Table of contents for Issue 637 in Caravan World

I hope you are enjoying the ride through the pages of the 2023 Caravan of the Year! It's been our best event yet and we're delighted to have shared it with you. Countless hours of planning and dedication have gone into creating the outstanding content you've experienced in our magazine and on our website. If you haven't already, we encourage you to visit caravanworld.com.au, where you can find accompanying videos that bring our written reviews to life. Our talented team of videographers, photographers and editors have put their hearts into creating these high-quality experiences, and we believe you'll find them truly engaging. Having a panel of judges choose a winner makes our annual event unique. In our last issue Spinifex emerged as the deserved champion, impressing us with innovative design…

Millions of years after dinosaur nests were dotted around Outback Queensland, the Eromanga Natural History Museum (ENHM) is unveiling a newly created bronze nest at the internationally renowned museum and home to Australia's biggest dinosaur. The specially commissioned bronze dinosaur nest has been installed at the entry to ENHM creating a conversation starter as visitors enter the museum. “Just like birds, dinosaurs laid clutches of eggs in nests on the ground and roosted in colonies,” said Eromanga Natural History Museum Operations Manager, Corey Richards. “We've found that this is a fact that is both surprising and shocking to many dinosaur lovers, so we look forward to having a physical representation at the Eromanga Natural History Museum.” The arrival of the bronze dinosaur nest sculpture was an early birthday gift for…

COTY REVIEW KOKODA COMMANDO F226 Built by Victorian-based Kokoda Caravans, the Commando F226 is a very purpose-built van. One designed very much for exploring the back blocks of Australia with a family and made for Kokoda's owner Trevor Price. It's a bunk van with a difference. With an external length of 22ft 6in, an overall length of 29ft 8in and a tare mass of 3450kg, the Commando F226 is not a small van. The reviewed van's size means a Chevrolet Silverado tow vehicle with a maximum tow rating of 4500kg is required. While a standard Commando F226 will have an ATM of 3700kg. The Commando F226 has triple bunks for the junior members. Unlike a more conventional bunk van layout, the parent's king bed is down the back and the…

For 50 or so years, generations of families flocked to the beach hamlet of Tathra on the NSW Sapphire Coast to enjoy their summer holidays at the Tathra Motor Village caravan park. Devastatingly, it and about 70 other homes and businesses were destroyed in March 2018 when a fast-moving bushfire, fanned by strong winds and high temperatures, tore through the town. In a town that relies heavily on tourism, the loss of the caravan park affected Tathra both economically and socially. More than three years later, in December 2021, a new and exciting iteration of the original motor village rose like a phoenix from the ashes. New owners, former guests and their families and the broader community celebrated the opening of the Tathra Beach Eco Camp. This beautiful and unspoilt…

EXPLORING CENTRAL NSW TRAVEl “The one constant is down-to-earth country hospitality” The gems of Central West NSW start to shine as soon as you turn off the Great Western Highway. Not saying that the townships of Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo aren't great places to visit at all – they are buzzing hubs for their regions. It's just that places such as Millthorpe, Canowindra, Cowra, Forbes, Condobolin and Wellington all offer intrepid travellers something different. The one constant is down-to-earth country hospitality. Millthorpe was established in 1834 and once the railway line was established in the 1870s, local wool producers had access to the lucrative Sydney markets. The town boomed off the sheep's back. On weekends, ‘Little Leura’– as the locals call it – is a tourist's delight and gets very…

Kimba is bursting with life and colour, from the many walking trails where you can spot the beautiful birds that flock to the area to the wildflowers and vibrant outback colours. As the Eastern Gateway to the Gawler Ranges National Park, Kimba is primely placed for an extended exploration into the beauty of this region. And don't miss visiting Secret Rocks, the local conservation park. Kimba's remote location is its crowning glory when it comes to stargazing, and Whites Knob Scenic Lookout offers fantastic views by day and night. The local free camp allows stays of up to five days and is the perfect place from which to explore Kimba and the Gawler Ranges. There are no powered sites, so all caravans must be self-sufficient. Kimba's vibrant spirit extends into…

BELLARINE PENINSULA, VIC TRAVEL Two peninsulas enclose Victoria's mighty Port Phillip Bay in a giant bear hug. On the eastern side of the bay is the Mornington Peninsula – upmarket and often brimming with out-oftowners – while to the west is the more lowkey and local vibe of the Bellarine Peninsula. The Bellarine has long been appreciated by beachgoers, but its wineries, history, wetlands and trails are full of surprises for the exploring traveller. And if the almost 20 caravan parks scattered across it are anything to go by, it's heaven for caravanners too. Coast with the most There's no doubt the coastline is where much of the Bellarine's action is, not just for beaches and water-related fun but it's also where most of its little towns are situated. Plenty…

“At 275sq km it is the second largest sand island in the world, after K'gari (Fraser Island)” Tailor-made for adventure, or as a haven from the bustle of big city life, ‘Straddie’ (as the island is affectionately known) is the perfect getaway destination, easily accessed by car and passenger ferries from Cleveland on the mainland to Dunwich on the island's west coast. Twin sand islands Together with Moreton and Bribie Islands, Stradbroke was formed over the past million years or so from sand swept north along the coast by wind and ocean currents and deposited in large masses around rocky outcrops. When the ocean dropped to its present level about 10,000 years ago, the sand banks became exposed as islands and defined as we see them today. North and South…

When the opportunity to trek to Far North Queensland (FNQ) arose, I, a pale, house and office-dwelling Melburnian, jumped at the chance to enjoy blue skies, clear water and most importantly, warm sunshine. For someone who has never travelled further north than Brisbane, the thought of seeing the Great Barrier Reef and enjoying some outdoors time was extremely appealing. After a long, largely reptile-free life in Victoria, I had a few simple goals: to enjoy a few cold cocktails in the sunshine, to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and to see a crocodile (though I had no desire for the last two goals to be achieved simultaneously). “The Great Barrier Reef has long been seen as a natural wonder warranting extensive protection” Natural beauty One of the reasons I…

SPICY KIMCHI PREP TIME: Up to 3 hours (allow minimum two days for fermentation) SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • 1 medium head of wombok (Chinese cabbage) cut lengthwise and then into quarters •¼ cup sea salt (use iodine-free salt so as not to inhibit fermentation process) • Spring water • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 1 tsp ginger, peeled and grated • 1 tsp raw sugar • 2 tbsp fish sauce • 2 tbsp red chilli flakes (more or less depending on desired spiciness) • 1 cup Daikon radish (found at Asian grocers), peeled and cut into matchsticks • 4 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces • 1 litre jar with canning lid METHOD Place wombok/Chinese cabbage in a large bowl, cover with sea salt and massage the…

On a mission to provide travellers with a fantastic wine in a box, UnBottled Wines has launched The Wine Box – a wine for people who would never drink box wine. UnBottled Wines has put exceptional (5 Star Winery, 95 pts good) wine in a box, so wine drinkers can enjoy sustainable luxury no matter where they travel. UnBottled Wines co-founders Mike Banks and Ann Marie Grace say there's been a pervasive misbelief that boxed wines are bad. “But it's not the box that's bad, it's the wines that have historically gone into the box. If seriously good wine goes in, then seriously good wine comes out,” says sommelier trained Ann Marie. “We've just surveyed 1067 wine lovers, and nearly 70 per cent say they're ready for fine wine in…

New Age Caravans has launched the all-new 2024 Road Owl range, with four variations available to order now through New Age Caravans dealerships Australia wide, arriving later this year. The MY24 Road Owl comes in two sizes, a 19ft bunk ensuite and a 21ft bunk ensuite, both available in standard and Adventurer models. The new Road Owl has a family focus, with a double or triple bunk and ensuite caravans ensuring the whole family is covered. Inside the Road Owl there has been a stylish new redesign of furniture and lighting that has eliminated the use of roof-mounted downlights, lifting the aesthetic with LED strip lighting throughout. In the dining area, redesigned seats provide more cushion depth and lumbar support. In the kitchen area, a new microwave surround has been…

INEOS Automotive – the company behind the new Grenadier 4X4 – has announced a partnership with Track Care WA for 2023 and beyond, to support the volunteer organisation's bush conservation and heritage preservation activities. INEOS Automotive will provide financial support and its staff and retail partners will assist Track Care WA volunteers in maintaining 4X4 routes across Western Australia. Their work rejuvenates and manages locations of environmental, historical and cultural value, including 4X4 tracks such as the iconic Canning Stock Route and remote destinations including the recently opened Winnemia Campground. Justin Hocevar, Head of Region Asia Pacific, INEOS Automotive, said: “The INEOS Grenadier is a 4X4 vehicle built to take on the world's most challenging conditions, and things don't get much tougher than in Western Australia. The region's landmark locations…

COTY REVIEW GREAT AUSSIE GRAVITY 18G Great Aussie Caravans is a brand that flies under the radar, and we are told that this event is the first time it has undertaken any significant promotion. Yet, it has been making vans for 10 years and produces up to 80 vans each month from its sprawling Melbourne factory. The Gravity is the company's latest model. It builds on the new 3T single-axle suspension from TuffRide to deliver a single-axle offroader with impressive offroad credentials. Great Aussie has joined a hallowed list of local builders embracing aluminium frame construction for hardy adventure vans. Along with the robust construction, the van features off-grid living capability and enough room for couples to enjoy in an easily towed single-axle format. There are two schools of thought…

COTY REVIEW HIGHLINE KINSMAN The team at Highline Caravans entered not one but two vans into this year's COTY, with the last issue's Wombat partnered by the family-focused Kinsman. Like the Wombat, the Kinsman employs a new-to-Highline notched-ply build methodology and is also full offroad with an Intelligent Engineering chassis and classy suspension. The Kinsman is a standout caravan for its looks and as we found out, it has a lot to offer a family looking for a tough tourer with a number of extras to keep everyone happy. In terms of self-sufficiency, the Kinsman does OK, considering its overall size and busy roof. Its solar and water capacities are not bad, but a family of four will likely need to refill the water tanks and be careful with the…

Whether it's sleeping in a converted W-class Melbourne tram in the beautiful Yarra Valley, stargazing from a luxury safari tent on Phillip Island or letting the kids loose in the four-storey indoor play centre in Bendigo, the six Park Lane Holiday Parks located across Victoria have something for everyone. Wherever you are in Victoria, there's a Park Lane Holiday Park close by. Many people will already know about the Big4 Yarra Valley Park Lane Holiday Park in Healesville. This is a popular park with those who are keen to get among nature with the park's on-site facilities that will keep both kids and families alike entertained for hours. Staying here is a real getaway for those who love to explore the bushwalking trails and spot the kangaroos and native birds…

OPERATION200: PARTTHREE FEATURE NO BULL In the past, adding a bullbar was one of the first additions to any offroader's arsenal of options. They have become a sign of hard road travel for any wanna-be outback traveller. Lately, though, they are more of a considered accessory as we explore weight and safety issues. Rather than just installing a bar as a matter of course, owners need to consider how, when and where they intend to travel as well as checking their vehicle's weight capacity. Let's review these as a background as to why we chose an Ironman 4x4 Premium bar for our 200 Series upgrade. Adding weight to any vehicle, especially one used for towing a big van, isn't as straightforward as it might be. Most cars have a limited…

TIPS ON BUYING A VAN FEATURE 1. GET THE FAMILY ON BOARD Having your partner and any younger children in on the decision to buy a van and the final choice is important. Many caravan dealers will confirm that men and women often have differing and strong opinions on what will work for them. Aspects like layouts and space are considerations that men sometimes overlook, but for women and young folk, they might be deal breakers. So, make sure the family is supportive because a van can be a tiny space if one partner or the kids aren't happy with the chosen van. 2. PICK THE RIGHT TOW VEHICLE There's an old adage that applies equally well today. When thinking about buying a caravan, be wary of putting the cart…

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS REGULARS NSW  Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash 17-19 August 2023 Whether you're a lover of camping, caravanning, outback adventure or great Aussie music, the family-friendly Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash has something for you. Held on the Mundi Mundi Plains out of Silverton, the Mundi Mundi Bash is the sister event to the Birdsville Big Red Bash. Tickets are sold out but you can join the waitlist at mundimundibash.com.au/home A Taste of Italy: Griffith 21-27 August 2023 A Taste of Italy: Griffith is back for another year, celebrating the best of Italian culture. During 21-27 August, Griffith will be alive with the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy. The festival promises to be a week-long extravaganza of food, music, dance and entertainment for the whole family. For…

DIY ONE-WAY VALVE INSTALLATION TECHNICAL A caravan typically has two water supplies. 1) Water is drawn from an onboard tank and fed by a 12V pump, or 2) Water is fed by mains water such as when you connect up at a caravan park. Therefore, there is an inlet where you put water into the tanks and another inlet where you connect directly into the van plumbing. Both water supplies run into a common plumbing system distributing water throughout the van to various outlets such as taps, showers and so on. Diagram 1 shows a very simplified representation of this system. When the system is pressurised, water wants to escape wherever it can, including potentially the water inlets. When the pump is in use, there needs to be a system…

Building on the popular XT10E model, MDC has launched two new 10ft hybrid caravan models. With comfort, features, superb offroad capability and, at 1500kg, light enough to be towed by medium SUVs and full size sedans, almost everyone is able to Escape with Confidence™ and tow one with ease. “With increasing customer demand for single bed options and lightweight, garage-friendly hybrids, the team has done an outstanding job with these two models which absolutely tick all the boxes”, says Vaughan Hindley, Managing Director of MDC Camper Trailers & Offroad Caravans. The XT10E-SB with two single beds (measuring 2m long) has features including slide-out kitchen, external ensuite shower, plumbed hot water, diesel heating and air conditioning allowing campers to escape with comfort. The XT10E-SB also comes standard with TV and stereo…

SEND PICS TO WIN “Our van is a 2018 Jayco Journey Outback towed by our 2015 Diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee.” “Our Coromal Appeal 554S, towed by a Holden Captiva.” “Magic bush camping with plenty of bird life and a few little creatures. A bonus waterfall nearby as well”. Peter and Sharon Dabner sent in this pic of them relaxing in their 16ft Bushtracker and 76 LandCruiser at Hill Top Farm, Meander, in Tasmania. “Enjoying the most amazing view of Huntsman Lake.”…

COTY REVIEW MAJESTIC KNIGHT SLE 19.6 Majestic Caravans has been around for the past 20 years or so and builds a range of caravans with varying lengths from 4.9m (16ft) to 6.9m (22ft 7in) and is suitable for semi-offroad and offroad travel, depending on whether it's the Knight SLE or the Navigator range. The Knight SLE, with a length of 5.95m (19ft 6in), sits in the middle of the length range and is a couple's van. With an ATM of 3200kg and a tare mass of 2461kg, the Knight SLE is a manageable van and one that a dual cab ute can easily handle. Designed with a rear door entry, the van has a length that is ideal for the layout, the somewhat familiar front island bed, mid lounge and…

Last year's winner, Titan, returned to our event with yet another innovative addition to its line-up of well-priced and well-equipped vans. It arrived prepared to protect the crown earned last year, but times have changed, and prices have ballooned across the board for all manufacturers, so how would it fare in the new market with an optioned-up mid-size van that tipped the scales to over $100k? The 575 Blackhawk has been positioned to fill a gap in the popular 18ft 6in range for a family. Only a few years ago, expecting to fit a family and an ensuite into a van this size would have been a big ask, so a lot of smart thinking has gone into the design. Titan has also tightened up build procedures. While the body,…

Mandalay Holiday Resort and Tourist Park in Western Australia's Busselton is one of the premier places to stay in the region. Sitting opposite the clear waters of the Indian Ocean, this resort has all the bases covered for a memorable trip with family or friends. As 2019's Caravan Park of the Year, Mandalay has a variety of accommodation options for all travellers with a range of amenities and facilities to boot. The resort sits in an ideal location, being only a stone's throw from Busselton's town centre, a 20-minute drive to Dunsborough, 30 minutes to Margaret River and one hour to Augusta and Cape Leeuwin. It's really the perfect spot from which to explore the country's southwestern-most region. LUXURY TO BASIC Mandalay Holiday Resort offers many different accommodation types to…

MSA 4X4 ACCESSORIES FEATURE Caravan World recently caught up with Richard Unwin, marketing manager at MSA 4X4 Accessories. Richard was in Healesville attending Caravan of the Year 2023. As the proud naming rights sponsor of the event, it was great to have his support at the event and the Showcase Day that rounded off a pretty busy week. So, what is MSA's current or continued focus? We're always looking at products we can develop. Whether that comes from market research, customer feedback or ideas from our team. It's always extensive and ongoing as we're constantly looking at what we can do better or what we can develop that's new. You have one of MSA 4X4 Accessories’ new electric fridge drop slides on display. Tell us about how it came to…

I'm ashamed of myself. I dart around Western Australia, ever keen to explore more of my backyard, but neglect to appreciate what's on my porch. Swan Valley is that place. Just 25 minutes from the Perth CBD, it is the state's oldest wine region and Australia's second oldest, with vines first planted in 1829. Another title the region relishes is being the only wine region in the country within close proximity to a capital city. How's that for an upmarket bottle shop run? And yet, sometimes, it gets overlooked by the lure of the south, Margaret River and the Great Southern wine regions. But those same temptations – eatable indulgences, those full-bodied drops – can be had right here without the need to refuel. Now that's convenient. Getting back to…

SIDETRACKS COLUMNS On 9 September 1892, Thomas Glassey stood beneath a tree near the railway station at Barcaldine and, in stentorian tones, read a handwritten document to a gathered crowd – the Manifesto of the Queensland Labor Party. The occasion was one of many gatherings here during the turbulent and often violent conflict between pastoralists and striking shearers in the early 1890s and marked the genesis of a political movement that exists today in the form of the Australian Labor Party. The tree was a 50-year-old ghost gum (Corymbia aparrerinja), a species commonly found across the plains of Central Queensland. Being close to the railway station, the tree provided welcome shade to bullockies who transacted haulage contracts beneath its spreading boughs and, before Glassey's proclamation, was known as the ‘Alleluia…

If you own a VW Amarok, Mitsubishi Pajero or PXIII Ford Ranger, there's great news – Bendix has expanded its range of Ultimate 4WD Brake Upgrade Kits for these vehicles. For Pajero and PXIII Ranger, front kits are now available including options for standard ride height and 2in (50mm) lifted vehicles. The latest additions also cover front and rear kit options for Amarok, again with both standard ride height and 2in (50mm) lifted cars being covered. The kits include two Ultimate Brake Rotors, a set of Ultimate 4WD Brake Pads, a vehicle set of Ultimate Brake Hoses, a litre of heavy-duty brake fluid, a can of Bendix Cleanup, a tube of Ceramasil Lubricant, Bendix rotor wipes, with all contents packaged in a tough 60L Bendix Icebox. The Ultimate Disc Brake…