I'll be starting a very slow journey (at least 2 years) around Australia by myself (female) with 2 small dogs next year and would like some advice from other solo travellers on the best kind of van. I took my (then) young children on a 12 month lap of this beautiful country back in 2001 with an off-road Goldstream and an old (60 series) turbo diesel LC and that served us very well. We stayed mostly in National Parks and we managed lots of off-road routes (eg. GRR, Halligan Bay Track, Donohue & Plenty Hwy, Fraser Island) and the car and trailer were faultless the whole year. It was also easy enough for a 10 yr old & I to set up and very roomy.
Its tempting to just stick with what I know and get a similar rig again. This time round, though, I don't necessarily need as much space and I can't stay in the national parks because of the dogs, and wouldn't venture into remote bush unless it was in convoy with other people, so I'm not sure how much off-road capability I'm likely to need. I'd like to free camp as much as possible and will be adding sufficient solar, batteries and 2 way fridge to enable this. However, Im not really familiar with the free camp locations so was just wondering if anyone can give some advice on how much more restricted I would be in accessing these campsites if I went for a small off-road caravan instead of a camper trailer? Id probably be looking at an early 2000s model on my budget.
Thanks.
wendyv said
04:53 AM Sep 17, 2012
If you can find a small offroad, poptop caravan, you should find you can access similar places to what you could with the camper trailer. The main thing, if you want to get onto similar roads to those you mention above, is to make sure your rig is genuinely offroad. Some companies sell vans they label as offroad, but they are really standard ones with a couple of tweaks, and may not do so well. The sort of thing that came to mind when I read your post was a Trakmaster Sturt. Google that and have a look. They are not all that easy to find second hand, but occasionally come up for sale. Also - have a browse of the Caravaners Forum. There is a current post on there about second hand offroad vans. They also have a For Sale section that members use. If you come across an possible van to purchase and you want advice about the brand quality etc, that forum is also a good source of info.
jules47 said
04:54 AM Sep 17, 2012
Hi Scout, and welcome to the site - one of the best things you could buy yourself is a copy of the Camps Australia No. 6 book - it is the travellers bible - independent campsites all over Australia - go to a newsagency or a book shop, and browse through a copy - you will be amazed how many campsites there are!! Check that out, there is one with spiral binding that has photos of campsites - always handy - and of course this site is a wealth of information. Good luck.
Duh said
10:31 AM Sep 17, 2012
Have a look at Doug's Avan Camper Trailer, hard sides/roof and no canvas unless you put the awning or annexe on.
You can get a version with beefed up chassis and shockies added, not truly off road but ok for light off road stuff.
Don't try the GRR with it like a friend of mine did, nearly shook it to pieces......
Google Avan Camper Trailers for sale, the 2B model would be good for you, try to get after 2000 as they have the higher side walls and therefore have the bigger/higher fridge, see;
Scout, as a past camper-trailer owner and now caravan owner, I can only say the putting-up-and-down of a camper trailer doesnt get any easier as you are getting older. It might be fine for a few years, but if you are considering something that will last for a longer time, choose a caravan.
With the dogs, as you say you are going to be limited from NP's, so now do you really need such off-road capability? It makes your van much heavier. You can always park your van somewhere safe and take day-trips into the rough parts.
Our solar panels ride in the tug, and can be set up in the sun while the caravan hopefully stays in a shady spot. You can move them as the sun moves. We have a chain that ties them to the van if we are away. (nothing is ever absolutely safe from thieves, you can only slow them down)
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 17th of September 2012 10:51:35 AM
dawa said
12:37 PM Sep 17, 2012
jules47 wrote:
Hi Scout, and welcome to the site - one of the best things you could buy yourself is a copy of the Camps Australia No. 6 book - it is the travellers bible - independent campsites all over Australia - go to a newsagency or a book shop, and browse through a copy - you will be amazed how many campsites there are!! Check that out, there is one with spiral binding that has photos of campsites - always handy - and of course this site is a wealth of information. Good luck.
you can have mine it is just taking up space now
Dawa
Dougwe said
02:20 PM Sep 17, 2012
Hi Scout and welcome from me, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Yes the Avan Campers are great, very easy to set up and put down, 30 seconds, I have timed it and NO canvas walls. Only one thing I would highly recommend is that you get the chassis upgrade, heavy duty tyres, and Solar Panels fitted DEFORE you collect it, new that is. If you get a second hand one make sure it is all on board. I only have the Awning and find that is all I need. I also only have the "Sportliner" but you might need the bigger one for your woofers.
There is a couple of pics of mine on Show Your Rig section of this forum.
I got one new from the Avan Factory and showroom in Pakenham Victoria and now wish I had got all that done. It's amazing what you find out after purchasing something.
I have learnt so much and met some great people from this forum. Good luck and,
scout said
04:49 PM Sep 17, 2012
Thanks to everyone for the replies and welcomes.
The AVans certainly look very easy to manage for a single person but I have my doubts about being able to mount sufficient solar panels to be able to free camp for extended periods with a compressor fridge. The roof angle is not exactly ideal for capturing solar power & space looks limited. I know you can get portable panels but Id prefer them mounted so I dont have to worry about leaving them out. Im also struggling to imagine not being able to travel on routes like the GRR so it seems I really do want half-decent off-road capability, even if I end up hardly ever using it.
Wendy, Ill definitely check out the Trakmaster Sturt. Im also considering a small Supreme Getaway. And still open to options with canvas. Everyone seems to advise against it for extended trips but I didnt find it too bad last time and it offers a much lighter solution than an offroad caravan.
Dawa, Im interested in buying your Camps6 book, thx. Ill attempt to PM.
Jacinta
scout said
05:07 PM Sep 17, 2012
No doubt, the first of many dumb questions ... where would I find the Caravanners forum?
Beth54 said
07:44 PM Sep 17, 2012
Welcome Scout. As you can see from my avatar, I'm not set up for off road, although I wish I could have. Alas, finance prevented it. If I could have, I would've had something like what you describe.
Good luck with it all, and keep us informed.
Jillybeans said
05:36 PM Sep 18, 2012
Hey Scout, was just reading your post, I'm heading off next year myself with a 5 year travelling plan. I have 2 dogs at present but sadly one is to old to travel. I'm reaseaching campervans and caravans trying to work out which would suit me best , I'm a real newby and this will be my first time out in the big world travelling on my own, I'm a little scared and very excited, just so looking forward to my escape lol.
I've found a welth of info here and several other camping/ caravan sites ......for locations this is great (oz camps)
Better to be out on the road than not though, Im sure, Beth!
JB, good on you for taking the leap of faith! Most people thought I was mad when I did the year with the kids, but it was one of the best things we ever did. I started as green as you (and no doubt will again), and we spent the first few weeks providing endless entertainment to fellow campers as we fumbled our way through reversing and hitching and all that stuff, but you get the hang of it a lot quicker than youd think and theres so many wonderful and interesting people you meet on the road.
Im hoping to have my act together to depart Jan 2013. How about you? Ive ruled out campervans because (a) I think Id find it a little bit small with the 2 dogs and (b) Id like to have transport without packing up my camp. I was tempted by the idea though, because I think thered be some added personal safety in being able to climb through to a drivers seat and leave a site if it ever became necessary. Thats part of the reason Im considering a caravan instead of a camper, although Im not sure how much extra security a caravan door really offers.
Gerty, I probably dont *need* such off-road capability most of the time but Id like it J However, I dont think I want to spend whats required to purchase something like a small Trakmaster so Im either going to have to compromise with a van that will at least cope with some dirt roads or go for a wind-up or hard-floor camper. Decisions, decisions!
Beth54 said
07:17 PM Sep 18, 2012
scout wrote:
Better to be out on the road than not though, Im sure, Beth!
Sure thing Scout! I may be restricted but better than sitting at home growing old!
Hi everyone,
I'll be starting a very slow journey (at least 2 years) around Australia by myself (female) with 2 small dogs next year and would like some advice from other solo travellers on the best kind of van. I took my (then) young children on a 12 month lap of this beautiful country back in 2001 with an off-road Goldstream and an old (60 series) turbo diesel LC and that served us very well. We stayed mostly in National Parks and we managed lots of off-road routes (eg. GRR, Halligan Bay Track, Donohue & Plenty Hwy, Fraser Island) and the car and trailer were faultless the whole year. It was also easy enough for a 10 yr old & I to set up and very roomy.
Its tempting to just stick with what I know and get a similar rig again. This time round, though, I don't necessarily need as much space and I can't stay in the national parks because of the dogs, and wouldn't venture into remote bush unless it was in convoy with other people, so I'm not sure how much off-road capability I'm likely to need. I'd like to free camp as much as possible and will be adding sufficient solar, batteries and 2 way fridge to enable this. However, Im not really familiar with the free camp locations so was just wondering if anyone can give some advice on how much more restricted I would be in accessing these campsites if I went for a small off-road caravan instead of a camper trailer? Id probably be looking at an early 2000s model on my budget.
Thanks.
The sort of thing that came to mind when I read your post was a Trakmaster Sturt. Google that and have a look. They are not all that easy to find second hand, but occasionally come up for sale.
Also - have a browse of the Caravaners Forum. There is a current post on there about second hand offroad vans. They also have a For Sale section that members use. If you come across an possible van to purchase and you want advice about the brand quality etc, that forum is also a good source of info.
Have a look at Doug's Avan Camper Trailer, hard sides/roof and no canvas unless you put the awning or annexe on.
You can get a version with beefed up chassis and shockies added, not truly off road but ok for light off road stuff.
Don't try the GRR with it like a friend of mine did, nearly shook it to pieces......
Google Avan Camper Trailers for sale, the 2B model would be good for you, try to get after 2000 as they have the higher side walls and therefore have the bigger/higher fridge, see;
http://www.avan.com.au/products_aliner.html
http://www.avanclubaust.org.au/1276/Avans_For_Sale/
Scout, as a past camper-trailer owner and now caravan owner, I can only say the putting-up-and-down of a camper trailer doesnt get any easier as you are getting older. It might be fine for a few years, but if you are considering something that will last for a longer time, choose a caravan.
With the dogs, as you say you are going to be limited from NP's, so now do you really need such off-road capability? It makes your van much heavier. You can always park your van somewhere safe and take day-trips into the rough parts.
Our solar panels ride in the tug, and can be set up in the sun while the caravan hopefully stays in a shady spot. You can move them as the sun moves. We have a chain that ties them to the van if we are away. (nothing is ever absolutely safe from thieves, you can only slow them down)
Heres the caravaners forum site.. http://caravanersforum.com/index.php
Very best wishes for your travels.
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 17th of September 2012 10:51:35 AM
you can have mine it is just taking up space now
Dawa
Hi Scout and welcome from me, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Yes the Avan Campers are great, very easy to set up and put down, 30 seconds, I have timed it and NO canvas walls. Only one thing I would highly recommend is that you get the chassis upgrade, heavy duty tyres, and Solar Panels fitted DEFORE you collect it, new that is. If you get a second hand one make sure it is all on board. I only have the Awning and find that is all I need. I also only have the "Sportliner" but you might need the bigger one for your woofers.
There is a couple of pics of mine on Show Your Rig section of this forum.
I got one new from the Avan Factory and showroom in Pakenham Victoria and now wish I had got all that done. It's amazing what you find out after purchasing something.
I have learnt so much and met some great people from this forum. Good luck and,
Thanks to everyone for the replies and welcomes.
The AVans certainly look very easy to manage for a single person but I have my doubts about being able to mount sufficient solar panels to be able to free camp for extended periods with a compressor fridge. The roof angle is not exactly ideal for capturing solar power & space looks limited. I know you can get portable panels but Id prefer them mounted so I dont have to worry about leaving them out. Im also struggling to imagine not being able to travel on routes like the GRR so it seems I really do want half-decent off-road capability, even if I end up hardly ever using it.
Wendy, Ill definitely check out the Trakmaster Sturt. Im also considering a small Supreme Getaway. And still open to options with canvas. Everyone seems to advise against it for extended trips but I didnt find it too bad last time and it offers a much lighter solution than an offroad caravan.
Dawa, Im interested in buying your Camps6 book, thx. Ill attempt to PM.
Jacinta
No doubt, the first of many dumb questions ... where would I find the Caravanners forum?
Welcome Scout. As you can see from my avatar, I'm not set up for off road, although I wish I could have. Alas, finance prevented it. If I could have, I would've had something like what you describe.
Good luck with it all, and keep us informed.
Hey Scout, was just reading your post, I'm heading off next year myself with a 5 year travelling plan. I have 2 dogs at present but sadly one is to old to travel. I'm reaseaching campervans and caravans trying to work out which would suit me best , I'm a real newby and this will be my first time out in the big world travelling on my own, I'm a little scared and very excited, just so looking forward to my escape lol.
I've found a welth of info here and several other camping/ caravan sites ......for locations this is great (oz camps)
http://ozcamps.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=29
When are you heading off on your trip????
Cheers JB
Better to be out on the road than not though, Im sure, Beth!
JB, good on you for taking the leap of faith! Most people thought I was mad when I did the year with the kids, but it was one of the best things we ever did. I started as green as you (and no doubt will again), and we spent the first few weeks providing endless entertainment to fellow campers as we fumbled our way through reversing and hitching and all that stuff, but you get the hang of it a lot quicker than youd think and theres so many wonderful and interesting people you meet on the road.
Im hoping to have my act together to depart Jan 2013. How about you? Ive ruled out campervans because (a) I think Id find it a little bit small with the 2 dogs and (b) Id like to have transport without packing up my camp. I was tempted by the idea though, because I think thered be some added personal safety in being able to climb through to a drivers seat and leave a site if it ever became necessary. Thats part of the reason Im considering a caravan instead of a camper, although Im not sure how much extra security a caravan door really offers.
Gerty, I probably dont *need* such off-road capability most of the time but Id like it J However, I dont think I want to spend whats required to purchase something like a small Trakmaster so Im either going to have to compromise with a van that will at least cope with some dirt roads or go for a wind-up or hard-floor camper. Decisions, decisions!
Sure thing Scout! I may be restricted but better than sitting at home growing old!
