iMotorhome eMagazine Issue 31- August 17 2013

iMotorhome

31: August 17 2013

magazine

Issue

because getting there is half the fun...

Trail Blazer Win!

$50 Caltex Fuel Card!

This mighty beast is a Trailblazer by name and nature...

Sweet Sweet Musica!

An Italian slide-on with style and substance...

Land of Plenty

Touring from Alice Springs to Ballina

On my mind

3

WE ARE ONE?

T

he stirring anthem “I Am Australian” concludes with the lyrics, “I am, you are, we are Australian.”

It’s a beautiful song and I love it, so pardon me for saying – it’s bollocks. Far from being “One,” Australia is fractured along geographic, political, economic, religious, ethnic and social boundaries – but don’t feel bad – so is the rest of the world!

Perhaps the closest I’ve been to experiencing a truly egalitarian society is when touring by RV. In caravan parks and free camping areas across the country, neighbours live on a first-name only basis; are

usually glad to lend a hand and no matter the size or price tag of your rig, everyone’s welcome for sundowners. Perhaps the fact most people in this group are white and middle aged or older has something to do with it, but travelling is a great social leveller.

I live and work on acreage and from my desk as I’m writing this I can’t see another house; just occasional traffic, birds and a pair of horses warming themselves in the late afternoon sun and dreaming of their next bucket of treats.

I don’t tell you this to boast, I tell you because when Mrs iMotorhome and I travel we

don’t want to swap the space and serenity of our home for a cheek-by-jowl experience in a crowded caravan park.

Yet that’s exactly what a fair section of Australia’s so-called peak tourism and RV Industry bodies seem to believe we want – no, need – while effectively saying we can’t be trusted to stop by the roadside at night without leaving the place looking like a tip.

There are some great caravan parks around – like Gemtree on the Plenty Highway, not far from Alice Springs – that provide valuable services to weary travellers and an island of security in a vast landscape.

Continued...

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Onmy my mind... mind On

4

...Continued

They also charge realistic tariffs, don’t cram their patrons in and are honest small-business people working hard to make a living. But there are others...

We use caravan parks when we need to top up water, batteries, do laundry and/or just want to stay close to the heart of a town without moving.

They aren’t ‘resorts’ to us; we’re not looking for ‘lifestyle

experiences to make our stay memorable’ and we don’t need another bloody jumping pillow!

So I’d like to start an iMotorhome register of readerreviewed caravan parks (and other camp sites). Tell me where, when, how long you stayed, how much you paid and what your experience was, warts and all, but don’t forget praise where due. I’ll

publish some in the magazine but also build a section on the website. This is not so you can rant – that’s my job – it’s a service to fellow RV travellers that could develop into a most valuable reference for all.

Citizen journalists, what are you waiting for?

d r a h c i R

The iMotorhome Team

Richard Robertson

Malcolm Street

Agnes Nielsen-Connolly

Publisher & Managing Editor

Consulting Editor

Design & Production Manager

A long-time freelance RV, motoring and travel writer, Richard is a dedicated, longterm motorhome enthusiast.

Unquestionably Australia and New Zealand’s best known RV journalist, Malcolm is a fixture at CMCA rallies and RV shows and is now in his second decade as a specialist RV writer.

Agnes is an experienced and talented graphic designer with extensive experience across a wide range of disciplines, including travel and advertising.

richard@imotorhome.com.au

He has held senior editorial positions with some of the best know recreational vehicle magazines in Australia. Richard also has a passion for lifestyleenhancing technology, which is why he is the driving force behind the new iMotorhome eMagazine.

malcolm@imotorhome.com.au

If it’s available on either side of the Tasman, Malcolm has probably driven it, slept in it, reported on it, knows how it’s made and can tell you just how good it really is.

agnes@imotorhome.com.au

Designing and producing iMotorhome issues since June 2012, Agnes does much of the behind-the scenes work to ensure every issue looks great and is easy to read.

©2013 iMotorhome. All rights reserved. Published by iMotorhome. ABN 34 142 547 719.

PO Box 1738, Bowral. NSW. 2576. Contact us on 0414 604 368 or Email: info@imotorhome.com.au

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INSIDE EDISNI 3 ON MY MIND

6

We are one? I don’t think so...

7 ON YOUR MIND Have your say for a chance to win a $50 Caltex fuel card!

10 NEWS

What’s happening in the RV world

14 TESTED

Taking a slide on the wild side – Richard tries out Trailblazers’ tough truck camper

32 TESTED

Mondo Rocks! – Malcolm has a day out with a beautiful Italian...

48 TRAVEL DIARY

Land of Plenty – Highlights from our recent Outback adventure

67 CLASSIFIEDS This week’s featured iMotorhome Classifieds

68 ROADSIDE EATS Berkelouw & Behold – Books, coffee, food and wine. Perfect!

72 NEXT ISSUE What’s coming up, plus our show calendar

On your mind

7 It’s only fitting that since Ed has his say in On My Mind, you should be able to have yours too. If you have anything to say – or ask – just drop a line to letters@imotorhome. com.au and we’ll share it with

our readers. We’ll also reward the most interesting, useful or thoughtful letter each issue with a $50 Caltex fuel card to help you on your way.

Hi Richard, I just wanted to share a quick tip I discovered by chance when the missus used up all the hand cleaner in the laundry. Concentrated clothes washing liquid like Dynamo, because that’s what we had, gets rid of grease quickly and isn’t abrasive.

I use a nail brush as well for any really tough bits but mostly it just gets anything off. You have to rinse it off really well because it seems to sort of cling a bit, but gee it works

well. The best thing is we now don’t have to keep a separate hand wash by the sink. Just use a tiny bit cause it seems to go a long way.

buy something for “the missus” so she doesn't resent you nicking her laundry detergent!

Hi Richard, I may be the millionth person to ask this question. If so I apologise!

an extremely informative and affordable!!! magazine.

Is an Index a possibility?

Similar to Choice Magazine perhaps, to check the article on the new Chinese van or the Suncamper Sydney, etc, etc. Just a thought. Thanks for

Regards, Geoffrey via email G’day Geoffrey, thanks for that – I tried it a few days ago and you’re right, it works a treat.

Just for that I’m sending you this issue’s $50 Caltex fuel card reward, but I suggest you

Regards, Steve via email Hi Steve, thanks for your email and glad you like the magazine. You're only about the second person who has

asked for an index, but it is on my to do list. Are you thinking of the website or magazine or both? In the meantime, you can use the search facility on our website to find every article and reference to a particular vehicle or subject. Try it!

On your mind

8

Hi Richard, we use one of those Ecoheat induction cookers and find it terrific as we try to do most cooking outside on it or on our gas burner (hate cooking in the bedroom unless the weather is bad!)

At $300 they are not cheap but buyers should be aware once they are outside the twelve months warranty and anything goes wrong, then you might as well put it in the bin as the Company reckon they have no parts to repair them and are less than helpful! The rear fan cover

on mine is broken although the unit still operates okay.

Hi Alan, thanks for the feedback on the Ecoheat pad and good to hear you get good use from I was talking to a couple up the it, but a bugger about parts and Sunshine Coast recently who told service. Did you really mean me they had been free camping “cooking in the bedroom?” Also a a couple of weeks ago adjacent bugger about those folks getting to a park in Northern NSW and graffitied. Was it a park in a awoke the next morning to town? Whatever, it’s a good story find some lowlifes had used a idea I’ll follow up soon. Cheers. spray can during the night to extensively graffiti the rear of their motorhome. Perhaps a story on "Keeping safe whilst free camping" may be something you could consider down the track..

Cheers, Alan via email.

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On your mind

Hi Richard, I have just read the letter from Bryan in the section "On Your Mind" in iMotorhome Issue 30.

9

of differential lock that when switched on ensures that the drive wheels both rotate at the same speed. The other big deal is the fuel economy. The Ducato has a 125 L fuel tank, enough fuel to travel from Port Augusta to Alice Springs and Alice to Katherine, thus avoiding the high diesel prices in the bush.

Since new we have averaged 9.7 L/100km at an average of 80kph and our loaded weight is 4.3 tonnes. The best economy was 8.3 L/100km at the end of the trip for 1212 km from Alice to Port Augusta, travelling at 80 kmh.

We have owned 3 new Winnebagos in the last three years. A Birdsville on a Ford Transit in which we travelled to the tip of Cape York and did 50,000 km. An Esperance electric bed on an Iveco in which we travelled 20,000 km (we didn't like the bed) and now an Eyre on a Fiat Ducato that we bought this year and have travelled 10,000 km in.

Like Bryan, we had reservations about the Fiat but took a chance because we liked the concept of By the way the front suspension the Eyre. has never bottomed for us. It is the latest 180HP model and I We have just returned from a trip enjoy your magazine. to the Northern Territory where we travelled 7000 km. We Regards, Bob via email. travelled on dirt, corrugations G’day Bob, thanks for such and sand and I now have no great feedback on the Fiat reservations. The clincher is Ducato, your experiences with Traction Plus that nobody seems to mention, but is a form the three Winnebagos and the

photographs. It’s interesting to hear your comments on the electric bed, I know a guy whose heart is set on a new Avida Esperance because of the electric bed. Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Most importantly, it’s terrific to hear you’ve encountered no problems with the Ducato on dirt roads and corrugations. By coincidence, I was talking to a courier driver about an hour ago in an older Ducato that has 300,000 km on the clock. It’s a company van but he says it’s reliable, comfortable and very economical (he goes five days on a single tank). Next time I have a Ducato I’ll be sure to put the Traction Plus to the test. Re the front suspension bottoming out, I obviously drive much faster than you!

News

10 v GRAND DESIGNS? v

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vida says it, “Has long been regardsed as a trailblazer in the Australian RV industry and in another industry first, has announced that Avida motorhomes can now be ordered by customers in choice of external fibreglass sandwich panel wall colour.”

“Traditionally, the majority of motorhomes retailed in Australia have generally been white unless

painted, an expensive and time consuming proposition, but now Avida customers can personalise their new RV by choosing a wall colour from a choice of three different colours, Artic White, Frosty Silver or Champagne Gold.”

with matching scatter cushions patterned differently on either side to create additional styles internally.” See your Avida dealer or visit www.avidarv.com.au for details.

“Customers also now have a choice of thirteen different external decal colours and inside the RV, a choice of thirteen trim decors

o TAKING THE FIFTH o

A

rthur Bugden of www.freechoicecamps. com.au forwarded this to us following a Facebook post of a dodgy US custom fifth wheeler.

Arthur wrote,”Hi Richard your

photo on Facebook reminded me of a few photos I took on the last trip. Saw this at Home Hill.

Now this is a genuine fifth wheeler caravan. Owner said he was wrapped in the way it improved the handling and would do the

same to the next caravan he was considering buying. Conversion costs around $6000 with electric legs, all engineer certified.” Now that’s news!

News

11 |

k TRAILLITE OF REPLY k

out the back people

Thanks for the recent review on our Kaikoura lowline model. In depth and complete as per usual! I just wanted to bring your attention to a few& very small points: Camping Marine Show

• We knew that fabric was going to be love it or hate it, and it turned out to definitely be the latter! We took it to a show, listened to the feedback and 4WD Caravan & took that option off our list • The lights are 100% LED Lismore Showgrounds July 19-21 of available choices. That’s throughout.

While the roof Here are some of the faces from one of the largest outdoor leisure events in regional New South Wales, now inone its 16th show the only weyear. everThe built lights look like they are group of dedicatedwith is organised by the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter team assisted by a large volunteers. All proceeds go to the that fabric and we even rescue service. halogen, they are in fact LEDs stripped it from that van and Photos – Therese Schier, Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, Northern Region reupholstered it before selling • The model you drove was a it. Unfortunately if you take prototype and as such, had a risks, they don’t always fall in few preproduction quirks – one your favour. ollowing last issue’s test of which was the gas bottle of the Traillite Kaikoura, storage and access. This item Thanks again and keep up the Malcolm received this has since been resolved, with all good work. clarification from Shaun production models featuring Newman, Traillite’s General external access to the gas bottle, Manager. as well they should

F

01 | February 2013 timetoroam.com.au

Let the good times roll

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Australia’s most accessible caravan, camping and travel magazine Available free at over 600 outlets including caravan & holiday parks, visitor information centres, caravan accessory stores and dealerships nation-wide.

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Visit the online ‘live’ eMagazine for our current and past editions.

Advertising inquiries: Phone (02) 9695 7749 or visit www.timetoroam.com.au 48

www.timetoroam.com.au

News

12 Y NEW MASTERS Z bundled together as a Safety & Security Pack.”

R

enault says it is experiencing a surge in demand for its range of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) as the Australian market gets to know the brand better. Year-to-date it has delivered record numbers, including 364 of the largest van in the range, the Master. Year-to-date, Renault LCV deliveries are up 70% on the same period last year.

Now Renault is expanding into the upper end of the light commercial market, with the introduction of 3 new 4.5-tonne cab-chassis Master variants, which seem to hold promise as motorhome base vehicles. All are rear-wheel drive, available in single and dual cab guises and will only require a standard car licence to drive.

The dual cab will feature an automatic differential lock as standard (optional on single cab models) and promises to deliver excellent traction on loose and

slippery surfaces. The Master cabchassis offers a payload of up to 2.5-tonnes and a 3-tonne towing capacity, partly thanks to its dual rear wheels.

“A high level of safety equipment will be standard, including dual airbags, ABS and Electronic Stability Program with ASR traction control, cruise control and variable speed limiter, and even a brake pad wear indicator,” a press release said. “Comfort and convenience features abound and include remote central locking, Bluetooth handsfree connectivity and audio streaming, air conditioning, a multitude of drinks holders, chilled glove box, overhead storage and power front windows, while the available options include a factory alloy or steel drop-side tray, satellite navigation, and rear view camera. Mechanical options include a transmission-driven Power Take Off and a towing pack. A number of the options are

The new Masters feature the same 2.3-litre turbo-diesel 4-cylinder engine that has been offered in the Master van range since its relaunch 18 months ago, but now produces 110 kW and 350 Nm of torque.

It offers up to 30,000 km service intervals, determined by an Oil Condition System. Like the van variants, the Master cab-chassis will be available with a choice of a sixspeed manual gearbox or six-speed with automated manual called the Quickshift.

The Single Cab offers a choice of wheelbases, 3682 mm or 4332 mm, while the Dual Cab is only available in 4332 mm. The longer Single Cab model can be built up to an overall length of almost 8 metres, of which almost 5.5 metres is load area. Renault is offering the Master cab-chassis with a 3-year/200,000 km factory warranty as well as 3 years of Roadside Assistance and Capped Price Servicing for the first 90,000 km or 3-years, whichever comes first.cab-chassis The single cab variant is priced from $45,490 and the dual cab from $50,490. The Quickshift automated manual transmission adds $2,500. Pricing is Manufacturers’ Recommended Retail Price and does not include on road costs or dealer delivery.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

Take a slide on the Wild side On-road or off this adventurerated expedition wagon takes a lot of beating...

Review and images by Richard Robertson

14

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Ready for adventure – and enough driving lights to cook fauna at 100 metres...

I

t’s difficult not to be impressed and/or intimidated

by Trailblazers’ super-serious looking off-road truck camper.

Perched atop huge single wheels and with enough driving lights to cook creatures at 100 metres, this is not a vehicle for shrinking violets. What it is, however, is about as close as you can get to a truly goanywhere ‘motorhome’ without it having rotors on top and you needing a helicopter licence.

Trailblazers RV, a Melbourne based business that started out a decade or so ago importing slide-ons from Canada, now designs and manufactures its own slide-ons and fifth wheelers. Although the company has a standard range, every unit sold turns out

to be a custom build, according Trucks are much more at home carrying heavy and high loads to director Phil Richardson. and when you think of all that “We build to suit the specific beautiful, flat tray space the requirements of our customer’s possibilities seem endless. vehicles and their individual The test unit is a major equipment requirements and departure for Trailblazers’ in decor wishes. We didn’t set that it involves both a slideout to do this, it’s just how the on and a host vehicle. The business has evolved,” Phil company teamed with off-road said. truck experts EarthCruiser, Two To Go which has since had a change lide-ons are at the core of ownership, with the original of Trailblazers’ business, owner moving to the USA and but when most of us the local operation relocating think slide-ons we think of from Queensland to just south traditional utes and smaller of Sydney. tray-back light commercials.

EarthCruiser makes serious The thought of building a 4WD truck-based motorhomes slide-on for a truck doesn’t and has earned an enviable come easily – well, not to me, reputation for excellence of anyway – but when you think about it it makes perfect sense. design and engineering. Taking

S

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Compact but space efficient, the camper body sits high and should stay dry during water crossings. stock Japanese 4WD trucks from the likes of Mitsubishi and Isuzu, which are renowned for reliability, toughness and the worst ride quality imaginable, EarthCruiser has fixed this suspension-based Achilles heel and totally transformed them.

By completely redesigning the suspension system and installing large, single wheels and tyres all-round, ride quality and general go-anywhereability have been brought into line with the rest of the vehicle’s abilities.

Whereas EarthCruiser makes complete off-road motorhomes, Trailblazers’ have taken an EarthCruiser truck and married it with a purposebuilt – and rather large – pop-

Big Michelin tyres are better suited to off road than highway cruising. top slide-on. The result could be seen as the best of both worlds, allowing the body to be removed and set-up as a base camp at some remote location and leaving an unencumbered 4WD truck for exploring, work or whatever. It’s a tantalising prospect...

What’s All The Fuso? n case you’re a little confusoed, Mitsubishi’s truck range is called Fuso, so while you might see the Mitsubishi diamond on its trucks, you’ll probably just see FUSO across the grill. Got that?

I

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Stratos suspension seats are excellent and don’t require extra headroom. selectable 2-speed transfer case with a 1.987 low range reduction. This is as basic as 4WD systems come these days – complete with manual locking front hubs – but provides a mechanically simple system that’s likely to outlast the vehicle.

Instrument cluster is standard Japanese light truck fare.

This particular 4WD Fuso model has been superseded.

Gone is the 4.9-litre turbodiesel engine; replaced by a much higher tech 3.0-litre unit that’s Euro V emissions compliant and, despite nearly 2-litres less capacity still manages to produce the

same 110 kW and 470 Nm while delivering lower fuel consumption.

For normal operations drive is through a five-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels, with high and low-range 4WD available via a manually

The Fuso’s awful standard front suspension system has been replaced by properly engineered parabolic springs with real shock absorbers, transforming the ride from bone jarring to quite acceptable.

Coupled with a set of Stratos suspension seats added by Trailblazers, the makeover provides a remarkable level of ride comfort over all surfaces.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper To allow for driving on a standard car licence the Fuso – which normally has a 6000 kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) – comes with a chassis derated to 4500 kg. With a tare (unladen) weight of 3000 kg that leaves 1500 kg for the camper, passengers, fuel, water and so on. Trailblazers’ slide-on for this truck weighs 720 kg, which leaves 780 kg for everything else – a very healthy figure. The derating also means there’s no way you’ll ever over-stress this vehicle, even if loaded to its inscrutable Japanese gunwales and towing it’s 3500 kg maximum.

18

Stairs are long and tall, so the grab handle is a must.

Auto stairs would be ideal!

Capacities-wise the test Fuso came with a second 90-litre fuel tank, doubling its fuel load, plus an optional 85-litre water tank along with the standard 180-litre unit. Grey water capacity was 85 litres.

Taking the High Road lambering up to the driving position is more semitrailer-like than motorhome: a fair climb and not one for people with mobility issues. Once seated the view is literally commanding and you not only feel like King of the road, but King off the road, too.

C

They say if it looks like a truck, sounds like a truck and drives like a truck it probably is a truck, and that’s exactly what this 4WD EarthCruiser is. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, just don’t be

Modified front suspension makes for good ride characteristics, despite over-wheel seating position.

Note camper’s front jacks stored behind cab to reduce body width.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Trailblazers’ Truck Camper is surprisingly compact. Bullbar, CB, winch, lights and cab roof rack are all included in the price.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper fooled by all the sexy driving lights and big wheels into thinking it’s some kind of fast, oversize, desert-racing SUV. It’s a truck. With spunk.

At just 6.1-metres long with the camper body in place, this whole unit is just a whisker over a metre longer than a Toyota LandCruiser. It’s also only 2.9-metres tall and when combined with an 11.4-metre turning circle, excellent rampover angle and excellent ground clearance you begin to understand what a versatile offroad machine it is. I’m inclined to think most drivers would run out of nerve before it ran out of ability. I’m pretty sure I would!

Geared for off-road work whilst carrying a considerable payload, this truck – and it is a truck – revs a lot and you

soon run out of gears. Indeed, a cruising speed of 80 km/h seemed about right, although I’m sure you could sit on 100 km/h if you really wanted to.

Also, given the chunky tread

20

pattern and massively tall sidewalls of the 255/100R16 Michelin XZL tyres, a lower cruising speed would certainly deliver a quieter and (likely) more stable ride.

Camper sides are flat and well tucked in; ideal for off-road exploring.

Driving lights can be selected and used in different combinations.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper The Stratos suspension seats are an absolute necessity in this vehicle because, like the rubbish off-road suspension the Japanese produce for their light trucks, they make seats to match. Unlike air-suspended seats common in buses and large trucks, the Stratos units are specific for this class of light truck, which lack the headroom to allow for such movement (and whose owners probably lack the wallets to afford them).

Utilising a spring suspension system Stratos claims they eliminate 60-70% of vibration.

From my brief drive session I’m certainly not going to disagree.

Outside The Box he unromantically named Truck Camper’s slideon body is it’s real party trick. Neat and compact at just 3.8-metres long by 2.06-metres

T

21

wide, it’s held securely in place by four mini container truckstyle locking pins. Speaking of containers, the whole truck/camper unit has been designed so it can be driven into a 20 ft shipping container and exported to your favourite international destination.

Removing the camper body is accomplished by extending the four electric jacks via a remote control, once you’ve slipped the front two into position (the rears are permanently mounted), and driving gently away. You can then lower it to the ground for easy access and stability and at home it could easily be used as self-contained guest accommodation.

biggest drawback was the lack of vehicle mounted entry stairs.

Powered stairs were apparently on the drawing board but the EarthCruiser’s spare wheel location scuppered those plans.

In its place was a heavy set of scissor steps that had to be manually attached and removed to access the living area while the camper’s on the back of the truck. Other expeditionstyle vehicles like this seem to have their spare wheel/s mounted at the rear. Given such an arrangement would likely complicate the camper body’s easy removal, perhaps relocating the entry door to allow for vehicle-mounted steps would be the best move.

The test camper was fitted with an electrically operated poptop roof and awning (manual items are standard), but the

Steps aside, everything else about this vehicle seems well thought out and well engineered. The camper body

Electric pop-top roof and awning are optional, but highly recommended.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

Front hatch houses batteries and electrics and runs full width, providing good through storage.

22

In the kerbside rear corner a small locker is home to dual 4-kg gas bottles (one only fitted to this unit), plus easily selectable lines to the external barbecue point and internal appliances. There are two lockers across the back: the kerb-side one being home to the optional slide-out stainless steel barbecue while the driver’s side is actually quite wide and seems to run across to the barbecue locker, despite its relatively small hatch. Much of it is taken up by the 85-litre grey water tank but there is still room for hoses.

Inside The Box o climb inside – literally – you first need to open the entry door, remove the concertina scissor steps and attach them to the vehicle’s tray side via two pin mounting points. I’m sure you’d get into a system with this arrangement, but to the uninitiated it’s a bit of a chore.

T

Because the camper sits so high the switches for internal and external lighting, the Concertina stairs are heavy and need practice to attach easily. electric roof and awning, plus the remote control connector seems as solid as a rock, with locker accessible from both for the electric jacks are all laminate wall construction and sides that houses dual 105 AH just inside to the left of the a general feeling of robustness. house batteries (one battery entry door, not far above floor Three large, dark tinted singleis standard) and the optional level. I realise money is a major hopper windows are provided, industrial-strength 3000 W pure consideration with a purchase plus a hatch over the bathroom sine wave inverter, plus sundry like this, but I can’t imagine why and a large fold-out handle by electrical switches, fuses, etc. you wouldn’t order the optional the entry door.

On the roof 3 optional 130 W electric roof and awning if solar panels charge the house you could possibly stretch to Up front, under the queen batteries, while a reverse-cycle it. Given how frequently you bed area, is a sizable storage air-conditioner is also optional. would use these items, not

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Cab access, while not for those with mobility issues, is otherwise easy and the seating position provides a commanding view.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

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Because Trailblazers’ custom makes each unit to the owners requirements there are plenty of variables and options available, including slide-outs, individual lounge chairs and a wide range of decor colours and finishes. The test camper had a bright, contemporary feel with white and silver-grey laminates, plus a grey leather lounge, contrasted by a brilliant orange fridge door and cooker splash-back. There’s plenty of headroom with the roof raised while the usual screened, zippered openings all around the roof gusset provide a flood of natural light and fresh air when opened. After hours lighting is taken care of by 12 V LEDs throughout, with the main ceiling units being round, touch-operated units with single-stage dimmers.

Cooking! hilst not expansive, the L-shaped kitchen has everything you need and keeps the chef out of the way – or is that the other way around? By the entry door, but facing inside, sits a 110-litre under-bench Arctic Fox 12 V compressor fridge, while above it is a compact Dometic three burner gas cooker with glass lid in the benchtop.

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Bathroom mirror door enhances the feeling of space.

Note dining table stored on wall. specifying them would surely be a false economy you would regret daily.

Stepping inside, the compact but well-designed nature of the camper is immediately apparent. Occupying the entire area forward of the entry door is a queen size east-west bed with widows at both ends and six good-sized storage drawers beneath. Immediately

to your right as you enter is an L-shaped kitchen that runs down the kerbside of the vehicle and returns half way across the rear. It butts up against the bathroom, in the rear corner on the driver’s side, while a smart two-seater lounge sits between the bathroom and bed, along the driver’s side wall.

At the opposite end of the kitchen, in the return, is a single bowl stainless steel sink with flick mixer tap, up against the bathroom wall. Above the sink is an (optional) microwave and to the right of it is the kitchen’s

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

25

Compact kitchen has everything, except an oven and grill for those who love to cook.

Microwave is optional. White disc is clever pop-up power point pole. only ‘overhead’ cupboards; an interesting unit with a metal mesh door that could do with a little more hinge-out space.

The benchtop also has a handy flush-mounted, removable rubbish bin (that can also double as a wine cooler!) and

a clever pop-up Moduline double power point pole that retracts flush when not in use.

Beneath the sink is a stack of three deep drawers, whist between them and the fridge is a shallow cutlery drawer with a tall cupboard beneath.

Above the sink, on the bathroom side wall, are the camper’s internal electrical controls; the main unit of which is an integrated Redarc digital unit that covers everything from solar charge rate to house battery levels and next week’s winning Lotto numbers (I think). Above it is a more conventional tank level gauge, plus the Truma 240 V/LPG hot water system control switch.

Nighttime kitchen illumination comes from a single strip LED tucked neatly under the lip that the retracted roof rests upon, on the kerbside wall, midway between the cooker and sink.

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Eating And Lounging! any owners would probably cook and eat outside, especially if the optional gas barbecue is specified.

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The lounge, which sits rather low, is also the dining table seating. The dining table itself is another bright orange ‘design feature’ that stores vertically against the bathroom wall, above the end of the lounge and alongside the bathroom’s full length mirrored door, to free up space. When ‘deployed’ it can also site quite low – more like a coffee table – or be raised with leg extensions. Of course, it can also be taken and used outside. A little bit fiddly for use multiple times each day, I’m

Rear slide-out barbecue is optional. Note fold-down tray table to its right. sure other table options are available.

Bathing! ompact, as you’d expect, the rear corner bathroom is more than adequate and provides a surprising amount of space once you’re standing inside.

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Two-seater lounge sits a bit low but is otherwise comfortable.

The bathroom has a Thetford bench-style cassette toilet with its back to the driver’s side outside wall. It’s part of a modular moulding that very neatly incorporates a small, stylish hand basin with smoked glass/perspex side panel, which sits above the toilet, about where a normal cistern

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

Indoor/outdoor dining table has leg extensions for added versatility. would sit. To save space and complexity the stubby flick mixer tap to the hand basin’s left also has a removable hand shower that reels out.

by a rear-facing zip-opening window in the roof gusset. A round, touch-operated LED provides more than adequate nighttime lighting.

A nice touch is a Maytow foldout and extendable drying rack for towels, while the need for a roof hatch has been negated

Snoozing! he queen sized bed across the front has an innerspring mattress

Moulded bathroom unit is neat and space efficient.

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27

and is easily accessed. As previously mentioned, large windows at each end, plus gusset openings overhead, provide masses of light and fresh air. Like the kitchen there’s a small LED strip light, this time above the bed head, which is presumed to be the driver’s side. Lights at either end would be a good idea, to allow for uneven campsites or just napping with your head away from the road, if pulled over for a quick afternoon snooze.

There are TV power and aerial points on the wall by the entry door, while the test camper had a great little 12 V fan that folds out of the way and also works on a timer, just above the TV connections.

The aforementioned six pack

Moulded-in hand basin is clever. Tap doubles as pull-out shower.

Foldout clothes line with towel rack is a worthwhile inclusion.

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28

Front queen bed is comfy and has an innerspring mattress.

Under-bed drawers provide valuable internal storage.

– of under-bed drawers – is also very useful as there are no overhead cupboards and clothes and bedding storage space is at a premium.

Optional 12 V fan is adjustable and comes with a timer.

don’t suit everyone and even if you leave the camper body attached full time there is still no through-cab access.

But the ability to ‘unload’ your accommodation at Verdicting! some distant beach/desert/ s a complete unit this mountain location and use interesting and capable your expedition vehicle vehicle not only provides unencumbered to explore perhaps the ultimate off-theand enjoy, without needing to beaten-track getaway machine, pack up each day, is a major its split personality gives attraction. you an amazing 4WD truck Of course you don’t need a plus fully relocatable guest tough expedition truck to enjoy accommodation! a Trailblazers’ truck camper.

Slide-ons, by their nature, They make them to suit trucks

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of all sizes, including dual cabs, and if you have one already it could be a cost effective way of converting it to a capable and comfortable motorhome in just a few minutes.

Either way, if you’re in the market be sure to check out the Trailblazers’ website and talk with Phil and Christine.

The possibilities are basically limitless and you could end up with a vehicle that does so much more than you ever imaged – even if you can image a lot!

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

29

Wherever in the World you’d like to go, this truck/camper combo would likely get you there.

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

30

Specifications Manufacturer

Trailblazers RV

Model

4WD Truck Camper

Base Vehicle

Mitsubishi Fuso 4WD

Engine

4.9-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel

Power

110 kW @ 2700 rpm

Torque

471 Nm @ 1600 rpm

Gearbox

5-speed manual

4WD system

2-speed, manual select

Brakes

Vacuum assisted hydraulic drums

Exhaust Brakes

Yes

Tare Weight

3000 kg

Gross Vehicle Mass

4500 kg

Licence

Car

Passengers

2

External Length

6.10 m (20 ft 0 in)

External Width

2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)

External Height

2.90 m (9 ft 6 in)

Internal Height

2.00 m (6 ft 6 in)

Rear Bed Size

Queen

Cooktop

Dometic 3-burner gas

Fridge

Arctic Fox 110 litre 12/240 V

Microwave

Optional

Lighting

12V LED

Batteries

1 x 105 AH

Gas

2 x 4 kg

Heater

Optional

Solar Panels

Optional

Air Conditioner

Optional

Hot Water Heater

Truma 240 V/LPG

Toilet

Thetford cassette

Shower

Flexible hose, variable height

Fresh Water Tank

180-litres

Grey Water Tank

85-litres

Price

$180,000 on road NSW

Pros • • • • •

Versatility Capability Build quality Comfort Build options

Cons • Cab access • Cab-camper access • Stairs need sorting

Contact Trailblazers RV 222 Governor Rd Braeside, VIC. 3195.

Ph: (03) 9588 0077 W: www.trailblazersrv.com E: info@trailblazersrv.com

Click for Google Maps

Day Test: Trailblazers RV Truck Camper

Custom Truck Campers

31

222 Governor Road Braeside VIC 3195 Ph: 03 9588 0077 info@trailblazersrv.com www.trailblazersrv.com

Pop top option

North South bed

Leather lounge

Side slide out option

Island bed option

Slide out & recliners

A Trailblazers RV Truck Camper has all the features of a luxury motorhome with the convenience of a slide on. Totally custom built, we design to suit any truck and purpose - touring holidays, fishing trips with the tinny behind, 4WD adventures in the outback, drive into a container for overseas journeys or as a demountable site office. Models include side and rear door layouts, optional slide outs, hard walls or pop tops.

All campers are built to order to enable you to choose from a range of features and options including appliances, interior finishes and fabrics.

Buy Factory Direct and SAVE

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

32

Mondo Rocks

Only the Italians could make a slide-on this sexy!

Review and images by Malcolm Street

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33

Looking more like a mini motorhome than a ute with slide-on, the Musica fits its host vehicle perfectly.

B

onetti Campers is a relatively new name in the campervan and motorhome industry, but the man behind the company, Stefano Bonetti, is not. Between 2007 and 2012 Stefano was the Fleet Operations Manager for Kea Campers Australia. As you might imagine that gave him considerable experience in everything from two berth campers to a six berth motorhome. Since the demise of the original Kea Campers, Stefano has been busy on several projects, which includes offering an RV repair service – Stefano is a qualified mechanic – as well as having

available a large stock of exKea Campers spare parts.

However, the item that has drawn considerable attention is the interestingly named Musica slide-on camper. Fully made by an Italian company, Mondo Pick-Up, it sets a new standard in slide-ons and certainly plays an interesting tune.

The Vehicle t has to be said that many a slide-on has a distinctly boxy look about it, which is why the Musica tends to stand out in the crowd. By comparison it has a very curvy, streamlined appearance that

I

extends to covering the ute tub walls. From a distance it looks almost like a cab chassis motorhome.

The appearance is mostly due to the fibreglass monocoque construction of the entire body. Not only does that give a stunning appearance, but very strong construction as well. Along with that are other advantages as well: good water resistance, minimal maintenance and excellent insulation characteristics.

Additionally, a range of colours can be used, including matching that of the host vehicle.

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34

Four inbuilt aluminium legs can be operated by remote control and they can also be used for levelling up the camper.

The side windows are a Seitz hopper-style on the right and a sliding window on the left.

In the rear wall, the entry door has a blind that is integrated into the double glazing of the top half window. Surprisingly, there are three external hatches: one on the offside for the gas cylinder and two on the nearside. Neither of those offers much general storage but do give access to

important items like the water/ space heater and Thetford toilet cassette.

Out of sight on the roof are the two very flat looking Solibian 130 W solar panels, along with a Dometic air conditioner.

Attaching the Musica to the host vehicle is simply done by an electro-mechanical locking system that utilises four conical pins bolted to the vehicle tray.

For raising and lowering the Musica, four inbuilt aluminium legs can be operated by remote control and they can also be used for levelling up the camper.

The connecting pins aren't the only modifications that are done to the carrying vehicle, because the suspension comes in for some very special attention. It is produced by Oram, an Italian company that

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

35 have a coil spring fitted to carry some of the additional load of the slide-on camper, or have reinforced leaf springs. The shock absorbers front and rear, plus the adjustable spring base, allows the level of vehicle to be adjustable when laden.

There is also a valve that can be adjusted to suit the load of the vehicle.

Electromechanical locking system keeps camper and host vehicle connected. is a supplier to Rally Teams for events like the Dakar Rally.

This particular setup was engineered in collaboration with Mondo Pick-up, who have the sole trade rights on their camper suspension

system. It is based on oversized shock absorbers with an external oil/nitrox reservoir and adjustable bases for the springs at the front and rear. Depending on the vehicle, the rear shock absorbers may

Our review vehicle, a Nissan Navarra, had all of the above, including coil springs over the rear shocks.

On the Road have to say performance on the road was of considerable interest to me. Not so much in terms of the performance of the Nissan

I

Smooth lines aid high speed stability and would undoubtedly improve fuel efficiency.

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

36

Special (optional) rear shocks are the key to ride quality and stability. – its 2.5-litre 126 kW turbo diesel certainly delivered the goods through a five speed auto well enough – but rather the vehicle's handling. Being somewhat top heavy, slide-on campers are often not great in the ride handling department, suffering both from side-toside sway as well as fore and aft pitching.

On a 4WD ute like this you could get well away from the crowds.

Having found a few rough roads in a national park I gave the vehicle a bit of a bouncy road test. Undoubtedly the streamlined nature of the Musica helped, but there's absolutely no doubt that the vehicle suspension modifications helped no end.

There was little evidence of the usual sideways sway, although to be honest it wasn't a particularly windy day and both

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

The Musica makes other slide-ons look like big, boring boxes.

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Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

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Interior colour choice is optional. Italian style is standard.

Lounge/dinette seats two comfortably.

a smoother ride and reduction in fore and aft pitching were readily noticeable.

Stefano also has an interesting video of the Musica being driven in Italian mountain snow conditions, which to someone who has spent time in mountain country looked quite impressive!

Living Inside iven their nature, it's a fact that slide-on campers often appear cramped inside. Given the curved appearance of the Musica one might expect the same, but it's not. Sure, there isn't room for dancing a jig, but everything has been put together in very European style, that is in both the careful use of space and the general decor. In our review model

G

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

39

Round sink is stylish, London bus and car set is Malcolm’s! the predominantly orange coloured upholstery and roof lining catch the eye and look pleasingly different. However, if that's not your thing then there are plenty of other colours available. In the looking good and practical department is the ceiling moulding that extends over the bed. It has LED strip lighting around the outside, inset speakers and LED lights and makes a nice surround for both the roof mounted air conditioner and the hatch above the bed.

In motorhome style, the bed is fitted into the Luton, leaving the middle area for the offside dinette and the nearside kitchen. Amazingly, that still leaves room for a small bathroom in the rear nearside corner and a cupboard

Overhead cupboard space is handy. opposite. Under that cupboard is not only the gas cylinder bin but also a very sophisticated set of electrical controls that includes the mains circuit breakers and the 12 V jack and locking pin controls.

Lounging Around n a rig this size you'd not expect too much room to stretch out on the L-shaped lounge, but there's certainly room for two to sit and at least one person might

I

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

40

Main bed folds in half during the day for extra room. Kitchen is compact but well equipped. put their feet up. Both seats have under-cushion storage compartments and the wall seat can be drawn out to form a second bed. A novel addition are the fold-down foot rests. For the table there's a single pole mount but it's not just a simple pole, instead the table mounting not only allows the table to be moved around but also to fold over sideways.

Time to Eat compact kitchen anyone? There's certainly one here, complete with a sideways mounted two burner cooktop and a round stainless steel sink. Under both are three different sized drawers, one

A

Under-seat storage is useful.

Note fold-down foot rests that are more style than substance.

Every bit of space has been cleverly designed for maximum efficiency.

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41

Main bed is generous when extended and out of the way when stored. with a cut out to fit around the sink, whilst the cabinet alongside has benchtop space above with cutlery drawers and Waeco 12 V fridge below. An overhead locker fills the top corner area and offers a surprising amount of storage space. Like just about everything else in the Musica, the kitchen is a very workable proposition.

room, just covering up a bit of seat and kitchen bench space.

On both sides of the bed are narrow circular storage compartments with the novel idea of rotating doors that are quite good for stashing small items. Oh, I should mention that the bed can also be lifted up, giving access to both the under bed area and the three small storage compartments.

After Hours t first glance the front bed looks a bit small, but it folds out quite simply to form a north-south bed – something a little different to most motorhome Luton-style east-west beds.

Even when folded out, it still does not take up too much

Keeping Clean ike the bed, the bathroom on first glance looks on the small side.

No worries, it comes with a slide-out! However, instead of the usual sort of slide-out, which slides out of a vehicle, this one slides in, into the entry door area. Perhaps it

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L

Lounge/dinette converts to a useful extra bed.

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42

Small corner handbasin or large drop-down unit (below right): You choose.

Note stylish pull-out shower on left.

Bathroom door and floor pan extend outwards to provide more showering room.

should be called a slide-in? Anyway, this part is mainly for using the shower. Both the Thetford cassette toilet and folddown wash basin that can be used with the slide-in closed up. Slightly different from the moulded design usually seen, the wash basin hinges from the side, not the wall behind the toilet. This is quite a well appointed bathroom, with LED

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

Toilet can be used with bathroom ‘retracted’. strip lighting, a mirror door overhead locker and wall mirror.

What We Think lide-on campers for utes and tray trucks have very definite advantages and disadvantages. Their principal advantage is that the carrying vehicle can still be used for other purposes and the principal disadvantage is that with the slide-on on board, as previously noted, vehicle handling isn't always great. However, with the Musica design and the vehicle suspension modifications, several of those problems seem to have been solved.

S

With bathroom extended there’s room enough to shower.

Integrated screen door and electric step are standard.

43

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

44

At $75,000 the Mondo Pick-Up Musica is dear but impressive. Hopefully you could still afford full size chairs...

Clever sliding screen door in action.

It's hard not to be impressed by the Musica.

It is not only sophisticated in its engineering and build but it looks and feels sophisticated as well. Of course that comes at a price and it isn't cheap. However, for the traveller who effectively desires a small motorhome but wants to have the flexibility of a separate vehicle, the Musica is a winner. I reckon it plays a melodious tune that will be a hit on the charts!

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

45

It's hard not to be impressed by the Musica. It is not only sophisticated in its engineering and build, it looks and feels sophisticated as well.

Day Test: Mondo Pick-Up Musica

46

Specifications Manufacturer

Mondo Pick-Up

Model

Musica

Base Vehicle

n/a

Engine

n/a

Power

n/a

Torque

n/a

Gearbox

n/a

Brakes

n/a

Tare Weight

n/a

Gross Vehicle Mass

n/a

Licence

Car

External Length

Min 1.4 m tray length required

External Width

2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)

External Height

2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) with A/C 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)

Internal Height

1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)

Luton Bed Size

2.1 m x 1.47 m (6 ft 11 in x 4 ft x 10 in)

Cooktop

Smev 2 burner

Fridge

Waeco 110 litre, 12 V

Microwave

Yes

Lighting

12 V LED

Batteries

2 x 100 AH

Solar Panel

2 x Solibian 130 W

Heater

Truma Combi D6

Air Conditioner

Dometic B1900

Hot Water Heater

Truma Combi D6

Toilet

Thetford cassette

Shower

Flexible hose, fixed height

Fresh Water Tank

140-litre

Grey Water Tank

100-litre

Gas Cylinders

1 x 4.0 kg

Price in Australia

$75,000

Pros • • • • • •

Streamlined design European style inside Good use of space LED lighting Slide-in/out shower cubicle Vehicle suspension modifications • Excellent interior storage

Cons

• Pricey, but you gets what you pays for • Sliding window rather than hopper on nearside • Lack of storage for wet hoses

Contact Bonetti Campers Unit J4, 5-7 Hepher Road Campbelltown NSW 2560

Click for Google Maps

Ph: 02 4627 8281 E: Stefano@bonetticampers.com W: bonetticampers.com

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Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

Land of Plenty Plenty Highway, Plenty River and plenty of open space, that is...

Story and images

by Mr & Mrs iMotorhome

48

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

49

Campsite Alice Springs and time for a first evening drink.

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aying Australia is vast is like saying rain is wet or horses like grass: it’s stating the obvious. So when I signed Mrs iMotorhome and myself up to drive Horizon Motorhomes’ new 4WD Waratah from Alice Springs to its home base in Ballina, the scope of the adventure didn’t really hit home.

Even exploring specialist Outback travel websites and reviewing our route options on Google maps – when I could get it to steer off the bitumen – the distances didn’t really sink in. The plan, after flying to Alice Springs, was to drive 87 km north and turn right onto the Plenty Highway. The Plenty runs about 500 km due east to the NT/QLD border, where it becomes the Donahue

Highway for another 250 km or so before reaching the tiny Outback Queensland town of Boulia. From there the plan was to head south to Birdsville before finally heading east and making our way for Ballina and the coast, some 2000 km distant.

The bulk of the Plenty and Donahue Highways is dirt and only 4WD vehicles are supposed to undertake the journey. This is more due to the need for high ground clearance in deep wheel tracks, plus bulldust holes and the variability of weather conditions (think mud), than technically difficult terrain. It would be a good test for the Waratah and the sort of journey an owner might readily undertake. Here’s our story...

Day 1

Dear Diary, the Sunday morning flight from Sydney to Alice Springs was choccas, but we managed to secure a pair of comfortable seats and settled in for lunch and the 3:45 hr flight. Later on, bits of the Simpson Desert slipped beneath the wings and excitement grew as the vastness of the Outback began to sink in – and I poured another (small) glass of red.

On arrival the plan was simple: I already had the spare key as Horizon’s CEO Clayton Kearney had left the Waratah in the long term car park the day before, with the ticket in the centre

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

50

(we’re not really alcoholic!), as Northern Territory bottle shops don’t open on Sundays.

Fortunately, Clayton had left enough ‘supplies’ to last us a few days and so the plan was to complete our provisioning the next morning, after our bags arrived, and then head off.

Rock Wallaby feeding at dusk at the Heavitree Gap caravan park. console. I’d collect it, Mrs iMotorhome would collect our bags and all of us would nip into town to provision-up and be on our way. The plan was running like clockwork right up until we found out our bags were on their way to Darwin and wouldn’t be with us until 9:30 the next morning. Bugger.

So we collected a pair of

‘emergency overnight packs’ – think shortie pajamas and a toothbrush each – and headed into town anyway.

Shopping at Woolies in Alice Springs was an interesting experience, both in terms of what they didn’t have and the cost of what they did. What they especially didn’t have was wine in the bottle shop

Because the Waratah had been on the road for a month with Clayton and his family it was well stocked with all the food basics, as well as jam-packed with their bedding, a wide variety of outdoor furniture and other bits and pieces. Working out where to put our bags was going to be a challenge (if they arrived).

We overnighted at the caravan park at Heavitree Gap, where the Stuart Highway, railway

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

51

Sundown quickly lowered the temperature and that’s when we discovered the heater didn’t work.

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina and (dry) Todd River all sneak through the only convenient gap for miles in the spectacular MacDonnell Ranges. The Gap is the southern gateway to Alice Springs and was a seldom-traversed and sacred site for the local Arrernte people – until White Fellas arrived.

Enough said.

At dusk we congregated with other travellers at the northern end of the Park to hand feed rock wallabies that ventured down from the safety of the MacDonnell’s steep lower slopes. To the oohs and ahhs of European and Asian tourists we were thoroughly enchanted by these tiny creatures; especially a mother with a dolllike joey protruding slightly from her pouch.

Sundown quickly lowered the temperature and that was when we discovered the dieselfired Eberspacher-brand heater in the Waratah didn’t work.

Bugger. So we settled in for dinner and a bottle of ‘house’ red, followed by TV and an early night in make-do bedding from the Clayton Collection (our cold weather sleeping bags were overnighting in balmy Darwin).

Day 2

Dear Ddddddddiary, what do you call a heater without heat? An ‘er,’ I decided, greatly amusing myself at about 7am after a fitful night’s sleep in our makeshift bed.

The Eberspacher’s digital ambient temperature gauge was showing 3 degrees C

52

inside the Waratah as the sun clambered up with the rock wallabies and did its best to peek above the MacDonnells and bring us some warmth.

Mrs iMotorhome didn’t quiet share my enthusiasm for the ‘er’ concept – laughing more at me than with me – but at least she was laughing. Or was she just shivering?

While getting ready to bug out of camp our bags whistled low overhead, wrapped snuggly in a small Qantas jet and soon we were all happily reunited at the airport. I’d never been so happy to see a couple of old bags come off a plane in my life...

We lingered in Alice Springs for a few hours, seeking advice from Mr Eberspacher via a

The Alice from Anzac Hill, looking south. Note Heavitree Gap in the distance.

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

Straddling the Tropic Of Capricorn, just north of Alice Springs.

On to the Plenty! The road is well signposted and all signs must be obeyed.

Strange looking mulga ant nests dotted the roadside early on and required investigation!

53 series of phone calls, but finally decided we’d tough it out and head bush just as soon as we stocked up the wine cellar.

That’s when we discovered that in the Northern Territory, apart from not opening on Sundays, bottle shops don’t open until 2pm every other day. Bugger. Again. So after a quick look at the town from the top of Anzac Hill it was time to top up the diesel and head north to the Plenty Highway turnoff, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn along the way.

An iMotorhome Facebook friend – Kate McMaster – had invited us to visit her and her husband Aaron at the Gemtree Caravan Park, some 70 km down the Plenty Highway from the Stuart Highway turnoff. Gemtree is billed as the “Gateway to the Gemfields” and husband Aaron is a Geologist who runs almost-daily garnet and zircon fossicking tours during the tourist season (and out of season by appointment).

We’d planned to overnight in Gemtree on our first night as it’s only a 157 km drive from the Alice and an all bitumen one at that. So we spent our second night there instead, arriving early afternoon and setting up the Waratah before having a nose through the gem shop (very reasonably priced, so Mrs iM kept remarking!) and then heading out on the 3.5 km nature walk. Kate and Aaron deserve high praise for

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina their efforts to make Gemtree a destination, not just a stopover.

For example, this is the only caravan park I know of where you can have drinks, your evening meal – or even a full cooked breakfast – delivered to your vehicle on site! See next issue’s Roadside Eats for more details.

Being a Monday night things were pretty quiet, but we were invited to dine with the staff by the fire pit. Kate showed us a remarkable black and white, newsreel-style movie from the 1960s – screened on a whitewashed corrugated iron wall – of a week in the life of her then eight-year-old uncle Charlie. In case you visit – and you must – I won’t say anything more.

The Gem tree!

Day 3

Dear Diary, with all our own bedding for the first time last night the 4 degrees C showing on the Eberspacher this morning seemed far less disagreeable: At least for Mrs iMotorhome, who volunteered me to make the tea.

We’d intended meeting Kate again this morning, but slept in and she was in the classroom with her two young sons for their School of the Air session by the time we emerged. So we fuelled up – Gemtree is also the first fuel stop heading east on the Plenty – and then hit the Highway.

From Gemtree the bitumen

Playing a round in the bush? It's been a while, on Gemtree’s golf course.

Fuelling up before hitting the Plenty Highway proper.

54

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina continues, but reduces to a single lane with very wide shoulders. It’s all yours until someone approaches, or comes up from behind, at which time you need to slow down and just keep your driver’s side wheels on the bitumen. That is unless the someone approaching you is a truck – like a cattle road train – when it’s a very good idea to pull completely over to the left, slow right down (or stop) and let that someone continue happily along the bitumen. Out here, might has right-of-way.

remoteness and sheer scale of it began to sink in – in a nice way. The terrain along this part of the road is quite dramatic as the road dips through dry river beds and crests small ridges; all the while the Harts Range to the South rises and falls, almost in sympathy, keeping you company.

Eventually the bitumen disappeared and some 600-plus kilometres of dirt stretched ahead. This was Mrs iMotorhome’s first true Outback experience and the

Last of the bitumen, with Hart’s Range in the distance.

55 Passing by the remote Harts Range police station we stopped briefly at the Atitjere Aboriginal Community shop, which is about 75 km east of Gemtree and is another important fuel stop, before continuing on to Jervois Station for a fuel top-up. Jervois is a 2750 square kilometre cattle

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of Jervois, but free camp nearby in the bush. This is cattle country and the Plenty Highway carves its way though huge swathes of unfenced grazing land, where stock wander laconically and travellers need to keep a constant vigil.

Jervoise Station’s tiny kiosk. The tomatoes were free! station named after the Range that runs though it, which also sells fuel, drinks and, on the day we visited, was giving away tomatoes. It seems they had too many and frost was catching up with them. Nice!

Jervois also has a campsite and we saw one couple from Gemtree who at noon were already setting up for the night.

A young English girl from Kent – no this is not the start of the dirty ditty – attended the fuel bowser after the klaxon-like “press button for

attention - warning, it’s loud” button lived up to its promise.

She’d been working at Jervois since last September and looked like a true local. To have survived the summer heat and flies, plus the dust, Mrs iMotorhome concluded a young Mr Jervois couldn’t have been too far away. I concluded she’d probably watched too many episodes of McLeod’s Daughters...

Our target for the evening was to get close to Tobermorey Station, some 220 km east

With the sun low in the western sky we stopped to check out a Leather Handbag: a term we coined for the parched remains of unlucky cattle that had met equally unlucky travellers. These poor beasts had long since lost their insides to scavengers and decay, but their outsides were still largely intact. By coincidence, just across the road from this particular handbag was a good clearing where we were easily able to get 50 metres off the road and set up camp – well, park – for the night. As night fell we hadn’t seen a car for hours it was just a little eerie knowing we were, truly, the only people for miles around. It did give me just the tiniest appreciation

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Our free-camping spot near Tobermorey Station. Watch for soft ground if there’s been recent rain. for how Neil Armstrong must have felt setting up camp on the Moon that first night (but at least his heater was working).

Day 4

Dear Diary, after another chilly night the sun did its best to start warming us immediately after sunrise. Yet another perfectly clear day, with temps expected in the low 20s, but a strong and icy southerly that had been blowing since we left Alice was still with us, keeping the windchill factor well down.

At least it had quickly cleared dust from the occasional passing vehicle yesterday and looked set to do the same today.

Packing up for the short

run into Tobermorey Station I discovered we’d had visitors in the night: curious cattle. One had left its hoof prints beside the Waratah and lick marks on the side, before retiring to the safety of its brethren, who in the morning light were watching us interestedly from a safe distance.

Tobermorey Station, which has only relatively recently reopened to travellers, is a welcome oasis along the Plenty Highway. Another enormous cattle station, Tobermorey’s eastern boundary is the NT/ QLD border and as we arrived to fuel up there was plenty of action amongst the stockman.

Mrs iM points to the bones that once held this long dried-out cow together.

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina

58 Fuel aside, the Station also has a pleasant green campsite, which was being watered while we were there, and a small shop with the usual supplies travellers need. Interestingly, the whole homestead/ campsite/work yards area is ringed by a sizable earthen bank; testament to the infrequent but substantial floods that visit the area.

Curious morning visitors.

Tobermorey’s campsite is a green oasis in an otherwise parched and dusty land.

Horses for courses. These station animals were friendly and in good condition despite being miles from anywhere.

Crossing into Queensland the Plenty Highway ends and the Donahue Highway begins. I’d been told that road conditions deteriorated substantially the further east we headed, but in reality the Donahue didn’t prove much worse than the Plenty, and both were better than expected. While certainly not as well made or maintained, the Donahue wasn’t that bad and while there were still sections of corrugations to negotiate, the main thing to watch out for proved to be potholes filled with, and stretches of, deep bulldust.

It’s well neigh impossible to convey in words any real sense of the scale of this country. You often drive for hours without seeing another vehicle, and when finally reaching a distant crest or horizon you’re presented with a view seemingly to infinity that could be a mirror image of your last hour’s travels.

But the terrain does change, and quickly in places: From stony gibber plains to spinifex grasslands to low scrubby

Travel Diary: Alice Springs to Ballina woods to low rolling hills and back again. Time loosens its vice-like grip on ‘modern’ travellers as you begin to sense the almost unimaginable time frame required to shape the landscape.

From the border it was about 250 km to Boulia, our intended stop for the night, and in the final 80 km or so we began to encounter stretches of bitumen before finally rejoining the fully sealed road. We passed few vehicles today or yesterday, save for a handful of mining trucks and a sprinkling of private travellers in 4WDs, most towing caravans. Maybe 25 all-up in 2 days? The speed difference of the Waratah in comparison to the caravan towers was stark. We played

leapfrog with a couple in a Ford Territory towing a small off-road ‘van, as we stopped regularly to check out cattle, horses or just admire the view from a ridge top and they kept plodding along. Using 4WD high-range on the gravel roads kept the Waratah directionally stable and prevented possible oversteer

59 (think tail coming around) on corners and in sudden, deep sand and dust patches.

We made Boulia, a surprisingly neat and tidy little town, in the late afternoon and fuelled up, then headed to the tourist info office for Devonshire tea. Of course. Actually, it was just

How’s this for a trailer? Boulia offer free water for RVers, too.

After days on the open road it was strange to be in a big building again. This is the Boulia Tourist Information Office, which also has a nice cafe attached.

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turning south on the Birdsville Road, found a secluded free camping site on the banks of the Burke River after just a few kilometres. As the sun set we explored the dry riverbed, glasses of warm white wine in hand, before settling in for the night and a trip planning session. Bad move.

real coffee we wanted, but the lure of scones, jam and cream was too great. We also needed to top up our empty wine cellar, but the weekend previous had seen Boulia’s annual camel races and the only wine the pub had was a cask of Berri Estate Fresh

Dry White – for $30. Who said the days of highway robbery have passed? With no choice I handed over the credit card, but decided that $30 took the place of campsite fees for the night (priorities!). So we passed by the local and somewhat crowded caravan park and,

Massive roots of Burke River-side gum provided an ideal photo opportunity. Cheers!

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Day 5

Dear Diary, last night I realised our delayed departure from Alice Springs and my mental calculations of the driving time from Birdsville back to Ballina had conspired against us. Bugger. So the plan then became to head due east from Boulia, to Winton, and then pick up the main highway to Longreach and beyond.

Bugger, bugger, bugger.

As it turned out the 360 km run from Boulia to Winton proved an interesting mix of expansive flood plains interspersed with dramatic cuttings through ridge lines and even a roller coaster couple of kilometres over many small bridges across a major river channel (this is Channel Country, after all). We stopped briefly at the spectacular Cawnpore Lookout, some 140 km east of Boulia, where we sampled the Waratah’s 4WD abilities by scrabbling up and down its steep approaches. A couple in a 4WD ute towing a small camper trailer arrived as we were leaving, but weren’t game to try the short, steep loop track and walked up instead. Gotta love having a 4WD motorhome!

We all lunched in Winton – food and fuel – and then headed for Longreach, stopping just long enough for the obligatory photo under the old Qantas Jumbo’s tail, before continuing on to Barcaldine for night. In town I hugged

Trying out 4WD at Cawnpore Lookout on the Boulia-Winton road.

This dramatic countryside made a nice change from the Plenty’s vast flatness.

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Barcaldine’s Tree of Knowledge is the spiritual home of the Australian Labor Party. the remains of the Tree of Knowledge – spiritual home of the Australian Labor Party – in the hope I might absorb some wisdom (Mrs iMotorhome’s idea) and then we found a well patronised rest area just on the outskirts of town for another night of free camping. I forgot to mention we’d topped up the fresh water tanks in Boulia, using the free tap and hose by the big water tank and windmill at the top of town. You can’t miss it.

Hugging the Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine, in the (vain) hope it might enlighten me.

Obligatory tourist shot at the Qantas Museum, Longreach.

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Day 6 & Beyond

Dear Diary, from an adventure perspective there isn’t much to say about our final days before returning the Waratah to Ballina. It’s a highway journey through some beautiful small and not-so-small Queensland country towns and we were just making miles, stopping in Roma at the showground and then with friends on Mt Tambourine for the final two nights, before returning the Waratah.

Real droving on the Winton-Longreach highway.

Boulia to Ballina is close to 2000 km, which gave us a fresh appreciation of Queensland’s size. The mild, sunny days proved ideal for travelling, while the cold, clear nights were a star gazers dream – or would have had it not been for an overzealous full moon.

Our main aim – to cross the centre of Australia on roads less travelled – had been accomplished and with almost ridiculous ease, thanks to the Waratah’s comfort and abilities. The journey gave Mrs iMotorhome her first taste of the true Outback and both of us a good taste again of genuine Outback hospitality.

It also gave us a wonderful sense of being kindred spirits with travellers passing by and rekindled in us a desire to explore more of this Land of Plenty – or any other rivers, plains or deserts we can find on the map. Stay tuned...

The herd was massive and held traffic up for about 20 minutes, but it was spectacular!

Mrs iM ignoring the dust that coated the dash, us and everything...

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The Gold Coast Hinterland – very different from the distant, dusty and spectacular open plains along the Plenty and Donahue highways...

Fast Facts

When to go: April to October

Permits Required: None

Distances:

4WD: Required by commonsense, not law. High ground clearance essential.

Alice Springs to Ballina: 3363 km Alice Springs to Boulia: 821 km Longest dirt stretch: 600 km approx Longest distance without fuel: Tobermorey to Boulia (250 km) Fuel Cost: $645.32 Average fuel cost on Plenty Highway: $2.25 per litre Caravan Parks: Gemtree, Jervois and Tobermorey, Boulia Free Camping: Plenty of opportunities but beware of soft ground.

Road Conditions: Signposted at each end and along the way. Obey all signs, especially road closures (significant penalties apply).

Road Info: Freecall 1800 246 199 Communications: Satellite phone/HF radio/ CB radio only between Alice Springs and Boulia. Telstra mobile coverage only in Western Queensland towns.

Useful Websites: outbackway.org.au (download The Outback Way brochure) and outbacktravelaustralia.com.au/destinations (scroll to bottom for Plenty Highway)

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The Boulia-Winton road, draped like a ribbon across the landscape.

66 magazine

iMotorhome

because getting there is half the fun...

iMotorhome Classifieds are for private sellers and dealers alike, with a great introductory offer until the end of August...

• Motorhomes & Campervans only • Unlimited words • Up to 12 photos per ad • Unlimited edits and updates • Latest ads featured in iMotorhome Magazine • Advertise until sold • Introductory offer extended to the end of August: $25 – that’s 50% off!

Visit www.imotorhome.com.au today

Classifieds: Snapshots

iMotorhome Featured Classifieds

67

Roadside Eats: Berkelouw Books

68

BERKELOUW BEHOLD From antiquarian books to contemporary cuisine and fine wines, Bendooley Estate has it all...

Roadside Eats: Berkelouw Books

69

The old barn uniquely mixes dining and books in a historic setting. Huge fireplace is just to the right.

N

estled in a fold between rolling hills, Bendooley Estate – home to the Berkelouw Book Barn, Bendooley Kitchen and Cellar Door – is now the place to be and be seen, on the glorious Southern Highlands of NSW. Close to Berrima on the Old Hume Highway, for years Bendooley Estate was simply known to locals as Berkelouw’s – and it still is.

Berkelouw Books is a Sydney book world institution that can trace its roots back to 1812, when Solomon Berkelouw went ship-to-ship on the wharfs of Rotterdam, Holland, selling books to ships’ Masters.

Tragically drowned one icy

winter when he slipped from a gangway, his son carried on the family business, but from the comfort (and safety) of a downtown bookshop. Through generations the business thrived and following World War 2, with Europe in ruins, the decision was made to sell-up and move to Australia. Isidoor Berkelouw set up shop in King St, Sydney, in 1948 and his unique collection of rare European books proved an immediate success. Now in its sixth generation as booksellers the Berkelouw Family is still passionate about books and the historic Bendooley property, with its century-old barn, came into its ownership in 1977.

In recent years the property was an on-again-off-again coffee shop, following a series of legal struggles with Council.

With all this resolved and a considerable amount invested to plant grapes, develop a winery, transform the barn into a coffee shop and restaurant and add function facilities to cater for weddings and events, the result is, well, spectacular!

Berkelouw's is open daily and at its heart is still the wonderful book barn. The books share their space with the restaurant and are cleverly housed in moveable shelves that can be rearranged or removed completely, if required. You’re welcome just to browse the

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The Book Barn complex includes a coffee shop with optional outdoor dining, plus a cellar door and good parking at the rear.

books – most of which seem quite reasonably priced – and there are several nooks where you can take coffee and sweet treats whilst doing so.

Lunches, plus dinners on Fridays and Saturdays (with a bit of a waiting list I’m told) are a delight and in the warmer months you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air and tranquility of Bendooley Estate’s exquisite setting. A massive stone fireplace keeps the inside toasty in winter, so whenever you choose to visit you really cant’ loose.

Coffee and cake for two is around $15-20 depending on your selection, while lunch and

dinner prices reflect the rather upmarket nature of the venue.

If the restaurant is busy expect country-paced service, but this is a place to just sit and enjoy your surroundings.

Bendooley Estate is a one-stop body and brain food emporium worth a special trip on its own.

Arrive early for lunch and linger though to afternoon tea; rug up for a winter dinner by the fire and stay nearby, or simply drop in for coffee and browse the outstanding book collection and/ or sample their wines: the choice is yours – just be sure you visit!

Fast Facts.

Bendooley Estate 3020 Old Hume Highway Berrima. NSW. 2577.

Book barn daily: 09:00-17:00 Lunch daily: 11:00-15:00 Dinner Fri/Sat: From 18:00 Restaurant: (02) 4877 2235 Books: (02) 4877 1370 E: bookbarn@berkelouw. com.au W: berkelouw.com.au/ stores/book-barn

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You can take coffee and cake in the coffee shop or in this snug, sunfilled nook amongst the books.

Next Issue

72

TIME FOR A BREAK

I

t will be three weeks until the next issue due, to the machinations of the Gregorian calendar. There are no big trips planned, but in this business – like politics – three weeks is a long time and anything could, and is likely to, happen.

August 16-18

AUG

16-18

AUG

16-18

Border RV & Camping Expo Wodonga Racecourse, Wodonga. VIC. • Open 09:30-5:00 daily (closes Sunday 4:00) • Free parking • Adults $10 • Seniors $8 • Kids U15 Free with adult

http://www.borderexpo.com.au/visitor.html

Click for Google Maps

Malcolm will be bringing you a long overdue review of Wirraway’s luxurious 260 SL, which is a beautiful B-class motorhome built on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter and featuring a full-length slideout on the driver’s side.

Richard will be bringing you something, but he’s not sure what, so stay tuned!

It was going to be Avida’s big and recently redesigned Longreach, but that looks like waiting until the following

SEP

6-8August

16-18

AUG

16-18

Wide Bay & Fraser Coast Home Show & Caravan, Camping Expo Maryborough Showgrounds, Maryborough. QLD. • Open daily 9:00-5:00 (closes Sunday 4:00) • Parking free • Adults $10 • Seniors $8 • Kids free with adult

http://www.australianevents.com.au/index.php/ wide-bay-home-show-caravan Click for Google Maps

issue as we need space to do it justice. In a first, we also have an owner review of the previous model, which is certain to make an interesting comparison.

There’s more travel to come and a return to our app reviews, so it all promises to make for another great issue.

Until then please follow us on and Twitter Facebook for breaking news, comments and a bit of fun.

See you on September 7th!

AUG

SEP

AUG

AUG

16-18September 6-8 16-186-8 16-18

SEP

6-8

Penrith Caravan Camping & Holiday Expo Penrith Panthers, Mulgoa Rd, Penrith. NSW. • Open daily 9:00-5:00 (closes Sunday 4:00) • Parking free • Adults $10 • Seniors $6 • Kids U16 free

www.penrith.supershow.com.au Click for Google Maps

Know of a local or regional show coming up that attracts and promotes motorhomes, campervans and the great RV lifestyle in general?

Drop us a line at info@imotorhome.com.au and we’ll happily promote it in this calendar.