Planning Lap of Oz 200 series and a caravan.

First thing is to state your budget for the van They can go from $50,000 to $150,000 so where are you at.

We found staying in Van parks every night for over a year and doing 51,000Km it cost just over $1 a Km. We did some good trips like flying into the Bungles and the Horizontal Falls But you only go once so do it all. Dont be like friends of ours who only had their pension and had to wait to move and did hardly any decent sightseeing trips. A waste of time going if you are like that.

Perhaps a bit more info about where you want to go, how long you plan to take and even a rough idea of your age (20s or 70s?) would help give you better advice. Its a big country and I doubt that you would ever see all there is to see. For budgetting purposes a very rough rule of thumb is to work on $1 per km but that will vary a lot depending on preferences re how far you travel and how fast, where you stay and how you eat and drink.

Cheers,

Val

Hi Val
we are just 60 and have done a reasonable amount of 4WDing with a Camper Trailer ( Aussie Swag ) but want a bit more comfort for a year or so..With the $1 per K does that include all things food servicing etc or just fuel and camp costs?
Have you done the trip recently?
Cheers and many thanks
D n D

That's a big subject...I'll get the ball rolling. Your tug is excellent. What you need to decide do you want "Dirt Road" with good freedom camping ability...or do you want true "Offroad". The true Off Roader is usually a very heavy beast and will cost more to tow...and do you really want to tow 3.5 tonne through sand, mud and in and out of creeks etc.
We're in a similar siuation...so far a year of research into Brands and abilities and we will be going for a Dirt Roader with prolonged bush camping ability. We will be doing the iconic trips such as the Gibb River Road, The Cape...etc etc.Several of our important considerations are
1) Payload, i.e. the amount your van can carry. 400kg seems to be the norm.Its not enough once water, gas, tools and gear is added up. You will need 550kg/600kg if you are looking at extra solar panels or batteries/greywater etc.
2) External storage. A surprising number of vans don't have adequate external storage as we possibly want to carry a generator (mainly for the aircon) and also a cupboard or boot which can take a couple of good quality comfy fold up chairs and a camp table.(The table on the side of most vans is inadequate for longer stays)
3) Aircon. If you are using a genny...make sure your aircon has a "soft start" fitted.This will allow most popular 2kva Generators to run it.
4) I have been around Australia with a Roller Rocker type ...this time we're looking at a van with Simplicity or one of the Independent types. The R and R is OK...but we had to go very slow in some places for long periods to avoid van damage.
As we live in WA..we are limited to the makes of new vans available over here.
On our list at the moment is Kokoda (seems good value for money). Retreat, nice finish and build quality and similar comments for Traveller and Crusader.
Make sure your warranty is direct with the Manufacturer and not a third party smoke screen.
Finally...your budget...it'll never be big enough.!!

Make sure you understand the weights on your compliance plates...both for your tug and Van ATM GCM.Tare. Ball weight etc. Keep it legal and avoid insurance and warranty problems.

In no particular order this is my checklist so far...for a mix of bush and caravan park sojourns.

Grey water tank?....will probably self fit.
Under van...Check welds and plumbing.
Is Chassis galv or painted?
Chassis size 100mm or 150mm?
Does drawbar A frame extend back to axles?
Towball height vs Tug towbar
Offroad hitch DO35 or similar.
Anderson terminals on van?
Caravan external cladding and colour options?
Extra supports on rear bumper for added wheel/jerrycans etc
Reverse Camera?
Reposition washing machine to create space for Generator hatch. (Only applicable for some makes of vans)
Awning, extra support bracket in middle
Extra solar panel and battery. (300w of solar minimum and 2x 100ah batteries minimum)
4" lift on chassis with larger rims and genuine offroad tyres. (Some makes only)
Exterior gas bayonet.TV plug and power points.Check exterior lighting.
Size of TV supplied.
Cupboards convertible to drawers, particularly under the seating.
Mattress upgrade or have own made?
Storage for deckchairs and table.
Self tuning Satellite TV fitted at Manufacture. (Mounts need to be built into roof)
Brand of electrical controller and its abilities and limits. Will it accept extra solar panels etc.
12v fan built into caravan for night use in bedroom.
Stability control (ESC..make and model)
Where does aircon condensate water drain to?
Off side shade sail rail fitted.
Check standard of silicone application around vents and up on roof.Look for tidy workmanship.
Proper window over bed? (If at front of van water sealing may be an issue)
Finish inside cupboards? Is beading around cupboard openings or is it just wood cut?
Soft start fitted to Aircon. If Ibis 2 get upgrade to Ibis 3.
City/Camp water supply pressure controller
Do water tanks fill without air locking?
Is a wiring diagram available
ATM. Get manufacturer to upgrade and stamp Compliance plate accordingly. 550kg/600kg needed. Should be no or minimal cost.But expensive to do retrospectively.
Make of appliances such as microwave, range hood. They vary considerably.
Control panel for electrics and water? Cupboard mounted or on van wall etc?
Is TV bracket quick release?
Type of step fitted and ease of use.

These are items we check...its not exhaustive ....plus we try and assess resale and eye appeal (the wow factor)
I'm not electrically minded or an engineer...no doubt others can add much more to this list.

Hi D n D. There are hundreds of different caravans out there and we all choose to suit out needs and likes, which will be different to yours. You can see from my profile what we chose; tough, not too big, a basic no frills model to get out in the outback. Solar panels, compressor fridge and small bathroom.

For costs, I have been asked "How much money do I need to travel around Australia in a caravan? ". My answer is "it will cost as little or much as you have available." Google these phrases and you will see the full details to help you calculate for your lifestyle.

From My Blogs you can see the types of routes we have chosen to see "The real Australia". Questions and feedback welcomed.

No doubt you've spotted the good discussion on the Compressor vs 3 Way fridges a few posts down?
Also Lithium battery's should be checked out. It never ends does it!
My wish list is bigger than my budget lol.

Re caravan, if you like a luxury caravan plus full off road capabilities ( and are prepared to spend lots) have a look at Spinifex Vans, although I am biased.
Re budgeting etc we always work on the basis that the food component applies whether at home or travelling.
Have fun when you do go

We did the lap (more like some figure of eights) over a few years. Had a Landrover Defender and towed a Trakmaster caravan - true off road ability. Ours was the Kimberley model - not too big and heavy - and we kept it fairly basic. Had solar and a 12v compressor fridge.

We generally find it costs us about the same to live while travelling for a few months as it does to live at home. We always make sure that extra funds are available for the occasional "opportunity of a lifetime' special helicopter trip etc. We also have enough in hand to cover a major mechanical issue if needed - even items such as new windscreens and tyres can also be expensive in the bush. While travelling you are spending more on fuel than at home but, if you wish to really see the country you certainly don't want to be driving long distances every day. If you are set up to free camp your accommodation costs will be reduced even though this option will not always be available. Meanwhile you will not be at home running up power bills and spending on the usual entertainment costs there and, unless your tastes are extravagant, food averages out much the same everywhere. You may find a pressure cooker or a Thermo Pot (various brands available) insulated slow cooker a boon for economical and tasty soups and casseroles etc on the road . When selecting a caravan only consider a well established brand and a van with a generous payload well within your vehicles specifications. If you want a washing machine and all electrical toys when free camping you will have to upgrade the solar power capability of most vans or rely on a generator which may not be welcome in many campsites. Make sure your manufacturer has a very good warranty and a good reputation for customer support. However good your van you are sure to have some issues and you will want someone helpful and capable at the end of a phone to sort out your problem. There is so much to see and, of course this type of travel is addictive! Two years will not be enough! Lynne

Hi again D n D, re van not yet, picking it up Feb 17th, re specs, they are all custom built, so what you want is what you get. Ours has 4 140w solar panels, 2 200amp lithium batteries, 12v compressor vitrigo fridge, self adjusting airbag suspension, 2 200l water tanks 1 65l drinking water and 1 80l grey water tank, sat tv,settled for 20'6" internal with double bed rather than queen size, more room for movement in passage on either side, and half hour super fund down the gurgler ;o))
Yes we have done a little bit of travelling across Australia since 1969 when Eyre Hwy was dirt from WA border through to Port Augusta SA, I am from WA and my wife was a Qld'er. so every now and again (2nd year), travelled through Kimberley up to Kalumburu, across Gibb River to Cape Leveque, have niece and her hubby in Daly River region NT.
Re tips, take your time and enjoy, with us and 4 kids before they left home it was, "we must come back and do it again" and sometimes you just don't do that. We mostly free camp for about a week or so and then head to a caravan park, find people free camping more open and friendly. $$$ wise, their was a excell spread sheet that I downloaded to work out costs and it was bloody good. If you are good with excell you could probably knock it up yourself. It had your fuel, food, insurance reoccurring costs for home etc whilst away. If you want more info PM me be glad to chat
cheers for now and wath out for mozzies ;o))

Tried importing spreadsheet but it didn't work ..... sorry
can anyone help it's on my desktop using windows 10 ;o((

It is a pity the costs of travel in 1976/77 were not the same today.
My Mum & Dad did a trip around Australia back then, and she kept a pretty in depth diary.
It was hand written and my wife retyped it, the whole 186 pages of it.
The summary on the last page was as follows :-

03-08-1976 to 06-01-1977
A 5 months relaxing holiday, travelling 28,516 km.

Cost of Petrol on trip $515.19
Petrol used 3075 litres
Litres per Klm 9.5
Cost of Caravan Parks 209.35
Oil 36.77
Oil Filters 14.28
Air filter 9.85
Food 487.51
Grog 284.80
Clothes 115.11
Gifts 149.81
Spare parts [most not used] 208.23
Tours 218.82
Films 107.46
Smokes 180.11
Banners 55.21
Other incidentals 53.37
2642.87

(had to laugh at a couple of the expenses)

It was done in a 2 wheel drive Nissan tray back ute with a home made canopy on it.
The luxuries we have today were non excitant back then.
Fridge was a tin esky, stove was run on Metho.
Long range tank was a 44 gallon drum secured in the back.

Cheers

Hi Guys,
Enjoy the planning. It can be fun.............or it can be real hard work..............or a bit of both.

Here's a couple of things to think about.

1.Caravan: If you want a really good offroad caravan check out Elron, made in WA to your design or available in stock designs. Great reputation for solid reliable units. Sometimes available 2nd hand in your price range.

2. Most vans in the lower end of the price range that are called "Off Road" are just modified on road units fitted with heavier springs and bigger wheel/tyre setups. In reality they are just "Dirt Road" vans and not particularly good at that either.

3. Buy the smallest possible van that enables you both to live comfortably for the whole period of the trip. Anything bigger will add weight, expense and increased fuel consumption. There's no real need to have an entire house on wheels.

Disco.