Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 576 i Caravan World

Mal saw it first and I am jealous. Malcolm Street, our Field Editor in New South Wales, came across the new FRV Chassis from Coromal Windsor first. Those of you lucky enough to make it to the Sydney Supershow would have seen the crowd surrounding the display chassis most hours of the show and for good reason. It looks like no other chassis on the market. In Mal’s words, it looks a bit like ‘Swiss cheese’, to me it looks brilliant. The team have taken on a fairly old and well-known method to make steel more rigid and lighter, they punched holes in it. Now before you get worried, there is real science behind it; you will see this technique used in high-end aeronautical applications and in large, weight bearing…

The Supershow held at Sydney’s Rosehill Racecourse was literally packed with all kinds of recreational vehicles, accessories of all kinds, caravan park information and destination advice. It would be difficult to fit all that into a short item like this, so here are a few highlights: AUSSIE TRAVELLER Aussie Traveller hitherto known for its awning, annexe, door, windows, heaters and items like towing mirrors, has launched its own line of RV-friendly white goods. Kicking off the XCD fridge range are two models, a handy 90L under-bench model and a large 180L model. Both are absorption-style, three-way units. In addition to the fridges, Aussie Traveller has launched its own brand of roof mounted air-conditioner. Rated at 3600W, it’s reverse cycle, has a variable air flow and built-in LED lighting. COROMAL CHASSIS…

SAFETY GAUGE Dear Caravan World, I love getting my Caravan World at the beginning of each month. I would like to share an experience during a recent trip when we were towing a 3.1-tonne van on the Bruce Highway at 100kmph. My tow vehicle dash flashed a warning that stayed on the speedometer screen. It showed what I always sort of regarded as a “nice thing” to have, the ability to scroll through the multitude of dash displays for the “tyre pressures” information on the four wheels on my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Now continuing with my story: dash flashing a warning, four tyres on the screen, one flashing red and at a lower pressure than the other three tyres. With a little bit of panic, I reference the caravan rear…

Sand retrievals can be daunting experiences and should be respected especially when on a beach with the threat of an incoming tide but at the same time, with the right gear, composure and a plan, you should never stay stuck. HOW IT HAPPENED Fellow tow tester Chris Michel from Sunseeker Caravans, a more than capable and confident driver, was in charge of piloting the Hema Maps 200 series LandCruiser, as the day before his Mazda BT-50’s transmission had failed. We still had a lot to shoot, and test, so Hema offered the use of one of the support vehicles for the last two days of filming. Behind the 200 was his personal Sunseeker Wild Child, a big van on mud-terrain tyres with plenty of clearance. The Hema is well set-up…

In 1856, the volume of maritime traffic along the coast, and the growing number of shipwrecks, prompted the construction of the Cape St George Lighthouse. Sadly, it was built in the wrong location and was replaced by a new lighthouse on Point Perpendicular at the northern head of the bay in 1889. As the close proximity of the two towers was considered to be potentially confusing and pose a hazard to navigation, the Cape St George tower was partially demolished in the early 1900s (it was used for target practice by the RAN). Its ruins comprise the most significant historic site in the park and were listed on the National Estate Register in 2004.…

One of the big take home messages from TTT 2017 was that although challenging in some respects, we didn't push the limits enough. Sure we faced blown tyres, steep river banks and seemingly endless corrugations but these were not typical of most serious off road caravanning destinations so for 2018 we stepped it up. For this years' event we skipped the corrugations replacing them with more sandy embankments, shale-faced hill climbs, bigger drop-offs and soft riverbeds with enormous rocks. We may have lost the water crossings but we gained a lot of what can only be described as brow-raising ideas. The outcome is a better respect for not only the products and the people involved but our testing methods and confidence in them. What will 2019 reveal? We'll find out.…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Most family conscious campers won’t bat an eyelid at the asking price” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “It’s purpose-built for going off the beaten track for extended periods” LIVEABILITY “You’ll be kicking back with the kids in comfort while out in the sticks” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “It’ll confidently tackle almost anything you can throw at it!” LAYOUT “Employs a clever utilisation of space given its dimensions” QUALITY OF FINISH “You’ve got to appreciate how the swish interior all falls into place” BUILD QUALITY  s tough composite cladding, with high checkerplate for added protection” 8. CREATURE COMFORTS “A wall-mounted washing machine spices up a nice suite of mod cons” INNOVATION East-west bed, L-shaped lounge and angled kitchen configuration is a smart use of space” X-FACTOR “The bike racks riding high at…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 6.01m (19ft 8in) External body length 4.16m (13ft 8in) External body width 2.24m (7ft 4in) Travel height 2.01m (5ft 6in) Internal height 2.07m (6ft 9in) Tare 1300kg ATM 1600kg Payload 300kg Ball weight 120kg EXTERNAL Construction Composite Chassis Galvanised Suspension AL-KO Enduro Outback Coupling AL-KO Off-Road Pin Coupling Brakes AL-KO Off-Road electric 10in Wheels 15in with 235/75 R15 Goodyear Wrangler AT/S Water 65L Battery 110Ah Solar 80W Air-conditioner No Gas 9kg holders Sway control AL-KO ESC INTERNAL Cooking Swift gas oven and grill, 3x gas and 1x electric burners Fridge 95L Thetford three-way Microwave Yes Bathroom No Washing machine No Hot water Gas/electric OPTIONS FITTED NA PRICE AS SHOWN $36,000 MORE INFORMATION To enquire about this caravan, please visit golfcaravans.com.au  or phone 1800…

The 6.25m (20ft 6in) Dirt Road Xtreme was unveiled by JB Caravans earlier this year during the Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow. But it was much more at home participating in the 2018 AL-KO ‘Toughest Tow Test’ at Eldee Station, located in the foothills of the Barrier Ranges. Now this terrain is not for the fainthearted, but there was nothing timid about the way the Dirt Road Xtreme handled the daunting assignment. This semi-offroad brute cut an imposing figure muscling through the myriad of rocky escarpments. But the sheer fact of the matter is that the Barrier Ranges topography is unrelenting and that’s almost certainly why the Dirt Road Xtreme didn’t go completely unscathed. (The rear bumper bar at some stage failed to clear a deep rut, even with…

Almost every van nearing a 3500kg ATM comes behind a 200 Series. This is changing though with the 3500kg towing capable utes offering higher payloads and slowly getting the comfort a Sahara spec LandCrusier gives. What they don’t have yet though, is the same, soft, compliant ride on the road or in the rough. Ken from Roadstar has had his 200 Series for years, opting for the Sahara trim, the highest specification in 2010. They are available secondhand from as little as $50,000 up to around $70,000 or still at or near half the new replacement cost. They are still a costly buy but also one that offers rock solid resale, so it seems. The major difference in spec from then to now is fuel capacity (now up to 138L)…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.17m (26ft 10in) External body length 6.45m (21ft 2in) External body width (incl awn) 2.44m (8ft) Travel height 2.95m (9ft 8in) Internal height 2.02m (6ft 8in) Tare 2125kg ATM 2625kg Payload 500kg Ball weight 182kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti timber Cladding Aluminium cladding, fibreglass one piece roof Chassis Preston DuraGal 150mm x 50mm (6in x 4in) Suspension Tandem axle leaf spring Coupling Ball Brakes 10in elec Wheels 15in alloys Water 2x 80L Battery 1x 100Ah Solar 1x 150W Air-conditioner Houghton Belaire 3500 Gas 2x 9kg Sway control No External kitchen No INTERNAL Cooking Thetford four-burner (three gas, one elec) and grill Fridge Thetford N3185 177L Microwave NCE Bathroom Thetford cassette and separate shower cubicle Hot water Swift 22L gas/elec OPTIONS FITTED NA PRICE AS SHOWN $59,990…

For this review, my choice of van is a Cosy Cab Kirkston 196 and when I first looked it over, I was again reminded of the power of a name. The first impression is perhaps of a cabin that is very cosy, then there is the model name. Whilst the number is simply a reference to the external length, Kirkston sounds a bit like a large country estate. It may all sound a bit whimsical but stay with me. Perhaps I should mention the exotically-sounding dealer, Newcastle-based Concorde Motorhomes Australia from whence I obtained the caravan. The company takes its name from the A class motorhomes it sells, which surprisingly are neither British nor French but German built. However, priced at well over $600,000 they are not cheap and wisely…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8m (26ft 3in) External body length 5.97m (19ft 7in) External body width 2.32m (7ft 7in) Travel height 2.97m (9ft 9in) Internal height 2m (6ft 7in) Tare 2362kg ATM 2962kg Payload 600kg Ball weight 205kg EXTERNAL Frame Timber Cladding Aluminium Chassis Hot-dipped galvanised Suspension 3.3T-rated AL-KO Independent coil spring Coupling Cruisemaster DO35 Brakes AL-KO 10in Wheels 15in alloy, LT 235/75R15 AT (shown) Water 2x 95L (fresh); 95L (grey) Battery 2x 100Ah Solar 2x 150W Air-conditioner Houghton Belaire 3400 Gas 2x 9kg Sway control No Kitchen (outside) Yes, stainless steel sink and drainer INTERNAL Cooking Swift four-burner, grill and oven Fridge Thetford N604M 184L Microwave Sphere Bathroom Dometic cassette toilet and separate shower cubicle Hot water Swift 23L gas/elec OPTIONS FITTED X-Trac Pack: (3300kg-rated Cross Country AL-KO…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Certainly, the Titanium is at the upper end of the van conversion bracket but it has a high level of appointment” DRIVEABILITY “A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter? No problem at all–that seven-speed gearbox is very smooth” LIVEABILITY “Okay, so it does have a slightly cramped interior but it’s great for an indoors/ outdoors lifestyle” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “For a couple or a single who don’t want a large motorhome, ideal” LAYOUT “Quite well proportioned with a good sized kitchen area” QUALITY OF FINISH “Just about everything I could see had a feeling of quality about it” BUILD QUALITY “Seemed well put together to me” CREATURE COMFORTS “Has a relatively small interior but one which has more than all the essentials” INNOVATION “It’s a little different to most large…

Bridging the gap that has long divided two-way and three-way refrigerator enthusiasts; Aussie Traveller’s new Australian-made XCD caravan and motorhome fridge offers exceptional cooling power with the functionality of an absorption fridge to accommodate Aussie explorers in the harshest of summers. Three-way fridges can been great for powering up by battery, electricity and gas, but can often compromise on their ability to keep milk and beer at a suitably chilled temperature for travellers dealing with the northern Australian climates. However, the XCD fridge comes in both a 90L and 180L capacity, with the fridge temperatures capable of achieving temperatures of 2-3 degrees celsius, and the freezers -15 to -18 degrees celsius, making sure the beer and wine are frosty cold! It also offers an Energy Selection option so that it…

Here in Sydney, the Caravan and Camping Supershow is not long finished and what a busy week it was for all the exhibitors. I spent a couple of days wandering around looking at everything that was on display. Whilst there was much on show, particularly from the caravan sector, I do wonder if the caravan manufacturers ought to rethink where they are heading. For the only slightly informed showgoer, it can be difficult choosing between rows and rows of white or silver boxes and remembering how they looked by the end of the day. This year, every second van was either a semi-offroad or full offroad caravan, and with some variation of a front island bed, full-width rear bathroom layout. Have all caravanners become keen to get off the beaten…

Hi, I am grateful that Caravan World is moving towards a dedicated power management segment within Caravan World. While I appreciate the many caravan reviews that Caravan World conducts, it is particularly helpful to see publications focused on informing operators on the technical aspects and helpful hints/tips involved with caravan operations, in this case, the 12V Guru segment. We own a Jayco Starcraft Outback (18.6). We are largely self-sufficient in regards to power management, with 2 x 100Ah deep cycle parallel batteries hooked up to an integrated Setec power management system. We have two 150w solar panels fixed to the van that charge the batteries in conjunction with the tug vehicle and 240v charging when hooked up. As a backup and for some appliance operations off the grid, we have…

“Tuning into your favourite travel playlist is a surefire way of beating boredom and getting the party going ... on your next vacation ” Caravan external speakers are a melodic prerequisite for travellers who yearn for a ‘dulcet tone’ fix, once settled in at their desired destination. Let’s face it, there’s nothing more soothing than harmony while holidaying out on the road — in more ways than one! Tuning into your favourite travel playlist is a surefire way of beating boredom and getting the party going (well, not quite on the dancefloor) on your next vacation. Perhaps Cliff Richard’s Wired for Sound blaring through the external speakers is your music genre. Do I hear, “I like small speakers, I like tall speakers”? Anyway, “now it’s music I’ve found” — if…

Ask at tourist info bureaus for scenic drives and places of interest off the main tourist routes. The people who staff these bureaus are locals and they may be generous with their local knowledge if you explain your interest and ask for their help. Talk to locals in the street, at the servo, at the supermarket, newsagents, anywhere you get a chance. Get some old-fashioned paper maps that show reasonable detail — the larger overall view will allow you to spot potential detours at a glance. You’ll also be able to quickly scan the area for places of interest to you, i.e., anglers will be looking for roads that follow or cross streams, or towns close to beaches. Do as much homework as possible before you leave home. Read articles…

Booderee is an all-year-round destination and is very popular during summer. Food, fuel and supplies are avail at the Jervis Bay Village general s and at the nearby towns of Hyams Beach, Vincentia and Huskisson. Unpowered camping is availabl within the park but bookings are essential. Sites are allocated by ball for the peak summer holiday seas A park use permit is required for all vehicles and may be purchased at the park office on entry. There is no additional charge for trailers or vans. Phone (02) 4443 0977 or visit parksaustralia.gov.au/booderee for more.…

ACCOMMODATION Ayres Rock Resort, ayersrockresort.com.au/accommoda Katherine Holiday Park, katherineholidaypark.com.au Discovery Parks, Darwin, discoveryholidayparks.com.au/cparks/northern-territory/darwin-darwin ATTRACTIONS Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru Top Didj Experience, Katherine, topdidj.com Katherine Hot Springs, visitkatherine.com.au/katherine-hotsprings-thermal-pools RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility, rfdsdarwin.com.au For more information, visit northernterritory.com/drive…

“The rainforest delights of Iron Range are accessed by a good dirt road that crosses a few rivers” I've been dragging trailers and campervans all around Cape York since 1980 but with the offroad van, I've curtailed myself to the more major tracks and roads of the region. Sure, you can do the whole of the OTL track with a van, but don't expect to walk away from that without a few battle scars or a lot of effort and damage to the track getting through in the first place. The main road to Weipa is generally, in the Dry season, a doddle these days and the word is it will be bitumised by 2020. Further north, the main access bypass roads to Bamaga and The Tip can be badly…

This route from the SA-NT border at Mt Dare to Timber Creek in the far north-west of the Territory, covers over 2200km of bush tracks and dirt roads. Such a route crosses diverse country, vegetation and habitat, ranging from the fringe of the Simpson Desert to the rugged escarpment country of the more well watered regions of the tropics. The tracks and roads also vary a lot in both what they offer in a form of a challenge, as well as changing from year to year; depending on what the previous Wet season has dished out, when the graders were out last, and how much traffic the route receives. The route north from Mt Dare first cuts across the Finke River flood out country, which can be deep in bulldust,…

Getting there Eldee Station is 880km or about 11hr drive from Melbourne. We found it be split the drive into two days, sta Mildura. If coming in from Sydne two choices, north through Dubbo and Wilcannia or south through Goulburn and Menindee. Both options will cov 1200km so consider at least one s From Adelaide is the simplest, s the A32 for a bit over 500km to Br then over on to Eldee. There is a northern entry to Broken Hill up the Silver C Highway. It is a trip worth taking a you past some magic areas like C Corner and Bulloo Downs. Be warne though, parts of the Silver City High unpaved and distances between fuel stations need to be considered.…

Here we were at historic Eldee Station in Silverton, a mere rocky outcrop or two from Broken Hill, for the AL-KO ‘Toughest Tow Test’—man, tow tug and, more importantly, a sextet of caravans pitted against a rugged, unforgiving terrain. And among the caravan convoy, and rust-red landscape, was a ‘Wild Child’. Not surprisingly, the daunting scenario proved a ‘marriage made in heaven’. I, for one, was indelibly impressed with its offroad towing capability. “It may appear an oxymoron, but the Wild Child is indeed Sunseeker Caravans’ golden-haired child!” Obviously greatly assisting in this department were the van’s SupaGal chassis made with 3mm-thick Australian RHS steel, 6in drawbar with 4in chassis and 4in chassis raiser, a T-piece strengthener underneath the extended A-frame, 285/75 R16 mud-terrain tyres with load rated alloy wheels,…

When the T6 series of Ford Ranger launched in 2011, Ford partnered with Mazda on the platform releasing the UP series of BT-50s. They share almost everything from engines to gearboxes and diffs to brakes. Inside is a bit different as is the outside but they are largely the same, high selling utes. Why? High load and tow capacities and plenty of power from the 3.2L in-line five-cylinder turbo diesel. Sunseeker’s Chris Michel loves his offroading and was drawn to the BT-50 through his past work with Mazda. He went to town on the ute adding ARB front, rear and side bars, winch, snorkel, Clearviews, roof rack, front bash plate, extra lighting, a decent lift and a good set of tyres but one eventful drive has him wondering whether a…

VALUE FOR MONEY “The Golf is aggressively priced compared to other pop-tops; consider the tough extras and it's a good deal” TOWABILITY “The Compact Bush Challenger is close to being as tow-able as a full-on camper trailer” LIVEABILITY Quick to pop and with good water and cooking facilities, the only let down is the lack of a toilet” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “To get places a full-size won't, the Bush Challenger is good though it's needs more for when you get there” LAYOUT It would be hard to fault it for layout as its overall dimensions limit it’s layout but the door is a drag” QUALITY OF FINISH “We didn't see dust ingress though the dealer had sealed the door vent for our testing” BUILD QUALITY “The chassis is tough…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.4m (27ft 7in) External body length 6.25m (20ft 6in) External body width 2.4m (7ft 10in) Travel height 3.1m (10ft 2in) Internal height 2m (6ft 7in) Tare 2600kg ATM 3050kg Payload 450kg Ball weight 160kg EXTERNAL Frame Meranti Cladding High-profile Stucco Chassis 6in Suspension AL-KO Enduro Cross Country 3.5t Coupling Offroad Brakes 12in electric Wheels 16in Water 2x95L (fresh); 1x95L (grey) Battery 2x120Ah AGM Solar 2x150W Air-conditioner Dometic Harrier Gas 2x9kg Sway control AL-KO ESC INTERNAL Cooking Swift gas/electric cooktop, grill and oven Fridge Dometic RMDX25 three-way 190L Microwave NCE 25L Bathroom Dometic ceramic toilet, with full-height one-piece fibreglass shower Washing machine NCE top-loader 3kg Hot water Swift gas/electric 28L OPTIONS FITTED None PRICE AS SHOWN $82,990 MORE INFORMATION To enquire about this caravan, please visit…

Back in the day when everyone ran around in Kingswoods, Valiants and Falcons (being Holden, Chrysler and Ford) and you didn’t have to worry about fitting special tow hitches because the vehicles still had leaf-spring suspension, family caravans were very common. Indeed, the likes of Millard and Viscount turned them out in the thousands. They were, of course, a little more basic than the vans we know today. Times have changed on all fronts and whilst family caravans are still around, they frequently appear in multiple forms—camper trailers, pop-tops, pop-outs and other variants. Often budget is the driving factor but some family caravans are quite expensive. Which is why something like an Aura Diamond tandem-axle van with a price tag just under $60,000 might well create some interest. “It will…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Certainly good for families on a budget” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “Not really an offroad van but it has a reasonable battery and solar capacity” LIVEABILITY “Room to move around inside” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Stacks up quite well for a family van” LAYOUT “Standard layout for bunk van and okay except for small table” QUALITY OF FINISH “Mostly standard industry items fitted” BUILD QUALITY “A few items needed a bit of fine-tuning but otherwise okay” CREATURE COMFORTS “Has all the basics” INNOVATION “Not much in the innovation department, mostly to general industry standards” X-FACTOR “For the most part, the family layout”…

We all use the term often but the original jerry can was developed by the German Military in the 1930s and was copied by just about everyone else, notably the Americans and British during WWII. Rather than a design afterthought, the stamped indentations in the sides give it strength and a greater surface area for expansion and contraction. The original jerry cans had three handles—designed for either single carrying or by two soldiers. We take them for granted but the original design was very practical.…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Base van price good value” SELF-SUFFICIENCY “Has all the basics but can be optioned up” LIVEABILITY “The van layout is well proportioned, so all areas have we room to move” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Either on-road or off-road options make for an all round van” LAYOUT “Well proportioned with few compromises on overall layout” QUALITY OF FINISH “Generally speaking, most items seem to be of industry quality” BUILD QUALITY “Few minor areas could be better” CREATURE COMFORTS “It has most of them” INNOVATION “Not a great deal of innovation, mostly industry standard” X-FACTOR “Not much standout but first impressions are consistent with a more detailed look”…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES External body length 6.96m (22ft 10in) External body width 1.99m (6ft 6in) Travel height 2.9m (9ft 6in) Internal height 1.92m (6ft 4in) Tare 3160kg GVM 3880kg Payload 720kg ENGINE Base vehicle Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 316 CDI Engine 2.2L turbo-diesel Gearbox Seven-speed auto Max power 120kW@3800rpm Max torque 360Nm@1400-2400rpm Brakes ABS Disc EXTERNAL Water10L (fresh), 80L (grey) Battery 200Ah AGM Solar 130W Air-conditioner Dometic FreshJet Gas 2x 4kg INTERNAL Cooking Dometic three-burner Fridge Dometic 136L 12V/240V Microwave Yes Bathroom Thetford cassette plus flex hose shower Hot water Truma 14Lgas/elec OPTIONS FITTED None PRICE AS SHOWN $139,900 MORE INFORMATION To enquire about this caravan, please visit latitudemotorhomes.com.au or phone (07) 5606 8000…

Few things dampen campsite camaraderie than the threat of a trip cut short by foiled feasts and warm beer. Battery failure is an imminent threat, which is why Projecta equips holidaymakers with all the vital statistics required to stay abreast of their power source's state of play. Compatible with a variety of battery types including 12V wet, AGM, gel and calcium-type batteries banked up to 320Ah, the BM320 smart battery meter offers campers a choice of two readouts on its full-colour 2.4in LCD monitor. The first screen, geared for a quick check, reveals the voltage, charge/discharge status, remaining capacity, time to empty/full, plus a clock and date display. Those who've identified unanticipated consumption or simply seek to know more can switch to a screen that reveals the battery bank's ambient…

Internationally renowned outdoor footwear brand, Scarpa, has just released it’s new Kailash Trek GTX boot, offering a perfect choice for walkers looking for traditional style built with modern materials and techniques. Kailash Trek GTX utilises a rich 1.8mm calf leather, weather protection from a Gore-Tex liner, and a protective toe rand for added durability. All this sits on top of a Vibram outsole, meaning the boot is perfectly at home both locally in our Australian bush, or internationally on your next long-distance trek. Made in Italy, the Kailash Trek GTX offers to-the-toe lacing to ensure a stable, precise fit. The addition of a low-density polyurethane insole also offers excellent shock absorption, and the Biometric Trek sole keeps you from skidding or slipping. Available in both men’s and women’s versions, the…

In the May edition of Caravan World, CW575, we incorrectly described the Southern Star SS 19.6 Hardcore as a semioffroad van. The Southern Star Hardcore is, however, designed for offroad conditions. Core offroad features include the 3700kg Cruisemaster XT coil/dual shock absorbers, Cruisemaster DO35 and Dexter 12in brakes. Our sincerest apologies to journalist David Gilchrist and Caravans Coffs Coast for the error. Visit caravanscoffscoast.com.au for more.…

It’s approaching four weeks until we venture into the desert for our first remote trip in what seems like an eternity. At this stage, our lists are running rampant. We have lists of things to do, to buy, to pack, and a sandy weekend pre-trip thrown in to organise. But, and it’s a big one, we haven’t locked in which camper trailer to take. Why not? Well, we can’t get the camper we want — Pioneer Mitchell! To us, this is our ultimate travelling companion — compact, comfortable, capable, and with plenty of storage without having to load up the bed. As you may know, my husband and I run an offroad camper trailer store in the Adelaide Hills. With so many trailers to choose from, what’s the problem? Well,…

WATER TANK SAFETY Q When you’re not using your van do you leave the water in your tanks empty and refill before next trip or empty out afterwards? Jay Nilsson, via facebook A This is a conversation that will outlive cockroaches. What you are actually looking at here is bacteria growth. So the real question is—how often do you use your rig? The chlorine in normal town water will kill off most bugs. So if you regularly filling up your tank from town water and driving around (which will dislodge and treat nasties) it will mostly self-clean. But, left to their own devices, a lack of use of your rig will allow bacteria to grow after the chlorine has gassed off (24hrs is all it takes). If…

If there is one thing that gets up the nose of every caravanner — literally as well as figuratively — it’s the fine layer of dust spread across the interior of the van after a day’s travel. Intrusive, pernicious and sticky, this fine red or beige menace knows no bounds making its way onto our table tops, floor, inside cupboards drawers, on the bedspread even the inside of our coffee cups. It doesn’t just come from the deep holes filled with bulldust in the far outback, either. It can occur across that short track down to the favoured riverside holiday spot. All it takes is just a few hundred metres and a steady rumble of traffic to pass your van. So how do you keep that fresh coating of red…

You’ll never think of adventure, particularly Australian Outback travel without thinking about fire. There is something about fire that seeps into our souls and travels with us from generation to generation. We sit around the fire and tell yarns, we warm ourselves by a fire. Fire is part of the Australian psyche. Through European and Indigenous storytelling, the stories of fire are so important. More practically, we cook with it, we live with it, and nowadays the Indigenous tradition of managing the land with fire is integral to life in rural Australia with Rural Fire Brigades blending modern science and technology to manage the land for safety, for better agricultural land management and for forest management. Very much part of life in Australia, it’s inevitable travellers will come across hazard…

“The region offers rich red and rocky ranges, trickling creeks and streams, and campsites far less populated than either the Kimberley or NW Cape” The Pilbara is often overlooked by adventurous travellers heading for the Kimberley or Northwest Cape. But the region offers rich red and rocky ranges, trickling creeks and streams, and campsites far less populated than either the Kimberley or NW Cape. We particularly enjoy the region around Newman to Marble Bar. Close to Newman is Weeli Wolli Spring, Eagle Rock Pool, Kalgan Pool, Punda Art Site and Rockhole and the Hickman Meteorite Crater only discovered in 2007. With rocky, eroded narrow two-track leading to most of these sites, or for at least part of the way, the going is slow while the creek and gully crossings are…

The Corner Country of NSW, Qld and SA is a fabulous destination for those looking for a genuine outback experience without having to spend half your holidays driving across the continent to get there. We always like starting our Corner Country trip in Broken Hill and then head out to Silverton before hitting the red dirt for the drive north, on what is an access road for the sheep and cattle properties out this way. At one stage, the route parallels the famous Dog Fence, which is about the only place you can really get to the fence and travel close to it on a public road. If we haven't stopped before, we'll prop for a time at Milparinka and you can easily spend a day or two here, before…

Covering over 155,000 hectares, Eldee Station runs along the western edge of the Barrier Ranges on the eastern side of the Darling River Basin. The greater region was once home to four major stations, Mundi Mundi, Mount Gipps, Corona and Alberta stations. Eldee Station came to be from Mundi Mundi Station when the Schmidt family arrived from South Australia sometime in the late 1800s. The family name is still part of its ongoing history with great-grandson Stephen Schmidt one of the current caregivers. The region's traditional owners are the Wilyakali who are still the major Aboriginal people in the greater eastern Darling River Basin, up to and including the Barrier Ranges. Their traditional centres are what have become Silverton and Broken Hill. The Wilyakali are also joint managers of the…

I recently attended the 2018 AL-KO ‘Toughest Tow Test’ (TTT) at historic Eldee Station (just out of Silverton) within the unforgiving terrain of the Barrier Ranges and Mundi Mundi Plains where several AL-KO products were showcased. And I experienced firsthand how they performed under grueling conditions—particularly the Enduro Outback and Enduro Cross Country independent trailing arm suspensions fitted to the caravan convoy. We set out with six caravans in tow with a clear set of objectives: find out how tough these Australian made caravans truly are, test the rebound, articulation and compression of ALKO's Enduro trailing arm suspension and the toughness and dust-proof ability of the new Off Road Pin Coupling and Off Road Ball Coupling. But let’s hark back to last year when the genesis of AL-KO TTT was…

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Overall length 8.74m (28ft 8in) External body length 5.99m (19ft 8in) External body width 2.43m (8ft) Travel height 3.15m (10ft 4in) Internal height 2m (6ft 7in) Tare 2400kg ATM 3500kg Payload 1100kg Ball weight 180kg EXTERNAL Frame Aluminium Cladding 3mm aluminium comp. panel Chassis F&P 6x2in A-frame with double laminated 4x2in (8in total) chassis Suspension AL-KO Enduro Outback with twin shocks Coupling AL-KO Off-Road Pin Coupling with 'Click Lock' Brakes 12in offroad Wheels Primal 16in alloy, LT285/75 R16 MT Water 2x95L Battery 1x120Ah AGM Solar 1x150W Air-conditioner Houghton Belaire reverse-cycle, remote-controlled Gas 2x9kg Sway control No (Optional) INTERNAL Cooking Four-burner cooktop, grill and oven Fridge Thetford tropical climate class automatic fuel selection three-way 183L Microwave Sphere 25L Bathroom Separate shower and toilet (mini ensuite) Washing machine Wall-mounted…

I heard myself saying ‘we probably shouldn’t be doing this’ but I was so impressed with what I saw that I couldn’t bear to raise the UHF radio to command a stop. There we were, videographer Cam (whose excellent work on the Bush Challenger you can view online) and I standing at the top of one of the more challenging valleys at Eldee watching as one of Team AL-KO expertly guided the brand new Golf through a dry river bed below us all so Matt could get the perfect shot. Matt got the shot and we all gained a new found confidence in the aptly named Challenger. “We threw the roof up to get some shade and by threw, I mean we got it up in the time it takes…

Ron and June, local dealers for Golf, dragged the Bush Challenger 2 up from Melbourne for AL-KO’s Toughest Tow Test and straight into action, pulling the pop-top with their 2012 Mitsubishi Triton GLX up along the toughest lines at AL-KO’s Toughest Tow Test. The Triton was one of the oldest cars on the trip and it showed. The GLX 4X4 was optioned with a four-speed automatic gearbox limiting gear range. It did have a few goodies on it though, from an alloy bullbar to a good canopy and some extra lights up front. Inside felt old in comparison to the other cars on the trip but it had a charm to its simplicity. The dash and doors would be easy to keep clean while the hose-out tray would be perfect…

VALUE FOR MONEY “Practical and rugged, but carries several imperfections—inside and out” TOWABILITY Displayed some poise traversing torrid topography, but a more prominent departure angle would be welcomed” LIVEABILITY “Comprises the majority of prerequisites for enjoyable off-grid living” SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING “Certainly, some quality AL-KO running gear ramps up its rough-road touring capacity” LAYOUT "Gets a tick for generous living space and good internal storage" QUALITY OF FINISH “Has some nice touches, but aspects of the cabinetry and furniture covered in white ply and plastic are negatives” BUILD QUALITY "Solid underpinnings, but has areas of workmanship that let it down” CREATURE COMFORTS “Leading the way are an inviting cafe dinette and an ensuite with most of the necessary mod cons” INNOVATION “Nothing overly inspiring, but serves up adequate LED…

I do sometimes wonder about washing machines in caravans and how often they get used. Perhaps they do, but are they fitted at the expense of something else? For instance, this van is clearly designed on a bit of a budget and there’s nothing wrong with that. But since it is more likely to get used in caravan parks, would you prefer to have extra shelves in the cupboards and few more power points (because there aren’t too many of those) rather than a washing machine for the same price? Just pondering...…

A little something to keep in mind with this van is the potential for changing the towing dynamics quite easily. In addition to the offside rear external bin, on the rear wall are two jerry can holders and a Fiamma bike rack. It might not sound much but the full jerry cans will add about 40kg and a couple of bikes (and rack) will add 30 or so more. Loaded over the caravan axles, that sort of weight would likely go unnoticed but depending on how the van is loaded, the extra weight on the van’s rear may impact towing.…

Latitude Motorhomes is a relatively new name in the motorhome market but the team behind Latitude, Ben and Michael Maclean, are old hands. Both were part of Paradise Motor Homes when it was owned by the Maclean family. Since the change of ownership, Ben and Michael have formed their own manufacturing company and wisely to date have been concentrating on the van conversion market. Apart from anything else, there is considerably less structural work required and van conversions are a popular segment of the motorhome market. “All the cabinetry is glued and screwed together” SMOOTH TRANSITION For their first motorhome project, the Titanium, a Mercedes-Benz-Sprinter 316 CDI was chosen. There are some good reasons for that, one being that the Sprinter is also available as a 519 CDI 4x4 chassis…

AL-KO's 'Toughest Tow Test' gave us the perfect opportunity to examine the new AL-KO Off-Road Pin Coupling, set to take this sector by storm. AL-KO’s new flagship offroad coupling features patented 'Click Lock' technology and an integrated positive latching indicator. The result is hands-free hitching, making it safer and easier to use. HITCHING UP THE AL-KO OFF-ROAD PIN COUPLING Before you begin, ensure the pin cover has been removed from the tow pin. When the green indicator is showing and the base of the tow coupling head sits over the tow pin, the tow coupling is locked onto the tow pin. Once this is done, it's time to remove the jockey wheel and hook up all the power connections and safety chains to the vehicle D-shakles taking care to cross…