Some questions from a total newbie

I agree with Jeremy.

If mains power isn't available, think batteries, generator and solar.
A few things to remember with solar: if mounted on top of your 'van, you'll need to park it in a sunny spot which might be uncomfortable for any occupants during the day.
Another option is to have portable panels sitting on the ground, at some distance from the 'van (anyone got them knocked off while no one was home?)
Then there are those overcast days...

Ok, generator:
It'll have to replace the energy drawn from the batteries on a daily basis.
The general concensus is to run the gennie for some time in the morning, and depending on the amount of solar power received during the day, for some time in the evening.
This second run time in the evening is important, because it'll top off the charge in your batteries to some degree.
The idea is to replace the bulk charge during the morning gennie-charging-session.
This is when the batteries are drained the most and the charge acceptance is the highest.
The solar panels will then follow to deliver the juice to keep your loads powered during the day, and to deliver some 'absorption charge' to your batteries.
If there is a shortfall on solar, you'll have to extend your evening gennie-charging-session accordingly.

Some figures:
daily energy requirement might be in the order of 1kWh (fridge and some lights, stereo, TV), equivalent to ~85Ah.
If you allow a depth of discharge of 50%, a 100Ah battery will give you 50Ah.
The remainder of 35Ah needs to come from the gennie.
If you used a 25A charger, the gennie would have to run for around 1.5 hours to bring the capacity back up to 90%, plus another 2 hours to give the battery time to absorb the remainder of the charge.
Note that even this extended run time won't give you 100% charge, as this can take up to 15 hours.

The result is that your batteries will be sitting there in a partial state of charge for extended periods of time - not good.

Therefore, use your mains powered three stage charger whenever the opportunity arises, even if the batteries are 95% charged - plug them in for as long as practical.
This is the only way you can get maximum life out of your valuable deep cycle batteries.

Now with your a/c and microwave and stove top, you're looking at a major system upgrade if these are to be powered by batteries.
The only feasible way of powering these is by a beefy generator, or by 240V mains.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Best regards, Peter

now I'm waiting for Jeremy to correct all the errors in my last post ;)

Best, Peter

Hi ya Peter. Hope you're having a good weekend.

Hey! I wouldn't argue!!

Yes, there are so many options no right and wrong It's just that overestimating can just get so expensive.

Jeremy.

Oh, correct me if i'm wrong, but 240v@15 amps equates to 3600watts right? so I should be able to run up to 3600watts worth of junk from a powered site without blowing fuses (assuming i get fuses to suit)?

sorry: 'power cable', not 'lower cable'.
Also, hanging LCDs off van walls has a history on this and other websites. As you say, you have to be careful: a thin sheet of aluminium (not aviation grade either!) and a 3mm sheet of tarted up ply, and MAYBE a bit of fluff in between, won't hold up much of a telly.
I love vans and touring, but the only way to build a van cheap enough and light enough to drag around the country is to leave the cast iron, solid timber and similar materials behind.
We wont mention the staples and chipboard, though. It wouldn't be nice.

workwise, out west there a fewer operators, much fewer. And there are alot of people looking for work there. THe guys in Kunanarra just hired 25 odd people, leaving around 30 still waiting.

East, there are alot of operators like scenic flights and skydiving that people don't consider because their smaller operations and arn't as well known. I reckon my chances are better in the east where there are more companies and less compertition