On the road.

[John 13]

In 1984 we emigrated to the west, No relatives here, consequently we have completed numerous circumnavigations of the continent by road. Often going one way over the top/ across the Great Australian Bight and returning by the other. I have done some research of random data and found evidence of approximately 150 over night motel stays and 30 + trips via the Bight. In the early days an overnight motel stay for up to 5 people was as low as $45.00 and fuel (petrol)price was considered high at 65 cents/l.
Had many interesting experiences; black soil near McKinley, Victoria River in flood and in about 1987 buying petrol at Top Springs at $1.00/l. It was pumped out of a 44 using a Macnaught quart stroke pump and measured in a 20 l jerry can. In the early days there were virtually no caravans on the road, unlike over the recent three years when the roads are polluted at least till 3.00pm.

[Itsme]

In the old days caravans most likely would not handle the roads quite well, tents and camping gear was much easier & cheaper.
From my experience I look at caravans not being a big problem, trucks are bigger problem for travelers, just saying.

[prydey]

Have been a passenger or driver of a road trip at least once a year for pretty much all of my 47years on the planet so far. The joys of having dads family in qld and mums in SA.

Due to this I'm a big fan of road trips and I've passed the love on to at least one of my daughters. For me, while the destination is often what we looked forward to, the journey itself was part of the holiday.

Never really understood those who get upset at other road users. If you travel enough you come across a wide range and in the big scheme of things they don't really cost you too much.

Exploring this great country was already on the rise prior to covid but the whole international border closures thing simply forced people travel locally more instead. It never really eased once borders reopened.

I think it's a good way to be brought up and a great way to raise your own family. So many memories get created.

[Trevor 57]

The number of caravans on the road is just a testament to a prosperous country, I travel a lot and it is not just boomers in the flash caravans being towed by a Next Gen Ford Ranger or a 200/300 Series Land Cruisers.

[John 13]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

The number of caravans on the road is just a testament to a prosperous country, I travel a lot and it is not just boomers in the flash caravans being towed by a Next Gen Ford Ranger or a 200/300 Series Land Cruisers.

Those new rigs unlikely to leave much change out of $200K?
How about the profile of the latest c vans, riding high (high centre of gravity) and a flat square rear, absolutely no consideration of aerodynamics.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by John 13

Those new rigs unlikely to leave much change out of $200K?

try $250K - $300K. we just bought a new van and NOT one of the top end models, they had vans in the yard that were $160k, just the van, add a 300 Series Land Cruiser Sahara in (around the $150k mark)

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by John 13

Those new rigs unlikely to leave much change out of $200K?
How about the profile of the latest c vans, riding high (high centre of gravity) and a flat square rear, absolutely no consideration of aerodynamics.

carrying on from Trevors comments might I add.
Never seen any van having much aero in any case.
How can you when people want to tow a mini house on wheels.
Sure there is some wind deflectors at the front on some but how it goes.
As for the costs as Trevor mentioned, people are talking with their wallets its amazing.
In the background I have been dealing with the manufacturing leaders of vans and off road trailers.
Raised heights is a go to for many, typical of our Aussie ADR standards they are put through alot of stability and brake testing.
The onus in the end is up to the owner/driver, want to be a cowboy you'll obviously pay and worse harm others but thankfully thats a minor %.
Those small raised height trailers with alot of fruit your looking at 80K at least.
ARB are soon to release a small tear drop design camper trailer, saw them at their facility last month, think bit bigger than a box trailer with all the bits and pieces added, 80k I'm led to believe to market.
Many vans/trailers are IRS suspensions today, very well built and Aussie ingenuity are the leaders in the world imo.
These guys under a previous name were the innovators 20+yrs ago, a mate of my ol man, brilliant Engineer now passed on but now run by his granson.
https://www.facebook.com/CruisemasterCountry/

Yer then throw in the cost of a 300LC let alone a top of the line Ram/Silverado/F150/250 its big money.
Camping/vanning used to the cheap family holiday, the amount of garb people buy today is the reason why retailers like SCA openned BCF for eg. long ago.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Camping/vanning used to the cheap family holiday, the amount of garb people buy today is the reason why retailers like SCA openned BCF for eg. long ago.

It still can be.

How you do it is up to the individual.

What is often overlooked is caravan resale is very strong. Families wanting to do a lap while their kids are still young etc, often sell up once they're done or once the kids grow up. Most of the time you'll easily get more than 85% back if within 3 years and often north of 70% even after 5-10 years depending on the type of van. I guessed those figures based on my looking around however I think they are conservative.

So you can type Australia, have all the memories and then downsize or sell up.

I used to think caravanning was what you did when you retired but not so now. It's a great lifestyle.

And I just ignore those who think some types of vehicles have more rights on the road than others.

[XR Martin]

I remember as a kid going on trips and forever being stuck behind a caravan doing well under the limit on a single lane highway. Actually what I mostly remember is my dad screaming out "bloody caravans, shouldn't be allowed on the road!" as he tried to find somewhere to overtake.

Oh and I also remember every diesel blowing dirty plumes of smoke.

[FTE217]

very true XRMartin re the vans and single lane Hwy back in the day.
'70's was my young era driving up or down the Pac Hwy north or south.
Always vans holding up countless cars, you'd wait for that unbroken white line and whoooossshka try and over take 3/4 cars and then the van lol, great driving days got to say.
My fam never was a vannie traveller, we always booked beach house's, I get the van/camping hang around and the road travelling.
I think great good on them, glad we have dual carriage ways now so you can get beck with ease.
John 13, as much as the ol days we're brilliant, less crowded, cheaper life moves on.
Its still great doing road trips pity the open road has become a revenue raising excercise mind you And might I add whereever you park etcetc where once beach parkign etc was FREE.

[yanknbank]

Launching out of Vic for Perth next Sunday. Havn’t drive across for over 20 years, so looking forward to it. We’ve always flown across in either the 210 or on the burner out’ve Adelaide, so figured we were well overdue for a road trip over and back.
The only problem is, we gotta drive back. Reckon we’ll be well and truly all roadtripped out be then. Taking the Y62 and it’s only done 10,000k’s since I’ve had it, so it’s due for good run and if you have to spend a lot of time on the road the Patrol is a good machine to do it in.

[prydey]

I have family in Perth (well, Bunbury). Doing the drive is on the bucket list. Driven to Tas, Vic, Syd, QLD and NT so need to do it. Not interested in ACT.

[smoo]

Have done Syd - Perth and Mel - Perth in the last 12 months.
Looking to buy a car over east intentionally next month so I can do it again.

I can recommend Balladonia and Eucla road houses for accomodation and meals.
I stayed at Highway Inn in Ceduna as they allow dogs, but if I stay there next time I’d probably try the Foreshore Hotel as it has a pub and lock up car park, a few nefarious locals roaming the streets there.

Don’t fill up at Border Village as fuel 10k down the road in Eucla is cheaper.
WA is riddled with 1080 so if you have a dog keep it on leash.

First trip BMW X5 diesel with 1000km fuel range. No dramas.
Second VF2 SS with 650km range so stopping every 400km or so to play it safe. That got old pretty quick.

Had to laugh at the grey nomads, one would appear around a corner and hard up their **** would be a truck wanting to get past. I don’t envy the truck drivers.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by smoo

Had to laugh at the grey nomads, one would appear around a corner and hard up their **** would be a truck wanting to get past. I don’t envy the truck drivers.

image

being an ex-truckie and now a caravaner, I am truly conscious of trucks on the road, the CB is always on Ch 40. Mind you, there is some ****-head truckies on the road, I had a run-in with a couple in FNQ - Big loud mouthed idiots on the CB going in the other direction.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by smoo

Had to laugh at the grey nomads, one would appear around a corner and hard up their **** would be a truck wanting to get past. I don’t envy the truck drivers.

image

Truck drivers are their own worst enemies, they will sit up anyone's *** including their own wanting to pass.
Granted there is good and bad, but I don't worry about them, they will pass you on their own terms.

What I found interesting with my last trip FNQLD was road trains going slow, not often I have to overtake these boys towing a caravan.
Cheers

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by prydey

I have family in Perth (well, Bunbury). Doing the drive is on the bucket list. Driven to Tas, Vic, Syd, QLD and NT so need to do it. Not interested in ACT.

We've done it 3 times, all I will say is, it is a bloody long way and you can't wait to get to the other end

[Itsme]

I don't mind driving the Nullabor, done it plenty of times, surprisingly what you see going across that stretch
Next year central gold fields in WA will be my next trip over there.

[ford71V8]

Me and the wife just ticked the Nullabor roadtrip off our list.
Spent last May enjoying the lower end of WA.
From Adelaide across to Norseman, up to Kal and then looped around through Perth, Freo, Mandurah, all across the bottom coast line (Esperance was very nice) and back to Norseman.
Visited a few SA spots we hadn't been before as well (Streaky Bay visit both ways, such a nice place).Was our first time traveling that side of Australia, only the top half of WA left to explore, which we will do when we can go AWOL for months instead of weeks.

[FTE217]

prydey, ofcourse its up to the individual, I went the high road for that market has flourished far more than ever before due to the many new offerings as such, hence glampers.
My many stays at parks over the years I lol at the "look at me" types today, might as well have booked a beachside apartment I sometimes think.
Christ you can do camping/road trips on the cheap easily naturally.
Yes re sale is very good, dropped a little of late but prior say last year you actually got more than you paid 3yrs prior due to demands of new ones and delays.
That is tapering off now.
Will be interesting what re sale will be in 5yrs time for I expect with the QTY of vans/trailers in the market will be interesting but lets face it, no one considers depreciation on a luxury most times.
The retireing outlook has increased because of the boomer, many who grew up with their young parents vanning around which is great for I agree its a great lifestyle young and old.
Add in the newbies and covid really helped re igniting local travel.

Caravanning was always a family look at holidaying when you have a young family - so many were not old when started.

[yanknbank]

On the beach at Lucky Bay, well and truly out on the road and into the road trip. Great spot to spend the afternoon!

[John 13]

Originally Posted by yanknbank

image

On the beach at Lucky Bay, well and truly out on the road and into the road trip. Great spot to spend the afternoon!

On most Esperance beaches you don't even need a FWD, can drive for miles on firm white squeaky sand. It's a great view through the window atop Frenchmen peak looking south over Le Grand bay etc.
Years ago you could drive right to the foot of Frenchman peak, however now it's quite a walk from the car park. There is so much to see there, boat trip out to McKenzie island if it still operates and more.

[MDS69]

We have had our van 10 years next month and have done some great family trips. Kids are now at an age they don’t come with us anymore but they are now leading their own lives. Actually picked the daughter up last night from the airport after 6 weeks in Europe. Stated researching our forever van to take us into retirement and beyond. Semi/off-road 19ft with an ensuite.. In todays dollars around $90k. We don’t want all the bells and whistles just enough solar and water to go off grid for for a decent amount of time. Another problem is current vehicle we had new since 2008 and set up for touring and has been extremely reliable but s limited to to 2.5T and I reckon new set up will be around 3.0T so another $90K for a vehicle.