Table of contents for Issue 652 in Caravan World

We are still on the west coast and enjoying sublime weather and picture-perfect scenery. I almost feel guilty mentioning this, as the east coast has been getting a battering, and everyone I talk to back at Caravan World headquarters has been feeling the cold. We completed the Gibb River Road intact, apart from a blown shock absorber and the demise of our three-way fridge. The shock absorber was a week out of its two-year warranty and we had a new one shipped to Port Hedland, where the local Isuzu dealer was the only one in the area with contacts at Pedders. I fitted the new one at the Port Headland Turf Club. The van sounds much less rattly and I’m sure the van’s interior is thankful. We had a few…

REGULARS NEWS When it comes to SUVs that can tow, the LandCruiser Prado is a popular choice for Aussies and the newly released MY24 Prado variants — including the new Altitude grade — do not disappoint. Not only do they include a great range of features and tech designed to keep you safe offroad, but they also have a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which is an increase of 500kg compared to the previous model and places this latest gen in a good position for towing a wide range of vans and trailers. THE PRADO ALTITUDE The launch of a new flagship offroad variant is the standout in the MY24 Prado range. First seen back in 2017, the Altitude is distinguishable from the rest of the Prado range by several signature…

It’s easy to fall in love with Junee. This quaint and pretty town in the NSW Riverina is brimming with history and charm at every turn and is a popular destination for travellers who appreciate its heritage and unique natural attractions. At the start of spring, the region explodes into colour as the surrounding hills of vibrant yellow canola fields make for stunning scenic drives and memorable photographs. Whether you’re a food lover, a history buff, a heritage architecture aficionado or an adventure seeker, this unique town and its vibrant community welcomes visitors to experience the charm and hospitality of Junee, to explore all it has to offer and support the local economy. Junee was established as a vital railway town in the late 19th century, quickly becoming a major…

CUB CAMPERS H14 REVIEWS Cub Campers can make several claims to fame. One is that the manufacturer has been around for over 56 years, with the business in the hands of the same family for all that time. Few, if any, could make a similar claim. For the most part, Cub has built an incredibly successful range of camper trailers, but in recent years, it has also developed a range of hybrid caravans, which are a cross between a camper trailer and a caravan. To me though, they just look like small caravans. First off the ranks were the impressive 16ft models in both full caravan and pop-top models, then more recently, Cub shaved a couple of feet off to produce its F14 (definitely more camper trailer-like) and H14 (pop-top)…

ROCKINGHAM, WA TRAVEL “Rockingham holds its own as a place for epic water-based activities and marine encounters” There’s a natural allure to Rockingham. Located 40km south of the Perth CBD, the laid-back coastal suburb is often overlooked as a getaway location to others further afield north and south. But why go long distances when there is much to do on Perth’s doorstep? Rockingham holds its own as a place for epic water-based activities and marine encounters. The city attracts a healthy population of wild bottlenose dolphins and sea lions in the fringing Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, which is peppered with rocky islands, serene beaches and reefs. When the winds are in, windsurfers fly the sky, joining migrating birds lured to ‘Rocko’s’ shores. On land, the seaside hub offers relaxed eateries,…

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS REGULARS NSW Shellharbour SUP Festival 1–3 November 2024 Kicking off at Warilla Beach in Shellharbour on the NSW south coast, this festival will feature three days of SUP (Stand Up Paddle) flat water races, SUP surfing, market stalls, food trucks, live music and all kinds of entertainment. Head to the festival website for more information and event registration: supshellharbour.com/supfestival The Great Murray River Salami Festival 9 November 2024 Euston’s Great Murray River Salami Festival combines a salami competition with a festival atmosphere, complete with food and beverage vendors, market stalls, entertainment, kid’s activities and salami making/cooking demonstrations. Find out more online: murrayriversalamifestival.com.au VIC Sea Lake Astro Fest 2–4 November 2024 Held for the first time last year, this festival in Victoria’s Wimmera Mallee region is a celebration…

SIDETRACKS COLUMNS We arrived at Possum Park not long after sunset. It was winter, so the evening sky was already inky black, bespeckled with glittering stars. Imagine my surprise the next morning when I pulled up the blinds in our cabin and looked out the window to see a TAA plane. We were literally in the middle of the bush! During WWII, the 360-acre site was a former military base, RAAF Kowguran. Soldiers built 20 concrete underground bunkers into a hill, designed to be temperature controlled. Inside these bunkers 2500 tonnes of bombs and ammunition were stored. Kowguran was the main ‘explosive storage facility’ for the Brisbane line (in the event of a Japanese invasion, the plan was to abandon Northern Australia above this ‘line’). There were also 25 timber…

Power is an essential part of a caravanning setup, and to help keep your adventures going iTechworld has presented a lithium deep-cycle battery: the iTECH120X. The X Range from iTechworld offers features and capabilities over its conventional batteries that enhance how you use your battery, an IP67 waterproof rating and advanced Battery Management System, as well as a full five-year Australian warranty. This bit of gear represents more than a decade of Australian research and development by iTechworld’s expert engineers, all of which has ensured the iTECH120X is one of the most stable lithium batteries on the market. Designed with simplicity, high performance and ease of use in mind, the iTECH120X is an easy drop-in replacement that will fit seamlessly into existing AGM or lead-acid systems without the need for…

NEWS REGULARS Patriot Campers has been an iconic brand in Australia’s camper trailer industry for years, first launching back in 2013 with the X1 — which promptly won our sister-brand Camper Australia’s Camper Trailer of the Year competition that year. The brand has taken home several wins since then. Patriot Campers has focused on building units that are compact and can go anywhere and has long been battling questions about when it would build a larger trailer. Well folks, the time has come, and Patriot recently launched the Supertourer ST5. Sitting at 5.2m long (17ft) and weighing only 1750kg, the Supertourer ST5 is not quite a true caravan, but it’s the closest the brand has come to edging its way into the caravan industry and we won’t be surprised if…

REGULARS NEWS The iconic Birdsville Big Red Bash — the most remote outback music festival in the world -will be taking a one-year break for 2025. This festival has been operating since 2013 and was the first multi-day camping festival in Australia to return after COVID, welcoming more than 9000 festivalgoers to the Big Red Dune staging ground 35km west of Birdsville in the Simpson Desert, Qld, in 2021. This event is consistently sold out, so it may be a surprise that the festival is taking a breather in 2025. However, Outback Music Festival Group (OMFG) managing director and festival founder/organiser Greg Donovan said: “The spectacular desert location means we have no infrastructure on site — not even the basics of running water or electricity — so every year we…

SEND PICS TO WIN “We took this photo at the Redbank Reserve on the banks of the Jordan River, near Jericho in central Queensland. A beautiful relaxing spot!” “It shows our beloved 2023 Rhinomax Defender attached to my 2022 Isuzu MU-X.” “Our rig is a 2015 Jayco Silverline Outback and a 200 Series LandCruiser.”…

On the Move Grenade 6.3 REVIEWS “The latest model includes a significant change to the van’s name. Until now, the company differentiated the locally built vans as On The Move and offshore versions at OTM … now all vans will be known in full” To launch its latest model, On The Move Caravans invited journalists from RV publications to a weekend escape in the foothills of Mount Warning in northern NSW to check out the pre-production Grenade 6.3. It suited me because I was already staying in our van not far away. The crew assembled a tiny village of half a dozen different model vans for camping and a kitchen marquee on the banks of a bubbling creek. But the welllaid plans came undone when the internet crashed, along with…

BRUDER FACTORY TOUR FEATURE We have reviewed a range of Bruder vans over the years, so on a recent visit to Queensland, I thought it was time to examine the build process for what many regard as the ultimate brand of offroad caravans and hybrids. Bruder, German for brother, is a boutique custom manufacturer overseen by the siblings Toby and Dan Bosschieter. The story goes that the boys were brought up on a tradition of exploring the Australian bush with adventurous parents. As the brothers grew older, they began importing rugged South African campers and learned much about engineering and the build process. When they sold that business, they hatched a plan to build the ultimate offroad van to reward their parents, and Bruder was born. After 18 months of…

FAMILY TRAVEL FEATURE Full disclosure up front — my son was an excellent traveller. From a very young age we dragged him all over the country on caravanning adventures and as long as he had snacks and something to keep him entertained, we didn’t hear boo from him. Sometimes this required sacrifices on our part. We once spent the entire drive from Sydney to Melbourne listening to the ‘talking book’ of The Lion King. Remember talking books? They comprised a cassette or CD, and the narrator would read the words in the hard copy book, and a little bell or chime would indicate when the child had to turn the page. By the end of that drive, we were ready to tear our hair out, but Lachie was as happy…

The beauty and challenges of Australia go hand in hand, and this is especially true when you head out into the remote areas where communities are small, tight and oftentimes in need of assistance. Frontier Services was founded as the Australian Inland Mission in 1912 by Reverend John Flynn — whose face is pictured on our $20 note, and who also founded the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 1928 — with the goal of supporting people living in the bush, whether that is practical, emotional or medical care. Regional Australia is prone to many different kinds of challenges, big and small, whether it’s isolation from friends, family or services, the mammoth task of maintaining a property, through to natural disasters, the restrictions of age or even the simple influx of…

Destinations away from the crowds FEATURE Destinations don’t have to be topsecret to avoid being overrun by avid campers and outdoor adventurers. Sometimes it’s just a matter of heading to towns or campgrounds away from major thoroughfares or exploring regions outside of their peak season. Or going to a national park so large you won’t be peeved that someone is there at the same time as you. Here are some spots around Australia to check out for your next caravanning adventure. BARRINGTON TOPS NATIONAL PARK, NSW Covering 76,512-hectares, this World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest is a lovely spot to visit in north-east New South Wales. And with plenty of outdoor activities on offer, you can easily get some peace and quiet away from the crowds. If you’re the adventurous sort, there’s…

RECIPES ON THE ROAD COOKING MAC & CHEESE TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • 2 cups elbow macaroni • 2 cups water • 2 tbsp butter • ¼ tsp salt • 4 cups cheddar cheese • 1 tbsp mustard • ¼ tsp garlic powder METHOD Add the macaroni elbows, water, butter and salt to the Dutch oven and cover with a lid. Place the Dutch oven over hot coals and cover the lid with more coals, cooking for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Set the oven aside and stir in the cheese, mustard and garlic powder, ready to serve. SLOPPY JOES TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS • 500g mince • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 white onion, chopped • 1…

This article is specifically about swapping out some of the parts in a Winegard TV antenna system. You may consider this DIY job if your existing Winegard antenna is damaged, or if you are looking to improve your TV reception. Before we go any further, be aware you will need to work on a ladder to access the roof of your van. Only take on this job if you are very confident you are capable of working on a ladder. How can this retrofit upgrade improve reception? Apparently in Australia, unlike some other countries, TV broadcasters transmit signals in two different ways to create better coverage. One signal method is transmitted in a vertical plane and the other in a horizontal plane. (Don’t ask us about the physics, we’re just…

Hema Group’s inaugural Hema Safe event, focusing on caravan towing and safety, was held in Melbourne last month attracting a dedicated and hardy lot of caravanners who braved cold, blustery weather to learn more about caravan safety. Mobile caravan and vehicle weighing company Weigh Station presented masterclasses on weight definitions, weight distribution and hitching. Partners Bosch and REDARC gave tech talks on caravan safety systems such as sway control, tow assist and electronic brake controllers. Members of the public were able to book their rigs in for a weigh-in on the day and Weigh Station reported that only 20 per cent of the vans that were weighed were compliant. We’ll report more on this in the next edition of Caravan World. Hema Group General Manager — Media, Dominic O’Brien, said…

The 2024 National Top Tourism Town Awards were held in September, and this year Tasmania’s lovely town of Devonport took home the gold award and was named ‘Australia’s Top Tourism Town’ (towns with populations over 5000 people) — a fantastic achievement for this Apple Isle town. Devonport is well-known for being the Tassie port for the Spirit of Tasmania and is a unique coastal gem tucked between the ocean and fertile agricultural land that forms part of Tasmania’s famous food bowl, producing everything from fruit and veggies through to honey, herbs, meat and more. There’s plenty to check out in the town itself, including some new developments such as the Tiagarra Cultural Centre, the Bass Strait Maritime Centre and the new Sky to Sea Light Show. The Paranaple Convention Centre…

POSTBAG REGULARS We would love to hear from you. There’s a great prize every month for the best letter so get typing and tell us what you think, where you’ve been, or ask any questions you have about the caravanning lifestyle. Email us at submissions@hemagroup.com.au for the chance to win. LETTER OF THE MONTH Hi John, Regarding caravan wheel alignments, there seems to be a number of tyre wear issues being highlighted with new vans lately. Several new owners have stated they’ve had a hard time trying to pin down the caravan’s handling issues, which has resulted in a lot of money being spent on weight checks, different tow hitches, fitting of weight distribution hitches (WDH), tug suspension/ tyre upgrades and so on. Unfortunately, they have only then found out…

ISLAND CARAVANNING TRAVEL Australia is an island ringed by islands. And while most of them are off-limits to heavy vehicles, there are several where you can not only take your car, but your caravan too. In most instances you will need to book a ferry to get your wheels over water, but there are some isles connected to the mainland by a bridge, making for an easy and inexpensive island holiday. From dune driving on the world’s largest sand island, to a Tasmanian gourmet getaway, to WWII forts in a tropical paradise, these are seven islands begging to be visited by caravan. MAGNETIC ISLAND/YUNBENUN, QLD It’s a tightly held secret that you can caravan on this tropical isle off the coast of Townsville. While there are no official caravan parks…

“The Alpine National Park is Victoria’s largest park and covers most of the state’s alpine area in the Great Dividing Range” ‘High Country’ refers colloquially to the mountainous region covering most of eastern Victoria. These socalled Victorian Alps are part of the vast Australian Alps which straddle the New South Wales border and extend as north as the Australian Capital Territory. Encompassing more than 1.23 million hectares of the Great Dividing Range, the Australian Alps contain the highest peaks on the mainland, including Mount Kosciuszko (2228m) in NSW and Bogong (1986m), Feathertop (1922m), Hotham (1862m) and ALPINE NATIONAL PARK At 661,775ha, the Alpine National Park is Victoria’s largest park and covers most of the state’s alpine area in the Great Dividing Range. Its north-eastern boundary is along the NSW border,…

NT Road Trip TRAVEL Almost every piece of advice about travelling in our northern regions warns that it’s remote and hot, so a long trip needs plenty of planning. Like a good Boy Scout, be prepared. You need a reliable vehicle, plenty of water and someone who knows your plans if things go wrong. While it might not be on everyone’s bucket list, a drive to Borroloola is a great road trip with ample sidetracks and activities to break up the journey. Before getting out of Darwin we packed with supplies at Darwin’s twin city, Palmerston, a half-hour drive down the Stuart Highway. We soon had the fridge and storage lockers stocked with supplies as we headed to our first deviation to explore Litchfield National Park, where we camped for…

VISION ELYSIUM 19’6 REVIEWS In issue 649, we introduced the Nirvana, a 16ft van from Vision RV that was destined — according to Eastern mythology — to take you to happy places. How do we top that? Well, how about we flip the culture to ancient Greece’s equivalent and introduce the Elysium 19’6 for a touch of true happiness? Vision RV now brings the compact 14ft and 16ft Nirvana versions and the larger 19ft 6in and 21ft 6in Elysium models for enlightenment according to your destiny. Spend an hour with Vision’s mastermind, Chris Michel, and his enthusiasm for offroad adventure and the search for the perfect caravan is infectious. Michel has a mechanical background and a thorough understanding of how caravans work and how best to put them together, with…

Cruising down the sun-drenched east coast of Queensland, we hit a major milestone on our electric adventure around Australia: the 20,000km mark! It’s been a thrilling journey, but for the first time, our luck ran out at a charging station. Someone had beat us to it — a P-plate Tesla driver who decided to leave his car plugged in and disappear into the unknown, even after his battery was fully charged. Usually, idle fees deter this kind of charger clogging, but this site didn’t have any penalties. Good EV etiquette suggests checking in on the PlugShare App when using public chargers to keep others informed, but it seems that this young driver hadn’t gotten the memo. Thankfully, we weren’t in a rush, and a nearby cafe and some quirky op…

When you can spend a day on a beach with your vehicle, it’s essential to have some shade. We have long had a Rhino-Rack Batwing awning that unfolds to 270 degrees for wide protection. Awnings have advanced over the past few years, though, with many freestanding options. While the batwing’s light 20kg weight is a real advantage, the joints can be easily broken in strong wind. I talk from experience as we have broken a nylon joint in the past, and while they are easy to repair, it’s not the sort of task you want to be engaged in while the surf is calling. The other aspect that keeps me with the Rhino-Rack is that we have a complete set of walls to use when we leave the van behind…