Table of contents for Issue 629 in Caravan World

For part of the main route skirting our island, the Bruce Highway is pretty ordinary in parts. We have recently done the trip up and back to Bowen and you need to be on your game towing a van. Hitting some sections north of Marlborough at speed is a real white knuckle experience as the tow vehicle and van bounce alarmingly over the waves of bitumen. So, along with the need to avoid the many trucks and animals, by the end of a day's drive, a campsite is a welcome relief. It's a good thing there are ample roadside rest areas and some very pretty caravan parks and beachside destinations along the way. Most of the big towns offer clean and well-organised caravan parks but once away from the main…

It is no secret that COVID has changed the way Queenslanders live and work, but an emerging caravanning trend has shown that it's also changing the way they holiday, giving rise to the concept of ‘B-Leisure’ (mixing business and leisure) for the new or experienced caravanning fraternity. Caravanning and camping continues to be the preferred holiday option across Australia, however this new ‘hybrid holiday’ trend is seeing many ‘Cara-fans’ explore creative van customisations that enable them to make a living while on the road. Caravanning Queensland Trade CEO, Jason Plant, said there has been an increase in the number of Aussies who have taken the leap to hit the road and explore everything Australia has to offer in recent years. However, this phenomenon has since led to a spike in…

KEEPING YOUR TOW VEHICLE COOL FEATURE In this article, with the help of some industry experts, we explore the various mechanical systems in your car that generate heat and how the heat is regulated. In addition, we cover the four Ms of cooling to protect your vehicle - managing your driving, monitoring your systems, maintenance, and modification. Let's start with the basics. Various systems in a motor vehicle generate heat under normal operating conditions. The engine, transmission, and brakes are all examples of parts of the car that get hot. All these systems have optimal operating temperatures and if exceeded, failure or premature wear can occur. THE ENGINE The engine generates heat through the process of internal combustion and the friction of moving parts. Engines dissipate heat in two ways:…

VISION VX19'6” TESTED “True to its timberfree philosophy, the internal furniture is all either aluminium with stainless steelfittings or Corian” When Sunseeker caravans merged with Noosa Off Road to form Vision RV and continue construction of the nuggetty NOR offroad hybrids, the plan was always to expand into full height caravans. It took a while to bring that vision to life, what with COVID 19 and the resultant manpower and supply chain restraints. But in late 2021, after months of design, testing and tooling, the first 19'6” versions hit the market. Display models impressed punters at various shows with the same single-minded dedication to a timberfree construction as the original hybrids. Adding to the impact of the innovative designs was a collaboration with award winning indigenous artist, Darren Dunn, who…

YORKE PENINSULA FEATURE WHAT IS THE YORKE PENINSULA BEST KNOWN FOR? Located just west of Adelaide, Central and Southern Yorke Peninsula is one of South Australia's favourite holiday playgrounds. With a laidback lifestyle, kilometres of magnificent family-friendly beaches and some of the best fishing in the nation, there is no shortage of things to see and do on Yorke Peninsula. Surrounded by the ocean on three sides, Yorke Peninsula is the perfect place for summer activities. Enjoy fishing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, snorkelling, and sailing. Go walking or cycling along ‘Walk the Yorke’, a 500-kilometre leisure trail, to explore Yorke Peninsula's coastline or explore the marine and birdlife habitats, mangrove forests, and beautiful beaches protected by Yorke Peninsula Marine Parks. DO THE HOLIDAY PARKS OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE? Each park is…

NEXT VAN PLAN FEATURE The hours spent researching caravan manufacturers, comparing designs and specs, and examining build quality can be intense. But the reality is you don't know precisely what sort of van you need until you have broken it in - towed it on the black top, set up, packed up, taken it offroad and off grid. Many times. After more than two years in our caravan, touring deserts, mountains, bush, and beaches, we have a clear idea of what we do and don't want in our next van. And some things on our wish list might surprise you. Here are 13 changes we would make to our next caravan. SMALLER RIG Bigger is not always better. With caravans getting forever larger and more luxurious, there's the temptation to…

SUMMER HOLIDAY SPOTS FEATURE As large as it is beautiful, Australia is replete with wonderful destinations to visit when summer rears its head once more. No matter which direction you point your vehicle, there is a destination that can sate the wanderlust of even the most adventurous of souls as December approaches. But as many would know, with summer comes not only heat but also peak season for caravan parks, with an increase in customers and prices. So, whether you are heading towards the popular destinations that offer a bounty of activities and amenities or taking the more flexible route and aiming for free camping spots, it's always advisable to get your plans in order and book early wherever possible. When one thinks of summer, the first thing that often…

There's nothing quite like the sense of freedom when you're travelling our great land, exploring places you've never been and towing your home around with you. Regardless of whether you're travelling on your own, with a partner, or with a group, caravanning is a great way to meet new people and learn from their experiences and adventures. After 16 years of caravanning, our son is now an adult and is no longer keen to tag along with mum and dad. With an upgraded couple's van in which we can spend more time off grid, we are looking forward to embracing the nomadic lifestyle. And yes, we are both grey. On a trip earlier this year we were sharing some of our knowledge and experience with some new-ish caravanners, which got…

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS REGULARS NSW/ACT A Celtic Christmas 4 December 2022 Looking for a different way to bring in the 2022 Christmas season? The Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre is proud to host A Celtic Christmas. Experience Christmas in Ireland, with live dancers and singers. For more information, visit www.artsoutwest.org.au/events/a-celtic-christmas Dashville Christmas Weekender 9-11 December 2022 Pet-friendly and located in serene and picturesque town of Dashville in the Hunter Valley, this event offers camping, live music, portraits, activities for pooches and kids, and a market day. Bookings are required to stay overnight, however day tripping is free. Visit www.dashville.com.au/dashvilles-christmas-weekender-2022 for more information. NT Alice Springs Christmas Show 3 December 2022 This racing event is the last for the Alice Springs Arunga Park Speedway racing circuit in 2022. Featuring children's activities, including a…

TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes SERVES: 6 INGREDIENTS 6 bananas 1 cup chocolate chips 1 cup miniature marshmallows Aluminium foil METHOD Cut a slit in each banana but not all the way through. Stuff with chocolate chips and marshmallows, seal the banana up and cover in aluminium foil. Place foil wrapped bananas in a bed of hot coals for around eight minutes, rotating on both sides. Remove from the fire (make sure kids are well away from the hot coals) and let cool for a few minutes before serving.…

Life on the road has come a long way over the past few decades. Caravan and camping set-ups are becoming more technology driven, with an eye for innovation, advancement, and ultimate comfort. With new tech-gadgets being developed daily, it is important that your set-up has the right batteries to ensure you have power when you need it. And for the past few years, caravanners, 4x4 drivers, and boat owners have been slowly adopting lithium batteries when powering up their adventures. REMCO has recently launched its new lithium battery range to ensure customers have access to the latest technology hitting the market, and most importantly, access to energy anywhere the road might take them. Lithium batteries, or more specifically LiFeP04 (lithium iron phosphate), offer many advantages depending on your intended use.…

A lot of us have too many devices on our dashes already but some, like me, cannot live without Hema Maps, so when Hema partnered with Aerpro for an in-dash solution, we jumped at the chance to have a look. I've been using Hema Maps for around five years now. That is a lot less than those who have been following the company since its inception some 22 years ago, but I would consider myself a loyal fan. I've got most atlases, a few dozen fold-out maps, the Explorer app on my phone, and have both the HX-1 and HX-2 navigators in my reserves. But as nice as it is to be able to carry my navigator from car to car, I really do not like having things plastered to the…

Jayco Australia recently relocated its motorhome team to a much larger 14,000m2 facility with two production lines for motorhomes and campervans to support an increase in manufacturing as a result of the growth of the motorhome and campervan market in Australia. It has also implemented a number of new upgrades to support advancements in product development. This includes a dedicated R&D area, where R&D staff can work closely with the products to develop new prototypes and ideas. A new materials area has also been implemented, allowing stock to be directly delivered from JIT suppliers based on production runs. A designated training area, called the Dojo area, was designed to provide employees with extra training when required. Whether they're new to the company, changing roles, or simply need additional support, this…

It was before check-in time when the vans started rolling in, and a corner site close to the entrance was the perfect place to cheer as Titanium caravans rolled on into the lovely caravan park. And as the day passed, they kept coming. By the end of the day, you could have been forgiven for thinking it was a Titanium caravans only park! How many were there, people were asking. Did anyone keep count? Some heard 51, others 53. There wasn't an exact count, so we'll settle with lots! All the vans rolling in belonged to happy owners who purchased their Titanium caravan from Coffs Coast Caravans. And, the NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort, just north of Coffs Harbour, was the perfect place for what turned out to be an…

SEND PICS TO WIN “Our caravan is a New Age Adventurer MY22 Road Owl 16ft being towed with a 2016 Ford Ranger XLT with a Tickford pack.” “Two bikes travelled on the roof and a there was special place in the back of the car for the ‘good’ bike.” Angela and Hardie Bambey recently had the opportunity to travel to Cape York in their Goulburn Elite lite towed by an Isuzu D-Max. Travelling with them, their son drove a 1991 Toyota Troupy. “Here we are staying on a camp site off the PDR between Bramwell Station and Fruit Bat Falls, called Camp 84 Kennedy's Lost Camp. We pulled up and lit a fire while my son played his guitar. Best experience ever (hubby even got a spare bolt off the…

CRADLE COUNTRY, TAS TRAVEL Latrobe Just 10km south of Devonport, the picturesque town of Latrobe stands on the east bank of the Mersey River. Named in honour of Charles Joseph La Trobe, acting Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land (1846-1847), it was the region's main port and Tasmania's third largest settlement for most of the 19th century. Today, Latrobe is a quiet commuter suburb of its city neighbour, its once-bustling riverside docks in the ‘Settlers Wharf' precinct on Bells Parade now enjoying life as a tranquil parkland. In homage to the area's forestry heritage, and the first woodchopping championship held here in 1891, Latrobe is home to the Australian Axeman's Hall of Fame and Timberworks, featuring displays of forestry paraphernalia and galleries extolling the champions of wood-chopping sport. The building also…

Our review of the VX 19'6” range was a double whammy as we had both the couple and family versions along. This allowed us to appreciate both versions of the Waabiny graphics and experience the differences in layouts. Externally, the vans only differ with the two windows to the rear of the driver's side, a forward door and minute details of some vents. The family version sported the white background of the Waabiny design, which looks more conservative and cleaner to my eyes. The essential difference is, of course, the layout designed for the many families finding their way to the caravanning lifestyle. And the 19'6” Vision Family Van packs in the essentials, but as you might expect in a relatively compact van, there are compromises. First up, the entry…

HARVEY REGION, WA TRAVEL Ask any Western Australian resident what's on offer in the Harvey Region, and the answer may resemble a I shopping list: dairy goods, orange juice, and quality beef (bonus points if they mention its growing wine production). Although a familiar name on supermarket shelves across the state, there are other things to try that are just as nourishing. The Harvey region is the epitome of the ‘seek, and you shall find' mantra. Just 126km south of Perth, its serenely beautiful backdrop goes from the seaside, plains, and green pastures to undulating hills and woodlands along the Darling Scarp. Quaint attractions are landscape fillers and are perfect for a weekend itinerary. And that's exactly what I gave myself - 48 hours to uncover the best bits of…

NRMA SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S TOP TOURIST PARKS FEATURE YEAR-ROUND ADVENTURE Seeking a holiday that's fun for the whole family? Look no further than the South Australian beachfront town of Victor Harbor. Nestled on the coast only 80km from Adelaide, the town has something to offer travellers of ail ages and abilities. Cool ocean breezes mean the town offers visitors respite from the harsh summer heat, with many seeking refuge in the region in the hotter months. Winter also offers excellent opportunities to enjoy all that Victor Harbor has to offer. Surfing, fishing, hiking, and whale watching are huge drawcards in the cooler months. A RICH HISTORY Located in the traditional lands of the Ramindjeri clan of the Ngarrindjeri people, Victor Harbor has a rich Indigenous and European history. The town was…

DISCOVERY PARKS, SA FEATURE Discovery Parks was founded in 2004 and has since become one of Australia's largest networks of owned and operated tourist parks, all with the aim to deliver the best possible experience for every visitor that passes into its grounds. With summer around the corner, it's important to start planning what kind of holiday adventures you want to enjoy - and then start booking. The Discovery Parks destinations at Barossa Valley, Lake Bonney, and Robe each offer a different, unique environment and summer adventure to delve into, from the rolling hills and wineries of Barossa Valley to the family-friendly shores of Lake Bonney, or the picture-perfect beach holiday at Robe. But no matter their visual appearances, each one is the perfect location to visit this summer. SUMMER…

TOW TEST FORD RANGER SPORT V6 TESTED Straight to the point, I am concerned the new Ranger, and by extension, the new Everest, have an issue with the 10-speed gearbox when towing which could lead to a failure or longevity issues. In testing, I struggled to keep the indicated gearbox temperature below the upper limit of what the dash suggests is too hot. Towing a moderate load (last month's cover caravan, the Cub C16) I saw gearbox temperatures reach levels on the dash display that caused enough concern to have me pull up and wait for it to come down. Before you suggest I was heavy-footed, which I admit I often am, I noticed it early in testing and took it very seriously and changed my driving style to see…

TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes SERVES: 6 INGREDIENTS 500g Desiree potatoes, cut into 3cm thick wedges 4 spring onions, sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground pepper ½ tsp garlic powder 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated METHOD Toss potatoes with spring onions, oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Cut four pieces of aluminium foil into large squares. Coat one piece with cooking oil spray and add half the potatoes to the middle of the foil and enclose it like a package. Place the seam side down on a second piece of foil and enclose again. Repeat with the remaining foil and potato mix. Cook the packets over hot coals until potatoes are tender, around 25 minutes. Carefully open the packets, sprinkle with…

OUR LAP YEAR COLUMNS 1.MONKEY MIA, WA Famous for its up-close and personal interaction between tourists and wild dolphins, Monkey Mia is the perfect place for families to create memories, relax and explore the surrounds of the Peron Peninsula and UNESCO Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Monkey Mia is a popular tourist location known for its almost daily ritual of feeding bottlenose dolphins from its shore. This amazing event started in the 1960s when fishermen threw dolphins some of their catch and has developed into a commercialised tourist destination. The dolphins today are the third generation of bottlenose dolphins, visiting the shore to interact with rangers and tourists for a feed of fish. These days though, there are many regulations that keep the dolphins safe and ensure they continue to…

November will be a busy month for Kokoda Caravans with their vans now available at a dealership in Brisbane, a new model being released and some 2022 delivery spots still available. RV Sales QLD, with showrooms in Parkinson and Hervey Bay, will now be an authorised dealer for Kokoda Caravans. With more 40 years of caravan sales experience, the RV Sales team is looking forward to walking customers through a Kokoda. If you've been dreaming about travelling the Aussie Outback in a van, there is still time to make that happen this year. Kokoda has a few spots left for 2022 delivery, get in quick and driveaway even quicker. In addition, Kokoda Caravans has a new model is coming and it claims it will not disappoint. It's compact but packs…

MDC Camper Trailers and Offroad Caravans released the first of the AUSRV XL MKII Range at last month's Melbourne Leisurefest. This new generation of offroad hybrid caravans has been through a full year of testing and development and features a comprehensive list of safety and comfort upgrades and inclusions with a build quality beyond what the market segment is used to seeing in this price range. Standard features include the design patented AeroLocker™ front storage box for aerodynamics, electric operated roof lifting mechanism, 200AH LiFePRO+™ lithium battery, Projecta Battery Monitor with Bluetooth connectivity and upgraded charging capabilities, upgraded solar charging, Trail-Assure™ electronic asymmetric stability control, wireless rear view camera, diesel heating and air-conditioning - just to name a few. Minor upgrades include an all-new graphics scheme, Milenco TV antenna, between…

Reading your articles on preparing a toolkit for travelling always overlooks a quite common problem with caravans, that is, screws pulling out of wood. One product I carry in my toolkit is Selleys Knead-it. Knead-it is packaged like a sausage from which you cut off a slice with a utility knife and knead it into a firm putty. Roll the putty into a “toothpick” and push it into the damaged hole. Lightly replace the screw and it pushes the putty into the damaged wood. Remove the screw again and push in another “toothpick”, then replace the screw and tighten to just firm. Overnight, there is a solid fix. It is quick, clean, and easy and I have never had to fix the same screw in the various caravans we have…

LEGEND 16' TRACKLINE HYBRID TESTED Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. A few years back, mates Tony and Mark each searched for a suitable caravan for a trip around the country with their wives. They were surprised that their choice of van, Legend, wasn't represented in their home state of Queensland. The realisation led to significant changes to their plans and, eventually, their lifestyle. The mates were from the building trade, so they recognised the high quality of the Legend offroader they had selected. After their lap of the country, they forsook the building trade and opened Explorer RV. In the home state of so many top-shelf builders, starting a new dealership was a big call, but the pair set up camp in Brendale in Brisbane's north…

The INEOS Grenadier has all the components that should make it a real player in the tow-vehicle market. We will look at what makes this new brand, and its vehicle, a challenger to the long-held Toyota dominance in the tow capacity stakes. First, let's identify tow capacity specs and what they mean before we jump into the Grenadier's on-paper credentials and incabin feel to see where it sits in the mix. THE BASICS First a bit of refresh on some of the important limits we see and hear about: -thecombinedmasslimit of car, payload, and trailer. This is your rig, your trailer, and everything inside and on both -themasslimit braked and unbraked, of the trailers you can tow measured as ATM (see below) -thelimitofthe mass of your…

DELUXE STORM BREAKER TESTED Deluxe Caravans does things differently on a number of fronts. Originally, its focus was as a whitelabel manufacturer. For those unfamiliar with the term, it means it manufactured for other companies. In 2017, the company started to place more emphasis on its own brand, Deluxe, and has gradually been building a name for itself. Deluxe was building very modest numbers until the industry-wide surge in demand in 2020. NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS Lakshan Amarasooriya from Deluxe came out with me to do the review. He told me they evaluated the market and decided to make some important strategic decisions based on buyer behaviour. Firstly, in the current environment, they would only build family vans and no couples vans. Deluxe found that the decision cycle for…

SUMMER TOURING TRAVEL A fresh alternative to the humble old pub, working distilleries and craft breweries give a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the best booze in the country is created. Whether you prefer a mouthwatering peat-smoked vodka or sheep's whey gin from southern Tasmanian, or a lovingly crafted hearty stout from the heart of the red centre, here we look at some of the best regional craft breweries and distilleries to visit to quench that summer thirst on the road - and stock up along the way. TASMANIA Hartshorn Distillery, Birchs Bay The first distillery in the world to release handcrafted spirits from sheep's whey, the fabulous Hartshorn Distillery creates gins, liqueurs, whey-skys, and recently took home the title of the world's best vodka. The pocket-rocket microbrewery is…

THE OTWAY RANGES, VIC TRAVEL Carved by hand from the rocky cliffs early last century, the Great Ocean Road high above the pounding waves of Bass Strait is certainly a scenic drive. However, every weekend and holiday it is a magnet for the four and two-wheeled set alike, and if towing a van, the heavy traffic combined with numerous sharp, blind corners will probably raise your blood pressure along with your tow vehicles transmission temperature. When heading south from Melbourne, take a break at Aireys Inlet and check out the lighthouse and Eagle Rock, an ancient volcanic stack that rises vertically from the ocean about 100 metres offshore. Nearby Table Rock is a similar formation that has lost its limestone capping to erosion over the eons and appears as a…

AL-KO ENDURO X SUSPENSION FEATURE “It was bloody boring, truth be told, and that's a good thing” Even though I was involved in the launch of Enduro X in October 2019,1 had not had the chance to really test it until last month's cover review of the Cub C16. Back then, I was really impressed with the design direction and engineering of Enduro X. The clamshell design is clever. It should be lighter and at least as robust as box-steel style trailing arms. This style of design is what you often see used for large SUVs and other cars. It has merit but it can be labour-intensive and requires considerable design considerations. Those considerations are what we cannot test. One is the finite element analysis to prove the shape and…

TOTAL TIME: 2.5 hours SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp Sriracha sauce 2 tsp olive oil 500g sirloin steak, cut into chunks 1 small capsicum, cut into 16 pieces 2cm chunks red onion METHOD Whisk sugar, water, soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha and oil together in a bowl. Skewer beef, capsicum and onion on eight metal or wooden skewers (this is an easy job for the kids). Place the kebabs in a baking dish and cover with the marinade and refrigerate for at least two hours. Remove the kebabs from the baking dish and discard excess marinade. Grill the kebabs over a campfire for around 15 minutes and serve.…

DIY WATER PUMPS TECHNICAL Most vans have a little 12V water pump that draws water up from tanks below the floor and pushes it up to the taps and shower head inside the van. The pump has a pressure switch that controls the pump turning on and off. When you turn on a tap, the pressure in the water lines drop triggering the pump to turn on. When you turn off the tap, the pressure in the water line increases and the pump turns off. REDUCED WATER FLOW-CLOGGED INLET FILTER The pump has internal moving parts that can jam if debris in the water gets inside the pump. To protect against this there is a small screentype filter on the inlet side of the water pump. This filter can become…