higher than present and as a consequence there was a vast arm of the sea stretching down from what is now the Gulf of Carpentaria into the centre of the continent. This inland sea was home to a range of marine reptiles, the skies were populated by leathery winged creatures,…

Ulladulla in New South Wales is not a usual contender on most people’s top holiday destinations list. It is mostly overlooked for the swankier internationally renowned surf-centred neighbour Mollymook or the nearby quaint little town of Milton. Maybe you’ve driven through Ulladulla’s unimpressive looking main shopping strip and thought, “Ugh, keep driving!” But Ulladulla should be everyone’s go-to base to stay while exploring the under-hyped Shoalhaven area and its 100+ beaches. Behind first impressions is a small town with a big sense of community on the verge of change. The sea changers are here, bringing with them some innovative eating establishments. But they are not yet here in droves, and the spectacular coastline, award-winning hospitality venues and varied bushwalks are toppled only by the fact that there’s only one set…

After a two-year gap on food and wine events, everyone is keen to make this year’s various festivals bigger and better than ever. If that’s not reason enough, though, here are a couple more to make a festival visit in the coming months. Walking through the buzzing crowd of a large hall, there’s everything that your mind can imagine — cheeses, cold meats, pastries, sweets, and other local produce. Of course, there’s wine, lots of it and all available to taste and buy to enjoy at home. I’m in Adelaide Hills, a region well-known for some of the best quality food and wine in the country — no wonder I’ve been enjoying myself! I turn the corner, and now I am in the Yarra Valley, then Hunter, followed by Great…

Titanium Caravans recently hosted the Titanium Caravan Owners Rally in Mt Buffalo Caravan Park in Porepunkah in the Victorian High Country. Open to existing owners, those with a van on order, and those thinking about buying, the rally saw over 85 sites booked. The weekend long event saw attendees heading off to explore the surrounding area, with cycling, mountain biking, and swimming in the Buckland River proving popular. Live music was enjoyed on the Saturday afternoon and evening, alongside woodfire pizza van as the ‘official’ part of the rally got underway. An open mic provided the chance for owners to entertain the crowd. Organised with help from Titanium Caravans Ambassadors Miriam and Chris, from Aussie Destinations Unknown, the rally proved to be a bigger success than anticipated. “Nicole and I…

Over 10 days in May, the outback towns of Longreach, Winton, Barcaldine, Blackall, Tambo and Windorah will be the stage of the 2022 Festival of Outback Opera. Featuring two open-sky concerts, four performances of The Sopranos (a newly commissioned work by poet and writer Sarah Holland-Batt), community singalongs and a program of events and activities, the festival will be held 18-27 May. Acclaimed soprano Greta Bradman and tenor Kanen Breen will headline the festival, while conductor Dane Lam will be Music Director. Opera Queensland received $500,000 from the Queensland Government to develop and tour The Sopranos as part of the event. “The Festival was created to deliver exceptional performances in remote regional centres, celebrating the communities that live there and deepening the relationship between art and place and people,” said…

With a B.E.S.T. (Bacteria Elimination Silver Treatment) water filter, you can ensure you have clean, safe water – wherever the road may take you. The filter means you can safely draw water from town, tank, creek or bore water sources to fill your caravan’s tanks, while the chemicals and sediment will be removed and the bacteria destroyed. The filter is multi-directional, can be used after long periods of non-use and involves a simple, DIY installation. How to win If you’re stumped by a technical or towing problem, send your question to submissions@emprisegroup.com.au with ‘Tech Talk’ in the subject line or send a letter to Caravan World Tech Talk, 3 Wyman Place, Braeside, Vic 3195. All entries must include your full address (not for publication).…

FOR RANGER XL • 4X4 Dual Cab, 3.2L turbodiesel, Auto • Maximum tow rating — 3500kg • Kerb Mass — 2135kg • Gross Vehicle Mass — 3200kg • Gross Combined Mass — 6000kg • Doing the maths (GCM minus tow vehicle rating minus Kerb mass) gives a vehicle payload of 365kg FORD WILDTRACK X • 4X4 Dual Cab, 3.2L turbodiesel, Auto • Maximum tow rating — 3500kg • Kerb Mass — 2278kg • Gross Vehicle Mass — 3200kg • Gross Combined Mass — 6000kg • Doing the maths gives a vehicle payload of 222kg MAZDA BT50 XTR • 4x4 Double Cab, 3L turbodiesel, Auto • Maximum tow rating — 3500kg • Kerb Mass — 2030kg • Gross Vehicle Mass — 3100kg • Gross Combined Mass — 6000kg • Doing the…

Jason Grech has been in the caravan building game since he was a kid, helping his father back in the days of lightweight timber-framed tourers. He moved the business to offroad vans in 2014 and changed the build process to Henrob rivet-fastened aluminium frames. But the last two years have been the toughest he has seen. “Price rises are coming through weekly, so it’s hard to sell a van at the quoted price and stay in business. Shipping alone has gone up 500 per cent for some parts. Unfortunately, the whole caravan industry is being hit hard and is having to pass on price rises to customers to keep our businesses viable for the future. Most people understand that their van has gone up in value though, so they generally…

“Then it’s through reclaimed Heritage Forest, along levees around Riverbend Park, past the Peppers Silo Hotel and marina” GETTING THERE The Spirit of Tasmania ferry from Melbourne (note: this will change to Geelong in spring 2022) arrives in Devonport, 100km north of Launceston. The drive will take you along the western side of the Tamar River so you could tick off some of the wineries on the way down. Devonport is worth exploring, especially the Bluff Beach area, Bass Strait Maritime Museum and Tasmanian Arboretum at nearby Eugenana. Dine at Mrs Jones Restaurant and Bar Lounge (you’ll need to book). If you want to leave the van home, take advantage of new direct flights to Launceston from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. WHERE TO STAY Launceston…

What are the benefits of having an Enerdrive power system that is completely composed of Enerdrive accessories and parts? Complete power systems are the true Enerdrive difference. Whilst alternative systems usually comprise of individual products from various brands, at Enerdrive we can cater for the entire pipeline of energy requirements. In the case of a power fault, having a multitude of differently branded products often causes confusion and frustration when attempting to identify the root of the issue. Alternatively, adopting a complete Enerdrive power system grants you peace of mind knowing that any tech issues will only ever require one call to our experienced senior technicians, all of whom have a wealth of fault-finding experience at their disposal. Building a power system comprised entirely of Enerdrive products is also a…

Designer runners may be the choice for stepping out at the local coffee bar, but they aren’t that practical in the bush. A sensible alternative is a pair of quality leather boots and the elastic sides style is quick to fit, and very supportive and comfortable for everyday wear on the road. Award-winning icon and fit-for-purpose footwear brand, Blundstone, has released the new 600 Series unisex work boot collection, answering the needs of its loyal customers by refreshing a much-loved classic, suitable for all sorts of outdoor activities. I have been road testing a pair of the new 600 series and I agree that the level of comfort from the new materials is improved over my 20 year old pair that have seen regular misuse. Blundstone is a Tasmanian company,…

The caravanning lifestyle is supposed to be all about peace and quiet, and there’s something special about relaxing outside on a warm day. Sitting under an awning as the pages of a good book slip by can be as good as it gets, but the annoying slap of vinyl overhead when the wind picks up can soon get pretty annoying. Many old hands at caravanning will have solved the noise problem in a variety of novel ways, but newcomers might be interested in a quick and easy solution. The Camco De-Flappers do just what the name says and they are easy to use. Importantly, too, the compact size takes up little space when stored. Our latest van didn’t come with any awning stays so I bought a set for our…