Caravan Guides & Tips Advice
Explore our practical caravan buyer guides and ownership advice, from choosing the right van to towing, maintenance, insurance, and resale tips.
Buying & Selections
Spending $100k More on a Caravan Can Buy You Less Payload
We priced 20 current caravans at $80k, $120k and $180k. Here is what each tier buys in power and suspension, and why payload does not rise with the price.
Legal & Compliance
Do You Actually Qualify to Free Camp Legally?
"Probably." and "We should." - Would be most Australians response - but the reality is that the rules around how to free camping legally...
Safety & Towing Guide
Which 2026 Tow Vehicles Can Legally Tow 3.5t Fully Loaded?
We checked fifteen popular tow vehicles rated to tow 3,500kg. Loaded on paper with four adults, their gear and a full 3,500kg van, only seven stayed inside both of their legal weight limits.
What Corrugations Do to a Caravan, From the Hitch to the Bumper
Corrugations rarely break a caravan in one hit. They loosen and fatigue it, zone by zone, so we toured a van from the hitch to the rear bumper with the warning signs and fixes for each.
Your $90k Caravan Probably Costs More a Night Than a Cabin
Depreciation, insurance, servicing and rego, spread across the nights you actually travel. Plus the number of nights it takes before owning beats a cabin.
Spending $100k More on a Caravan Can Buy You Less Payload
We priced 20 current caravans at $80k, $120k and $180k. Here is what each tier buys in power and suspension, and why payload does not rise with the price.
Caravan Wheel Bearings: How Often, and Who Pays When One Fails
Most of the makers we checked say every 10,000km or 12 months, and AL-KO halves that for harsh conditions. We also checked how far each state and territory club's top roadside plan will tow a van when a bearing lets go 400km from town.
General News
Summer Touring Setups: Reducing Power and Appliance Stress
Hot weather changes the way a van performs. Fridges work harder. Batteries may drain faster. Air conditioners run longer. Fans stay on. Phones, laptops and tablets need charging. Water use increases. Food storage becomes more important. Even simple appliances can feel less reliable when the van is hot, parked in full sun or relying on battery power for longer than expected.
The Real Daily Power Budget, Appliance by Appliance
We turned the makers' own figures for every common caravan appliance into amp-hours a day. For our weekend couple the fridge is nearly four-fifths of the budget, and one appliance can flatten a 100Ah battery in about an hour.
Which 2026 Tow Vehicles Can Legally Tow 3.5t Fully Loaded?
We checked fifteen popular tow vehicles rated to tow 3,500kg. Loaded on paper with four adults, their gear and a full 3,500kg van, only seven stayed inside both of their legal weight limits.
The Caravan Jobs Nobody Tells You About (Until Something Fails)
These five are different. Two correct things you have probably been told wrong. Two are legal traps that bite at the worst moment. All...
RV Industry
Understanding Your Cover: What Caravan Insurance Actually Means
Caravan insurance is one of those things many owners organise, file away and hope they never need. But if something does happen, the details...
Appliances on the Road: What Works Long-Term and What Fails First
Learn to maintain and install your caravan appliance for optimal performance and longevity during your travels.
Touring in Extreme Weather: What Caravan Owners Should Prepare For
Extreme weather can change a caravan trip quickly. From heatwaves and storms to flooding, fire danger and strong winds, here’s what owners should prepare for before towing.
The Weight Trap: How to Buy a Van (and Tow Vehicle) That’s Actually Legal to Load
Buying a caravan is one of the biggest purchases most Australians make outside a house or a car. Most buyers spend weeks comparing floor...
