Caravan or camper

A camper in essence can be towed anywhere with the right driver and a caravan can be dragged through with the right driver...
Depends on where you call the good places....

Caravans are great for crapholes like Longreach, Winton, Charleville, Mt Isa, Kurumba, etc etc......


Campers are great for the choice places like high country, Cape York, Kimberly, Savannah Way, Arnhemland,, etc etc...

You're young enough to handle a camper, and would probably feel constrained with the four of you in a caravan. Convince your wife that a caravan is for retirement years, when you can tour without children and not have to worry about unfolding a camper at each stop with your creaking old joints. Good luck and happy travelling.

Motherhen

If it was me I'd be looking forward to having a look about the place and playing with the kids after a days touring instead of having to unfold a camper,especially if only doing an overnighter.
Caravan----open the door,grab some toys,a beer and that's it.

You could consider a Jayco Outback type thing, Its sort of halfway between Camper Trailer and Caravan.

Bear in mind that it is probably your wife who has to manage the domestic chores but under even more difficult condition than when at home, which is why she opts for a caravan. Not considering her needs may lead to tensions!

Perhaps a compromise would be a compact pop-top van which would be reasonably versatile but provide some of the conveniences of home. Chuck in a small tent for those occasions when you might want to get into the more inaccessible locations for a day or two. Discuss this proposal with wifey and see the reaction.

Cannot suggest differing models (caravan, not wife! lol) as I am a self-contained Troopy man, but I do know something about domestic harmony.

"Will we still get to all the "good" places."...........In short No.
A caravan will restrict access to many great locations & force you into leaving the van at a base & day tripping to the more remote & challenging attractions. ie: Bungles don't allow vans in.
There are plenty of campers & crossover type vans available now that are quick & easy to setup. With the money saved you can afford to stay in the occational motel when the weather is a bit rough.
Cheers Craig.....

Sitting here in Coffs with the rain pouring down the last thing I would want is to have to set up a camper.

Its a Caravan for us Turn the key ,open the door you are home.

We saw "most" of the good places and they were 95% of what I wanted to see and 110% of some places wifey didnt want to go. LOL

Keep the wife happy and it will make for a far better trip.

Thanks everyone. I'm still not decided but as they say happy wife .... Will try and take her around to see a few camper and caravans when we get back from Coral Bay in a few weeks time. I am tall and lanky so the Jayco ones we looked at the benches were to low, gave me a sore back (my sister had one as well). I think my wife wants a caravan with all the fruit but so we may - will have to compromise. As long as I can take my fishing rod and beer I'm happy.

Thanks Justin

Sounds like a good trip. I wouldn't mind doing that one day....Perth to Alice, Darwin, Broome and home!

We've got a couple of kids (7 & 5) and we have had a couple of different camper trailers. I think my Husband would like to get another one at some point, I'm not sure to me it's just a place to store your gear and sleep...a tent on wheels and makes it too hard to turn around on any bush track if you really need to. I would prefer if we can sort out a set up to carry all of us and all we need in a dual cab ute!

I do like the idea of a crossover (there is a brand / model called crossover) or even a off road caravan, something that has the benefits of both. Maybe as middle ground you could consider looking at some of the hard floor camper models out there as well? Maybe she wants a caravan because she doesn't like the current trailer for some reason. Lol being a woman I know sometimes if I'm dead against something doesn't mean that my way of thinking won't change if I'm given some time.

Some campers are mighty quick to set up these days. When we travel we generally do a lot of quick overnight stops to get from one place to another, the last soft floor camper we had was pretty quick to set up, but yes it can be a little inconvenient having to set up the awning if it's raining just so you can cook in the dry.

I don't know caravans, we had one to live in before we had kids but that was about it, would have hated to travel with it all the time (cheap 16ft thing it was). Consider weather taking a van instead of a camper would make you any more reliant on staying at caravan parks? Like that electric microwave, lights etc that it has, do they work away from power? How much bush camping vs caravan park camping are you planning on doing anyway?

You never know maybe the compromise might be towing a camper but staying at a caravan park more often.

Good luck and I hope you both make the right choice that suits you well.

Well i have to tell you that i have been looking and trying all types of things and it came down to one thing no canvas and not to big other wise to see everything Australia has you need to drop the caravan go look at things and then come back and pick it up what a mess. I went for the best one the supreme getaway caravan it is realy a camper trailer steel body with a caravan affixed to the top and is as tough as nails it keeps it size down so you can go anywhere and not have to back track all the time saves fuel. and just like home double bed hot and cold water system shower an toilet gas cooker with oven and its only 13 foot long and goes everywere.

I think one way to approach the question is to think about what specific aspects of a caravan or trailer you and your wife have to have, and what you are willing to do without.

Think about how you will spend your day and what activities you will need to do (cooking, sitting around, sleeping etc) and how you will get them accomplished. And what things you want to be able to do (sleep off the ground, have your own shower/toilet etc) and how they will work.

For instance, we had a brilliant caravan in Idaho that we used a lot with our 4 children, but mostly only used the beds and the awning!! We almost never cooked or sat inside, did all our cooking, eating and chatting under the awning or round the campfire, and always preferred to use the campground toilets when available. The children always played wherever we were, with whatever was available (trees, rocks, streams and loads of imagination) But we mostly went on short trips. And I did like my bed up off the ground.

We currently have a tent and a trailer for all our gear but are looking to modify the trailer into a semi-camper so I can have that bed off the ground.

I think it really comes down to what basics/luxuries you are willing to go without and what are must-haves for you. Then you can see what set-up will fulfill your needs.

I also think you should look at as many options as you can even try before you buy before making a final decision.

A final comment is that everyone's needs seem to change over time and people up or down grade accordingly and that's where exploroz trader comes in :)

Hi JVB1,

whatever you choose will be a compromise, theres always something that your rig cant do or somewhere it wont go.... its a tradeoff. but in the end the most important thing is to get out and do your trip. if you buy a caravan to siut your wife she may enjoy the trip so much more and so then might you all. just chuck in a tent and take the car to any places the caravan wont go.... however you travel you are sure to have a wonderful time.... Im all for campers, we bought ours early this year and couldnt be happier our kids love it too. I grew up camping in a tent so the camper seems luxurious to me. but each to their own once you hit the road you realise how many people choose caravans so there must be something to it!

have a great trip.

We are on our third camper trailer now, they are easy to tow and easy to store and not so much money tied up if you are working full time and it doesn't get used a lot as opposed to a caravan or upmarket trailer that is a lot of money tied up just to be sitting in the driveway. Although sometimes especially in winter we wish we had something in between a camper and a caravan,but then in the hot weather there is nothing better than sleeping in a canavas camper and feeling the canvas breath and the cool air. Nothing beats it. Good luck