Table of contents for Issue 644 in Caravan World

The heavy transport industry is waging a media campaign to highlight ongoing problems with caravans parking in designated truck parking spaces. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has implored caravanners to heed the importance of sharing the road and facilities. And that's fair enough because they have been beating the same tune for at least the last six years. One problem is that some states and territories don't have clear legislation around where you can park. Western Australia, for example, has heavy vehicle rest areas designed to cater for truck drivers but they are available for all road users. On the Main Roads Western Australia website (mainroads.wa.gov.au) they simply ask caravan owners to park to the sides of truck areas to make it easy for big rigs to gain access.…

REGULARS NEWS MDC has launched its ACPLUS® MKIII range, the latest evolution in offroad caravanning for the company. The ACPLUS® MKIII range takes a leap forward with a significant enhancement in electrical capabilities. In a relationship spanning over 10 years, the ACPLUS® electrical system was designed and tested in collaboration with Projecta Australia. With improved solar power (up to 1225W), expanded battery capacity (600Ah lithium), increased Projecta inverter functionality (up to 3000W pure sinewave), and enhanced Projecta charging capabilities (up to 180A AC and 75A DC), these offroad caravans are engineered to thrive off the grid and run air conditioning and other appliances seamlessly. The addition of key appliances such as front loader washing machines, microwaves, European made Autoterm diesel heaters and induction cooktops across select models takes MDC's already…

CARAVAN SAFETY 101 COLUMNS 1 KNOW YOUR CAPABILITY Before hitting the road, make sure you are ready for the challenge. Towing a caravan poses unique challenges and requires different skills than driving a standalone vehicle. Caravans have a considerable impact on the handling and braking capabilities of the towing vehicle. If you have yet to tow, it's wise to seek training or advice from an experienced driver. Practice on a safe backroad to feel how the van and vehicle combination move when cornering and braking. Confidence comes with practice and makes better, safer towing. 2 DON'T RUSH Don't be cajoled into doing something you aren't confident in doing. Sure, it's best to go with the traffic flow out on the highway, but only if you feel safe. Stay in your lane, keep…

NEW AND REFURBISHED CARAVAN PARKS FEATURE ECO LUXURY AT REFLECTIONS HAWKS NEST, NSW Nestled between the ocean and lush coastal bushland in Port Stephens, NSW, Reflections Hawks Nest is a premium holiday destination for families, beach-lovers, surfers and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. And this beautiful park has added another gleaming feather to its cap of luxury features with the completion of its new eco cabin precinct, which opened on 22 December 2023. The precinct boasts 14 contemporary styled cabins, featuring recycled timber batten screens and flooring, plantationgrown plywood interiors and materials that withstand coastal weather conditions, all of which blend beautifully into the park's natural environment. Living up to the 'eco' status in more than appearance, each cabin has a solar power system and rainwater tanks are…

SPINIFEX NOMADIX PREMIER 20.6 REVIEWS IN BRIEF • Going off-grid in style • 1660W of solar • 440L of freshwater storage and a 85L grey water tank ideal for national park stays Spinifex Caravans was established in 2007 and manufactures its vans from the ground up in its factory in South East Queensland. Customers often fly in from all over the country to visit the factory where they will spend the day going through all the design features of their particular van. There are numerous starting layouts which can be modified to suit each customer's needs and desires. The Spinifex website has these layouts easily accessible to allow the public to see and make a head start on deciding what will work best for their requirements, but prospective customers can also…

BARRINGTON TOPS, NSW TRAVEL “Barrington's altitude, availability of water and great selection of campsites makes it a four-season venue” In centuries past, the Barrington Plateau formed the boundary of the Wonnarua, Birpai and Worimi people. The highest tableland outside the Australian Alps, the Barrington Range rises to 1586m. In August 2013, the Newcastle Herald reported that the World Heritage-listed Barrington Tops had also been nominated for inclusion as the eighth wonder of the world. Visitors should make the journey to the Tops to see for themselves why the area could be a world wonder and to explore some of the many driving routes and walking tracks. The Tops rise above the Hunter-Manning regions of NSW and offer a wide variety of walks and drives. The roads up the eastern and…

METEC TOWING COURSE FEATURE THE BRIEF Working at Caravan World is great, and we get to do lots of fun stuff such as reviewing caravans, which includes taking them for a drive so we can judge how they tow. So, being able to tow a caravan is pretty much a requirement of the job. With little to no experience between us in that regard, we jumped at the chance when it was suggested we do a towing course and then write about the experience for Caravan World readers. Editor-At-Large John Ford suggested METEC Driver Training in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and, after a few phone calls and emails, we were both enrolled in the fullday certified towing course to take place at the METEC dedicated driver training course in Bayswater North.…

HIKE RV CARAVANS Atom 172 REVIEWS IN BRIEF → 5.33m (17ft 6in) offroad caravan → Single axle with Shine XT independent suspension → Front bed/rear bathroom layout → Meranti frame and aluminium composite panel construction Many indicators in the Australian caravan scene indicate that the industry has caught up with the post-COVID-19 extended delivery times. I was recently at Sydney dealer Everything RV (formerly New Age Caravans), and the yard had many brandnew caravans ready to go. One of those vans was a Hike RV Caravans Atom 172. Hike RV Caravans is something of a new name in the Australian caravan manufacturing sector, established in response to shortages within the industry. Hike RV Caravans might be a relatively new moniker but the van I chose for my review showed plenty…

BEST ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS TRAVEL 1. GIANT CUTTLEFISH — Whyalla, SA Whyalla is the only known place in the world where you can come face-to-face with thousands of giant cuttlefish (up to 60cm long) as they congregate to breed. Renowned for their shape-shifting abilities, cuttlefish flash luminescent colours and patterns that are a wonder to behold. Grab snorkelling gear and head just a few metres offshore between Fitzgerald Bay and False Bay. May–August is the season and June–July is peak. Camp: Nab a serene bush camp along the coast at Fitzgerald Bay or park up at Discovery Parks Whyalla Foreshore. 2.KOALAS — Raymond Island, Vic A quick ferry hop from Paynesville in Gippsland lies an island that's become something of a sanctuary for this endangered species. The island's population of koalas…

REGULARS FESTIVALS AND EVENTS NSW Minerama Gem Jewellery & Fossicking Show 8–9 March 2024 Explore various displays and stalls selling fine jewellery, rough gemstones and everything in between. There's something for everyone at this unique show, held in the lovely Glen Innes Showgrounds each year. To find out more, head to the show website: minerama.com.au Play on the Plains 9 March 2024 The Play on the Plains music festival returns to Deniliquin/Yorta Yorta country in southern NSW this March with some of Australia's best musicians and bands on show. There'll be a battle of the bands, licensed bars, food vans, a silent disco, as well as camping and free on-site parking available. Tickets are on sale now: playontheplains.com.au Griffith Easter Party 28 March – 1 April 2024 The annual Griffith…

The spectacular Parrtjima – A Festival in Light returns to the stunning Red Centre between 12–21 April 2024 and visitor registrations are open now. This year, the free festival's theme is 'Interconnectedness'. It will delve into how everything in Indigenous culture is connected, with a focus on the intricacies of the planting seasons and Indigenous Australians' connection with the land and kwatye, which means both water and rain in Arrernte, and which connects us all. Sharing timeless Indigenous stories in creative new ways, Parrtjima includes transforming almost 2km of the 300-million year-old MacDonnell Ranges into a natural canvas for the Ranges Light Show, and Grounded, an immersive installation that projects animated Western and Central Desert art onto the red sand of Alice Springs Desert Park. Parrtjima is also the perfect…

GREAT AUSSIE CARAVANS TONKA 21FT 6IN REVIEWS IN BRIEF • 6.5m couples van with rugged offroad running gear and off-grid capability • 4500kg ATM with 987kg payload requiring an American ute or light truck • A number of distinctive features make it stand out from the crowd MEASURING UP PROS • A genuine high-end van with the specs to take on rugged roads with the off-grid capability to get away from it all • The most impressive bathroom I have seen in a van • Unique features such as an external upright fridge and rear bar/trundle drawer inspired by rugged Aussie utes CONS • The impressive bathroom trades off a little bit of living space • Needs a big rig to tow it Great Aussie Caravans is not exactly a…

CORAL BAY, WA TRAVEL “Upon your first visit, you'll soon discover why this secluded spot attracts repeat visitors” Some water activities require effort, but not in Coral Bay. It's a short stroll from the caravan park to explore the southern tip of the World Heritagelisted Ningaloo Reef/Nyinggulu, with the rigmarole of packing/parking a car unnecessary. It takes 15 minutes to walk from one end of town to the other — and that includes trekking up to a scenic lookout over the coast. Its walkability factor and proximity to the thriving reef make the coastal village one of Western Australia's favourite tourist destinations, a 12-hour drive (1121km) north of Perth. A few streets comprise the peaceful settlement, with just 200-odd residents calling the bay home. Sandwiched between regional hubs, Exmouth is…

SNOWY RIVER SRC-17 REVIEWS IN BRIEF • Snowy River Caravans has grown into our most significant importer with a range of vans built with current technology • The SRC-17 is a compact single-axle van that will be easy to tow and park • Features include a fullwidth ensuite and a northsouth bed, which are essential for many couples tradervs.com.au For this review, I travelled to Gippsland in eastern Victoria, where Snowy River has established a company dealership just south of Traralgon. My mission for the day was to review the latest SRC-17, a compact single-axle caravan from the touring range of 14 versions between 14ft and 23ft. The Snowy River offering just keeps on expanding, and as well as the touring models, there are now also four dual-axle multi-terrain models.…

I have reviewed a couple of Great Aussie Caravans over the past year or so and spent a bit of time with new General Manager John Cullen. He exudes a passion for the industry and an openness to share the company's plans, the strengths and the opportunities for further development. So, it was no great surprise when I received an invitation to attend the dealer conference to learn more about where the company is heading. The conference assembled the Great Aussie Caravans team including owners Randy Comester and Joseph Perera, GM John Cullen and key staff from manufacturing, customer service and marketing. The dealer contingent was significant with representatives from 10 organisations representing the brand nationwide. I learned that Randy and Joesph are hands-on operators, focused heavily on manufacturing and…

HEATING AND COOLING FEATURE A comfortable temperature inside your van makes for a much more pleasant camping experience. There are a few appliance types available for heating and one type for cooling. Heating can be achieved with diesel heaters, gas heaters and reverse-cycle air conditioners. Cooling is exclusively the domain of reverse-cycle air conditioners. In this article, we enlist the help of Daniel Bennett, Product Manager at Leisure-Tec responsible for brands such as myCOOLMAN and Truma and Lisa Georgakis, Marketing Manager at NCE responsible for the Gree brand and many others. We explore each type, their subcategories and learn about some of their pros and cons. The amount of space dedicated to each appliance is matched to its respective complexity and popularity. “Reverse-cycle air conditioners are the most commonly found…

When I walked up to the counter of the Burke & Wills Roadhouse and asked to speak to the owner, the pretty young blonde behind the counter smiled and said in her thick accent: “They're away, but you should talk to Kay”. Kay Remfrey, Cook and Manager of the Burke & Wills Roadhouse, would have to be one of the most generous and hard-working women I met on my two-month tour around outback Queensland. She was way out of her comfort zone being videoed for this article, but true to form, she took it on board like a real trooper and I'm happy to share some of her story. I don't imagine a lot of people have even heard of the Burke & Wills Roadhouse. I hadn't either, until I…

With caravanners still enjoying some warm weather and preparing to head off for Easter, a WA tech company has warned that thieves are still active at this time of the year. Perth-based company WiTi won a major category at the 2023 WA Innovator of the Year Award with its anti-theft device. It's estimated that around 500 caravans are stolen each year in Australia, while the number of break-ins and attempted breakins is far in excess of that. WiTi director and entrepreneur, Tony Maddison, said caravan owners need to be especially vigilant to protect themselves from theft and break-ins. “Unfortunately, the reality is that holidays are when we often see a spike in thefts and break-ins as people are on the move and would-be burglars and thieves prey on that,” Mr…

Tasmania has been included in the prestigious '52 Best Places to Visit in 2024' list published by The New York Times, recognised for its rich indigenous culture, abundance of nature and elevated dining experiences. The list is compiled annually by The New York Times' travel editors and experts and is viewed internationally as a distinguished selection of the most desirable global travel destinations. Contributor to The New York Times, Nora Walsh, wrote: “Venture outside and help protect vulnerable species in Tasmania, Australia's southernmost state, with several new guided walks. Tasmanian Walking Company, in partnership with the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, offers a three-day trek across rugged Bruny Island to map flora and collect seeds for the garden's seed bank. “To get a taste of the island's Indigenous culture, join members…

SEND PICS TO WIN WIN! This month's winner will receive a Purple Line Saracen Ultra Hitch Lock valued at $189. Saracen Ultra is a highly visible, compact, highsecurity lock which works both hitched and unhitched to keep would-be caravan thieves at bay. It fits to most standard 50mm ball hitches on caravans, camper trailers, boat and car trailers, and even work trailers. For more information about this and a host of other vanning accessories, visit purpleline.com.au Paul and Jenny Dickson are this month's winners with this pic taken on their return home to South Australia after their three-month half lap in WA. “We spent a perfect night on the cliffs just east of Border Village (Bunda Cliffs), SA, in our 9m Aussie By Design Humpback van towed by a 2020 LandCruiser…

CRZRVAN is a relatively new name on the caravanning scene, but even in the handful of years since its inception it has grown into a symbol of innovation in the Aussie market. Caravan World was lucky enough to check out a 20ft 5in bunk model earlier this year (issue 643) and we were impressed with the tough yet luxurious design that was jam-packed with quality features. When we asked Rhys what prompted his entry into the field, he admitted it all started somewhat by accident. “I was in the market for a caravan. I wasn't impressed by what I saw in the marketplace — almost everything had independent suspension with dual shocks, with suspension from one company, a chassis from another and then a timber or aluminium frame body cladded…

TOUGH DOG 4 WD SUSPENSION FEATURE I caught up with Blake Jones, marketing manager at Tough Dog 4WD Suspension, at the recent Australia's Best Hybrids 2024 event held in Merimbula, NSW, to dive into how safety and a good suspension system on your tow vehicle are intrinsically linked. As one of the major sponsors of the inaugural event which Caravan World will cover in the March issue, Tough Dog was well placed to give some insight as we watched the contestants' vans undergo rigorous testing by the panel of judges. SAFETY FIRST The first step, Blake explained, is to ensure your tow vehicle is correctly set up so that you can tow safely, which includes making sure the vehicle's suspension has the correct spring rate. The spring rate will depend…

DAINTREE, QLD TRAVEL It is a spectacular landscape of rugged forest-clad ranges which plunge steeply to sandy beaches on the sparkling Coral Sea. This tropical wonderland is a 'living ark' of the earliest flowering plants and primitive marsupials, and home to one of the world's oldest Aboriginal cultures. At its heart stands Cape Tribulation, a prominent landmark in Australia's European history and an icon of modern-day conservation. Highway through heaven Travelling to and through the Daintree is an adventure in itself. From Cairns, the Captain Cook Highway hugs the stunning coastline as it weaves 90km to the Daintree River, the southern boundary of the national park. Crossing the river by ferry only takes 10 minutes but queues can cause long delays at busy times, especially during the peak season (July…

DESTINATION CARAVAN PARKS FEATURE Not all caravan parks are created equal. While some are simply a place to unhitch for the night, recharge the batteries and top up with water, others are drawcards in their own right. Bells-andwhistles 'destination parks' with facilities to rival a five-star resort. Think waterslides, swim-up pool bars, alfresco dining, theme park-style experiences and even day spas. On the flip side, some caravan parks are coveted not for their facilities but for their locale. Parks that have a monopoly on a bucket-list attraction by virtue of their proximity to it. Ayers Rock Caravan Park, for example, books out weeks ahead in the winter high season, not because the facilities are anything special, but because it's the only park within cooee of Uluru. This doesn't diminish the…

URBAN TUNGSTEN X-TERRAIN 18'9 SERIES 2 REVIEWS IN BRIEF • The X-Terrain 18'9 is the smallest tandem axle of Urban's premier range and comes with a comprehensive setup for hard road travel and off-grid living •Fully TIG welded aluminium frame, truss chassis and new TerraGlide suspension •Lux interior designed to keep a couple in comfort “Most heavy-duty Australian vans, including Urban, stick with the proven engineering of an aluminium frame” MEASURING UP PROS •Aluminium frame for durability and rot-free build •Innovative TerraGlide suspension for durability and less maintenance •Beautifully appointed interior CONS •Needs a heavy-duty tow vehicle The story goes that Steve Trajcevski, head of Urban Caravans, and Andrew Lynch, Engineering manager at Premcar, met in their shared factory carpark and got talking. As you will read in our breakout,…

Sometimes, it takes a fresh set of eyes to solve a problem. When the engineers at Premcar were tasked with improving caravan suspensions, they realised that a lot of the accepted design was astonishingly old hat. Their solution might be a game changer for many caravanners with its innovative design and vastly improved maintenance schedule. Based in Epping Victoria, Premcar is part of the global RLE International engineering group specialising in product development and engineering, primarily for the automotive industry. The business evolved from the Tickford and Prodrive to produce enhanced high-performance Ford vehicles. These days, they add styling and suspension enhancements to Navaras and Patrols, turning over 6000 of them into the Warrior variant beasts for Nissan. But it was a meeting in the shared carpark with Urban Caravans…

RECIPES ON THE ROAD COOKING SPICY PRAWN TACOS TOTAL TIME: 1hr SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • 500g prawns, shelled and deveined • Salt and pepper • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 small lime, juiced • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1½ tsp chilli powder • 1 tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp paprika • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper • 8 corn tortillas Prawn taco sauce • ½ cup sour cream • ⅓ cup whole egg mayonnaise • 1 small lime, juiced • ½ tsp cumin powder • ¼ tsp salt • 1 tsp green Sriracha hot sauce • Red onion, sliced for topping METHOD Season the prawns with a little salt and pepper on both sides. In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, lime juice, garlic, chilli powder, cumin, paprika…