Member -Dodger replied:

The shot answer is YES.

Only some caravan Parks have dump points however more are putting them in.
Some towns and small villages often have dump points as well.
The CMCA and many Caravan clubs are lobbying for more and assisting to have them put in. Just look for RV friendly towns..

ozjohn0 replied:

After more than 40 years towing vans we personally wouldn't consider a ensuite. Extra weight, extra fuel, and lots more money to purchase.
Many without an onboard toilet use a Porta Pottie, other like us are happy enough to use a bucket with a lid at 3 am. Some fit outside showers which we would consider if buying another van, but like many we get by with a sponge bath for a day or two when Bush camping. Then it's off to a park or showgrounds for a few days for the mod cons like a steaming hot shower.
Save ya dosh for the necessities of life.
ozjohn.

Joe replied:

My wife would LOVE to have a bathroom on board, but we didn't organise it at the time so she has to do without.

So, I agree, the answer is yes.

Gone Bush (WA) replied:

Nighttrain,

Absolutely YES.

If you don't, just change your nickname to nightCART.

Member - Rod N (QLD) replied:

I vote YES too. If it's wet and muddy or cold outside, it's a godsend. We haven't used the shower but used the toilet lots of times, early morning and late night.

MEMBER - Darian (SA) replied:

Yes - do it ! While you might use CP facilities quite a lot and use loo's in towns while travelling through, when you 'really need to go', or could really kill for a shower (in that hot sticky weather) it's wonderful.

Member - Michael P (QLD) replied:

Hi, Spend the little extra, most information centres have a dump point or will provide directions. The info centres in most towns are a great way to start in an unfamiliar area.
Regards Mike.

Ian & Sue replied:

We are with OzJohn - a vote for NO. We do a lot of bush camping and are perfectly happy with the Porta Potti - shower tent or shower bag off the tree when no-one else is around! All the same reasons plus we much prefer the extra room in our van to "stretch out" when occasionally confined to quarters!

Who was that again? (Vic) replied:

Yes, very useful too for resale value. Of all the Kimberley Karavans built, I think only about 1-2% haven't had the toilets and showers installed. It is optional in those too.

With chemical toilets, it is a consideration where you dump, but with vacuum systems any septic is fine. Lets face it, lots of plants can use the nutrient value from your waste, and it is mostly water. Not quite the same with chemical toilets though.

Member - Niss42 replied:

G'day nighttrain,
Go for the Shower/Toilet model , with the right treatment it can be emptied appropriately at a dump point, public toilet, or if in the bush, I use a hand post-hole borer and bury the lot.
Works for us.

Cheers,
Barry

Gazal Champion replied:

Hi Night Train,
We have owned a van for 40 years now and when we updated about 3 years ago
we decided on an ensuite van and have found it to be the best decision for us and so I would recommend it. My brother advised me to get an ensuite van as he was touring back in 84 out near Alice springs and pulled up in the middle of nowhere with not a soul around. When he got up in the morning there were 20 vans and assorted campers who had pulled in and set up after he had gone to bed. You guessed it, he woke up and required to go places and there was not a tree in site. he wasn't the only one so everybody just walked off a little way and did what they had to do. Not so good for the girls so I took my brothers advise.
Answer is definitely yes.
Regards, Bruce.

Member - Old Girl (QLD) replied:

Wish i had shower and toilet.

Peter_n_Margaret replied:

There is a difference between having a 3 week holiday and living on the road for months at a time.
Also, if you want to avoid caravan parks, a toilet and shower increases in value many fold.
I did not think one essential until after we had one.
I vote YES.

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

WBS replied:

Let me tell you a cautionary tale.
We were faced with same dilemma a few years ago.

To en-suite or not to en-suite, that was the question?

Finally we made up our minds not to have a en-suite (among other decisions such as single beds as opposed to double/queen size bed). With new van in tow off we proudly set out on our 8 week odyssey up to FNQ from FSV.

As it happened, after the first week or so while up in FNQ it started to rain, mostly at night. Now my wife is not a complaining soul so off she would go about three times a night as is her want (with me in tow as is my want on the odd occasion), but in the pouring rain it became awkward and uncomfortable. After about the fifth night of persistent rain, only at night mind you, I realized I 'd been a bloody idiot and how much more comfortable we would have been with a loo just for the night time callings of nature. A Porta Pottie was not an option as there was nowhere to store it in the van.

On our return to FSV we sold the van immediately and bought a brand new caravan with ensuite( Not a full ensuite but with a comfortable enough toilet facility and shower if we were to get desperate for a shower). Apart from that we abandoned the bluddy stupid idea of single beds too!

The morale of the story is, just cause you think you don't need a loo now doesn't mean you won't wish you had one later. You don't have to use it for the serious bits but at nights its a godsend may well be appreciated.

As an addendum: During our initial decisions making process we talked some friends out of the need for a loo in a caravan (a ridiculous extravagance I think I said !). They bought one without a loo! I haven't yet been game to tell them we bought a caravan with a loo, eventually. I'm laying low at the moment.

WBS

touringoz replied:

Most people I know use them as a storage room, my vote NO

Ted G replied:

Hi Nigttrain
Having caravans for the last 40 odd years and against toilet/shower in the van, i bought an onsuite van to go around Oz best thing I have done, since owned vans two more smaller vans with combination shower/toilet.
Would not be without one ( I would be divorced).
have you ever been to a amenities block in the middle of a rainy night?showered their clothes,shoes and or everything else that they have taken with them .
All caravan parks a a policy to clean the amenities between 8am and 10am just as you want a shower before travelling.
All the people that say don't have one have never had one and don't know what they are missing.
Go ahead and get an on suite.
Regards
Ted

Member - Graham H (QLD) replied:

Would heartily endorse the YES'S.

We are halfway around on the big trip and wouldnt be without the ensuite.

Some of the parks we have been in I wouldnt set foot in the showers if i had boots on.

Most have been good but then some have not so good water so the tanks in the van come in handy.

A seperate shower and toilet is also much better than the combination as then
you dont have to dry off the loo before you use it.

We use camp loos for serious stuff and the van loo for night usage mainly

As for dump points a lot of camps have them except at Carnarvon for one place but there is a town dumpoint as is there in other towns.

Our previous van had the shower on one side and the toilet on the other at the front We thought it was OK but our new van has a full ensuite and is just so much better.

For those that want to go bush and have a lighter smaller van thats fine but if you are long term blacktop cruising spend a bit more its well worth it.

Another word of warning Dont get an East West bed.

Thats the reason we sold our van as couldnt get past when it was extended for sleeping as Im tall and we got a longer mattress made.

I had to roll over the wife to get to the loo at night and she was worried I might stop halfway LOL.

The first van is never the best unless you are very careful in your choice.

Cheers

Dunedigger replied:

We took delivery of a slide-on camper last week. We specified a shower and toilet and while space is at a premium, the convenience of night time attendances makes the sacrifice worthwhile. HOWEVER . . . .. what with the luxury of the shower along with a sort of flushing toilet means that we can use 70 litres of water easily overnight if we are not careful.

The thought of having to get up in the middle of the night to go to the amenities in the pouring rain makes me glad we have an insider !

Is a YES !

Dunedigger

kend88 replied:

have a small combined shower and toilet in our 18ft pop top, and could not imagine using the van much without them.
In our 40000km over the last three years we have never used cp shower facilities once. Use their toilets 90% of the time but couldn't contemplate the daily trek for a shower, in all kinds of weather.

So good to wake up on a cool morning, perhaps put the heater on, and into your own hot shower. As far as the toilet goes, very handy if you need to go during the night, and if caught out on the road or in a town/city you don't know.

kenD
bris

Member - The Crow (QLD) replied:

Go for it 3 out of our 4 of our vans have had shower and toilets. Two of those had combined toilet/shower, our new van has the complete ensuite. We wouldn't even go back to a combined unit again. All the van parks that we have been to in the last few years have dump points and even some rest areas have them. A good guide is the Free Camps 5 book.

Bunny replied:

Hubby was dead against having this "modern convenience" however I perservered and we have a shower and toilet.

Hubby was the one who really appreciated having it - he happened to break a couple of ribs very early on in our 9 week trip, and was never so grateful that we had it. The thought of having to take himself out of the van and over to the facilities was quite daunting, being in such pain.

So it's often the unexpected things which should be taken into account.

We don't always use our own shower and toilet - only if it's a little chilly to be venturing out in the middle of the night.

You can find the dump sites in the camp books which are readily available.

Hope this is helpful.

Member - Alan H (QLD) replied:

I give a vote FOR a bathroom.

It gives you independence.
Allows you to use your own shower rather than some wet, dirty sub-standard shower found in some parks. (avoids the crowds)
Can use any CP as your don't need their facilities only a camp space.
Can use it on the road. Some overnight camps are only permitted if you have your own facilities. Eg Forbes
Can use little water in shower if you switch of the water after wetting yourself, soap up and then switch on again to rinse off.
Don't need expensive chemicals - use homebrand Napisan (safe for septic too)
Lots of dump points around - use them as you find them in your travels during the day. Don't have to have dump point at campsite.

The only downside is weight and extra water but if living in it for extended time you will come across wet, windy and cold weather when it makes every cent worth while.

Alan - Enjoy your travels whatever you end up with.

aka replied:

We have shower and toilet think about the chemicals you will use , we have been using Threford but on a lot fo talk sites there is a big swing to nappie san so we may try it on our next trip

Ozboc replied:

... depends on where you go ----- If your like us - we avoid caravan parks at ANY cost - and camp bush / beach --- and we then take a separate toilet/ shower tent with us and set up where we camp --- last thing you need it water in your van that can turn moldy especially in very humid areas... and usually just use water from river - rather than lug around 200 KG or water+ plus there is no stinky in the van if the toilet is outside!

As for dumping - we normally take with us -- OR find a long drop toilet - if your travelling you will almost always find one somewhere - just remember to bring some extra water to wash out the portable toilet

Now disclaimer --- I hope this message finds its way to you VIA email as i have no interest in any real contribution to this website ( but rather the individuals) whilst the NETCOPS who hide like gutless children behind the "MODSQUAD" nick are left to run rampant on this website and DICTATE everything we say

Boc

Member - Troy and Kate replied:

Hi nighttrain,

We are on the road at the moment with 3 kids and we have a bathroom on board. It comes in handy when the boys need to go early in the morning or late at night, also for us two older ones, There are dump points in most caravan parks or most towns all up the middle of oz.
It also is great when you go bush camping.
My vote is a Yes for the bathroom.
Enjoy your trip.
Troy

Member - Richard H (NSW) replied:

My first van didn't have a shower/toilet. What convinced me that these are necessary in a van, was several wet and cool days at Port Lincoln, where you have to traipse 100 metres or so to the loo. Not much fun at night, and as we had immediate neighbours a quick piddle outside wasn't an option, so a safari to the park amenities was necessary.

We kept this van for a short while, and then traded it for a larger version, that had a Thetford lav and a shower.

Have been using them constantly since.

luckymum replied:

I would vote yes too, especially if you are going for a year.

I have decided for our trip (6 months with 3 kids and 2 adults) that we are going to spend the extra money to have one. It may cost more to buy a van with one included and it may cost more to tow but it would be so convenient for in the middle of the night. Also one of my mother-in-laws friends was over in W.A using a shower in a caravan park and someone had their phone filming her under the door. Turned out to be the maintenance man. The thought just makes me sick.

paulnsw replied:

would not have a van without shower and toilet. We have a combo shower and toilet to keep size and weight down. Perfectly happy with combo shower and never need to dry. Combo shower toilet must have vent and window and dries in 5 mins. shower curtain keeps toilet and wall and door dry.
we free camp heaps and shower toilet is must have item. when freezing, wet or windy outside we have everything inside and comfy.
people we meet on the wallaby that dont have onboard shower toilet all wished they did. never met anybody bush camping saying they would not have shower toilet again. all those that dont have shower toilet say the next van will definitely have shower toilet