Table of contents for Issue 636 in Caravan World

Like thousands of fellow grey nomads, we are back on the road. We met up with a group from the Trakmaster Offroad Caravan Club in Narromine a few days ago, and we are on our way along the Oodnadatta Track to The Alice and west to Marble Bar, WA, across the Gary Junction Road. The club brought together 90 Trakmasters for their annual gathering at Narromine, and it was great to catch up with some friends, including Colin and Prue Kerr, who are long-time Trakkies and contributors to Caravan World. The club celebrates its 20th anniversary later in ‘23 with a gathering in Tallangatta, Victoria, and the committee has asked me to promote the event to owners who aren't members, and I'm happy to oblige. You will find the contacts…

The Electric Vehicle Council has launched a new national advertising campaign, promoting the benefits of switching to electric and urging Australians to make their next car an EV. The campaign, which features the tagline “my next car will be…”, seeks to capitalise on the rapidly growing consumer interest in EVs. “We know Australians are eager to make the switch to cleaner driving that would free them from dependence on volatile imported oil,” said EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari. “We believe that the more Australians understand the advantages of EVs, the more likely they are to make the switch. “The ads call on Australians to get behind the push to have a million EVs on Australian roads by 2027, which coincides with the federal government's plan to introduce strong fuel efficiency…

COTY REVIEW HIGHLINE WOMBAT This small, single axle, fully offroad caravan is new to the Highline range, and has all the creature comforts you'll need to go off-grid in a light, manoeuvrable package that is easy to tow with a mainstream SUV or dual cab ute and will easily get into the tightest spots whether in a caravan park or down a bush track. The Wombat may be tiny but it's packed with features so $80,000 is good value for money – particularly for those looking to make the step up from a camper trailer to a full caravan and a few more creature comforts. At 13ft 6in, this single axle, fully offroad twins singles van has everything you need to stay off-grid for a few days at a time,…

COTY REVIEW WONDERLAND RV XTR 2200 After having chauffeured an XTR across three states and having towed a few more Wonderland RVs around Victoria, I reckon I have the knowledge to suggest they hit the mark for what they are designed to do. In this XTR 2200's case, its role is to take a family anywhere without the fear of running out of power or a worry about its reliability. From the tyres to the tip of the digital TV antenna, this van has been built without compromise. Yes, it has come out weighty and you will need a big US truck to haul it, but it has a fit and finish that rivals upscale apartments and a build to outlast the worst corrugations you could tow it over. The…

Western Australia's Augusta can feel like being at the world's end. Located 315km south of Perth, Augusta is the springboard to the continent's southern-west tip. It is where two oceans – the Indian and Southern – converge. Ever watching the collision course of two roaring seas is Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse: the tallest lighthouse in mainland Australia. Indeed, Augusta is moving on many fronts. But the towering lighthouse is not the only thing that guards the coasts. And those oceans are not the only waterways that thrill. The quiet seaside town of 1400 entices a life by the sea in other ways, making it an extraordinary GPS coordinate to visit. A BRIEF HISTORY OF AUGUSTA I was expecting to be shivering cold, being so south, but the sun gods looked down…

SEALING YOUR VAN FEATURE A while ago I came across a caravan that looked like someone had taken a brickie's trowel and applied silicone 30mm thick at every sealing point on the roof. I am not talking about a thin him 30mm wide – I mean it was 30mm thick sitting on top of the roof. It got me thinking, is more always better? I kicked this question around with a couple of my colleagues at Caravan World and it triggered a bunch of other questions. Is the stuff used all over caravans actually silicone or is it something else? To what extent do these products act as adhesives versus sealants? What processes are important to optimise sealing and bonding? How do substrates work in conjunction with sealants and adhesives?…

OPERATION 200: PART TWO FEATURE “Our first improvement to our Operation 200 is a set of MSA towing mirrors” LOOKING BACK In last month's issue we covered why a gross vehicle mass GVM upgrade is necessary if you want to add extras to your vehicle and still tow a van legally and safely. Our new Tough Dog suspension has added 500kg to our payload and means our 200 Series LandCruiser has much superior carrying capacity. The extra payload alloys us to fit items to make touring more enjoyable and probably safer. While not an accessory that adds weight, our first improvement to our Operation 200 is a set of MSA towing mirrors. The law requires you to see along the side of the van and the standard 200 mirrors don't…

BARBECUE BRISKET BUTTY TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • Butter • 8 slices sourdough bread • 12 slices cheddar cheese • Leftover brisket • Gherkins, sliced lengthwise • Barbecue sauce METHOD Butter each side of the bread and top one side of the toastie with three slices of cheese, a serving of leftover brisket that has been pulled with a fork, three slices of gherkins and a squirt of barbecue sauce. Place a slice of bread on top. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat over the fire and melt two knobs of butter on it. Place each toastie on the skillet over medium-high heat; flatten down with a spatula and toast until golden brown then flip over and cook until the cheese has melted.…

Since its introduction a couple of years back, the Hema HX-2 Navigator has established itself as the most popular digital map on the market. The latest maps have shown me the way to some beautiful locations and helped me find features in strange towns that I would have missed. And while a wired reversing camera has been available for the HX-2, a wi-fi version has just been added as an option to bring even more versatility to the screen. The new Hema Heavy Duty Wi-Fi Reversing Camera is a wellmade, waterproof, wide-angle camera with a range impressive enough to mount on the back of a caravan. Mounting a rear-view camera is a good idea for a couple of reasons. You can't see vehicles travelling close behind, even with the best…

BMPRO, the Australian-based RV power management experts, has announced the launch of a new range of high-powered off-grid systems over the next 12 months. These systems are engineered to provide customers with reliable and efficient offgrid power solutions, including battery management and charging solutions. BMPRO's High-Powered Off-Grid systems are designed to equip customers for the modern off-grid adventure. The systems come with higher amp charging solutions that allow customers to go off-grid further and for longer while bringing their home comforts with them. With an optimised cost-to-power ratio, BMPRO's systems deliver all the power customers want without an excessive price tag. Customers will also benefit from the ability to upgrade and customise their systems as their needs change. BMPRO's products are Australian designed, engineered and made, taking into account the…

After a record-breaking event in 2022, which saw entries reach 956, a highestever purse of $300,000 and the staging of the first ever Mount Isa Mines Indigenous Rodeo Championships, the legendary Mount Isa Mines Rodeo will become a nine-day outback festival this August. The 2023 Mount Isa Rodeo Festival will take place from Saturday, 5 August to Sunday, 13 August, and will include celebrations marking 100 Years of Mount Isa. Natalie Flecker, CEO of Isa Rodeo Limited, said it was fitting the first Mount Isa Rodeo Festival be staged in 2023. “This year Mount Isa marks its 100th anniversary, and for 64 of those years, the rodeo has been a highlight; a major event that brings together the city, the region and more recently, the country,” she said. “Announcing the…

COTY REVIEW TITAN BLACKHAWK 720 TARDIS Last year, in our first taste of Titan Caravans at Caravan of the Year, the 480 and 490 blew us away. This year was always going to be more of a challenge, with a larger lineup of brands joining the week-long shootout. Did Titan come away with massive success again? No. But did it hold its head high? You betcha. Armed with a 720 Tardis and 575 Blackhawk built to the same standards as last year's winners but with more space and more inclusions, the Titans certainly held up to their name as heavyweights with plenty of punch where it matters. The 720 Tardis is the biggest van in the current range, but it still packed more in than you could expect looking at…

COTY REVIEW CUB C16 Cub has been building tough offroad camper trailers for the past 55 years and has a reputation as being among the best in the business. So, there was decades of experience to draw upon when Cub made its first foray into a full caravan in late 2022. There was much hype around the release of Cub's C16 hybrid caravan and Caravan World Creative Director Tim van Duyl was among the first to take one out on the road for a review. It impressed us then and, after a few tweaks and changes as a result of customer feedback, it's still as impressive and is earning a legion of fans. And as a lightweight, offroad van with an exterior kitchen – the C16 and Cub's L16 vans…

THE HAVENS, NSW TRAVEL On any given morning, if you walk along the breakwall towards North Haven Beach, you'll be greeted cheerily by fellow walkers and cyclists. North Haven – and the surrounding ‘havens’ of Camden Haven, West Haven, Dunbogan and Laurieton – is a friendly place. Blessed with natural beauty, cafes, parkland and surrounding mountains, it's really no wonder the people here are in a good mood. Just 30 minutes south of Port Macquarie, ‘The Havens’ are dominated by the Camden Haven River and its tributaries, which interlace the small towns and hamlets. Standing sentinel over the region is North Brother Mountain, which has one of NSW's best coastal lookouts. With unspoilt beaches and waterways, forest walks, good fishing, national parks and plentiful cafes, it has the nostalgic charm…

Founded in 1994, Bushmaster Offroad Caravans has been making tough, offroad caravans for almost 30 years. Proudly Australian owned and made, founder and owner Terry Ryan strives to produce sturdy, practical offroad caravans that owners can enjoy for life. Terry's philosophy when it comes to building caravans can be summed up in three key principles. Firstly, he takes the time to construct a limited number of caravans to the highest standard. Secondly, he uses the very best components he can access, using Australian made wherever he can. And thirdly, he includes every feature possible to create a unique caravanning experience. A BIT OF BACKGROUND The story starts with founder Terry Ryan, a New South Wales country boy who studied engineering, then cabinet making and wood carving. In 1980, Terry built…

THE GRAMPIANS, VIC TRAVEL The Grampians National Park straddles a brace of spectacular sandstone ranges in central-western Victoria, bounded by highways that connect the towns of Horsham, Stawell, Ararat, Dunkeld and Hamilton. Covering more than 167,000 hectares, the Grampians is one of the largest and most popular national parks in Victoria. In 2006, it was inscribed on Australia's National Heritage List for its Indigenous cultural assets, dramatic landforms and rich natural diversity. Known to the local Jardwadjali Aboriginal people as ‘Gariwerd’ (pointed mountains), the ranges were given their European name by explorer Thomas Mitchell in 1836 after their highland counterpart in his native Scotland. Nestled in a valley on the banks of Fyans Creek, the pleasant village of Halls Gap is the local hub for tourists and daytrippers who flock…

SIDETRACKS COLUMNS I've lost count of the number of years we have made the pilgrimage to the Tastes of Rutherglen wine festival held over Victoria's Labour Day long weekend in March – I think it's 22, but it could be 23. Each year we hook up our van and, with a group of friends, descend on the Rutherglen Caravan and Tourist Park to enjoy a decadent three days of wine drinking and gourmet food eating in brilliant autumn sunshine. In doing some research for this piece, I found a newspaper article that reported that the first Rutherglen Wine Festival was held in 1967. Word soon got out and by 1970 Melburnians were rushing up the Hume and the population of the town swelled to 20,000 over the festival weekend. Accommodation…

MSA 4x4 Accessories has put a lot of time and research into creating the perfect towing mirrors for your vehicle. The patented MSA 4x4 Towing Mirrors are designed for towing caravans, campers, trailers, boats and horse floats, and give optimum visibility by offering full vision of the road and traffic on either side of the vehicle. The mirrors can be adjusted to what best suits you and your vehicle and come in four different positions for any situation. Additionally, when the mirror is rotated horizontally, the mirror's actuator automatically adapts, allowing for standard adjustments (up, down, side to side) with the vehicle's standard mirror controller. The MSA 4x4 Towing Mirrors have a slightly curved feature on the glass for enhanced vision. They also feature a large single mirror that pivots…

With the 10th anniversary celebrations for the Birdsville Big Red Bash set to rock outback Queensland this July, organisers have announced a new fundraising Big Blue Day world record attempt for diabetes research in partnership with JDRF. The new Big Blue Day will open the Big Red Bash on Tuesday, 4 July, encouraging festivalgoers to dress in blue and purchase a $15 fundraising blue wig for the JDRF, with a special world record attempt being undertaken to break “the largest human image of a country” record, currently held by Romania with 4807 participants. The aim of the world record attempt is to bring together 5000 Big Red Bash festivalgoers to form a blue map of Australia inside an area that will be mapped out via GPS. The world record attempt…

REGULARS NEWS Tickets to the 2023 Birdsville Races are now on sale as organisers gear up to run the most remote horse race in the world on 1 and 2 September. Staged in the spectacular Simpson Desert of outback Queensland, the Birdsville Races have built a reputation as a truly bucket list adventure – with a rich history spanning 141 vears. “The remote setting and history of the Birdsville Races make it one of the most unique horse racing experiences in the world. Watching thoroughbred horses thunder down our dusty desert track is a true bucket list experience,” said Gary Brook, Vice President, Birdsville Race Club. Ranked in the top 10 of Australia's iconic horse racing tracks, the Birdsville race track is the only thoroughbred dirt race track to be…

SEND PICS TO WIN “We were only 20m from the rail line. The first train came past just before dusk, and we got a big toot from the driver. There were another six trains overnight and we like to think one of them may have been The Ghan.” ‘We love the rugged wild beauty of the Kimberley. Our van is the very comfortable and tough New Age Manta Ray 19 ER Lux towed by 2020 VX 200 LandCruiser.” “This time with our new 2022 XLT Ford V6 Next Gen Ranger and our 2017 Millard 17ft 6in Etoura. We try to take different roads each time. Our photo was taken in Wirrabara, in The Remarkables district, South Australia.” Michael and Verity Bland set up camp at Corella Dam, halfway between Cloncurry…

COTY REVIEW SPINIFEX ELECTREX Overall Winner Winner VALUE FOR MONEY BUILD QUALITY Equal Winner X-FACTOR Spinifex Caravans is one of the big guns to come out of Queensland, producing serious, extreme offroad, all terrain caravans that are custom built in the true sense of the word. Spinifex's mission is to deliver the best offroad caravans in Australia and they come at a price – Spinifex was among the four manufacturers at this year's awards with an entry priced at over the $200,000 mark, but that's what you should expect to pay for a fully customised offroader with remarkable off-grid self-sufficiency. The Electrex Premier is a gasless van. While other entrants make the same claim, the Spinifex has no gas fitted whatsoever – the barbecue is electric, water is heated by…

COTY REVIEW MY DREAM RV DREAM CATCHER In addition to the knowledgable design team, one of the partners in the business comes from a mining background with plenty of industrial experience. It was, therefore, with some interest that I looked over the Dream Catcher caravan. One of the first things to catch the eye is the aerodynamic look of the curved front. The second, in this case, was the bright orange colour scheme. The Dream Catcher has an external length of 6.7m (22ft) and a tare mass of 2850kg, so it's not a particularly small van. However, that's good because the Dream Catcher is a family van with an island bed up front and triple bunks down the back. Although our tow test vehicle was a Ford Ranger which coped…

SPONSORED: THE YARRA VALLEY AND DANDENONG RANGES FEATURE Just an hour east of Melbourne is the delight that is the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. With its rolling mountains and towering rainforests, entering the Dandenong Ranges can feel like you've been transported to a scene from Lord of the Rings. The lush, green paradise with a peaceful ambiance makes it hard to believe it's less than an hour from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne. Next door, the Yarra Valley is equally as beautiful, featuring rolling emerald hills dotted with more than 80 wineries. Take a deep dive with us into the various activities and attractions at the Yarra Valley, where you'll quickly realise that you need several days to fully experience everything it has to offer. The Yarra Valley…

TOW TEST:MY23 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LTZ PREMIUM AND ZE2 REVIEWS “The Ram 1500 and Silverado 1500 sold more than 500,000 units globally last year” Maybe it's the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon or maybe it is just because they are so bloody good at towing, but I see Ram 1500s everywhere. At our recent Caravan of the Year shootout (read all about it in this issue and the next) we had no less than three arrive from dealers and manufacturers and on the road, I swear three in four big vans are towed by one. I sort of get the appeal. They have high tow ratings, they are relatively affordable and even with their stonking V8s, they tend to do OK on fuel when hauling big vans (we've seen approximately 30L/100km several times…

FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND TRAVEL Looking for something a bit different to the typical, run-of-the-mill caravan park? Far North Queensland offers a number of unique caravan-friendly campgrounds for visitors looking to experience the variable natural beauty this region has to offer. From World Heritagelisted beachfront locations to lava tubes in the outback, these campgrounds have a range of amenities and activities to suit every type of traveller, all with an interesting twist. Whether you're looking to relax and unwind, have a family-friendly getaway or explore the local wilderness, this area has something to offer for everyone. “Go straight to bed once the final credits roll” MAREEBA DRIVE-IN THEATRE www.mareebadrivein.com.au For a good dose of nostalgia, you can't go past the Mareeba Drive-In Theatre situated on the Atherton Tablelands. Founded in 1962…

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS REGULARS NSW Splendour in the Grass Music and Arts Festival 21-23 July 2023 The 21st annual Splendour in the Grass Music and Arts Festival will bring the word's most prolific artists and national music treasures to Ngarindjin/North Byron Parklands from Friday, 21 July – Sunday, 23 July 2023. Onsite camping is accessible from Wednesday, 19 July. For more information and tickets visit www.splendourinthegrass.com. Moama Lights 30 June – 23 July 2023 The Murray River Council's award-winning Moama Lights is a sound and light trail sharing stories from across the region through stateof-the-art installations, projections and cutting-edge moving light technology. This year will feature an outdoor ice-skating rink, the American Hotel beer garden, food trucks and kids’ entertainment. Purchase tickets now to avoid missing out: www.123tix.com.au/events/profile/1756. VIC Truffle…

DIY TOILET PUMP CHANGE TECHNICAL Cassette toilets are by the far most commonly available in contemporary caravans. As with your toilet at home, flushing with water is an important part of clearing the bowl. Cassette toilets are available with two different flushing methods. Some systems use the piping that feeds water throughout the van. This means the water comes from the main storage tank/s or a caravan park water supply when connected. When the water is being drawn from the main storage tank/s it is being driven by the main water pump. The alternate system uses a dedicated tank to provide flushing water to the toilet. The tank holds around 15L and is accessed for filling via the same external hatch where you get to the cassette. Inside the dedicated…