Table of contents for Issue 627 in Caravan World

There has been a lot of media activity around caravans over the past month. An ACCC report into the industry has received plenty of airplay and has included stories about buyers who have had a very poor caravan buying experience. The report in itself should be a wake up call to anyone in the industry who may have been flaunting the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The government is set to strengthen laws and start proceedings against retailers and builders who don’t meet their obligations. A caravan is an expensive purchase and there is a lot at stake when the van doesn’t meet expectations. While we hear stories of buyers who simply change their minds about the lifestyle and want a refund, there is plenty of evidence that things are wrong…

After years of drought, the Kinchega National Park, near Broken Hill, NSW, has been brought to life once more by recent rainfall, making it the perfect time to start planning your outback adventure - and save 20 per cent off your stay. The Menindee Lakes system is not to be missed, with the waters now replenished and teeming with amazing birdlife, not to mention the unique sight of river red gums rising from the water. The region boasts a series of great walks where you can experience the wonders this area has to offer, with or without a guided tour. The Kinchega Homestead billabong walk is particularly recommended, winding along the peaceful billabong banks before delivering you to the Baaka-Darling River. Visitors can enjoy a range of accommodation options, from…

SEND PICS TO WIN “After travelling most of the day, we arrived in Carnamah, WA, hot and tired and set up camp during a beautiful evening sunset. Great park.” “This picture was taken at Rawnsley Park Station, where we experienced our first fourwheel driving trip, all with our New Age Manta Ray in tow, putted along by our Pajero Sport.” “Van is six years old and has been great.” “I was going to take them with me, but they couldn’t be safety carried without damage to my stuff. I leaned them against the tree and wrote a message. Someone didn’t have a happy memory!” WINNER! Chris and Franc enjoyed a trip to Cape York with a stopover at the Parkes to see a famous landmark in their Olympic Pursuit Z8…

MILLARD MFLOW TESTED IN BRIEF Single axle caravan External length 5.51m (18ft lin) Tare Mass 1976Kg Front bed, rear bathroom layout Once upon a time, the Recreational Vehicle (RV) industry looked very different. Holden Kingwoods, Ford Falcons and Chrysler Valiants were considered to be adequate tow vehicles and the geographical base of caravan manufacturing, where names like Millard and Viscount reigned supreme, was not regional Melbourne but southwestern Sydney. I mention all that because Millard, albeit in very much a changed form, is still a Sydneybased manufacturer and has been for more than two decades in its current form. There are some advantages to that; your staff can’t just walk down the road to get a similar job and copying a fellow manufacturer isn’t as easy. But there some disadvantages…

MARINE STINGERS FEATURE In general terms, marine stingers are sea creatures capable of inflicting a venomous sting. This group may include stingrays, stonefish, lionfish, cone snails and jellyfish. This article focuses on jellyfish, in particular three species that pose a serious threat to bathers and boaters in Australian waters - box jellyfish, Irukandji and bluebottles. While the risk of being stung by one of them is statistically very low compared to the number of people in the water every year, the experience can be life-threatening and, at the very least, can ruin your holiday. BOX JELLYFISH Globally, the name box jellyfish is given to any of 50 species that are distinguished by their box-shaped body. In Australia, the name usually refers to the largest species found here, Chironex fleckeri. Their…

BIG LAP SAFETY FEATURE Ask any caravanner what’s on their bucket list and, more likely than not, they’ll reply that they would love to do a Big Lap of the country. Whether travelling clockwise or anticlockwise, it’s a huge undertaking that requires a good setup, a sense of adventure, and a big chunk of time. Here, we chat with two families who took a few months to travel around Australia and asked them how they planned for their adventure, their highlights and, most importantly, how they ensured theirs was a safe journey. THE POLLARD FAMILY Bec Pollard and her husband Lloyd had always planned to do a Big Lap when their children Ava and Finn were in primary school. But Lloyd’s job was stressful, and Bec says the couple needed…

URBAN TUNGSTEN X-TERRAIN TESTED IN BRIEF Offroad engineered Family layout Welded aluminium frame Our feature on Urban’s family van differs from most caravan reviews you see here or anywhere. For one thing, we are looking into three almost identical vans newlypurchased by three families. Then we get to see what it’s like as a travelling group as we cross most of the continent along the Southern Ocean. We first experienced the Urban brand in a review through Hinterland Caravans in southern Queensland a year ago. I was impressed by the build quality and comprehensive offroad and off grid inclusions. When the story went to print, my nephew, Tom, called me and asked if the vans were as good as I had reported. He put me on the spot when he…

SHARK BAY TRAVEL Spanning a vast 2.2 million hectares of wild natural beauty, Shark Bay is Australia’s largest bay, with more than 1000 kilometres of pristine beach and calm inviting waters brimming with marine life. Inscribed on the world heritage list in 1991, Shark Bay is located on the Coral Coast Highway about eight hours north of Perth and is a refuge for many globally threatened species of plants and animals. It encompasses national parks, conservation parks and marine parks with exceptional features, including the world’s largest seagrass beds and ancient stromatolites (layered sedimentary formations). For the caravan tourer there are loads of places to soak up all the unspoilt land and seascapes. With so much to offer, this is one drive that deserves at least a week to enjoy…

SAFETY ON THE ROAD FEATURE It’s any traveller’s worst nagging fear - that the caravan or motorhome which has become their own little world on wheels, is severely damaged or destroyed while on a trip. Worse still that this happens while it’s occupied by them and those nearest and dearest to them. Statistics suggest that a van or RV is up to nine times more likely than a fixed dwelling to be involved in a severe fire. There’s very little in a mobile dwelling which won’t burn, so once a fire takes hold, the result is usually catastrophic damage and total loss. The speed and inevitability of total destruction can be astounding - literally a handful of minutes from first ignition to complete loss. What’s left after a caravan or…

OUR LAP YEAR COLUMNS THREE INGREDIENT SCONES RECIPE 3½ cups of self-raising flour 1 cup thickened cream 1 cup of lemonade Instructions STEWED FRUIT CRUMBLE STEWED FRUIT RECIPE Add fruit (about five apples worth), 3 tablespoons of caster sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar and 1/3 cup of water. Bring to boil until fruit is soft. Once cooled, freeze the stewed fruit until ready to use. CRUMBLE RECIPE 1½ cup plain flour ¾ cup of brown sugar, firmly packed 200g chilled butter ¾ cup rolled oats Instructions SPINACH AND CHEESE PASTRY PINWHEELS 2 sheets of puff pastry Frozen spinach (moisture removed) or fresh spinach (I use a mixture of both) 100 grams of feta cheese ½ cup parmesan cheese, tasty or mozzarella. I used shredded mozzarella cheese which is a…

With golf aficionados and travellers alike bidding farewell to the beautiful Big Red in Birdsville and Australia’s most remote golf course, Birdsville has one last gift to give, with the Outback Queensland Masters revealing the highly-anticipated 2023 locations for its ultimate golfing road trip. A six-event schedule from 17 June-23 July 2023, the Masters has mapped out a perfect round from St George to Cunnamulla, before moving on to Quilpie, Richmond and Karumba, then completing the adventure in Mount Isa for a special celebration. Attracting golfing experts and spectators alike, the remote greens of Mount Isa will also host the famous, yet unclaimed, milliondollar hole-in-one event. With golfers coming within inches of victory in Birdsville earlier this year, anticipation is high - and what better way to help celebrate this…

The Wild Harvest Seafood Festival returns to Mallacoota this year, welcoming intrepid foodies from across Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT for a delectable three-day event from 11-13 November 2022. With the inaugural 2019 event a smashing success followed by two years of cancellations, the Mallacoota community is keen to welcome back visitors and showcase some of Australia’s freshest and most premium local seafood, produce, wine and beer, not to mention enjoy the stunning environment of the Wilderness Coast and the special connection this region has with the ocean. This event offers the rare opportunity to purchase and taste sea urchin and whelks, Mallacoota’s famous abalone, as well as the best oysters and mussels from neighbouring coastal communities. Return visitors will be excited to hear that Sailor’s Grave Brewing…

Dear John While on a recent caravan trip, we were setting up for the night when we discovered that the top refrigerator vent was missing. We assume that the suction produced by a passing truck pulled the vent off our van. This left a large hole which was a potential source of damage if we had rain. Luckily, a caring stranger cut a piece of laminate to size for us, which I was able to screw over the hole to protect the van until we were able to source a replacement. The fridge vent has a frame that is securely screwed to the van. However, the vent cover is less securely attached. The cover we lost is a large size Thetford model, approximately 52cm x 29cm, which is only held…

Apearly white smile comes to mind when reminiscing about a recent trip to Western Australia’s Dampier Peninsula. Not mine, of course. That natural high beam belonged to Jawi tour guide Rosanna Angus. She’s one of the Dampier Peninsula’s impassioned tour guides offering authentic indigenous experiences in a region that sticks out like the country’s left thumb 220km north-east of Broome. Previously it had been a long, bumpy ride along an unsealed Broome-Cape Leveque Road to access the peninsula’s bounty of natural and cultural wonders. This tiny slither of the Kimberley is home to colourful landscapes such as flaming red coastal cliffs, indigo waters, sweeping white shores and salt plains, and lime mangrove forests, to name a few highlights. Thankfully these days, it’s all smooth sailing along the now sealed highway…

CONDOR ULTIMATE FAMILY DESIGN 24FT TESTED IN BRIEF 7.47m (24ft 6in) external length Tandem axle suspension Bunk layout with four bunks Full width rear bathroom Tare Mass 2480kg “To fit four bunks and an island bed into a van like this requires decent external length” Australian Motor Homes and Caravans has been a Condor caravan dealer for some years now. I believe this is due to the fact that although Condor isn’t one of the larger caravan manufacturers, it still offers a good range of caravans - both on-road and offroad. In addition, there’s a good selection of family caravans. AMHC’s Paul Van Leeuwarden was keen to show me one of the latest Condor offerings, an Ultimate Family Design, UFD for short. Mostly because it was not a two or…

Tow Assist is a collaborative effort between AL-KO and Bosch. These two companies are a strong match to bring this product to market. AL-KO is the leading running gear supplier to the Australian caravan industry and Bosch is synonymous with automotive safety systems. Tow Assist has two key functions, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and ESC (Electronic Stability Control). ABS and ESC are not new ideas. They have been available in cars for many years. In fact, Bosch helped pioneer ABS in cars in the 1970s. There are also a number of ESC systems available for caravans now. Craig tells us what makes Tow Assist special is that it’s the world’s first caravan braking system with ABS and sway mitigation (AL-KO’s name for ESC). “The control Tow Assist gives the driver…

“La Vista’s broad range is another of the many drawcards that have helped establish it as an industry leader.” When COVID-19 made its long-lasting mark on the world, international travel became a thing of the past. Increasingly, holiday-hungry Australians began seeking adventures in the own backyard, and what better way to do it than in a caravan? Hopeful travellers flocked to caravan dealers, pushing up demand for new rigs and blowing out delivery times. While some manufacturers have struggled under the growing pressure, La Vista has risen to the challenge and has even opened a new dealership and one-stop shop. La Vista Caravans was opened in Renmark, SA, in May 2022. As well as showcasing the company’s impressive range of quality caravans, the facility offers a one-stop shop for customers’…

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS REGULARS NSW/ACT Fields of Green and Gold Long Lunch 17 September 2022 Held at the canola fields in Glenara (near Grenfell), this event features live music, local produce, gift stalls, food from Jacaranda House, and local lamb, beer and wine. W: glencara.com.au Mayfield Garden Spring Festival 24 September-23 October 2022 This event is held at a 65-acre garden in the beautiful town of Oberon. Enjoy the maze or row a boat across the picturesque lake. W: mayfieldgarden.com.au/whatson/spring-festival Orange Wine Festival 30 September-29 October 2022 Featuring a night market and wine tastings, this event showcases the region’s unique wine and food culture. W: orange360.com.au/Events/Orange-Wine-Festival NT Imagine Seaside Carnival 17-18 September 2022 This community festival brings together various communities to celebrate the culture of the Top End. Held on…

DIY DIY DUST SYSTEMS/SKYLIGHTS TECHNICAL DUST REDUCTION SYSTEM To state the obvious, dust reduction systems are designed to help keep out dust. Dust and other airborne contaminants getting into caravans can be a major challenge when travelling on dirt roads. Dust gets into your van through vents and gaps where seals are not adequate. There is a temptation to cover up vents to prevent dust getting in, but they are an important safety device for gas appliances. Keeping vents clear could save your life. Therefore, using a dust reduction system is a much better idea. The dust reduction system here is basically a big scoop mounted on the caravan roof that forces air into the cabin while the caravan is moving. This creates a positive pressure inside the caravan making…

After a two-year delay, the seventh Daniher’s Drive will rejoin the roads of regional Victoria, with a convoy of 80 cars and more than 300 participants all seeking to raise awareness and funds for FightMND. From Thursday 13 October-Sunday 16 October 2022, Daniher’s Drive will traverse 895 kilometres through the towns of Myrtleford and Bright, before heading over the Great Dividing Range to Lakes Entrance and Warragul. The event gives all participants the opportunity to visit these regional communities and continue to support their recovery from the 2022 bushfires and impact of COVID-19 lockdowns. Hosting community activities and nightly events as the popular event journeys across Victoria, the Drive also offers the opportunity to connect with regional families who have been touched by Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Fundraising sits at…

Attracting more than 45,000 visitors, the 53rd annual Sydney International Boat Show has solidified its pride of place as Australia’s largest recreational boating lifestyle event. The event took place over five days from 28 July-1 August 2022, showcasing boating lifestyle on, in and near the water, and graced Sydney’s Darling Harbour with a fun and vibrant festival atmosphere. Returning after a two-year break, President of the Boating Industry Association (BIA), Andrew Fielding, said that interest in boating has only grown, with visitors keenly awaiting this long-anticipated event. “We are a nation of boaters with one in 10 Australians holding a boat licence, and almost one in five households in NSW owning a boat or watercraft, making it one of the leading pastimes nationally and in the state of NSW,” Mr…

EVERNEW RTX35 GASLESS TESTED IN BRIEF Bargain gasless caravan built to exacting standards SCAN TO PLAY VIDEO “It is comparatively spec’d with some of the best and it has the chassis and suspension to take you anywhere” FIRST IMPRESSIONS As I was shooting a video on the RTX35 and needed some guidance for scripting the specs and key attributes of the van, I got a cheat sheet from Dani Bib, owner of Evernew. What I read was pretty astounding. I was to review a caravan that, on spec, was probably around 20 per cent cheaper than a similar rival’s output and it appeared it didn’t skimp to get there. If you want to watch the video, follow the QR Code link to our website where it lives. Pulling up to…

The recent report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) makes sobering reading for the local caravan industry. The New Caravan Retailing document identifies concerns found with the conduct of some suppliers and manufacturers. It follows lengthy court proceedings in 2021 that saw our most prominent manufacturer, Jayco, fined for a breach of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Taking on our biggest builder was seen as a sign the government regulator was looking for a big scalp. However, by the ACCC winning only one of four charges, the proceedings didn’t make the significant impact for which the government may have been hoping. This latest report warns that the ACCC intends to broaden its scope to target the caravan industry and bring rogue builders and retailers into line. At the…

KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK, WA TRAVEL “Free camping is not permitted inside the national park” Karijini National Park went by another name when I last visited in 1991. Back then, it was called Hamersley Range National Park, after the rugged, resource-rich peaks in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. My thengirlfriend (now wife) and I toured around for a week in a 4WD, camping in a no-frills twoman tent. The park adopted its Aboriginal name shortly after our visit. This time, I’m seeing the ranges as part of a tour with hiking company, Life’s An Adventure. It includes spending two days around Exmouth to swim with whale sharks off Ningaloo Reef, then a visit to some canyons before we stopover for a night at Cheela Plains Station en route to Karijini.…

SALMON SKILLET FRITTATA TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS Spray olive oil 8 eggs 1 cup Greek yoghurt Salt and pepper, to taste 1 x 260g salmon, skin off, chopped 2 spring onions, chopped ½ cup parsley, chopped 50g cheddar cheese, grated Aioli, for topping METHOD Preheat the skillet over the fire and spray liberally with olive oil. Whisk together eggs, yoghurt, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in chunks of salmon, spring onions and parsley. Add mixture to skillet and sprinkle cheese on top. Add a lid to the skillet and cook for 20 minutes. Drizzle with aioli and serve. SPICY MEXICAN CORN COBS TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS 4 ears of corn, husked and cut in half 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp paprika…

The Topargee EverShower is a portable, private shower that offers a luxurious experience wherever you might travel. Able to be set up virtually anywhere (with access to a 12v power supply), this shower is capable of recycling water in a fully self-contained manner, allowing you to enjoy a 20-minute hot or cold shower using a mere three litres of water. It can also easily be run using continuous freshwater if preferred. A robust EverShower ‘Monsoon’ 12v electric water pump is included and is simply placed in the water source - external or by filling the 10-litre tub for a recycling option - then turned on for a portable and hands-free shower. Using stove or solar heated water, or a portable water heater, you can enjoy a hot shower after a…

A comfortable chair is one of the most important pieces of kit you can pack for any trip. We recently purchased a pair of OZtrail Forbes Camp Chairs. Despite being a hasty yet necessary purchase, it turned out that I would gladly pick this chair out of any on the market. The backstory to the ‘forced’ purchase was a lesson to us all. Our camp chairs were securely locked away in the ute’s luggage pod, only for me to realise the key was 600km away! Not the ideal start on the first night of our week-long outback NSW trip. Luckily, we were at Nyngan Riverside Park for our first stopover. We took a trip into town and the local hardware store had two OZtrail Forbes Camp Chairs in stock, as…