Issue 651

Caravan World

Caravan World is the definitive guide that gives caravanners the know-how and confidence to pursue their touring dreams.

Caravan World1 min read
Caravan World
EDITORIAL EDITOR John Ford jford@hemagroup.com.au FIELD EDITOR Malcolm Street PRODUCTION EDITOR Amelia Mansell DEPUTY EDITORS Allison Watt, Julija Zivanovic CONTENT AND EDITORIAL MANAGER Robert Crack DESIGNER Nicholas Ramsamy COLUMNISTS John Ford, Ma
Caravan World2 min read
John Ford
We are travelling down the coast of Western Australia in our van, and there are loads of fellow caravanners on the road. After being locked out of the Gibb River Road last year due to flooding, we decided to have another try, and so far, so good. Whe
Caravan World1 min read
New Age Caravans And Jb Caravans Joint Venture
Walkinshaw Group announced in early August that JB Caravans has taken an equity stake in the New Age Caravans business. The two brands will continue to operate individually but will also work together where relevant to ensure they are creating a full
Caravan World4 min read
Last Tango In Tatters: Caravan Business Liquidated
The collapse of Tango Caravans is terrible news for many out-of-pocket buyers. Various reports say that as many as 30 customers paid in full for their vans and another 30 have paid substantial deposits, only to be told on 14 August that liquidators L
Caravan World1 min read
Massive Savings For Queensland Caravanners
In early July the Queensland Government announced a 20 per cent registration reduction for all light vehicles for 12 months in order to aid Queenslanders with the cost-of-living crisis. This reduced cost will mean great savings for caravan and tow ve
Caravan World2 min read
Don't Miss The First Busseltion Caravan And Camping Show
The first Busselton Caravan and Camping Show is being held on 21–22 September 2024 at Churchill Park, Busselton. The show will be open from 9am to 4pm each day. The Caravan Industry Association Western Australia (CIAWA) created this show in response
Caravan World1 min read
Jayco 'Greatest Escapes' Competition Is Back!
Jayco is back on the hunt for Australia’s best caravan and camping destinations, as voted by the general public. The 2024 competition will showcase the top parks across a number of categories, including family-friendly, budget, pet-friendly and coupl
Caravan World3 min read
Confused?
I recently read through a caravan-related Facebook page, and one particular post caught my eye. The poster was a newcomer to the world of caravans and motorhomes, contemplating a year-long trip around Australia with the family and doing some work alo
Caravan World4 min read
The Power Needed To Create Ac Pressure
Write to: Caravan World Postbag, 3 Wyman Place, Braeside, Victoria 3195 or email: submissions@hemagroup.com.au Please include your full address (not for publication). Letters chosen will be edited for publication, may be shortened and may appear onli
Caravan World4 min read
To Regulate Or Not To Regulate?
As the peak body for the Australian Caravan Industry, safety and compliance are at the heart of our activities. Indeed, they are specifically listed within our corporate vision. Securing customer trust through the delivery of safe, quality-driven pro
Caravan World3 min read
Back to The beginning
Published back in September 1970, the first Caravan World magazine looks quite a bit different to our current iteration. It was only 44 pages long and priced at a mere 30-cents per issue (although 30c would have gone a bit further back in the 1970s t
Caravan World8 min read
How To Pack A Small Van
Last year my partner and I undertook our first winter escape travelling from Melbourne to Cape York and return over three months in our 18ft 4in single axle 2022 Crusader Musketeer Warrior X Country. Three months living full-time in your van is a goo
Caravan World1 min read
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 stan
Caravan World6 min read
Travelling Safely
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
Caravan World1 min read
'3001 Things To See And Do Around Australia' Travel Guide From Hema Maps
The first edition of 3001 Things to see & do around Australia is a travel guide compiled by local explorer James Allen. Using activity icons and Hema Maps’ award-winning cartography, this guide makes it easy to plan your activities and routes around
Caravan World1 min read
Travel Happy
SEND PICS TO WIN
Caravan World7 min read
Soft landing
Okay, first up, a confession. We bogged the van in deep sand on Yarun/Bribie Island. In my defence, it was a first for me when reviewing a van, and the track had been badly chewed up with 400mm soft sand. Happily, Jason Wylie, the new owner of Sunlan
Caravan World6 min read
Mysteries Of The Macedon Ranges
There’s something quite ethereal and majestic about the drive through the township of Macedon and up towards the mountain. Each side of the road is bordered by grand estates and meticulously maintained gardens; many of which are open to the public. F
Caravan World6 min read
Tiny tourer
Sydney-based dealer CARLIGHT Caravans and Trailers does something a little differently from most Australian caravan dealers. For a start, the caravans are generally much smaller and lighter than the average Australian caravan. Secondly, CARLIGHT impo
Caravan World8 min read
How To Get [your Van] Hitched
One of the most memorable hitching gone-wrong stories I’ve heard was during a towing course I attended last year, where the instructors told us about a couple of towing newbies who’d turned up after a 30+ minute drive with their brand-spanking new va
Caravan World7 min read
Unique Pine Creek
A journey to Darwin by road inevitably means the long trek up the Stuart Highway. You could come in from the Savannah Way from the east near Mataranka or along the Victoria Highway from Kununurra, WA, but there’s still that last 317km section from Ka
Caravan World8 min read
Rove anywhere
Is it a caravan? Is it a hybrid? Is it a camper trailer? According to company owner and product designer, Phil Savory, the Stockman Rover 02 is in a category of its own. Phil prefers to describe his creation as a pod due to its unique characteristics
Caravan World8 min read
Caravaning The Cape
Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin, also known as the Cape to Cape or Capes region, is so bounteous with natural attractions it must have been at the front of the line when mother nature was granting favours. There’s bedazzling beaches, world-class wav
Caravan World9 min read
Staff surprise
We got the smallest, lightest, canvas-free van we could from the biggest manufacturer — we got a Jayco J-POD X! And because the trailer will be used for various jobs like catering on longer trips and by a diverse range of staff, we optioned on a roof
Caravan World7 min read
Bushranging Era Memorials
Our bushranging past left a remarkable legacy on our history but it also left a distinct impact on the landscape today. Memorial markers throughout Australia tell unique stories of those turbulent times. These monuments record not only the demise of
Caravan World6 min read
A Good Thing In A Small Package
Explorer RV is a north Brisbane dealer that specialises in offroad caravans. It is owned by Tony Scott and Mark Teitzel, two keen caravanners who enjoy the outdoor lifestyle with their families. When I first met them, they enthusiastically talked abo
Caravan World6 min read
River Roaming
During a winter escape to warmer climes, we left Melbourne in late May and headed north to Mildura, following the sunshine and the flow of mighty Murray River into South Australia’s Riverland, stopping for the night in the town of Waikerie. There is
Caravan World7 min read
Less Is more
Aussies love the appeal of big tough vans with jacked-up suspension, mud tyres and copious checkerplate. They have the go-anywhere credentials for outback travel with hundreds of litres of water storage capacity, infinite electrical power systems, mo
Caravan World4 min read
Only the Best With b.e.s.t.
It’s a banner year for B.E.S.T. Water Filters, with 2024 marking 21 years since the first IB.E.S.T. Inline Water Filter was sold. To this day, B.E.S.T. Water Filters remains the only RV water filter company that is 100 per cent Australian made, owned
Caravan World3 min read
What's On
4-5 October 2024 If you like live music from some of Australia’s best artists, camping, utes and festival fun then the Deni Ute Muster in Deniliquin, NSW, is the place to be. Held over two days, the Deni Ute Muster has something for the whole family.
Caravan World10 min read
Safety To The Forefront
SCAN TO VIEW VIDEO I’ve lost count how many kilometres I’ve done in the Isuzu D-MAX and MU-X siblings. A month back I drove back from south-east Queensland in a D-MAX X-TERRAIN after running it up from Sydney via the back roads and I’m about to head
Caravan World3 min read
Carnarvon Catch
After weeks caravanning from Melbourne, up the centre and across the Kimberley on the Gibb River Road, we were itching to arrive in Broome and enjoy some fresh seafood — and it didn’t disappoint. Fish tacos washed down with ginger beer became our new
Caravan World4 min read
Electrekking queensland
Heading into the fourth month of our electric Big Lap we crossed the border into Queensland and took the Overlanders Way to travel east through the outback towns. This route proved both extremely interesting and incredibly accessible for electric tra
Caravan World3 min read
In From the Cold
Located 489km north of Adelaide, just a short detour offthe long and monotonous Stuart Highway at Spud’s Roadhouse, is the town of Woomera. Named after the Indigenous word for a throwing tool, Woomera was established in 1947 in the years following Wo
Caravan World4 min read
Replacing caravan Brakes
When it comes to a do-it-yourself checkup on stopping power with drum brakes, you have some basic choices. Presuming the drums are in good order, the leading replacement parts are the brake pads and the electric magnet that powers the mechanism. You
Caravan World3 min read
A New Cooler on The Block
Coolers are a great and versatile bit of gear to have — perfect for picnics on a day trip or as extra (and portable) cool storage when around camp, or even to use as a spare seat if needed. We’ve used a few different coolers and eskies during our eve
Caravan World2 min read
Safe Storage
For our journey with our van to Western Australia, I was looking for a place to store some equipment that I was keen to keep outside the car but would be accessible if we went exploring without the van. I’ve been aware lately that travelling with gas
Caravan World1 min read
Keeping Cool With Dometic
Dometic launched the NRX Series of upright compressor-cooled NRX refrigerators in late 2023. The NRX series is available in five sizes (50L, 60L, 80L, 115L and 130L). With a fresh design and superior energy efficiency, the smart compressor-cooled NRX
Caravan World2 min read
More Storage Solutions With Msa
MSA 4X4 Accessories has a great lineup of gear that is specifically designed to make the touring lifestyle simpler and easier. We’ve reviewed the MSA Storage Drawer Systems before (check out John Ford’s feature in issue 636 or online where he install

Caravan World

More Issues From Caravan World