iMotorhome + caravan TRAVEL
Apr 2020
Bush
TRAKKA VAN! ALL NEW JABIRU AWD HITS THE BUSH TRACKS...
JACANA HIKER HIACE CAMPERVAN I CUB CAMPERS DRIFTER II NISSAN PATROL 4X4 I ALL-ELECTRIC T1 VW CAMPERVAN 1
TRAVEL
2
ON MY MIND
COVID Operations
H
through the dark times ahead. Fingers crossed all, but as we’re only about a month into what could be a six to nine-month journey, who knows how things will pan out?
This time last month, Mrs iM+C and I we're getting ready to nip across to Auckland for the annual COVI show. Malcolm met us over there and we congratulated ourselves on just getting in before NZ closed its borders. Crowds at the show were down and I have little doubt that was due to early concerns about the virus. As it happened, Mrs and I returned on the last flight from Auckland before Australia introduced mandatory 14-days self-isolation, beating the deadline by just three hours. Malcolm wasn't so lucky, arriving home four days later and disappearing into not-sosplendid isolation.
The good news is Allan Whiting continues to provide invaluable content via his OutbackTravelAustralia. com.au website. Similarly, reader Colin Oberin has generously committed to a series of articles around simple DIY projects on his new Horizon Waratah, which I hope you’ll find helpful. And then there’s our international connection, Robert ‘Bobby’ Watson. A retired and self-confessed tech-nerd, he continues to freely contribute from his base in Washington State in the US, where he, his wife and two dogs are also in lockdown. My sincere thanks to all three; your efforts in these difficult times are invaluable, as well as greatly appreciated.
as it only been a month since the pandemic Bill Gates predicted in 2015 morphed from a mild inconvenience for us into a global catastrophe?
Like all businesses, we’re struggling to find a way forward amidst declining revenue, travel restrictions and changing regulations. In a nutshell, we’re as marooned as you and all business activities beyond the front gate have been indefinitely postponed. That also includes plans for this year’s Reader Weekend and our Taste of New Zealand escorted motorhome tour. I’m thinking we’re effectively writing off 2020 and will regroup in 2021.
In other developments, many of you will know Mrs iM+C works for Qantas and that’s largely what has kept the magazine going over the years. Like 20,000 of her fellow employees, however, she is being stood down when her holiday pay and long service leave are exhausted. Never one to sit around feeling sorry for herself, Mrs iM+C is now a Woolies’ Fresh Food Person – in customer service, of course!
Where to from here? Given the potential scarcity Fortunately, the Federal Government’s radical Job of content I’ve decided to hold over the Covi Show Keeper allowance should mean we’ll keep the lights on feature until May. Incidentally, May will be our eighth 3
ON MY MIND birthday issue and Mrs iM+C has promised to bake a cake (or at least pick-up one from Woolies!). Complete with eight candles, it might well be on the next cover, given the scarcity of reviews… If there’s a silver lining for us in all this, it’s that the enforced inactivity will provide plenty of time to consider where iM+C goes in future. I’ll be using the time to look at a new, slimmed-down website – one I can actually manage – and the multi-function app I spoke of last issue. I’ll also be looking at new tour itineraries for 2021 and beyond, plus other ways we can keep the lights on, long-term. That will, of course, largely depend on what shape the Antipodean RV industry ends up in. As I’m sure you’re aware, State border closures and Federal restrictions on travel have not only thrown RVers’ travel plans into chaos, they’ve caused chaos, anxiety and real problems for those trying to get home to ride this out. If you’re affected in any way, our commiserations go out to you. The closures, social distancing regulations and other restrictions mean the 2020 NSW Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow has been cancelled, while the chance of the 2020 Queensland Caravan & Camping Supershow is approximately zero. Ditto any shows across Australia or New Zealand for the foreseeable future. While you might think that’s no big deal – and some will welcome a respite from the relentless ‘merry-show-round’ – what you need to understand is that often, these shows are the main sales source for RV dealers and manufacturers. Now everything is in lockdown, without substantial government assistance the industry that emerges post COVID-19 could be a shadow of its former self.
me, were A: Learning to recognise when an event/ situation triggered a reaction/pattern of behaviour and B: Remembering I had the choice not to go down that path again. We always have choices, no matter how hard they might be, and so if you struggle with this imposed idleness and it’s affecting your mental health and those around you, seek help. Beyond Blue or the Black Dog Institute are great places to start, as is a chat with your GP.
Perhaps if there’s any Big Picture silver lining, it might be the enforced hibernation will cause (or at least help) many of us to ‘reset’ our lives. It might give us time to not just stop and smell the roses, but also tend and marvel at their beauty. It might give us the time to call all those people we’ve been meaning to speak to for ages; to take a break from the frenetic activity of modern life and perhaps even break the habit of pointless consumerism. Or at least reign it in a little…
Finally, if there’s any one thing to remember while COVID-19 goes about its business, it’s that we’re all in this together. That also means whatever the outcome, we’ll be together there too. Remember, for millennia humans have weathered war and disasters of every kind – natural and man-made. The world will survive, we will travel again and happy hour will return, as will good times around the camp fire and dinner table. Use this time wisely, be kind to one another (I KNOW IT’S HARD!) and prepare for a different kind of Brave New World. It might have come about due to COVID operations, but it might just be a nicer place when the viral dust settles…
No doubt the externally-imposed isolation will break many relationships, although hopefully it might help heal just as many. The main things I took away from a course of cognitive behaviour therapy, back in the days when the Black Dog regularly sat beside
Richard
4
WANTED TRAVEL
New Home for Project Polly A
Power comes from a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel producing 103 kW and 375 Nm, driving the rear wheels. Importantly, her GVM is 3550 kg, meaning you only need a car licence. Standard features included remote central locking (3 units), air-con, power steering, leather steeting wheel, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors, anti-lock brakes, hill-holder, electronic stability control and traction control. She also has a (manual) reversing camera, carries 80-litres of fresh water and about the same of grey, plus there’s a 17-litre Thetford toilet cassette. Internal 12-volt power comes from a 100-watt AGM house battery.
fter five years it’s time for Project Polly to find a new home. She’s not worn out her welcome, it’s just we’ve never really had time to do her justice and so at 10 years of age it’s time for her to move on. Here’s your chance to own a piece of Australian motorhoming history – and gain some real campfire kudos!
The Good
Polly is a 2010 Ford Transit van conversion by Talvor, the manufacturing arm of Apollo Rentals. In Apollospeak she was a Euro Tourer and did just under 250,000 km in the rental fleet over 5 years. While that sounds a lot, remember the Transit was designed as a commercial vehicle and an average 1000 km a week of mainly country driving wouldn't have been too taxing. We’ve added about 65,000 km in the last 5 years and that was almost all highway driving, bringing her total to just over 302,000. The engine starts easily and runs sweetly. And while the six-speed manual gearbox won’t suit everyone, it shifts easily and because of the lowish overall gearing, Polly is a real top-gear cruiser on the open road – up hill and down dale.
Inside, the Apollo fit-out is rental-basic but tough and functional. Standard equipment includes a threeburner gas cooktop, rangehood, sink with folding tap, microwave, compressor fridge, air-conditioning/heating and a TV with CD/DVD player plus Winegard aerial. The bathroom is ‘wet’ and as basic as they come, with just a swivelling loo and flexible hose shower, although we’ve added some soap/shampoo holders. The beds are single but can be made up into a giant king, while the table is a removable Lagun unit. There’s good 5
LETTERS TRAVEL
storage and plenty of space under the beds for plastic containers for bulky items. Oh, it also comes with a small safe, power lead and a 4.5 kg LPG cylinder.
• • • • • •
Polly has regularly been serviced, driven gently by us and, as the iMotorhome Project vehicle, received many upgrades. In no particular order these include: • Solar – 1 x 100W and 1 x 50W panels • Webasto diesel heater with programable digital controller • Redarc Manager30 battery management system that’s lithium ready • A real Heki roof hatch in place of the useless standard unitNew windscreen, windscreen surround and front respray • Restored and repainted roof • New headlight units and upgraded bulbs • Hella light barSide and rear-door insect screens • Isotherm 12V compressor fridge • Extra slide-out wire pantry12V Scirocco fan with timer • LED internal lights • Towel rails • Custom set of Solar Screens for all windows • Louvred cab window vents • Kenwood sound system with hands-free Bluetooth and music streaming
Tow bar rated at 2500 kg Reverse Alert rear parking sensors Near-new Continental front tyres Genuine Ford wheel trims Mrs iM+Cs hand-made curtains, throughout New fresh water hose
The Bad
• The Reverse Alert system currently isn’t working. • The old Suburban hot water system is temperamental and really in need of replacing • The replacement headlights aren’t properly aligned • Sliding side door needs new rollers so central locking consistently locks • Needs a grey water hose • Expected signs of wear and tear from 5 years as an Apollo Rental vehicle • Usual squeaks and rattles
The Ugly
Price? $40,000 – no hagglers! Interetsed? Email richard@imotorhome.com.au or call 0414 604 368 to arrange an inspection and test drive when all this madness is over. 6
CONTENTS
3 11 16 29 33 39 41
49
ON MY MIND COVID Operations
53
NEWS A glimpse at what’s happening in the wide world of RVing
55
TESTED Bush Trakka Van! – Trakka's AWD Jabiru finally arrives
56
TESTED Lost Patrol? – Allan Whting wonders if the Patrol has lost its way
61
TASTED Hiker Calling – Jacana's new-generation HiAce campervan
69
TASTED Catching the Drift – Cub Campers revives its popular six-berth
76
TASTED Hip e-Kombi – VW will convert your T1 to all-electric, for a price...
7
TASTED Going Dutch – An innovative poproof wooden RV from Holland
TECH A Touch of Caution – Are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto distracting?
TECH Future Vision – 3D instruments will soon be jumping out at you
DIY Changes on the Horizon – next in a series of simple DIY stories
TRAVEL Best Western – A pre-bushfire and virus loop to aspire to!
TRAVEL Making The Grade – Climbing the mountain to your chosen life
RV FRIENDLY Three more country towns supporting our great way of life!
iMotorhome+Caravan iMotorhome+Caravan is an independant magazine that's free and published monthly. Download issues HERE or read online HERE
Publisher/Editor
Richard Robertson (+61) 0414 604 368 richard@imotorhome.com.au
Technical
Allan Whiting (+61) 0410 677 966 allan@imotorhome.com.au
Contributors
Robert ‘Bobby’ Watson Colin Oberin Malcolm Street
Published by iMotorhome Pty Ltd PO Box 1738, Bowral. NSW 2776. Australia. ABN: 34 142 547 719 T: +614 14 604 368 E: info@imotorhome.com.au W: www.imotorhome.com.au
© 2020 iMotorhome Pty Ltd. All content of iMotorhome+Caravan magazine and website is copyright and cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the Publisher. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of content, however no responsibility is accepted for any inconvenience and/or loss arising from reading and/or acting upon information contained within iMotorhome+Caravan magazine or on the website.
READER TRAVEL
71 9
STREET VIEW
Haere Mai
G
reetings from my self-isolation, something that happened after I returned from New Zealand. One of the benefits of working from home normally it that it’s not a such a difficult shift when being self-isolated, but doing any outside work, like a photo shoot, is currently off the agenda. I know I said goodbye in the last issue of iMotohome+Caravan, but the world has changed much since then and seems to keep changing almost every day. There was a possibility that I might end up being stuck in Auckland which would have produced a few complications, but that wasn’t all that bad a prospect. However, I made it home and Mr iM+C publisher has asked me to make a return visit to iM to mention a few things like the Covi Show that I was really in Auckland for, plus what’s it like in self-isolation. I attended the Covi show along with Mr and Mrs iM+C and I suspect the show organisers were extremely lucky with the date pick: A week later and it might not have happened at all. Attending numbers were definitely down, which was not a big surprise, and with what happened last year at the same time – the shootings in Christchurch – affecting show attendance, it was probably the last thing the organisers and exhibitors needed or wanted. That said, there were still plenty of campers at the nearby racecourse rally site and even more people wandering around the show. From speaking to several of the major exhibitors late in the show, many of those same people were there to purchase their dream motorhome or caravan. Everything from a budget Benimar to the $500K-and-counting Morelo Palace – there was something for everyone! There was certainly plenty of new product on display. As well as local manufacturers, there were the latest motorhomes and caravans from Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia, Spain and the USA, with plenty of other RV related stuff. And I always like to see the vintage caravans stand – a reminder of simpler things! For many that will be the last RV show for quite a while. I don’t think anyone has a clue when the next one in either New Zealand or Australia will be. Hamilton maybe, but who knows? Like everyone else, I have no idea what will happen in the next six months. Depending on the “lockdown” arrangements in individual countries, supply chains will be affected everywhere on a variety of levels. Let’s hope the local importers have plenty of the necessary spare parts. Not that anyone is travelling much.
Immediately after the Covi show I had organised to spend a few days getting around to visit the premises of a few manufacturers/dealers and importers. Wilderness Motorhomes was kind enough to lend me one of their Helix 2 motorhomes for that purpose. I have actually used a Helix 2 in the recent past, but unfortunately my booked motorhome was damaged by a previous user and so I had a stand-in. It was actually totally accidental, like I don’t have 20/20 foresight, but the motorhome proved very useful as a self-isolation machine. Although restrictions have certainly tightened up since then, once I had shopped for food I was able to roam with minimal contact with other people. Although this was a work trip, the Monday after a show is not a time when anyone in the RV industry really wants to deal with the like of moi, so I headed off for a tour of the Shakespear and Wenderholm Regional Parks, north of Auckland. I also had visions of a back pain relieving sit in the Waiwera Thermal Pools, but the establishment was closed and looks like it will be for a long while yet. On the last night in my motorhome, I stopped into the caravan park at Ramarama, south of Auckland CBD, which is favourite with all those rental motorhome users who are heading home via the airport. The clue when you arrive about 4.00 pm is a multiple number of motorhomes, all with the owner’s travel bags outside while they cleaning-up inside, not to mention the regular use of the dump point. On this occasion there were more than the usual number of occupants, many worried about their homeward journey to places like Scotland and Denmark. I hope they made it. I suspect from now on that caravan park, like so many others, will be much quieter. My usual sign off here is to say “travel safe” but that would be totally inappropriate in the world we are living in at the moment, so I’ll just say stay safe, wherever you might be. Haere Ra 10
Malcolm
NEWS
Official Coronavirus App and WhatsApp Channel
A
ustralians will now be able to access up-todate official information through a new Federal Government app. The free app, along with a new government WhatsApp feature, will allow people to get the latest information on the number of cases in Australia, along with news on restrictions and travel bans.The apps are available for free through the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Android devices. To activate the Whatsapp channel, users have been told to visit aus.gov.au/whatsapp to launch the new feature. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the app would allow more people to receive official health advice in the one around the country to support you as you and your place. family and your household and community work through the difficult months ahead.” “(The app) enables us to talk to Australians in terms of basic health advice, updates on the measures that are Development of the app and the Whatsapp channel being put in place by State and Federal Governments,” came through a partnership with Australian tech he said. “That will assist you to get accurate and timely giant Atlasssian and the app has already become the information about what is being done by governments number one download on Apple's app store.
11
NEWS
Trakka’s Virtual Experience Trakka says its virtual doors are open for business. “While our physical showroom is still open, we've come up with a neat way to maintain the high level of service you’re accustomed to. We have a variety of display models available for FaceTime/video tours, so if you’re interested in having a good look at our fleet with the opportunity to have all your questions answered, make sure you lock in your appointment via sales@trakka. com.au.” Alex Berry said. “We’ve also just launched TRAKKA Chatter, our new series of informational mini videos clips. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram channels to be the first to know when a new vid goes live! We figured, you’ve got the questions, and we’ve got the answers so while we’re collectively experiencing these surreal times, this is a really practical way we can stay in touch. Keep sending in your queries and we’ll continue to upload our video responses!”.
NORTHCOACH NORTHCOACH STARFIN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Predator A Frame
CRN48985
STARFIN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
Rated to 3.5tonnes
Readybrute A Frame CRN 50255 Rated to 2.2tonnes
How would your Insurance provider assess a catastrophic Quality failure with an ISO 9001 ISO: QMS42870 A Frame that is not ADR certified?
Quality ISO 9001
ISO: QMS42870
Big announcement for Northcoach RV… Our Base Plates and A Frames are ADR certified After an intensive eighteen month programme, Northcoach RV is pleased to announce the ADR 62/02 certification of its Predator and Ready Brute A Frames plus the full range of Base Plates. Call us on 0409 581 471 to discuss all your towing needs.
Northcoach RV CRN50112 Range of Base Plates
Rated to 3.5tonnes
www.northcoach.com.au 12 | Phone: 0409 581 471
NEWS
Redarc’s Third Generation Manager30
R
It’s also compatible with all common automotive batteries including lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO ), lead acid, calcium and gel. It has been developed with ease of installation in mind and is compatible with all vehicles and alternator systems.
edarc Electronics have released the nextgeneration of its popular battery management system, the Manager30. Redarc has also introduced a variant of the Manager30 that is supplied with the RedVision display. This provides connectivity to the RedVision Smartphone app, allowing real-time monitoring of the battery state of charge.
4
The main enhancements in this next-generation Manager30 are all designed to improve the installation process, software functionality and broaden the mounting options to better service the install locations. “The Manager30 maintains all its features that have seen it set the benchmark in battery charging and monitoring. It operates like six products in one: It powers an auxiliary battery while on the move; it’s a 240-volt charger, solar regulator, dual-battery isolator, load disconnect controller and remote battery monitor,” Redarc says.
Redarc’s Managing Director, Anthony Kittel, said, “The next generation Manager30 not only features updates that will improve performance and improve installation flexibility, it now gives customers a choice of how they can monitor their battery usage, with the option of using the RedVision display which can also connect to a SmartPhone app to allow remote monitoring. ”Like all Redarc products, the Manager30 range comes with nationwide support including a 2-year hassle free warranty, technical support and after-sales services to answer any questions which may arise. For more information visit redarc.com.au/manager.
13
NEWS
Caravan Industry Association Update – 30 March
F
ollowing the National Cabinet meeting on the 24th of March, the Prime Minister indicated the discretion for closing caravan parks and camping grounds due to the COVID-19 crisis rested with State Governments. Overnight, Several States and Territories implemented draconian measures leading to the forced closure of caravan parks and campgrounds, except for a small range of permitted persons. New South Wales – Effective 25 March 2020 Caravan parks and camping grounds in New South Wales are to remain closed except to permanent residents and their visitors and people who have no other place of permanent residence.
Tasmania – Effective 25 March 2020 Caravan Parks are to remain closed except to serve residents and site tenants as well as those who either do not have a permanent place of residence.
Northern Territory – Effective 25 March 2020 Effective 25 March 2020 Caravan Parks remain open however all campgrounds in national parks and reserves remain closed. Queensland – Effective 26 March 2020 Caravan Parks are to remain closed except to people who live permanently in caravan parks or are staying in caravan parks as interim abodes where their primary residence is not available. All non-commercial camping grounds are to close.
14
Victoria – Effective 25 March 2020 Caravan and Camping parks are to remain closed except to people who live their permanently or if they are providing interim abode where the primary residence is not available. All non-commercial caravan parks and camping grounds in national parks and state-owned land are to close. At time of this communication, caravan parks remain open in South Australia and Western Australia.
NEWS
15
TESTED: TRAKKA JABIRU J2 AWD
BUSH TRAKKA VAN!
Trakka’s all-new Jabiru J2 AWD is a van just made for the bush, reports AlLan Whiting.. 16
TESTED
T
rakka’s Jabiru is its flagship van-conversion motorhome range. Traditionally built on the longwheelbase Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 419, the latest Jabiru is built on the all-new Sprinter and now comes in medium and long-wheelbase versions, each with the option of all-wheel drive. The new models build on the success of their predecessors, but add improved use of space and clever design enhancements.
“The switch to single rear wheels means the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is slightly reduced – from 4.5 tonnes to 4.1 tonnes – but the tare weight is less and Trakka has employed some weight-saving technology...”
The principal mechanical difference between the previous Jabiru models and the post-2019 ones is the use of single wheels all-‘round, while the latest machines can have optional 245/70R17 single tyres front and rear, to replace the undersized standard 16s.
17
TESTED
Kitted Out
M
ercedes-Benz has enhanced the standard equipment package in the new Sprinter 419, turbo-diesel V6 model, which now comes with sevenspeed automatic transmission as standard, in place of the previous five-speed. It also comes with electronic active brake assist; crosswind assist; lane keeping assist; driver fatigue monitoring and blind spot assist programs. On top of that, Trakka adds factory options including: MBUX 260 mm touch screen with CarPlay and Android Auto; keyless start; comfort swivelling front seats with armrests; 360-degree camera and parking pack; electronic parking brake (no handbrake handle to interfere with seat-swivelling); fog lights; curtain airbags; auto wipers and headlights; smartphone tray
with charging and tyre pressure monitoring. It’s an impressive equipment list that not only provides useful extra ‘kit’, it also adds considerably to the premium feel off the vehicle. The switch to single rear wheels means the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is slightly reduced – from 4.5 tonnes to 4.1 tonnes – but the tare weight is less and Trakka has employed some weight-saving technology in its fit-out of the 2020 Jabirus. Examples are the use of ultra-thin laminate table and bench tops and fibreglass floor substrate, with marine-grade vinyl covering. Also, to improve weight distribution, Trakka has changed water tank design from longitudinal to transverse.
18
TESTED
T
he long-wheelbase Jabiru can be supplied with a twoseat layout (now called J2) or four-seat (now called J4) layout. The J4 has an east-west bed, with additional bed length courtesy of external window-extension ‘pods’. While the long-wheelbase J2 has longitudinal beds, the new medium-wheelbase Jabiru has an east-west bed with one extension ‘pod’ and is only available in two-berth configuration. It’s called the J2M.
19
TESTED
T
he interior layouts are broadly as before, but the latest interior has subtle, dimmable LED lighting arranged in geometric shapes and the laminated surfaces are much thinner, yet stronger. This thin laminate allows the dinette table-top to stow in a narrow slot, taking up far less space. It’s also cleverly shaped to make seating access easier and has four mug cut-outs, to make spills less likely. New windows, with concealed internal screens and blinds, look much classier and protect the blinds and screens from accidental damage. The new 90-litre fridge/freezer is a knockout, with a door that opens to the left or right. It’s also much slimmer than the previous unit, which makes it possible to have a larger bathroom that allows standing room, even when the retractable toilet is powered-out from under the vanity. All bed bases have adjustable, lifting end sections that allow comfortable sitting-up in bed, for easy reading or watching your tablet-TV screen.
cooktop, diesel-fuelled water and space heating, plus 200-watts of solar panels. It also includes new ‘fluted’ insect screens that slide easily, for the side and rear doors. Also easier than before is a new Thule powered awning that can be opened and closed without Each model comes standard with the proven Remote interfering with the sliding door.Optional is a 2000-watt Pack, closed-foam thermal insulation and an advanced inverter and portable plug-in induction electric cooktop, electrical system with 200 Ah lithium battery power as which can be used inside or outside the vehicle for a standard. The Remote Pack includes a diesel-fuelled quicker boil-up than the diesel stove provides. 20
TESTED
A
lso optional, the Alfresco Pack further assimilates indoor and outdoor camping. It features a small, swivelling drawer fridge that can be accessed whether you’re inside or outside the Jabiru. There’s also a removable work bench that attaches to the sliding side-door and features a collapsible washup basin. It also includes a hot/cold tap in the form of a shower head on a telescopic hose, so it doubles as an outside shower, and attaches magnetically to the van body wherever required. Combined, these features allow you to do the majority of the after-meal clean up before heading back into the vehicle. Roof mounted solar panel capacity is increased to 300-watts with the Alfresco Pack.
21
TESTED
First Drive
W
e had a brief on-and-off road drive and overnight stay in the new Jabiru J2 AWD. We’ll complete that testing with a ‘play’ in the J2M AWD in April – Covid-19 permitting. The evaluation vehicle was a Show machine, so was fitted with the Alfresco Pack and the additional options of aluminium wheels with mud-terrain (M/T) tyres; inverter and induction cooktop; LED driving light bar; metallic paint and colour-matched bumpers; colourmatched seat upholstery and a powered sliding door. From the ‘basic’ Jabiru J2 AWD, pricing of $200k, it was priced at $218,180 NSW-driveaway. The single-tyred Jabiru performed and handled very well for a vehicle of this size, but the M/T tyres were noisier than all-terrains (A/Ts) and had some lowspeed harshness, caused by the individual-block tread pattern. A/Ts would suit most buyers, we reckon, but the M/Ts certainly looked the part. The engine/transmission combo was almost silent, letting tyre noise intrude into the stylish interior. All campervans and motorhomes have some cupboard and drawer content rattles when driven on rough roads, but the Trakka was better than most.
The Jabiru hunted along freeways and highways at legal speeds without effort, returning an impressive 13.5L/100km (21 mpg) economy in the process. In mixed on-and-off road driving the economy slipped to a still-impressive 15.5L/100km (18 mpg).
22
TESTED
F
rom an operating perspective, ’Benz ergonomics and switch operations need to be learned because nothing – nothing – is intuitive. For example, the driver needs to be schooled in the importance of knowing that the seven-speed auto is stirred by what would be a right-hand blinker stalk in 90-percent of the vehicles (but don’t worry, you can’t accidentally select reverse when changing lanes!). Also, the steering wheel, dashboard and touch-screen controls are completely different from anything outside Germany, so owners need to study the manual! After a couple of hours poring over the handbook we felt confident in the big ‘Benz.
23
TESTED
W
e restricted our off-roading to fire trails and the Jabiru handled them quite easily. We’ve criticised the Australian-market Sprinter’s very basic 4WD system – open centre diff, no diff locks – when there’s much more available from Oberaigner in Austria, but in the case of the long-wheelbase Jabiru J2 AWD the package felt about right. It’s highly unlikely that buyers will need any more than this basic kit, because the very size of this machine restricts where it can go. The medium-wheelbase version could be a different matter, however.
24
TESTED
G
etting comfortable inside the Jabiru remote was simplicity itself: We shut the doors, popped the privacy windscreen and front window curtains into place, slid-shut the window blinds, turned on the cabin heater and were snug. Trakka has moved from a pop-up TV aerial in favour of a GSM cellular antenna, linked to a tablet bracket that can move from dinette to bedroom. It’s a sign of the times, when more and more people are using wifi streaming services and ditching traditional RV TVs. We were initially reserved about cooking on diesel stoves, but we’re used to them now and love the safety of having no LPG on board and no cooking flames inside the van. The portable induction cooktop made a kettle boil-up quicker than waiting for the diesel cooktop to pre-heat. The new dinette table is lighter, less bulky and shaped for movement around it. The mug cutouts worked perfectly. 25
TESTED
“There are very few campervans we’d be happy to live in for extended periods, but the Trakka Jabiru is certainly one.”
T
here are very few campervans we’d be happy to live in for extended periods, but the Trakka Jabiru is certainly one. We’re looking forward to a comparison with the more nimble medium-wheelbase J2M in the near future, particularly as this version comes with additional off-road protection equipment including engine and transmission shields, rear shock absorber shields, a rear diff ‘rock slider’, handbrake protector, sill plates, recovery points front and rear, a spare wheel carrier and a long-range fuel tank. Can’t wait!
26
TESTED
JABIRU AWD Off the Beaten Track
27
TESTED
AKUNA Get away from it all in style
28
TESTED
Lost PATROL? Allan Whiting ponders whether Nissan’s Patrol has totally lost its way...
29
TESTED
N
o longer a sales leader, in September 2019 Nissan unveiled the 2020 Patrol in the Middle East. Signature design changes included Nissan’s V-motion grille, boomerang-shaped LED headlights and taillights. Inside, a new centre console incorporated dual displays featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there was a new steering wheel with additional controls.
“The Patrol V8 is a bulky beast. Our tow-test models were both Ti vehicles, with a claimed tare weight of 2.7 tonnes and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3.45 tonnes – leaving only 745 kg for people, freight, 140 litres of fuel and ball weight...”
New diamond-stitch quilted leather seats with climate control and powered lumbar support were optionally available up front. In addition to the Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies already available, the 2020 Patrol came with Intelligent Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection and an Intelligent Forward Collision Warning system. However, there was no change to the high-octane petrol requirement, no hybrid powertrain and no stop/start engine economy improver. Pricing in early 2020 was $76,990 for the Ti and $92,790 for the Ti-L. We finally got an Australian 2020 spec’ Patrol to test in March 2020. Sadly, our criticisms of all post-2013 Patrols remain and Nissan needs to try much harder – or forget the Patrol altogether.
30
TESTED
e did two tow tests, firstly using a 2200 kg caravan with 220 kg of ball weight. As expected, the independently-sprung rear end sagged, yet Nissan rates the Y62 towbar for up to 350 kg of ball weight and insists that owners not use weight distribution bars. We can’t imagine how a Y62 with a nondistributed 350 kg ball weight would look, handle and drive.
W
help wondering why the Japanese have taken such pains to eradicate the wonderful ‘leather smell’ you get in European vehicles.Fit and finish was excellent, but interior styling was a tad too ‘wood-grainy’ for our taste. Ergonomics were fine and Bluetooth pairing was easy with the vehicle at rest. The central display screen was clear, while the navigation and information system seemed quite comprehensive.
We thought Nissan’s hydraulically-linked suspension option might enhance weight distribution, but the Hydraulic Body Motion Control System cleverly linked across-axle suspension units to control body sway in corners, but didn’t transfer forces fore and aft.
The Y62’s 5.6-litre V8 produces a claimed 560 Nm of torque at 4000 rpm, with around 90-percent of that available from 1600 rpm. We don’t doubt this boast, because the Patrol was happy to doddle along at less than 2000 rpm through traffic when towing and had no trouble keeping up with solo vehicles.The seven-speed box was state of the art and gave seamless shifts in stop-start conditions.
The Patrol V8 is a bulky beast. Our tow-test models were both Ti vehicles, with a claimed tare weight of 2.7 tonnes and a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3.45 tonnes – leaving only 745 kg for people, freight, 140 litres of fuel and ball weight. Four-up, with a full tank, some luggage and the van’s ball weight, the Patrol was right up on its legal GVM.
On freeways at legal speeds it was happy to sit in overdrive 6th, rather than double-overdrive 7th.On steep climbs the shifts remained seamless, but as the box dropped to third and revs rose above 3500 rpm, mechanical noise intruded. The engine didn’t A plus for this bulk is that its 1.9 m width spaces the sound like it was about to blow up, but the contrast mirrors far enough apart for reasonable towing vision, between whisper-quiet progress through undulating but extensions would be needed for full-width vans. country and the noise on climbs was quite noticeable. The Y62 has a rear vision camera as standard, so Maybe Nissan should have hired an Italian exhaust coupling-up was a simple operation. system maker, to include some V8 burble throughout the engine’s operating range and reduce the noise We slid into the leather seats and found that power contrast. Engine braking was acceptable for a petrol adjustment of the front pair provided great comfort that auto, but revs needed to be around 4000 for best effect didn’t fade during a long driving day. However, we can’t and at this speed engine noise intruded somewhat. 31
TESTED
W
e didn’t deliberately drive for economy, but we did operate the vehicle in the manner we think an owner would treat such a potentially fuel-guzzling machine. Throughout the test drives we monitored fuel consumption, which went off the scale when the engine was working hard, but averaged out at 23 L/100 km (12.3 mpg). That’s pretty good for a V8 petrol engine, operating in hilly terrain at legal maximum speeds wherever possible.
short distances and don’t fold flat, reducing practicality of the cargo area. Even with the second-row seats folded, the Y62 can’t manage a flat floor and Nissan has had seven years of production during which the flat-floor issue hasn’t been addressed. Stupid. We showed our test vehicles to several potential buyers and none would accept the sloping floor layout They said they’d buy a 200 Series LandCruiser in preference.
Ride quality was generally very good, despite the tail-down attitude caused by the van’s nose weight. A lower ball weight would have improved ride quality over lumpy surfaces that caused pitching and rearend bottoming. The ideal net ball weight for the Patrol Y62 is around 100-140 kg. Handling was flat and predictable on bitumen and dirt surfaces, and seemingly unaffected by the limited amount of rear suspension travel, so the cross-linked suspension units were doing their job well.
The all-independent-suspension competition includes high-performance V6 turbo-diesels – Land Rover Discovery, Jeep Grand Cherokee and MercedesBenz ML – that have better towing economy and load-levelling air suspension, albeit with well known reliability issues. These vehicles also have trailer sway control, as does the 200 Series LandCruiser.
As a solo vehicle the Y62 Patrol was quite off-road capable, having a low-range first-gear ratio around 44:1, traction control and supple suspension. However, Our second tow test was with a 1200 kg camper trailer ground clearance when loaded was marginal for rocky that had an 80 kg ball weight. The V8 hardly knew it was trail work. The terrain program worked well off road, pulling anything. Economy was also very good, averaging providing easy selection of operating mode and rear 15.5 L/100 km (18.2 mpg).Most tow vehicles are expected diff lock operation. to do the daily grind in addition to leisure trips and the Patrol Y62 made a useful around-town commuter, with Nissan needs to upgrade the powertrain, fix the economy averaging 13 L/100 km (21.7 mpg). cargo area and get off its arse if it has any hope of reestablishing the Patrol as a heavyweight off-road/ However, as an eight-seat people mover it’s towing/people-moving contender. compromised by third-row seats that are strictly for 32
TASTED
Hiker Calling Allan Whiting answers the call of Jacana's new HiAce conversion, the Hiker...
33
TASTED
T
aree-based Jacana Motorhomes is best known for its conversions of coaches and 4X4 trucks, but the company is now employing its expertise on smaller vehicles. The Hiker is based on Toyota’s new HiAce van and can be ordered in 2WD and, most interestingly, 4WD configurations. The standard rear wheel drive HiAce van has diesel or petrol power and comes with manual or automatic transmission, in a choice of long and super-long
wheelbases. Jacana does the Hiker conversion on all these variants and Bus4x4’s 4WD conversion can also be fitted to any HiAce variant. Jacana’s campervan conversion starts with an inhouse, fibreglass pop-top roof, plus moulded rear window extensions/pods that increase the width of the van at the rear. This allows for an east-west double bed.
34
TASTED
U
nder the memory-foam bed is a folding lounge with seat belts that can seat two people during the day and double as a kids bed for two. Both beds can be left made-up. Also under the bed is a multi-drawer module that can be accessed through the rear doors. The drawer module, galley and wardrobe are constructed from lightweight marine-grade plywood.
35
TASTED
T
he interior floor plan takes the space-saving advantage of an optional swivelling passenger seat. The galley sits immediately behind the driver’s seat and features a 65-litre front-opening fridge/ freezer, a sink with hand pump and a diesel cooktop. A wardrobe with shelf flanks the galley.
36
TASTED
E
lectrical system inclusions are an external 15-amp socket, 120 Ah deep-cycle battery with mains and 12 V charging, 150W solar roof panel, power outlets, LED lighting and USB outlets. Water supply to the sink comes from a 55-litre tank. Options include diesel room heating, a manual awning, flyscreens, TV with external aerial and DVD player, and a body wrap.
37
TASTED
T
he photographs are of a 2WD HiAce, but the Bus4x4 conversion looks the same, other than for a massive increase in ground clearance that necessitates the inclusion of an entry step. We’re planning an evaluation of the Jacana Hiker just as soon as the world returns to some semblance of normal, but until then you can get further details from Jacana’s website.
38
TASTED
Catching the
DRIFTER M Cub brings back its iconic sixberth camper trailer, reports Allan Whiting...
any Australians have camping memories of family holidays in the iconic Cub Drifter. The six-berth family off-roader was launched in the 1970s and although production stopped in the late ‘90s, its robust design and family-orientated setup means that it’s not uncommon to still see this popular camper trailer at campsites today. Building on the original Drifter’s success and drawing inspiration from market demands for double-fold camper trailers, Cub Campers has released the Drifter II.
39
TASTED
C
laimed to be the only Australian-made doublefold camper trailer on the market, it combines the space of a caravan with the functionality and price of a camper trailer. Drifter II is also said to be one of the fastest and easiest double-folds to set up, taking one person around three minutes. We’ve asked for a test camper trailer to check that out. Measuring 5.50 m overall and 6.52 m when opened out, the Drifter II has a tare weight of 1390 kg, an ATM of 1950 kg and puts 145 kg on the ball. The Drifter II is designed to sleep up to six people in three double beds. The main sleeping area is furnished with a 1.96 m x 1.50 m pocket-spring mattress for maximum comfort, while the rear section has a 1.66 m x 1.37 m medium-foam mattress for the kids or guests. The dinette converts to the third sleeping area, for extended family members or friends.
duty water tank with 12-volt pump, 100 Ah slide-out house battery, 4 kg LPG cylinder, 17-inch alloy wheels, 12-inch electric brakes and independent suspension.
Built with high-quality Australian products, including Australian Bluescope Steel and Wax Converters’ Australian canvas, Drifter II is backed by a five year canvas, suspension and chassis warranty, The kitchen features a fold-out shelf, SMEV threeand preserves Cub Campers’ proud reputation for burner stainless-steel stove, stainless-steel sink, LED lighting and an extra-long, 1.40 m pantry drawer. Drifter delivering great products. Priced just shy of A$50,000, to find out more visit the Cub Campers website. II has a luggage rack at the front, a 100-litre heavy40
TASTED
Hip
e-Kombi VW will build you an electric T1 Kombi for a price , reports Robert ‘Bobby’ Watson...
41
TASTED
T
his is a 1966-model Volkswagen T1 Samba Bus. It has spent more than half a century on the roads of California, meaning it's probably got wild and woolly stories to tell about Woodstock and the Summer of Love, and unspeakable things have surely taken place in its roomy interior. Lives have likely begun in this humble little people mover, and now it's getting a second life of its own.
42
TASTED
V
olkswagen has pulled out its 4-cylinder air-cooled boxer engine, which was good for a very relaxed 31 kW (43 hp) when absolutely thrashed, and replaced it with a much more sprightly electric drive system that can silently and effortlessly output 60 kW (82 hp) and 212 Nm (156 lb-ft). This raises the T1's top speed from 105 km/h to a more freeway-friendly 130 km/h, electronically limited. The battery is a 45 kWh pack good for around 200 km between charges
43
TASTED
M
inimal changes have been made in the cabin; it's still got its mildly scary-looking schoolbus steering wheel and the interior has all been re-covered in lurid orange and white leather to conceal the sins of the past. There are a few new buttons, a simple battery charge level meter cut into the old-school speedo, and the gearstick has been replaced with an electric drive selector.
44
TASTED
T
here's a Bluetooth system for music, hidden in what looks like the old-school radio, and this can also be used to check in on a range of vehicle stats and parameters through a smartphone app. But otherwise, it looks and feels super classic, with a touch of the marine world about it.
45
TASTED
T
hat doesn't mean the chassis has been left stock. VW has taken aim at the handling, with new multi-link axles and adjustable suspension front and rear. There's a new rack-and-pinion steering system to correct any case of the wanders it might've been having, pre-conversion, and the drum brakes have rightfully been turfed out for ventilated discs all-‘round. This old girl will drive like a racing car in comparison to how it used to. The headlights have been swapped for LED units, although not so you'd notice when they're not switched on.
46
TASTED
R
enamed as the e-Bulli, Volkswagen is calling this a concept car, but it's making it clear that you can have one if you want, either as a kit, as a conversion from your own old T1 or as a complete car through e-classics in Germany. The latter will start at about €64,900 – about A$117,000 – which puts it in the same price range as a luxury European car, but then you can’t fit all your hippie friends in that and there's no room for guitar or bongo playing on the highway, so the choice is yours. I wonder if they can do right-hand drive?
47
TASTED
this n i n u g e b y l e k i l “Lives have r, e v o m e l p o e p e l humble litt ond c e s a g n i t t e g 's t and now i life of its own...”
48
TASTED
going
by Robert 'Bobby' Watson
DUTCH D
“ The upper level serves the role of a fancier, hard-sided version of the pop-up sleeper roofs common on camper vans...�
utch company Haaks has created one of the latest mobile living solutions that blurs the line between motorhome and tiny home. Its wood-clad Opperland camper easily slides off the flatbed truck that carries it to camp, planting firmly on hydraulic legs to serve as a cozy wilderness cabin for nature lovers and adventurers. A pop-up roof transforms it from truck-friendly box to two-story tiny house with all the amenities needed to live comfortably in the great outdoors.
49
TASTED
H
aaks introduced its second camper model, the Niderland, last week, but having been previously unfamiliar with the brand, its original model was the one that really stood out to us. Simply called the Haaks camper when it launched last year, the model has been renamed the Opperland in light of the addition of Haaks camper #2. The 4.00 m x 2.28 m x 2.52 m Opperland fits neatly on its Fiat Ducato base chassis like any basic motorhome box, but it packs a little hidden space for roomier camping. Upon arrival, the triangular popup roof resting neatly over the upper rear corner of the box rises up to create a two-story home, whether the Opperland is on the truck or on the ground. For the latter, hydraulic legs lift the camper up off the Ducato, allowing the vehicle to be driven forward, out from under the camper. The camper then gets lowered down close to the ground and levelled out, readying quickly for indoor/outdoor living. The Ducato, meanwhile, is free to work as a lighter, more manoeuvrable flatbed truck during the day.
50
TASTED
W
ith the bedroom pushed upstairs, the Opperland's lower level is free to serve as a spacious living area. The dinette is located just inside the large tailgate, offering the possibility of breezy, fresh-air dining. Next to it, the kitchen block includes a sink and an induction cooktop powered by the 360-Ah onboard lithium-ion battery. An 81-litre fridge/freezer is located on the opposite wall. The staircase is at the front end of the kitchen block, and the small bathroom with toilet and shower is tucked away in the front corner on the opposite side. Upstairs, a 1.80 m x 2.00 m bed fills out the floor space, illuminated by a light mounted near the apex of the pitched roof. This upper level serves the role of a fancier, hard-sided version of the pop-up sleeper roofs common on camper vans. Here’s a quick minute-long animation of how the magic happens:
51
TASTED
H
aaks second model, the Niderland, still rides on a Ducato chassis but does not dismount or expand, serving as a simpler, more traditional motorhome. The Niderland floor plan is similar to the Opperland's, but without a second floor and it packs its double bed against the front wall. The kitchen is on the opposite side compared to the Opperland, with a dresser across from it and a toilet room next to it. In Europe the Haaks Opperland starts at an eyewatering â‚Ź129,983 (approx A$234,000) and the Niderland at â‚Ź98,665 (A$178,000), but that does include the vehicle! Both models are based on the Fiat Ducato cab-chassis and each includes 45-litre fresh and waste water tanks, a Victron inverter and a Truma water heater. Haaks builds its campers to order and works with customers to personalise the layout and equipment. It can also build on an alternative customer-selected chassis, noting that some buyers might prefer a more eco-friendly powertrain, such as a CNG or electric. Dream on?
52
TECH
A Touch Of Caution
by Robert ‘Bobby’ Watson
A
pple CarPlay or Android Auto touchscreens in your car negatively impacts driving performance more than if you're texting, high on cannabis or sitting at the UK's legal blood alcohol threshold of 0.08 percent, says a new study measuring a range of driver behaviour. Commissioned by IAM RoadSmart, the UK's largest road safety charity, the study placed 20 Apple Carplay users and 20 Android Auto users in a simulator, and had them drive a standard test route 3 times. The route was broken up into three sections, including car following, erratic motorway traffic, and a figure-eight loop. The first time, they drove it with no infotainment systems on as a control. The second, they were asked to perform music, radio, navigation, text and phone call tasks using voice interactions. The third, they were asked to do the same tasks using touch control.
Subjects were measured on four aspects of driving performance: maintaining a speed, lane position holding, eye gaze behaviour and self-reported performance, as well as their reaction time to external non-driving stimuli, which tasked drivers with flashing their high beams when a red bar appeared on the screen. The charity found a lot to be concerned about, which is perhaps unsurprising for a group assembled out of pure distilled concern, but nonetheless, here are a few of the findings. Unsurprisingly, driver performance on all measures dropped significantly when using the touch screens. Reaction times in particular were about 53-57 percent worse than control times, where driving at the blood alcohol limit of 0.08 percent only increased this metric 53
TECH
by 12 percent and smoking cannabis saw a 21percent increase in reaction times. The result would be four to five extra car lengths of stopping distance at highway speeds. More surprisingly, using voice commands didn't make things that much better, increasing reaction times by 30-36 percent, where texting while driving resulted in a 35-percent increase. It appears talking to Siri is about as bad as texting!
which itself is significantly worse than cannabis or threshold-level drink driving. IAM RoadSmart hopes the study might lead to tighter government testing on what's legal to fit in consumer cars. “We’re now calling on industry and government to openly test and approve such systems and develop consistent standards that genuinely help minimise driver distraction,� said policy and research director Neil Greig.
Drivers found it harder to maintain a constant speed and a constant distance behind the car in front or their While it's unclear whether these devices are becoming position in a lane while using touch screens. Notably, lane position would deviate by about half a meter when responsible for a greater share of road trauma incidents, it doesn't take a genius to correlate the using touch features. ever-growing touch interfaces in our cars with driver There's more in the full study, but by now you get the distraction. picture: touch-activated infotainment systems appear to be significantly worse than texting while driving,
54
TECH
Future Vision
by Robert ‘Bobby’ Watson
T
he instrument panel is about to start jumping out of car dashboards. Tier-one OEM supplier Continental has built a glasses-free, ‘auto-stereoscopic’ 3D car display and it's about to debut on the new Genesis GV80 SUV. The system uses eye-tracking technology to pinpoint the driver's peepers, and angles a set of slanted “parallax barrier” slats within the display such that your left and right eyes receive different images. In this way, a stereoscopic 3D image can be built up for a single viewer and things can begin to appear to rise out of the dash or sink back into it. Why? Continental says it's in the name of safety. Modern cars have so many automated features, warnings and idiot lights that important things can get lost in a barrage of information. So now, things will
literally start jumping out at you if they're high-priority warnings. Mind you, Continental doesn't want you staring at this stuff; indeed, attention detection is built in to detect and help correct distraction and fatigue. The new dash be the first production system of its kind when it rolls out on the mildly opulent new Genesis SUV, but Continental has further plans down the track. These include back-seat 3D video entertainment displays, which will use a different lightbending 3D technology called Diffractive Lightfield Backlighting developed by Leia, as well as gesture controls that would allow drivers to move and resize dash modules in mid-air by waving their hands around. Interesting developments to be sure, but it’s only just the beginning of a brave new world of automotive technology designed to inform and increase safety.
55
DIY
changes on the
HORIZON The second in a series of DIY project ideas for any RVer…
by Colin Oberin
56
DIY
O
nce a new RV comes home it’s time to load up the extra bits and pieces: Think camp chairs, outdoor table, barbecue, levelling ramps, awning mat, rubbish bin, brooms, mops, buckets, drinking water and grey water hoses, etc. In no time at all the cargo area, which looked so spacious in the show room when our six year-old granddaughter was playing hide and seek, suddenly looks far too small. Also, my new van had one especially bulky item that needed to find a home. The windscreen, driver and passenger-side windows of my new Horizon Waratah are not fitted with the built-in fly screens and block out blinds fitted to all of the other windows. Instead, quilted solar screens were provided that could be affixed to the glass with suction cups.These do a good job of providing insulation and privacy, but when not in use they need to be rolled up and stored in the bag provided. The screens are very light but also quite bulky and take up a fair bit of valuable storage space. When I picked up the van there was plenty of room for the bag of screens beneath the beds, but if I left them beneath the beds there would not be enough space for the many other items I consider essential for a comfortable and safe trip. 57
DIY
I
t is often said that heavy items should be stored lower down and lighter items higher up in an RV, whether that RV be a caravan, camper van or a motorhome. The Horizon Waratah does have lots of overhead cupboards, but most are too small to take the bulky screens. However, I noticed a space between the back of the over-bed cupboards and rear doors that stretches right across the rear of the van when the doors are closed. The space looked to be just the right size to store the solar screens when they are rolled up and stored in the bag provided. Moreover, the space could be reached easily from the rear step when the doors were open, and without too many contortions from inside the van when it’s pouring rain outside. So, my mind instantly went to work on how to mount the screens in this space… Large hooks usually sold for garage storage might work, but they mightn’t stop the bag sliding from side to side as the van goes around corners. My solution for holding the screens in place was to secure two lengths of double sided Velcro-style hook-and-loop tape to the back of the cupboards with screws, using oversized washers to help spread the load. The length of the screws was an important consideration as I didn’t want 58
DIY
them to poke through into the interior of the cupboard. For that reason this solution would not be suitable for any items not very light in weight. The solar screens are so light they can be easily held in position against the back of the overhead cupboards with one hand while the tapes are secured with the other. Thus, the screens are easy for one person to mount or take down. With suitable positioning of the bag and by adjusting the length of the tapes, the screens can be secured behind the overhead cupboards from where they cannot be seen in the rear vision mirror and hence do not impede the driver’s rear view. This also frees up much needed cargo space beneath the beds for heavier items. Next month I share some ideas about modifying your ‘water works’. Hope you can hang on until then!
59
DIY
60
TRAVEL
BEST WESTERN! Alan & Val Price explore some of the best places Western Queensland has to offer…
61
TRAVEL
I
n mid September 2019 my wife Val and I enjoyed a three week trip, completing a loop of Outback Southern Queensland in our Horizon Grevillea Motorhome, towing a lightweight alloy trailer that carries a second fridge, generator, folding electric bikes, etc. Whilst our objective was to visit Western Queensland areas we had not previously been to, we also wanted to support some of those smaller towns that were doing it tough due to the horrendous drought. To that end we had coffee for morning tea in numerous locations, enjoyed quite a few pub meals and shopped at local IGAs whenever possible. It’s the sort of “Financial Fertiliser” Richard the editor frequently refers to in this magazine and between all of us travelling its cumulative effects are considerable. I should note that while travelling we tend to stay at a mix of caravan parks, showgrounds, pubs and free or low-cost locations. However, during winter the camping in most locations is booked out by Southerners avoiding the cold at home. Unfortunately, once these ‘hordes’ depart many Outback businesses struggle to survive.
62
“We carried a 20-litre container of diesel and although we did not need it, it provided some insurance in case we could not fill up”
TRAVEL
O
ur first major stop was Goondiwindi, where we camped at the showgrounds. We decided to do a three hour farm tour of Alcheringa Cotton, for $35, with morning tea that included damper. Whilst they had been unable to plant a cotton crop due to lack of water, it was very informative to hear their story and see the infrastructure. We also did a ‘Beer and Bulls..t’ tour of the historic Victoria Hotel, with a local raconteur and for $25 – including a beer and counter
lunch – we gained a great insight into the town and its famous racehorse, Gunsynd. South of St George we camped next to the Moonie River at the Nindigully Hotel – reputed to be Queensland’s oldest – for a gold coin donation to the Royal Flying Doctor service and enjoyed a steak and a few beers at the hotel as well as a hot shower.
63
TRAVEL
C
unnamulla was an interesting place and we stayed at the Riverside Tourist Park, which was an absolute oasis on the banks of the Warrego River. Herbs and fruit trees were planted between sites and we were encouraged to take what we could use (Mrs iM+C would love that! – Ed). This place is thoroughly recommended and a tribute to the owner’s hard work. Cunnamulla’s Information Centre is also a must see; in particular, the displays and movie on the Great Artesian Basin, which lies deep underneath some 22 percent of the Australian continent. Unbelievably, if the water there was all released it would cause the oceans of the world to rise by half a metre!
64
TRAVEL
E
romanga, population 45, with it’s Natural History Museum, is home to the largest dinosaur found in Australia and is a must-visit location. Nicknamed Cooper, the reptile is reputed to have been 30 metres long, 16 metres high, weighed the equivalent of 4 buses and ate a tonne of plants every day. Eromanga also claims to be the town furthest from the sea in all of Australia! To top it all off, we free-camped in the main street and enjoyed hot showers at the community hall. That night we had dinner at the town’s only pub, with a local station owner who showed us photos of the wild dog fence they were installing at a cost of $7000 per kilometre, to protect their lambs and also keep out kangaroos. The following day we spent an hour on their dinosaur museum tour and then a couple of hours volunteering removing sediment from dinosaur bones using acetate and a dentists tool known as an “explorer”.
All of the roads we travelled were bitumen; however from St George to around Longreach they were mostly only onevehicle wide, plus we must have crossed a thousand cattle grids. Interestingly, you hardly ever see a pothole due to the very low rainfall out there. When we saw an approaching road train – typically pulling two ‘dogs’ (trailers) – we would get right off the road. When other vehicles approached, my wife Val would try to call them on our CB and tell them to stay on the bitumen as we would move off to save getting showered with stones. Interestingly, in the 160 kilometres between Eromanga and Windorah we only saw two other vehicles…
65
TRAVEL
I
n Longreach we stayed three nights at the huge Longreach Tourist Park, which surprisingly had more brolgas than campers. However, in Winter its 330 sites are booked out. The Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame and the Qantas Founders Museum are certainly worth a visit. We also toured the Longreach School of the Air, which is a most impressive technology setup for children on remote properties and a far cry from the days when only a two way radio was used to communicate between teachers and students. At the end of October some local attractions close for the summer as tourist numbers are low and it simply gets too hot during the day.
66
TRAVEL
W
e had hoped to stay at Lara Wetlands, south of Barcaldine, however it was closed due to low water levels. Apparently the bird life is outstanding, so we were disappointed to miss our intended five days there. However we were successful (well, we took the credit anyway) in attracting some storms to the Blackall area and they delivered 125 mm (5 inches) of rain and put a smile on the locals’ faces as it was their best downpour in years! We also enjoyed our visit to the artesian spas in both Blackall and Mitchell.
We certainly enjoyed our three week Outback Queensland Loop and would encourage all readers to go out and support those people who are doing it tough in the bush. If your time is not as limited as ours, then you might consider joining www.farmrescue.com.au and doing some volunteering in rural areas. Membership is free. One final thought; while there have been good follow-up rains and much of the countryside is recovering, Outback towns across Australia are still struggling and the collective spending of all travellers is vital to their longterm survival.
67
TRAVEL
Travelling Tips for Outback Queensland 1. We carried a 20-litre container of diesel and although we did not need it, it provided some insurance in case we could not fill up. For instance, in Eromanga there is no service station and only a self-service truck stop, which luckily worked for us.
2. We took 40-litres of filtered drinking water and when that ran out we purchased some 15-litre containers of filtered water at $5 each from IGA rather than drink the bore water, which varies considerably in quality and taste.
3. When refilling our motorhome’s water tanks we double filtered the bore water going in. 4. Tyres: I always visually inspect our tyres each time we pull up, however you can not see any damage on the inside of a tyre, so it is best to inspect these with a torch each night. We shredded a tyre outside Stonehenge, however we were carrying two spares for both the motorhome and trailer. It took two days to freight in a new tyre from Rockhampton to Longreach.
5. Fluids: I typically carry extra engine oil, coolant and brake fluid. 6. Security: whilst we never leave anything outside when stopping overnight, I had read on Facebook that some travellers had experienced break-ins at a few showgrounds. So we installed a powerful solar-powered security light on our trailer that was activated by a motion sensor and would give any potential low-life a fright if they were lit up like a Xmas tree! It was only $30 at Bunnings and thankfully we had no incidents.
68
TRAVEL
By Ken Pishna livingAStoutLife.com
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN TO YOUR CHOSEN LIFE…
69
TRAVEL
W
hen you climb a mountain – particularly one at the extraordinary elevation of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado – it’s never easy. Even the easiest routes aren’t easy. So how do you get to that remote cabin that sounds so amazingly quaint; the one located 11,481 feet above sea level? The one that requires you to trudge 6.5 miles uphill through snow to get there? You simply put one foot in front of the other, taking it one step at a time and pacing yourself. At least, that’s what I, my wife, April, and our small group of friends did in late winter to get to the Section House at the top of Boreas Pass, just outside of Breckenridge, Colorado.
70
TRAVEL #STOUTLIFE
SECTION HOUSE After nearly 150 years the Section House should be a shambles, crumbling to the ground. But in the spirit of the hardy men and women that forged rough lives there a century ago, the fine folks at the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado Historic Society, with a friendly shove from the outdoorsmen that embody the pioneer spirit, restored the Section House in the mid-1990s.
The Section House is a cabin built in 1882 to house the railroad workers, and their families, who maintained the line that traveled over Boreas Pass, at the height of the mining era. It is now a wintertime backcountry getaway for snow junkies like us, who want to hike into the middle of nowhere to use it as our home base for ascending the surrounding peaks, only to then schuss down them. There are no lift lines here, but no ski lifts either!
It is now one of several such cabins that make up the Summit Huts Association and the 10th Mountain Division Huts Association. These cabins are furnished with cooking utensils, propane and wood-burning stoves, simple beds and composting toilets, but everything else is supplied by those of us using the facilities. When you stay at one of these ‘huts’ you have to pack in (and out) your own food, beverages, clothes, sleeping bag, and anything else you might need.
When it comes to snowsports, this isn’t the easiest of ways to enjoy the fluffy white precipitation that falls from the sky. But, it’s a lifestyle we have long embraced and it is probably reflective of the personality traits that led us to opting into a full-time RV lifestyle and choosing an older rig that we could modify into something more akin to our style.
77 71
#STOUTLIFE TRAVEL
CHOOSING RAIF With our desire for such ‘vacation adventures’, you can see how April and I might have chosen our 2003 BT Cruiser, which we call RAIF. Much like Section House, RAIF is probably considered by most to be at the end of, or beyond, his usefulness. But much like the hardy folks who determined there was still a lot of life to be lived at Section House, we determined that RAIF had a lot of living left to do. A hut trip doesn’t exactly fall within the spectrum of most people’s ideas of a luxurious vacation, but then again, RV living doesn’t exactly invoke the idea of luxury to the Average Joe either. To most folks, when you say you’re moving into an RV – particularly on a full-time basis – they start asking if you’re okay, thinking this is likely a last resort before full-blown homelessness sets in.
78
72
TRAVEL #STOUTLIFE
There are many folks in the RV community that have not only dispelled the ‘one-step away from homeless’ idea, but actually have rigs that are much more luxurious than our old, 2000-square-foot sticks and bricks home. And in some cases, much more luxurious. Unlike those opposite ends of the spectrum, but much more like most of the people we have come to know in the RV community, we opted for full-time RV living not because we were nearly destitute or because we thought we could purchase a mansion on wheels, but because we wanted the freedom.
73 79
TRAVEL
FREEDOM OF CHOICE What it has to be is one worth traveling.
Plain and simple, freedom is largely what most people opt into the RV lifestyle for. Plain and simple, climbing a mountain to play around in the snow is largely an embodiment of that same idea: The freedom to make your own choices, map your own direction and go on an adventure.
On one of our epic days at Section House we spent the morning ascending several hundred feet with our entire group to ride down one side of Boreas Pass. In the afternoon, April, myself and our good friend Dan ambled up the much steeper, much higher side of the pass, snowboards strapped to our backs. It was slow going. We easily doubled our travel time of the morning.
I’m sure there are many other people in the world who have many other reasons, but for us, that’s what it boils down to. We trudged 6.5 miles through the snow to Section House, so that we had the freedom to trudge around some more on the peaks towering over our 11,481-foot-high temporary home base.
But again, we kept putting one foot in front of the other, ascending through deep snow and navigating a few rocky crags before arriving near the upper reaches of a glorious chute full of the white bliss only a powder hound could truly appreciate.
We know it’s not the easy path, but a path well chosen doesn’t have to be easy.
80 74
TRAVEL #STOUTLIFE
It’s difficult to explain the shear joy of floating down the powdery snow of a mountain that you worked so hard to ascend, to someone that hasn’t done it. But I would liken that to the first trip driving your new, full-time RV home down the road, sitting back with the most gigantic smile on your face, anticipation flooding your veins as it sets in: We really are doing this, we’re going on an adventure (said in your best Bilbo Baggins voice)! At least, that’s the feeling we get from RAIF; not just from setting off down the open road, but also from reshaping his 2003 framework into something that fits us in 2018 and beyond. Tearing out cabinets over the cab, opening it up to our creativity. Swapping out the wobbly jackknife bed to a more rustic looking futon. Upgrading the electrical system so the sun can power us down any dusty dirt road that we find; our bikes hanging off the back, ready to seek out all the crazy craft brewers across the country. That is why we do this. We trek to the top of the mountain so that we’re free to fly down. We opt for this RV life so that we’re free; free to move and to choose the paths less travelled.
81 75
RV FRIENDLY TOWNS
CMCA
RV Friendly Towns image: Joey Csunyo
he RV Friendly program is a Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia Limited (CMCA) initiative aimed at assisting RV travellers as they journey throughout this wonderful country.
T
will be provided for them that may not be available in other centres, and they will have access to a safe place to stay overnight and possibly for a longer period.
An RV Friendly Town (RVFT) is one that provides a certain number of amenities and a certain level of services for these travellers.
On the following pages are this issue’s featured RV Friendly towns. If possible please include them in your travels and support the communities going out of their way to welcome those of us fortunate enough to be travelling. Enjoy!
When RV travellers enter a town displaying the RVFT sign they know they will be welcome. Certain services
76
RV FRIENDLY TOWNS
Eulo, QLD
E
ulo is a small opal-mining town in the Paroo Shire Council region of Outback Queensland. Eulo prides itself on an abundance of local produce as well as stunning opals and craft, which can be found and purchased throughout town. When visiting, be sure to take a photo with the life-size Diprotodon statue or take a relaxing bath in the unique artesian mud baths, estimated to be 20,000 years old and rich in essential vitamins and minerals.
RV travellers visiting Eulo can park at Paroo River Camp Area, located on Adventure Way. Self-contained vehicles are welcome to stay at no cost and the length of stay can be negotiated. Bins are available onsite, and pets on a lead are welcome. A dump point is located on Leo Street and potable water can be obtained from Lizard Lounge, which is also located on Adventure Way.
Tourist/Visitor Information Centre
Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre 2 Jane St, Cunnamulla T: (07) 4655-8470 W: www.paroo.info
Casual Parking (near retail centre)
Leo Street
Short Term Parking
Paroo River Camp Area Adventure Way, Eulo. Negotiable stay limit, nil charge, self-contained only, bins, pets on leads welcome
Dump Point
Leo Street, near the airport
Potable Water
Lizard Lounge, Adventure Way
77
RV FRIENDLY TOWNS
Wyandra, QLD
W
yandra is a small must-see town in Outback Queensland. The township is situated in the Paroo Shire Council region and is approximately 110 kilometres north of Cunnamulla.
access to showers, bins, toilets, water and barbecue facilities. A dump point is located on Cooper street, across from the caravan park.Â
Parking is available at Mitchell Highway Rest Area, where self-contained vehicles are welcome to stay free of charge for up to 24 hours. This includes access to toilets and bins. Alternatively, self-contained parking is available at Wyandra Camping Ground for up to 48 hours. Payment is by way of donation and includes
There are plenty of activities in and surrounding Wyandra, making this town a perfect place to stop when touring Outback Queensland. Travellers can visit the Warrego River in nearby Cunnamulla, while history buffs can view the wonderful heritage display available in town at the Powerhouse Museum. Â
Tourist/Visitor Information Centre
Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre 2 Jane St, Cunnamulla T: (07) 4655-8470 W: www.paroo.info
Casual Parking (near retail centre)
Railway Street
Short Term Parking
Mitchell Hwy Rest Area, Matilda Way. No charge, 24 hrs max, toilets, bins, self-contained only. Wyandra Camping (behind school in Moody Street). Donation, 48 hrs max, showers, BBQ, bins, toilet, water.
Dump Point
Cooper Street, across from caravan park.
Potable Water
Wyandra Camping (behind school in Moody Street).
78
RV FRIENDLY TOWNS
Benalla, VIC
L
ocated two hours north of Melbourne and one hour south of Albury, Benalla is a small town on the banks of the Broken River. RV travellers passing through will find short-term parking at Jaycee Island and Benalla Showground. Jaycee Island offers parking for self-contained vehicles for up to 48 hours at no cost, while Benalla Showground offers parking for up to 48 hours at $12 per-vehicle per-night (self-contained). A dump point,
along with potable water, can be sourced at the nearby Benalla Airport. Wander through immaculate parks and gardens, view contemporary Australian art and discover the story of Victoria’s most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly. Visitors should time a trip during one of the fantastic annual events including Wall to Wall Street Art, motorsport at Winton Raceway and the Benalla Festival.
Tourist/Visitor Information Centre
Benalla Visitor Information Centre 14 Mair St, Benalla. Vic. T: (03) 5726-1749 W: www.enjoybanalla.com.au
Casual Parking (near retail centre)
Lowry Place, Bridge St W near art gallery.
Short Term Parking
Jaycee Island, Fawkner Dr. 48 hrs, slef-contained, no charge, pets on leads, bins. Benalla Showground, Cecil St. 48 hrs, self-contained, $12 PVPN, pets on leads, bins, toilets.
Dump Point
Benalla Airport, Hangar Lane.
Potable Water
Benalla Airport, Hangar Lane, near dump point.
79
Love what we do? Then help keep the love coming!
Support iMotorhome+Caravan today. Every amount is welcome – and appreciated.
or Direct Deposit to iMotorhome Pty Ltd BSB: 012276 Account: 305822822 Thanks!
TRAVEL
"Isolation is aloneness that feels forced upon you, like a punishment. Solitude is aloneness you choose and embrace. I think great things can come out of solitude, out of going to a place where all is quiet except the beating of your heart." Jeanne Marie Laskas
81
