When dose a Camper Trailer become a caravan, when is a Caravan a Camper trailer ?
iana said
09:50 AM Aug 27, 2019
I have noticed at free / low cost camp spots there are notices advising that tents and camper trailers are not allowed. What defines a caravan, and what defines a camper trailer?
Phill of Townsville said
10:00 AM Aug 27, 2019
Iana.. where is this at? I have a camper trailer so would not want to go anywhere where this is an issue. Phill
Meredith said
11:16 AM Aug 27, 2019
I've only ever seen that once, at a gravel car park type of free camp that required full self containment, not somewhere that would be appealing for a tent or camper trailer, wasn't appealing enough for us to stay in our caravan either.
markf said
12:43 PM Aug 27, 2019
We came across a free camp that forbade camper trailers in NSW. When we called the local shire and asked why we were told that "camper trailers don't have a grey water tank. Just go to the caravan park". The caravan park was a shire run park that was untidy and scrappy to say the least. They also wanted $54/night UNPOWERED and this wasn't in any school holidays. We just did a bit of shopping in town, had a cup of coffee and drove another 30km's or so and found a nice bush camp for a couple of nights.
iana said
01:15 PM Aug 27, 2019
Hmmmmm what about the question ? what are the rules that describe a camper trailer. We had a Jayco Swam, that was described as a camper trailer, so is a Jayco Expander a camper trailer or a caravan ? What about those models that one half comes down on the other, are they caravans, if so why.
Aus-Kiwi said
01:34 PM Aug 27, 2019
I guess a caravan is when you can just open the door to walk in . Even pop
top can be walked into . While a camper ? Is a little like a framed tent on
a trailer., It needs a little ( or a lot ? ) of assembling before you can just walk in . One in Ikea , the other is Harvey Norman .
markf said
03:16 PM Aug 27, 2019
I reckon, from our experience, that the criteria is self contained including sewage and grey water and the general view is that a camper trailer doesnt have either grey water or sewage holding tanks.
2weis said
04:28 PM Aug 27, 2019
i thought a camper trailer would be a tent (canvas etc )on wheels
and a caravan was solid sided
brian
Warren-Pat_01 said
09:43 PM Aug 27, 2019
If you go to the USA, they are all called "Trailers".
markf,
My van does not have a grey water tank yet (will get a portable one some time soon) - so does my 17'10" pop-top rate as a camper trailer? I looked at fitting one underneath but I'd be scrubbing it out on every bump.
Some camper trailer owners carry porta-potties, etc.
And then there are the new breed - hybrids. What are they? Like the "Grand old Duke of York" & his army?
Eaglemax said
10:28 PM Aug 27, 2019
So...an Erectable Avan is a camper trailer when towed but a caravan when erected!
Tony
Olive Oil said
05:22 AM Aug 28, 2019
Eaglemax wrote:
So...an Erectable Avan is a camper trailer when towed but a caravan when erected! Tony
An Avan Sportliner or Cruiseliner is a trailer when its being towed & an ANT HILL when its erected.
They don't have grey water tanks or a cassette toilet so in actual fact they're a camper trailer all of the time.
That's why Avan call them CAMPERS.
-- Edited by Olive Oil on Wednesday 28th of August 2019 05:24:40 AM
Paul said
07:52 AM Aug 28, 2019
My 30 year old caravan doesn't have a grey water tank or a cassette toilet, does that make it a 30 year old trailer.
dabbler said
11:33 AM Aug 28, 2019
Officially, they are all trailers on Qld. More and more literature is specifically referencing "caravan" but legislation and associated documents are almost exclusively "trailer". I have a Teardrop which complicates things for people using labels. RACQ insurance had no issues but a couple of insurers told me it was either a caravan or a camper but I had to decide, they wouldn't.
Aus-Kiwi said
12:40 PM Aug 28, 2019
Yes I had issues with my old converted bus . Insurance and registration wise . A motorhome
is WAY less than bus . With camper trailers ? I could be corrected ? Theres big difference between a base model and top of the range !! Some have solid walls ? Like a fold up
Caravan ..
Eaglemax said
02:55 PM Aug 28, 2019
Olive Oil. Good points but the line is blurred. If I was a single man amd owned an "A" van I'd install a casette toilet.
But our new jome built 16' has a full ensuite but no grey water tank.
But its a full height caravan.
Tony
HandyWalter said
03:32 PM Aug 28, 2019
To me you need to further define caravan. I have a caravan. A pop top caravan is just that "A pop top Caravan" with all the compromises that brings (and some advantages) that a caravan has. All of these "towable" home away from home units have positives and negatives. I have never owned a pop top caravan because when I pull up at night thats just another thing to do at night and another thing to do in the morning. Coupled with if its raining you then need to dry out the pop top material. I dont have the time to do that as my van is stored 70kms from my home. To me a caravan is the quickest to set up and to pack up and thats why I bought one. Yes I know a Motor home would be quicker to set and pack up but I want to go off the beaten track doning 4WDing and setting up base camp sometimes. Cannot do that with a 4WD RV and in any case they are really big bruts to drive and thats not what the OP asked.
-- Edited by HandyWalter on Wednesday 28th of August 2019 03:38:25 PM
iana said
09:26 AM Aug 29, 2019
It is a sticky one, there are now so many configurations, someone will have to bring in a definition. An interesting conversation never the less.
denmonkey said
10:13 AM Aug 29, 2019
I think this proves the point, pull up and camp regardless and then ask them to provide you with a recognized definition
Tony Bev said
12:17 PM Aug 29, 2019
My interpretation, so I could be wrong
Is that the people who put up the signs, are probably thinking that camper trailers, do not have a toilet or grey water tank
Although older caravans also do not have a built in toilet, or grey water tank, they can ad lib, by carrying a portable cassette toilet, and a closed container for their grey water
HandyWalter said
03:52 PM Aug 29, 2019
Trouble is Tony Bev, some camper trailers have a porta toilet and grey water tank ie Ultimate campers! Its interesting if you google Caravan Definition, it gives you a very wide range of items including "a group of people traveling together"!
-- Edited by HandyWalter on Thursday 29th of August 2019 03:55:15 PM
I have noticed at free / low cost camp spots there are notices advising that tents and camper trailers are not allowed. What defines a caravan, and what defines a camper trailer?
We came across a free camp that forbade camper trailers in NSW. When we called the local shire and asked why we were told that "camper trailers don't have a grey water tank. Just go to the caravan park". The caravan park was a shire run park that was untidy and scrappy to say the least. They also wanted $54/night UNPOWERED and this wasn't in any school holidays. We just did a bit of shopping in town, had a cup of coffee and drove another 30km's or so and found a nice bush camp for a couple of nights.
top can be walked into . While a camper ? Is a little like a framed tent on
a trailer., It needs a little ( or a lot ? ) of assembling before you can just walk in . One in Ikea , the other is Harvey Norman .
and a caravan was solid sided
brian
markf,
My van does not have a grey water tank yet (will get a portable one some time soon) - so does my 17'10" pop-top rate as a camper trailer? I looked at fitting one underneath but I'd be scrubbing it out on every bump.
Some camper trailer owners carry porta-potties, etc.
And then there are the new breed - hybrids. What are they? Like the "Grand old Duke of York" & his army?
An Avan Sportliner or Cruiseliner is a trailer when its being towed & an ANT HILL when its erected.
They don't have grey water tanks or a cassette toilet so in actual fact they're a camper trailer all of the time.
That's why Avan call them CAMPERS.
-- Edited by Olive Oil on Wednesday 28th of August 2019 05:24:40 AM
is WAY less than bus . With camper trailers ? I could be corrected ? Theres big difference between a base model and top of the range !! Some have solid walls ? Like a fold up
Caravan ..
To me you need to further define caravan. I have a caravan. A pop top caravan is just that "A pop top Caravan" with all the compromises that brings (and some advantages) that a caravan has. All of these "towable" home away from home units have positives and negatives. I have never owned a pop top caravan because when I pull up at night thats just another thing to do at night and another thing to do in the morning. Coupled with if its raining you then need to dry out the pop top material. I dont have the time to do that as my van is stored 70kms from my home. To me a caravan is the quickest to set up and to pack up and thats why I bought one. Yes I know a Motor home would be quicker to set and pack up but I want to go off the beaten track doning 4WDing and setting up base camp sometimes. Cannot do that with a 4WD RV and in any case they are really big bruts to drive and thats not what the OP asked.
-- Edited by HandyWalter on Wednesday 28th of August 2019 03:38:25 PM
Is that the people who put up the signs, are probably thinking that camper trailers, do not have a toilet or grey water tank
Although older caravans also do not have a built in toilet, or grey water tank, they can ad lib, by carrying a portable cassette toilet, and a closed container for their grey water
Trouble is Tony Bev, some camper trailers have a porta toilet and grey water tank ie Ultimate campers! Its interesting if you google Caravan Definition, it gives you a very wide range of items including "a group of people traveling together"!
-- Edited by HandyWalter on Thursday 29th of August 2019 03:55:15 PM