Caravanning around Australia is an adventure that many people dream of completing at least once in their lifetime.

Australia offers many unique attractions and caravanning through diverse terrains is not a journey to take lightly. You’ll need the right preparation and a tough caravan that can handle the Aussie outback. However, with the right planning and equipment, your caravanning trip can be safe and successful.

Driving

Before starting your trip make sure your caravan’s fully loaded weight (Aggregate Trailer Mass or ATM) can be properly towed by your vehicle. If you’re having issues, you can always rent a vehicle with a stronger towing capacity or try reducing the loaded weight of your caravan.

Fuel can be one of the biggest expenses when caravanning. Keeping to a constant speed just under the road’s limit can help to conserve your car’s fuel while driving. When towing your caravan, it’s also important to keep an eye on the traffic behind you and to your side, as strong winds can be created from cars and trucks passing in the opposite lane.

Drivers should also try to drive with the wind blowing behind them if possible, as driving against the wind can increase fuel consumption and make towing your caravan difficult. To combat this, consider timing breaks to wait until the wind drops or changes direction.

What to Take

While still important, taking enough food and water for your trip is only one part of stocking your caravan. Other important items that will help ensure a safe trip include:

• Correct towing aid for your vehicle
• Wheel chocks
• Fire extinguisher
• Caravan jack
• Towing mirrors
• Extra coolant and oil
• Spare fan belt
• Insulation tape

When it comes to consumable goods, travelling with two to three litres of water per person per day is essential. Bringing enough fuel on your trip is also important as some roads may not have fuel stops for up to 375 kilometres.

Having a CB radio in your car can also be useful. As outback driving can often be single lane and high speed, this will enable you to contact trucks and other motorists to avoid dangerous driving situations and will also come in handy for emergencies. Two-way radio ‘walkie talkies’ are also a good addition to your car and can help when reversing and parking your caravan.

Planning Your Route

If you’re planning to travel around coastal Australia, be prepared for a journey of roughly 14,000 kilometres, not counting diversions or detours. The ‘rim route’ is best travelled counter-clockwise, driving from west to east at the bottom of the country and east to west along the top. This will help take advantage of wind patterns and reduce your overall fuel consumption. This route can be completed along ‘Highway One’, the only fully made up road around the continent. It also has rest areas with toilets roughly every 100 kilometres.

Climate in Australia varies most from north to south. The top end of Australia will be much hotter in summer, while the bottom of the country can get to freezing temperatures during winter nights. Planning to avoid the wet season (roughly from November to March) up north will also make your travels easier, severely reducing the chances of floods and cyclones limiting travel.

Planning Your Stay

Mapping where you’re going to stay ahead of time can help you prepare and plan your journey. Powered and unpowered caravan and camping sites will give you a safe place to park your caravan and enjoy the community of other campers.

The campsites you visit may also have shared amenities like bathrooms, showers and laundries. These are great opportunities to refresh yourself from the road, especially for those with smaller caravans which may not come equipped with showers or other amenities.

Campsites can also have their downside. Washing lines and other shared amenities can fill up quickly or be left in bad condition, while the early morning noise and lack of privacy may leave you eager for your own space.

Caravan and other campsites can let you rest and recharge while also providing activities for the kids. Check with campsite operators ahead of time for further details, such as if pets are allowed.

With the right plans in place and a quality caravan to travel with, your trip across Australia will give you the experience of a lifetime.

If you’re looking for caravans, insurance or camper hire for your next adventure, contact the friendly team at PMX Campers today.

If you’re getting ready for an Aussie roadtrip adventure, you might be wondering how to keep everyone entertained. Going outback is great, but steering some kids away from the iPad to experience the wildness can be a challenge.

There’s no denying how much fun camping is though. And nothing severs our ties to technology quite like grabbing your caravan or camper trailer and exploring everything the outback has to offer. Most camping ventures need proper planning to be successful – especially if you’re bringing the kids. But your preparations should involve more than just choosing a location and preparing the caravan, plan for some fun activities too! Here are a few great ideas to get you started:

Cool off with Water Activities

Water activities is one of the best parts of camping throughout the warmer months. This is the perfect time to explore some of Western Australia too, with beach camping and National Park water holes offering the ultimate cool off. Summer camping trips across Australia means you and the family can experience anything from kayaking to swimming, boating, water skiing, fishing, snorkelling, tubing and so much more!

Waterside campsites make keeping entertained and active easier. Whether you want to laze around and soak up the sun or adrenalin-filled water activities is more your thing, there are a ton of exciting things to do.

Tip: If you’re bringing equipment for water activities, like canoes, fishing rods or surfboards, investing in a soft floor camper trailer or hard floor camper trailer can fit the bill just make sure you choose the right rig for your needs.

Explore Hiking Trails

Hiking is another great activity to do when you’re camping. You don’t have to be a hiking enthusiast either. But finding some trails to explore can encourage you to get at one with nature and take in the country’s beautiful surroundings. Bushwalks can be as adventurous or as relaxing as you desire. Make sure you check the location you’re wanting to camp at prior to the trip and find out what trails are nearby to explore.

Master Nighttime Photography

Nighttime landscapes can make for some beautiful photography. Tap into your creative side by experimenting with some nighttime photography. With a decent camera that allows you to set the shutter speed and lens aperture, you can capture the night sky in all its stunning glory.

Camping offers the perfect excuse to study the stars too. If you’ve gone outback away from the city lifestyle, the display of stars is much more vivid and spectacular. Look for the Milky Way with the kids, see who can find the saucepan and three sisters first and grab some great snaps of the nighttime sky while you’re there.

Toast Marshmallows for S’mores

No camping trip is complete without a campfire! And with a campfire comes the urge to toast marshmallows and indulge in tasty treats. It’s an activity that children (and us adults!) rarely get tired off. Start by checking local regulations on open fires (great way of teaching younger kids the importance of safety)

Campfire Cooking

Campfire cooking isn’t just the ultimate excuse to get the melted chocolate and marshmallows out. It’s also great for trying new camping recipes and different food. Plus, it gives you the time-honoured tradition of bonding with family and friends. If you love fresh seafood and fishing adventures, try your luck with catching your own meal or two. Fishing with the kids can be a fantastic activity – and if you can get dinner out of the process too then it’s even better. Again check local regulations for this activity.”

Go Local

Exploring new locations come with it a chance to experience the local culture too. Even if you’re only a few hours away from home, eating and living like the locals opens up a world of new opportunities and fun to be had. Put some time aside to visit the locals. Head into the town city, check out the shops and find some local activity inspiration from the tourist centre.

If you’d like more information on which camper trailer to buy, contact a team member today.

Heading off on a caravanning holiday across our great state?

Outback adventures in your trusty caravan are one of the best ways to explore our vast country. There’s nothing like venturing into the Australia’s outback while still having the luxury of a kitchen, beds and a full bathroom to come back to.

However, without proper preparation and planning, the exciting trip you’ve been waiting months for could soon come to a halt. Malfunctioning vehicles, mechanical faults or lack of (forgetting) necessities are sure to top the list of trip ending issues. Luckily, with proper planning and a comprehensive checklist, you’ll be exploring the amazing outback of Australia, prepared for whatever the open road throws at you.

Tips for Your Next Caravan Holiday

Here are some tips to keep in mind while preparing and travelling Australia.

1. Understand your caravan’s features

It’s important to pay close attention to the features and benefits that come with your caravan. What is it capable of? What are some of the drawbacks? Can it handle rough off-road terrain? If you’re purchasing a new caravan, ask your dealer to take a test drive of the caravan to get a feeling of how to drive it attached to your vehicle on the road and learn how to park it before taking it on your trip.

2. Plan and prepare

Plan your trip and make notes of the fuel stations and towns along the way. Create a checklist and ensure your caravan is properly stocked with everything you require, including emergency equipment. Don’t forget to inform family and friends where you will be travelling, so they can check in with you to ensure your safe and well.

3. Packing your caravan for travel

Before leaving your starting location, and each location along the trip, ensure your caravan is properly packed for safe travel. The first step is to ensure all cords (such as the electrical cord to power mains) are disconnected from the caravan. Store all appliances in secured cupboards and secure your clothes and belongings.

If you have a pop-top caravan, lower and lock in the roof for travel. Turn off the gas, fill up your water containers and pack away external accessories such as caravan awnings and fold-down tables. Check the fluid levels of your vehicle including brake fluid, petrol and coolant.

Finally, do a walk around your caravan to ensure it is all secured for travel. Hook up the caravan to your vehicle, turn off the handbrake and remove chocks. Also, check that the jockey wheel has been removed or raised and secured.

4. Setting up on location

Once you get to each location, look for even ground to park your caravan. Put on the handbrake, lower the jockey wheel and place wheel chocks under each tyre to make sure the caravan is stable and secured. Dismount your vehicle from the caravan and connect your caravan to power mains (if available). If you have a pop-top caravan, raise the roof and secure it in place. Open your caravan awning and set up your equipment, tables and chairs.

Checklists

Your caravan holiday checklist will usually become overly complicated due to the lengthy list of items you might need. One way you can help to keep it organised is to split it into categories, such as caravan, vehicle and personal checklists.

Caravan Checklist

• Spare wheel
• Hydraulic jack for changing caravan tyres
• Wheel chocks to keep caravan stable when stationary
• Fire extinguisher
• Full spare water containers
• 25metre mains electrical extension lead
• Cooking equipment and appliances
• Full gas bottle
• Water hose

Vehicle Checklist

• Spare globe set for all vehicle lights (indicators, headlights, taillights etc.)
• Towing mirrors
• Spare coolant, oil and brake fluid
• Full tank of petrol and spare full jerry can (Australian Standards Approved)
• Spare wheel
• Printed maps and a GPS
• Comprehensive toolkit

Personal Checklist

• Torches and headlamps
• Clothes
• Ample food and water
• First aid kit
• Camping furniture such as fold up chairs and tables
• Sun protection (sun cream, hat, sunglasses, etc.)
• Toiletries
• Any prescription medicines
• Electrical devices and charging cables
• List of important contact numbers when travelling
• Board games

If you’re looking to live in pure comfort on your next trip away, have a chat to the friendly staff at PMX Campers on (08) 9455 1454 or head over to our contact page to find your ideal caravan.