Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 561 i Caravan World

In the last issue of Caravan World, in an article entitled ‘Access all areas’ on wheelchair-friendly caravans, all photographs were incorrectly attributed to Nathan Jacobs. The opening photo was taken by Darren French, of Evernew Caravans. Photographs on p199, 200 & 201 were all taken by John Sullivan. Furthermore, the photographs on p199, 200 & 201 were all captioned as being Evernew caravans when, in fact, they are of an Evolution caravan. Caravan World apologises unreservedly to Evernew Caravans, Evolution Caravans, photographers Darren French and John Sullivan, and CW readers for these inaccuracies.…

DO I NEED A WDH? I have just bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with airbag suspension. Do I need to use a weight distribution hitch or can I tow without it? The van is a new 6.7m (22ft) bunk van weighing 2950kg loaded, with a 230kg ball weight and has Dexter stability control. What are the pros and cons? We are mainly sticking to the bitumen and maybe some gravel. Tony Reville Merewether, NSW I’ve often said a WDH should not be a given when towing a caravan; the spring bars can exert enormous loads back through the towbar and frame of the vehicle. You should make sure your rig is well-balanced first, and appropriate loading of gear in the van is a good start. Your towball mass versus…

Back in January, there was a spate of articles in the mainstream media on the delights and joys (and I am not being funny!) of family caravan holidays during the busy Christmas/January period. At least one was from a writer still enjoying them as a parent and the rest were from people with fond memories of good times at the beachside caravan park. I’m in the latter category and, although I don’t have any use for a family caravan, I still take a keen interest in them when they appear on my radar. So when Kedron’s Glen Gall contacted me about an XC3 family van that the manufacturer had not long completed, my antenna went up. DUAL PERSONALITY Being a Kedron van, the XC3 is, of course, designed for full…

Hybrid campers don’t make up a huge portion of the RV industry – yet – but it’s fair to say a growing number of manufacturers, both caravan and camper trailer builders, are shifting their attention to this genre. And I can definitely see the virtues in this type of rig – particularly the ability to journey off-grid and free camp with a lightweight camper trailer. Intrinsically, these hard-shell bodied hybrids provide a tad more comfort, flexibility and luxury than traditional camper trailers. And they are generally considerably lighter and easy to tow in comparison to most caravans. It’s this weight differential that improves fuel efficiency given an ability to utilise a smaller tow vehicle. MARKING ITS TERRITORY The custom-built Kakadu Scorpion Off-Road, recently tested by CW, ticks all those boxes…

Volkswagen has amped-up its Amarok dual-cab range with a new V6 turbodiesel model. Even though its numbers look good – 550Nm of torque in a nice, wide rev band (from 1500-2500rpm) and a respectable 3000kg/300kg tow capacity – does the new Volkswagen really have what it takes to be a solid caravan hauler? It’s been a while since caravanners have had a V6 diesel ute option. The last time was with the Nissan D40 Navara 550Ti which, thanks to an odd choice of gear/final drive ratios, wasn’t a fully resolved vehicle. In fact, engine displacements now only seem to be getting smaller in the one-tonne ute class, with Volkswagen’s own 2L bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel leading the charge. If you thought that the Amarok’s 2L engine was lacking in cubic capacity,…

For the last few years, daytime running lights (DRL) have been included as a standard feature on many new vehicles. Daytime running lights (not head, parking or fog lights) are lights that stay on during the day. The concept arose when it became apparent that cars that had their headlights on during the day were more easily seen than those that didn’t. Coupled with that, the development of very bright LED lights has led to the development of DRLs. The Australian Design Rules ran a bit behind the technology and there have previously been some concerns about the legalities of these lights but they are indeed a legal fitting. ADR13/00 (Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices) will tell you all you need to know. I have often wondered about…

As you travel around this great southern land of ours you build up a memory bank of wonderful experiences, especially about the places you stay – be it on a beach or a riverbank, in the lee of a red sand dune, on a saltbush plain or under a coolabah tree beside a billabong. Wherever you go there are plenty of ‘top spots’, as a mate of mine calls them. Over the years, my wife (aka chief navigator) and I have been fortunate to see lots of them and recently, just for the heck of it, I tried to make a list of the best camps we’ve enjoyed. If I had 30 toes and fingers, I still would have come up well short on the body counter. But just to…

There’s no truth to the rumour that the Canberra region is not a caravanning destination. Let me tell you why. The trick to visiting Canberra is to look at it as a region and not a city, to look beyond all the staid galleries, museums and public buildings. For example, there’s nothing wrong with standing on the roof of Parliament House and casting an eye over the city below. The rooftop view is superb and would make a great place to camp the night – if only. I do admit there’s always a gallery or two worth the time in Canberra, though. The National Gallery provided a fantastic look through its wonderful exhibition from the French Palace of Versailles. After all, national icons are fascinating and, lord knows, Canberra has…

This might sound a very funny place to start a column but, lately, I have been thinking about toilet cassette tanks, the capacity of which is around the 19L mark. That is certainly adequate capacity for a traveller who can get to a dump point every few days but what about the campers who stay in a remote location for a week or more? This is totally possible because, these days, many RVs come with a fresh water tank capacity of 180L-plus and caravan manufacturers are just starting to see the light on grey water tanks - something that motorhome and fifth wheeler manufacturers regard as mandatory. And these days most RVs are well equipped with enough battery and solar panel capacity to last for a week without mains power.…

Location Oodnadatta Track, SA Gear Canon 1DX; ISO 400; f8; 250th/ second; 80mm lens Composition Although the cars are the subject, I’ve allowed the landscape (setting sun) to illustrate the story, journeying through the outback. The eye is drawn to the setting sun, while the road leads to the cars (the subject). Handy hint If shooting when the subject is backlit, you have three options: to keep the sun just outside the frame, directly behind the subject or, in this example, in the frame. Each options affects how you expose for the subject. The clouds assist with defusing some of the light here. Photographic fact Shooting at sunset (golden hour) really can accentuate your images. But these extreme lighting conditions can present exposure challenges. Spot metering, exposing and focusing manually…

The world is changing quickly; so fast, in fact, that it’s hard to keep up. It seems everything is being reinvented in some way, and with that progress, brand new horizons constantly unfold. Technology has changed fishing in many ways for example. Rods are lighter, stronger and more specialised, while reels now feature highly developed composite engineering. There’s a different hook, lure or teaser for every minute of the day and even our bait processing and presentation has leapt ahead in bounds. Combine all this new technology with modern electronics, boats and fuel-efficient outboard technology and the mysterious world that once hid in the ocean’s deep abyss has suddenly opened to our modern fishos. DEEPWATER CHALLENGES Australia’s Continental Shelf is a demanding place to be a trailerboat fisherman. It is…

Need help with a technical or towing problem? Caravan hot water systems (HWS) are usually very reliable component but, like anything, they can eventually cause problems. The two most common issues are either with a heater anode failure or a leak developing from the tank. This HWS had sprung a leak so it was time to pull it out and check out what was going on. Caravan HWS run on either 240V mains power or gas. This is where you will strike problems as a DIYer – you need to have a certified gas fitter approve your work (or do the work) for reconnecting the copper gas line, and if the 240V side of the system is hardwired into the van (some just plug into a wall socket) then you’ll…

Based in Somerton, Vic, Melbourne City Caravans opened its doors just over 12 months ago. It was established by husband and wife team Fabio and Cettina Bazzacco, and Cettina’s brother Joe Capodicasa. The past year has been something of a whirlwind romance for the company within the RV industry, and it looks like developing into a happy and lasting relationship. The genesis of Melbourne City Caravans was the culmination of the trio wanting, for many years, to create and grow their own business. Fabio has more than 25 years’ experience supplying to the building and construction industry, including importing raw materials for the caravan industry, while Joe was a self-employed business owner for five years and has more than 20 years’ experience in sales and managerial roles in the motor…

Interestingly, each of the caravans that I reviewed for this CW issue had a common feature. Apart from tandem axles, they each had the entry door forward of said axles. It could be an emerging trend – but also maybe just a coincidence. But, whatever the reason, in this Aura Titanium caravan which has external body length of 5.7m (18ft 8in), it turned out to be a useful feature. Aura is a new name to me but the people behind the Victorian-based manufacturer are not and neither is its Queensland dealer Kratzmann Caravans, which knows a thing or two about vans! There are several models in the Titanium range and just about all of them, including this one, come with variations on the front island bed, rear bathroom (FBRB) theme.…

“We all shared an equal passion to build standout, well-built caravans both structurally and visually” As one of the 2016 AL-KO Best Aussie Vans awards judges, I received a first-hand look at the build quality as well as the quality of finish of an Option RV van. And it was pretty evident to me that this fleet is built on pride and passion. Based in Campbellfield, Vic, Option RV entered its 6.21m (20ft 4in) Tribute Series – a luxurious offroader – into the competition and it paid off, with the model awarded the top gong in the $85K-$100K category. Following the event, I spoke one-on-one with Option RV part-owner Phil Dumaloski to discuss the company’s building creed, its future plans as well as his opinion on how the AL-KO Best…

As Aussies, we have the unique opportunity to travel a nation the size of Europe - which also happens to be home to some of the most pristine wilderness areas our little planet has been endowed with. Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef are counted among the Top 10 Natural Wonders of the World and they’re only the tip of the iceberg in terms of spectacular destinations. I’ve had the pleasure of crisscrossing this awe-inspiring continent with my husband and four kids on extended camping trips - the longest being our two-year around-Oz adventure. As a typical family with a limited budget, we soon learned to sniff out the best activities which could be enjoyed for free or a small fee. So let me take you around this magnificent country…

The Fraser Coast is a holiday playground truly blessed by nature – a coastal paradise that attracts around one million visitors annually for a wide range of marine-based adventure and recreation. At its heart lies the Great Sandy Strait, a unique waterway that separates World Heritage-listed Fraser Island from a world-class mainland biosphere. The Great Sandy Strait is a serpentine passage stretching 70km from Hervey Bay to Tin Can Bay. It is more than 10km wide at its northern end and barely 1km wide at its southern limit, Inskip Point. Its western extremities reach along the Mary and Susan Rivers and the estuaries of Kauri and Tuan Creeks. The Great Sandy Marine Park encompasses the largest (and least disturbed) wetland area in southern Queensland – nearly 1000sq km of inter-tidal…

Sometimes the tug of war between recreational interests can play itself out in strange ways. When Greg Thomson decided a few years back that he would like a boat, his wife Amanda and their three daughters pondered for a short while before declaring that “No, they wanted a caravan,” because it would be more family-friendly. Amanda and the girls won that discussion, and Greg bought a kayak for fishing. Greg, from North Rothbury, NSW, came from a family that had long been engaged in camping and outdoor recreation. So he wasn’t overly concerned by the switch in priorities. His father had a big canvas tent with internal rooms. Growing up at Cessnock, in the Hunter Valley, he holidayed at Swansea, just down on the coast, and spent many happy holidays…

Ididn’t suggest this month’s topic, OK? In fact, I’d never suggest anything to do with cooking, just ask my wife! That’s not saying much for a bloke who has written a couple of cookbooks (and burnt a couple of things on TV, too). But somehow bush cooking has become part of my career. My brother and former mining partner Nick reckons that’s crazy, given that the first time we went bush we had nothing but a tucker box full of cans and a sack of rice. We did have a rifle though, and usually a cracking fire at night, too. So it wasn’t long before we started putting those two together once we got sick of tinned food. When we were working closer to towns, we discovered it was a…

Caravanners are a social bunch! Be it at happy hour, chatting on UHF Channel 18 on the highway, or offering a social wave as you pass by. It’s just part and parcel of sharing the road once you leave the city lights behind. In this column, I want to focus on the ‘wave’ and debunk a few myths along the way. SAFETY MUST COME FIRST It goes without saying that removing your hands from the steering wheel when towing a big rig in challenging terrain is asking for trouble. Passing a truck, navigating bends or travelling in an area of wandering stock is probably not the ideal time to exchange a social wave to a passing motorist. However, when the road conditions are right, there are few things more satisfying…

QLD MUSIC IN THE MULGA May 18-21 Wandilla Station celebrates with live acts, charity auction, yabby races and a celebrity cook-off. Wandilla Station, Eulo, (07) 4655 4065, www.musicinthemulga.com.au JULIA CREEK CAMPDRAFT May 19-21 Witness remarkable horsemanship displays firsthand throughout this exciting family-friendly weekend, with onsite camping available. Julia Creek, (07) 4746 7690, tourism@mckinlay.qld.gov.au MACKAY HOME SHOW AND CARAVAN, CAMPING EXPO May 19-21 Camper trailer, caravan and camping gear manufacturers and retailers will join more than 100 businesses showcasing wares for the home. Mackay, 1800 671 588, www.mackayhomeshow.com.au NSW/ACT GREAT NUNDLE DOG RACE May 7 Celebrate a day of canines with novelty dog races, a doggy derby and the best dressed dog, finishing with the Great Nundle Dog Race starring working dogs throughout the region. Nundle, www.nundle.com.au/events/the-great-nundle-dog-race TALLONG APPLE DAY FESTIVAL…

Trip Advisor has released its 15th annual Travellers’ Choice Hotel Awards for the best hotels in Australia, and two BIG4 Holiday Parks were included on the list. BIG4 Cairns Coconut Resort in Queensland and BIG4 Beacon Resort were named in the best hotels list. BIG4 Holiday Parks chief executive Steven Wright said he was extremely pleased that BIG4 parks were gaining the recognition they deserved. “BIG4 Cairns Coconut Resort and BIG4 Beacon Resort embody the BIG4 values of great location, exceptional quality, fun and connectedness that underpin great holidays,” he said.…

Rising from the low-lying Sunshine Coast landscape, the spires of the Glass House Mountains dominate the skyline. Here, a network of pine-fringed back roads provides the perfect location to check out the Spinifex EpiX family caravan. These craggy tracks offer a chance to discover if this 7.3m (24ft) family version of the EpiX has the makings of a worthy offroad caravan. Our trek stops atop a narrow ridgeline where World Heritage-listed views invite us to set up the van and take a good look around. This rig’s Cruisemaster independent airbag suspension makes for easy riding over moderately rough tracks. That’s not surprising, given airbag suspension offers two main benefits: improved ride and the ability to adjust the suspension to compensate for load. What’s more, the suspension bump stops help decrease…

Australian Motor Homes (AMH), based in Newcastle, NSW, is well known for its extensive range of motorhomes. But over the last few years, AMH has also become a caravan dealer, offering its customers ranges from several manufacturers. One of its most recent acquisitions is Royal Flair, is a long-time caravan builder with an extensive range of models in its stable – everything from serious offroad units to the imaginative Piazza, with a deck that opens out above the drawbar. However, for this review, I opted for a more conventional on-road van from the Designer Series – the 21ft 4-2 ensuite model. It has a forward entry door, which is a little unusual for a van that is just over 6.5m (21ft 6in). It’s an advantage in many ways because it…

“The Benz seven-speed auto performed willingly around the highway’s curves and the motorhome moved effortlessly along.” In the motorhome world, large van converters have cut themselves a decent niche in the market. Most of the more successful designs come from manufacturers who either only build van conversions or they form a fair chunk of their motorhome range. Well-known motorhome manufacturer Trakka is in the latter category and uses both Fiat Ducatos and Mercedes-Benz Sprinters for its van-based motorhomes. The Sprinters are used for the Jabiru range which comes with a variety of power, seat and weight ratings – 316, 319 and 419, as well the 519 4X4 model for the adventurous. For this review, I opted for the middle of the range, a Jabiru 319 CDI-based van fitted with Trakka’s…

The intergalactic crew at Mars Campers saw the 2017 Camper Trailer of the Year Competition, run by Caravan World’s stablemate Camper Trailer Australia, as an ideal launching pad for market research on its new offroad discovery pod, aptly named the Ares 1. That was the name assigned to a new crew launch vehicle being developed by NASA as part of its Constellation program. The Ares 1 was intended to supersede the space shuttle with enhanced safety, reliability and cost-effectiveness and is, hence, a well selected title. The name originated in ancient mythology with the Roman god Ares, the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares was said to “embody the physical valour necessary for success in war” and was closely associated with another god, namely Mars. Is it a small caravan?…

You can hear it coming – growling thunder and then a flash of lightning. Soon, the clouds roll in, casting the day into opalescence, shifting colour against a pale and dark ground, and the rain starts. It’s time to learn how to protect yourself and your caravan from severe storms - which can happen at any time of the year - and wet-season cyclones. THE WEATHER MAN Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) spokesman Neil Bennett said caravanners can access weather information to help plan their trips and potentially keep them safe from harm. “The Bureau’s website is one of the most popular and comprehensive websites in the country,” Bennett told Caravan World. The BOM has desktop and mobile versions of its websites as well as a mobile app to help caravanners…

South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is an out-of-the-way destination which could easily be bypassed, yet it’s a beautiful region in its own right and well worth exploring. The peninsula’s west coast is jam-packed with breathtaking coastal scenery, fascinating landmarks, intriguing history and also happens to be the home of the world’s only permanent mainland sea lion colony. Our journey starts in the quaint town of Elliston, 168km north-west of the peninsula’s largest city, Port Lincoln. Situated on picturesque Waterloo Bay, this 400-resident township quadruples its population during the summer break and it’s not hard to see why. A short drive north gives access to the Anxious Bay Clifftop Drive, a stretch of dramatic coastline with massive cliffs, affording breathtaking views. An added attraction is the fascinating sculptures, placed on the cliff…

Can there be anything more heartbreaking for a much-loved vehicle than having his special number plates unscrewed and taken away by a zealous policeman? That’s what happened to me (and Yemmy) in Adelaide at Christmas time. I was on my way to spend Christmas with family, when a police car pulled up behind me with its siren blaring and lights flashing. I saw their left turn signal and thought they were after some miscreant who had turned left. But no, they were after me! They further informed me the signal meant I was to pull over and that it was an offence to ignore them. I was flabbergasted to learn Yemmy had not been registered for 12 months. I always pay bills as soon as they arrive and mark them…

Waffles can be used for more than a just a platter for ice cream and sauce. In fact, waffles can be a very important ingredient in both savoury and sweet recipes. Think bread puddings, savoury casseroles or grilled waffle sandwiches - let your imagination go wild! When making waffles (see recipe in last month’s Caravan World), I usually make a double batch and freeze any that are surplus. When needed, simply remove the waffles from the freezer, allow them to thaw and then give them a light toasting either in the toaster or under the grill. Waffley Savoury Casserole Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 40-50 minutes The following quantities will serve two as a main meal or four as a light meal. This recipe is excellent for a lazy…