Camper Trailer Australia - April 2016.pdf

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ISSUE 99 APRIL 2016 $8.95 inc GS

,

! 3 B D 0 A 6 - a a h j f b ! : K ; N

REAL CAMPERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS

Easy 12 Volt

BUDGETTOURING GUIDE

A l t i t ude ’s la t e s t t e s t e d!

BORGY’SBEST

BUSH COOKING

TIPS AND

RECIPES

ROOTHY’SSHED: MORNING

MAINTENANCE

CHECKS

5 CAMPERS REVIEWED AND RATED


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“Manu fac turers o f quali t y o f f-road, hard

floor and so f t floor camper trailers”

2011OFTHEYEAR

FINALIST!

PRESENTED TO

2013

OFFROADCAMPER

OF THE YEAR

Mountain TrailEscape


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AUSTRALIAN MADE

Mountain Trail Campers Factory838 Knight RoadAlbury NSW 2640

Phone: 02 6040 [email protected]

Opposite Lock Midland201 Great Eastern Hwy

Midland WA 6056Phone: 08 9274 7844

[email protected]

www.mountaintrailcampers.com.au C T G

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MOUNTAIN TRAIL CAMPERS

Live Love Explore

• Hard and soft flooroff-road camper trailers

• Press button electricopening and closing

• Effortless, fast andeasy set up

• Hot dipped galvanised

chassis and composite

FINALIST

materialss


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NSWMacarthur Caravans & RVs

1/26 Grahams Hill Rd,

Narellan, NSW 2567

1300 667 217

Houlihan’s Caravan & RV

605 Ebden St,

Albury, NSW 2640

1300 720 196

Blue Sky Griffith

1 Railway Street,

Griffith, NSW 2680

02 6964 0844

Postie’s Caravan

24 Brissett St

Inverell, NSW 2360

0417 584 155

Puma RV

142 Pacific Hwy,

Tuggerah, NSW 2259

02 4352 3333

QLDBrisbane Factory/Showroom

74 Compton Road,

Underwood, QLD 4114

07 3386 0498

Motoco Group

315 Mulgrave Road,

Cairns, QLD 4870

07 4046 6333

Cars Galore

129 Herries St,

Toowomba, QLD 4350

0418 157 586

Capricorn Caravan Centre

12 Queen Elizabeth Drive,

North Rockhampton, QLD 4701

07 4927 4826

Blue Sky Swan Hill

Shop 4/5 McNeil Court,

Swan Hill, VIC 3585

03 5033 2218

Caravan Crescent

107 Stawell Road,

Horsham VIC 3400

03 5382 4100

Gippsland Caravan Centre

35 Princes Hwy,Stratford, VIC 3862

1300 667 868

S.M.U Trailers

F6/4-6 Len Thomas Place,

Narre Warren, VIC 3805

0400 057 797

VICMelbourne Factory/Showroom

7/1695 Centre Road,

Springvale, VIC 3171

1300 667 868

Patto’s RV

166 -168 Bellarine Hwy,

Moolap, VIC 3244

03 5248 0138

RV & Caravan Centre

182 Raglan Parade,

Warrnambool, VIC 3280

03 5561 0033

Lyal Eales Stores

29 Maryborough Dunolly Rd,

Maryborough, VIC 3465

03 5461 4222

Caravans Coffs Coast

186 Pacific Hwy,

Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450

02 6652 5523

SA Matt’s Extreme Outdoors

491 Grand Junction Rd,

Wingfield, SA 5013

1300 687 155

Northern Caravans

37 Wandearah Rd,

Port Pirie, SA 5540

08 8632 3442

EP Campers

548 Western Approach Rd,

Duck Ponds, SA 5607

08 8682 4060

Contact your nearest dealer for stock availability and to book a demonstration

A us t r alia’s B es t Valu e Camp er T r ail er sA us t r alia’s B es t Valu e Camp er T r ail er s

AdventureFamily time

Peace and quiet Breathtaking viewsYear round enjoyment

AdventureFamily time

Peace and quiet Breathtaking viewsYear-round enjoyment


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1300 667 868Please visit our website for our complete range of campers

WWW.MARSCAMPERS.COM.AU

R e war d your s elf wi t h moun t ain vi e ws, mud, sand or bush...

I t is your call. Mar s Camp er s can handle i t !

CA LL NO W

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For your nearest distributor call 1300 731 137, or visit www.ironman4x4.com

I R O N N

T Y

$ 199

Features:

• Instant warning for loss of engine coolant.

• Dash warning light and alarm.

• Suits plastic or metal header tanks.• To suit 12V or 24V systems.

Low Water Alarm For 12V/24V (ILWA001)

IRONMAN 4X4

Features:

• Lights on when vehicleignition is switched on.

• 10 second delay atignition to reduce batterystarting load.

• Delay on exit. When theignition is turned off thelights will stay illuminated

for 10 seconds.

• Parking/Tail lightfunctionality.

• Override function.

• Custom delay time andVoltage cutout.

Auto Headl ht On Kit Lights on keys on 12V/24V (IALK001)

$

190

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2

2 1

3

T

P

Start Assist Booster Kit 12V kit to suit IDCDC40 DC to DC battery

charger (IDCDCSA)

$ 125

Features:

• Automatic emergencyvehicle start with IDCDC40

• Start Assist:

The Start Assist BoosterKit when used in conjunctionwith the Ironman4x4 IDCDC40, is anoverride function allowingthe vehicle to start utilisingthe auxiliary battery.

• Boosts DC to DCcharger output to 80A

• Boost Charge:

This kit will also double the40A output of the Ironman4x4 IDCDC40. Allowing up to80A for the initial fast chargeof the auxiliary battery.

Electric Brake Controller 12V Microprocessor with remote head

(IEBC001)Features:

• Compatible with electric stabilitycontrol (ESC)

• New gen microprocessor based

• Easy adjustment dashboard knob

• Dashboard LED Indicator

• Convenient override control

• Dual and single axle capability

• Remote hideaway control box

• Mountable at any angle

• Compact and rugged housing

$ 180

12V Di For single and dual battery setups

(IDBM001)

Features:

• Can be used on dualor single 12Vbattery setups

• Easy view voltages of main or auxiliary batter

• Over and under voltage indicators

• Auto-dimming display

• Mounting kit included

ies

$ 135 Prices do not include freight or fitting. Prices are subject to change without notice

POWERED SOLUTIONS

Features:

• 3-stage 12V Booster Charger

• 40A max output (80A with startassist kit)

• Charges Flooded, GEL, AGMand Lithium Batteries

• Selectable output voltage

• Over current and tempprotection

• Remote charge statusLED indicator

• Very low standby current


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66

86

CONTENTS

10 campertraileraustralia.com.au


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traderv s.com.au 11

REGULARS

12 FIELD EDITOR’S LETTER

Old vs. new

14 NEWS

Get the scoop

18 ON THE WEB

What’s happening online

21 BORGY’S BUSH MECHANICS

Creative campsite kitchen

27 ROOTHY’S SHED

Cause and effect

144 BRIGHT IDEAS

Tried tips from true campers

146 BULLDUST

The last site standing

148 NO FIXED ADDRESS

The high life

150 SHE’LL BE RIGHT

Loaded gun

152 ON THE ROAD

Real readers living the dream

154 CAMP COOKING

A welcome change

156 HOTSHOT

Wollondilly River Station, NSW

158 EVENTS

Upcoming events around Oz162 PRODUCTS

The latest gear

CAMPER TRAILERS

34 ALTITUDE ULTIMATE

Lightweight hardfloor

44 ALLIANCE WARRIOR

Softfloor with space in spades

56 BLUE TONGUE OVERLAND XR

Impressive imported rear-fold66 IVAN DAKAR

Comfortable, capable and great value

76 JAWA CRUZADER

Functional forward-fold camper

FEATURES

86 BORGY’S BUDGET TOURING GUIDE

Stay longer for less

94 DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT...

10 essential items100 12V CAMPER MODIFICATIONS

Real campers show off their upgrades

TRAVEL

108 WOLLONDILLY RIVER STATION, NSW

Float on cloud nine

116 RAINBOW VALLEY, NT

Striking gold

124 SAVANNAH WAY: PART 2

Limmen NP to Borroloola134 GRAMPIANS PEAK TRAIL, VIC

Exploring on foot

124


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I’ve always had a real soft spot for old

4WDs. They just seem to have a sort

of charm and character about them

that make a fella feel right at home!

You readers would al ready know my old

Troopy’s a bit of a sweetheart, even if I do

say so myself, but with half a million kays

on the clock, you can rest assured she’s

taken me to some pretty awesome places

over the years. Plus my old 80 series (Uncle

Grump ) has blasted up more tracks than a

1980s logging truck.

But I’m going to call a spade a spade here– the maintenance on these old beauties will

dead-set bring a tear to your eye, and not

in the good way either. I mean, I’ve said it

before and I’ll say it again: when I’m not out

on the tracks wheeling and exploring, I’m

back in the shed, you know, fixing broken

stuff! All those grazed knuckles and greasy

fingertips have taken their toll on me lately.

In fact, I can’t believe I’m going to say this,

but I’ve been having naughty thoughts about

getting my hands on a later model 4WD. You

know – one of those flashy fandangle ones

that seem to be getting around everywhere

these days.

I don’t know if I’m getting lazier or smarter,

but there’s definitely plenty of appeal to

go with a newer vehicle. Comfort, turn-key

reliability and, in a lot of cases, improved

offroad technology are the mains benefits.

But, for me, there are still a few concerns

in the bush-ability department. I mean, are

those fancy electronics going to be more

trouble than they’re worth on the tracks?

Will a new vehicle be tough enough to carry

on the legacy of my old Cruisers? And thebiggie – can I handle scratching up a new

vehicle or will I turn into Old Fusspot on every

overgrown track I tackle?

If you’re waiting for me to give you the

answer here, you’re barking up the wrong

tree – this one’s fair dinkum got me stumped!

There’s just too much history and memories

attached to my 4WDs to even think about

selling them just yet, but I’ll tell you what,

there’s no harm in adding a new 4WD to the

crew now is there?

— Borgy

OLD VS. NEW

NEW BUSINESS ADVERTISING Tel: 1300 366 651

Email: [email protected]

DIYads.com.au

PRIVATE ADVERTISING Tel: 1300 362 272

ADVERTISER SERVICES Tel: 1300 362 355

MANAGING EDITOR Max Taylor

PRODUCTION EDITOR Laura GrayFIELD EDITOR Michael Borg

DEPUTY EDITOR Rachael Doherty

DESIGN MANAGER Danielle Beadman

DESIGNERS Claudia Moreira & Nicholas Ramsamy

EDITORIAL AND NEWS

Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166

Tel: ( 03) 9567 420 0 Fax : (0 3) 95 67 4100

[email protected]

PHOTOGRAPHY

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Ellen Dewar

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Nathan Jacobs

DIGITAL

DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Emma Krieger

VID EO P RO DUC TIO N MA NAG ER Elle Tosolini

MARKETING

BRAND COORDINATOR Dominique Maclean

CORPORATE DESIGNER Caroline Garde

CIRCULATION AND RESEARCH

CIRCULATION MANAGER Stuart Jones

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES

GROUP SALES MANAGER Grant Manson

0417 052 819 [email protected]

BRAND SALES MANAGER Simone Thomson

(03) 9567 4155 [email protected]

STATE SALES MANAGER - NSW Matthew Rice


STATE SALES MANAGER - QLD David Wiltshire


AGENC Y S ALES MA NAG ER - NS W Max Kolomiiets


AGENC Y S ALES MA NAG ER - VIC Andrea de Kauwe


VIC CD Media (03) 9583 8377 [email protected]

QLD Bernard Raffaut


SA Nick Lenthall


NSW Danielle Gowan

0435 065 325 daniell [email protected]

WA Greg Boase

0408 516 176 greg.boase@bauer trader.com.au

FINANCE

GROUP REPORTING MANAGER Cain Murphy

EXECUTIVE GROUP

GENERAL MANAGER TRADER DIGITAL Nigel Dearing

GROUP FINANCE MANAGER Richard Wein

GENERAL MANAGER TRAVEL & OUTDOOR Rob

Gallagher

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Keith Falconer

SUBSCRIPTIONSTel: 136 116 Fax: (02 ) 9267 4363

Web: magshop.com.au

Campertrailer Australia Subscriptions

Reply Paid 4967, Sydney NSW 2001

FOR ADVERTISING TERMS

& CONDITIONS GO TO:

www.bauertrader.com.au

Camper Trailer Australia is published by Bauer Trader Media, adivision of Bauer Media Limited.

ACN 053 273 546, ABN 18 053 273 546. All material in Camper Trailer Australia is protected by the Commonwealth Copyright Act,1968. No material may be reproduced without written consent.

*Recommended maximum retail price. Distributed by Gordon & Gotch. Printedby PMP, 31-35 Heathcote Road, Moorebank, NSW. ISSN 2205-0515

THE CAMPFIRE


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BUILT TOUGH.BUILT FOR

AUSTRALIA’S BEST TRAY-BACK SOLUTIONS.

Single & double swags

C H E C K O U T O U

R R A N G E

A N D S H O W D

A T E S A T

T R A V E L A N D E R . C O M . A U

Dual and single cab models available

OF THE YEAR

EvronDC2

WINNERSlide-on

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OF THE YEAR

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For more informationor dealer locations call1300 2 TRAVEL

With all the experience of

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we’ll equip you for the perfect

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C T G-F P - 5 1 4 4 2 2 5 - C S - 0 9 0 -X C C


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The 2016 Victorian Caravan,

Camping and Touring Supershow

was held over six days at the end of

February and, with more than 350

exhibitors showing off their wares, there

was a huge array of campers, caravans,

motorhomes and accessories on offer.

Prospective buyers browsed the more

than 60,000sqm of exhibition space at

the Melbourne Showgrounds. This is the

second year the event has been held at

Flemington and the show’s new, more

central home was well-received once

again.

The camper traile r market was, of

course, well-represented. Camper Trailer of

the Year (CTOTY) winner Patriot Campers

(Softfloors up to $50K category) had two

new models on show, with the focus on

its new entry level camper, the compact

Patriot X2 which, at $28,990, has the same

construction methods as its X1 model, but

comes in a foot shorter at only 3m-long

and weighing only 700kg. Also on display

was its X1 Limited Edition, available in

white, slate grey or green, with a slightlysmaller bed that folds up at the end for

A SUPER SHOW!CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Punters browsed the well lai d

out displays; Northstar launched the Traveller 700SC

slide-on; Mount ain Trail had the EDX with replaceable

panels on display; Buyers inspec t the new, compact

Patriot Campers X2.

extra living area, a new drawer layout, and

additional awning space over the barbecue

area and entrance.

EzyTrail had an array of its brightly

coloured hardfloor K-Series models

set up for buyers to peruse, including a

range-topping $25,000 white Lincoln LX

complete with internal club lounge area, a

slate-grey Stirling LX, and a bright orange

Albany GT.

US-based Northstar slide-on campers

recently appointed Jeff’s Shed in Kyabram,

Vic, as national distr ibutors and took

the opportunity to launch its brand new

Northstar Traveller 700SC at the show. The

$42,990 slide-on camper fits the back of

a small extra or single cab ute, sleeps up

to four people and is fully-detachable for

freestanding use.

Another CTOTY winner, Mountain

Trail Campers, brought along its electric

opening and closing rear folding EDX

hardfloor model that took the trophy in the

2016 hardfloor category (Up to $60K), as

well as its latest release Escalade softfloor.

Complete Campsite was also there withits hard-top Exodus range, while Southern


Land Campers had its hybrid pop-top PT12

model and PT16 complete with internal

ensuite on show.

With the mercury hitting nearly 40ºC

during setup the day before the show

opened, exhibitors were relieved with the

drop in temperature in time for opening

day. A cloudy, humid morning turned into

a warm, sunny day, but plenty of shady

umbrellas and cooling stations as well as

icy refreshments helped keep energy levels

high and the overall vibe from visitors and

exhibitors was certainly positive.

— Ali Millar


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SCORPION MICRO-HYBRID SPARKS RHINOMAX MOVEQueensland RV manufacturer Rhinomax Off

Road Campers has commenced production

on the Scorpion micro-hyrbid at its new

1600sqm premises in Maroochydore.

Measuring a little more than 3m long,

the new ‘micro-hybrid’ camper features

an aluminium and reinforced fibreglass

body riding on a galvanised chassis and

independent coil suspension at just 1160kg

Tare and 80kg (unladen) on the ball. The new line offers a choice of two models,

with the range topping RX enjoying a large

storage box up front with fridge slide, alloy

wheels and a wind-out awning. The new RX

is also geared for off-the-grid touring with its

the external pop up ensuite and hot and cold

shower, a water draw facility, internal toilet,

a large suite of drawers, a comprehensive

power pack and 300W of roof-mounted solar.

Co-owner Steve Punton said Rhinomax Off

Road Campers deployed several space saving

initiatives in the Scorpion line, including the

new queen size bed that retracts into the roof.

Mr Punton said the Scorpion was

developed in nine months using Solidworks

software, with production starting immediately

due to the new two-factory plant, which hasincreased the company’s output three-fold.

In response to its increased capacity,

Rhinomax Off Road Campers launched an

interstate dealer network, welcoming Mike

and Anita Pavey from The Dirt Camper Trailer

Sales & Hires to the fold.

Visit www.rhinomaxcampers.com.au.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rhinomax Off Road

campers takes the Scorpion micro-hybrid out for a

beach run; Cooking comforts all under cover; Raise the

queen size bed for a lounge befit ting a camper of larger

dimensions.

NEW

Scorpion Off-Road 15’ 6” with a FULL ENSUITE featuring remote control hydraulic roof lift and front slide-outThis camper trailer is suited perfectly for travelling couples due to a comfortable double innerspring mattress with bathroom and toilet amenities. The standard inclusions comprise of

galvanized chassis, 12” electric brakes, tuff rider coil independent suspension *rated 2500kg, D035 hitch, rear tool box, 16” rimes with all terrain tyres, front boot storage, front stone shield,

bumper bar spare wheel, 2 x 110amp deep cycle batteries, 12v power supply, 2 x 4kg gas bottles, 2 x 60L water tanks, step light LED, roof hatch, remote control hydraulic roof lift and front

bedroom slide-out, composite wall paneling, 1 piece fiberglass roof, double internal power points, 3 way 90L fridge, separate 3 burner stove, separate stainless steel sink, L – shape lounge

with table, rolled post form bench tops, LED lights throughout, smoke alarm, 12v electric water pump, full rear ensuite separate shower and toilet, 12v cassette toilet, hand basin, hot water

service, full block out curtains, quality fabric and vinyl seat covers, high density foam cushions, al-ko drop legs, timber or modern light weight doors, gas bayonet and picnic table.

Coming soon: Chameleon wheelchair accessible camper! Coming soon: Chameleon wheelchair accessible camper!

Melbourne Head Office

Westernport Caravans & Accessories Pty Ltd Factory 1/11 Simcock Street, Somerville VIC. 3912T (03) 5977 8194 or Chris 0429 167 103

Queensland | by appointment only

www.kakaducampers.com.au

PROUDLY MADE IN

AUSTRALIA

THE SCORPION OFF-ROAD, FULL ENSUITE CAMPER TRAILER


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RHINO-RACK ON COMMON ROOF-TOPPER TRAPS

EWS

PEACE OF MIND FOR

DOMETIC CUSTOMERS

Dometic has launched a care program for its

products, for easy access to repairs en-route.

Travellers who register selected products

under the new Dometic Care Program will

receive a unique Dometic Care number for

instant access to service and repairs. Once

they’ve enquired at www.dometiccare.

com.au or called the customer care team,travellers are directed to the closest authorised

service agent for priority service, saving time

searching for repairers in unfamiliar locations.

The free Dometic Care Program is available

for selected Dometic, Aircommand, Atwood,

Eberspacher, Truma, Milenco and WAECO

products.

07 5500 5503Call us now for more informatione: sa [email protected]

0

-

www.emucampers.com.au

V ‘R ADER DE ERT ERIE F RWARD F L XTREME 4x4

$7,450 *

$15,585 *

$9,650 *

F R

O M

F R

O M

F R

O M

FINANCE AVAILABLE

SHOP ONLINE NOW

Rooftop tents are great for remote camps

but with many being purpose built, pitfalls

are rife. Rhino-Rack urges first-time buyers

to research prior to purchase for optimalsafety, pleasure and value out on the tracks.

Many rooftop tents weigh between

40-60kg and how your 4WD will handle

it, your awning and the required support

structure varies from model and maker, so

check your vehicle manual first. The rack

system style also needs to match your 4WD

(www.rhinorack.com.au has a great guide).

Whatever system you use, its ratings should

account for a moving or ‘dynamic’ load just

as your vehicle load rating does.In many setups, the ladder doubles as

an access point and structural support, so

camp on firm ground and carry a stable

base – a few pieces of timber will do the job.

Finally, if you choose an awning like the

270° Foxwing Awning, you’ll avoid having to

constantly retreat up top in rain or the heat.


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07 3865 9999 | www.tjm.com.au | /TJM4x4

Visit your local TJM store and get equipped for on and off road, work or play.

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N 2 C HA R G E D

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DA M P E R O I L

4 0 M M B I G B O R E P I S T O N

Q UA L I T Y BA N D E D T E F L O N

P I S T O N S EA L

C O M PA C T O U T E R

CA S E D IA M E T E R

M U L T I S TA G E D V E L O C I T Y

C O N T R O L L E D VA L V I N G

S EA M L E S S W E L D S & S T I T C H

W E L D E D C O N S T R U C T I O N

H I G H D U RA B I L I T Y B U S H E S T W I N T U

B E D E S I G N

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XS RANGEprovides improved bodycontrol and comfort for TJMLegal Lift suspension

XT RANGEprovides superior body andload control for heavy dutyTJM Legal Lift suspension

F EA T U R E S


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WHAT’S HAPPENING ONLINE AT CAMPERTRAILERAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

Find us online!

CAMPER TRAI LER

DES TINA TIONSNEED INSPIRA TION FOR YOU

R NE X T

TRIP? WE’ VE GO T YOU CO VERED

WEB

ISSUE 99 APRIL 2016 $ 8 .95 inc GST

h j f b ! :

;

REAL CAMPERS SHARE T HEIR SECRET S

U ADES!Easy 12 V olt

BUDGET T OURING GUIDE

A l t i t ude ’s la t e s t t e s t e d!

BORGY ’S ROOT HY ’S

NOW i AD!CTA IS NOW AVAILABLE IN A DIGITAL EDITION.

DOWNLOAD FROM THE APP STORE TODAY

NEW VIDEOS ONLINE:

• Track Trailer Topaz Savannah •

• Cub Kamparoo Brumby •

• And more! •

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

Follow our touring exploits and get theheads-up on awesome camper contentby liking Camper Trailer Australia onFacebook!

VIDEOS ON THE WEB

TO ENTER, VISIT WWW.CAMPERTRAILERAUSTRALIA.

COM.AU/COMPETITIONS AND TELL US, IN 25 WORDS OR

LESS, WHAT YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CAMPERTRAILER

AUSTRALIA, AND WHY?

* Terms and conditions apply. Competition opens on 24 February 2016 and closes 23 March

2016. Visit campertraileraustralia.com.au/competitions for full terms and conditions.

COMPE TI TIONWE’RE GI VING AWA Y FIVE CAMPERTRAILER

AUSTRALIA SIX-MONTH MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS.


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3 MONTH ROAD TRIP

2014 Follow the Sun Ambassadors

Kellie, Corey & Zac Stephenson

For more information about the competition, the

Pink Minnie and to enter, visit the website today!

www.dometicfollowthesun.com.au* Conditions apply. See website for full Terms and Conditions. 151204R

ENTRIES CLOSE8 MAY 2016

CRUISE IN COMFORT FOR A GOOD CAUSE

The 3 winners also receive up to $10K travel

package for accommodation and fuel.

TRAVEL IN THE

PINK MINNIECARAVAN WITH TOWING VEHICLE SUPPLIED

+ $5K DOMETIC PRIZE PACK*

+ $25K DOMETIC

RV RENO*

O R

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hybriddiscovery

Ph: 07 5309 6454 / 0424 366 777

WWW.RHINOMAXCAMPERS.COM.AU

COMPARE RHINOMAXWITHTHE REST&WEGUARANTEEYOUWILLBE IMPRESSED

LIGHTWEIGHT : COMPACT : EASY TO TOW : OUTBACK READY

Introducing the next generation

micro hybrid

scorpion

a big idea condensed

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trad ervs.c om.a u 21The camper you want is now easier to find

IT’S TIME TO STRIP THINGS BACKTO BASICSAT YOUR NEXT CAMP COOKING

SESSION. WORDS MICHAEL BORGPICSMATT FEHLBERG

If we need something these days, anythingat all, we head straight to the shop and

buy it. Whatever happened to the good

old days when we got a bit hands-on and

made stuff for ourselves? Sure, a store-bought

item usually looks flashier but, seriously, when

did we campers attain the need for the fanciest

gear? Making your own stuff is all part of the

charm on a camping trip and it keeps the kids

entertained as well.

So let’s take a look at a few creative ways

you can make do with what you’ve got, in

order to cook up a feed out in the bush. It’s all

about letting your creativity take the stage, andshowcasing your ingenuity to, well, yourself.

Plus, with some simple and easy camp recipes

using nothing more than some aluminium

foil and a fire as cooking implements, I can

guarantee you’ll be dead-set drooling in no time

at all. Heck, you’ll be wondering why you bought

half of your cooking gear after trying these DIYs.

So if all of the above sounds good, and you

don’t mind a few quirky yet handy hints along

the way, then it’s time to sit down, relax and

take it all in as we run you through creative

camp cooking 101.

CREATIVE

CAMPSITE KITCHEN

BUSH MECHANIC

ABOVE: Camping is the perfect environment

to enjoy life without all of our modern

conveniences.


22/172


If you’ve got two empty soft drink or beer

cans, you can make a stove using the two

bottom halves. Simply cut both of them in half,

insert a bit of cloth or cotton wool inside one

of the cans and fit the other half a can (bottom

up) inside the first can.

Thenpoke a hole or two inthecentre of

the top can soyou can fill the stove upwith

methylated spirits and poke several more

holes around the top outside diameter of the

can for the burners.

To light it, simply pour some of the fuel on

top and light it up. Once it starts to boil, it will

ignite the fuel inside and, hey presto, you’re in

business!

DIY CAN STOVE

Every now and then desperate timescall for desperate measures, like when

you forget your spoon and it’s time for a

coffee! Granted, you’d have to be pretty

desperate for a spoon to actually do this,

but you never know.

Simply grab an empty soft drink bottle

(1.25L works well), and cut it in half. Then

cut your spoon out down towards the

bottom of the bottle. Try and cut as close

into the bases centre as possible as this

area is thicker, and gives the spoon a bit

more rigidity. It also gives it a nice curve.

FORGOT YOUR SPOON?

Kick this one off by cutting an old toilet roll or

similar into 3-4 pieces. Then grab a few cotton

buds or even lint from your clothes dryer, and

smear a decent chunk of petroleum jelly into

them before jamming them into the cardboard

toilet roll pieces. And that’s it, they’re ready

to go!

These things will put a flame out a good 2in

high, and will burn for up to 15 minutes.

For easy lighting, ignite it from a bit of cotton

bud that’s not covered in petroleum jelly. Keep

a few of these bad boys ready to go and they’ll

make you look like a pro the next time you go

to light a fire in front of your friends and family.

DIY FIRE STARTERS


23/172

BUSH MECHANIC

trad erv s.c om.a u 23The camper you want is now easier to find

Sick of losing your tongs? This one’s a

cracker! Simply grab an old belt or strap,

and wrap it around a trunk or log. Adjust

it tight, and hang a few wire hooks from it.

If you choose a pre-cut log you can move

it around. Hang pots, pans, tongs or any

cooking utensil you can think of, and the

top ofthe log can evenact asa bench or

chopping board! How’s that for fancy?

HANDY UTENSILS

This one’s more for fun than anything,

but the kids will love it – for the first few

minutes, anyway. Simply curl a bit of

fencing wire up at the end so the snagcan

fit through. Make sure the handle is long

enough so it doesn’t burn your hand, but

you’ll need fairly heavy gauge wire to ensure

it doesn’t sag too much. Another idea is to

stick the ends in a log and givethem a turn

every few minutes.

SNAG ROASTERS

There’s nothing worse than having the spice

jars rattling around in the back, plus those

old round jars aren’t exactly space efficient.

One simple and insanely cost effective

alternative is to simply empty the spices into

plastic resealable sandwich bags. They’ll

take up less than half the original space, they

won’t rattle and you can carry as much as

you want.

SILENT SPICE STORAGE


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TAMEYOUR ADVENTURE-FUELLEDHUNGERWITH THESE BORGY-APPROVED

FLAME-KISSED SNACKS. WORDS MICHAEL BORGPICS MATTFEHLBERG

TASTY TANTALISERS

Some of my favourite campsite recipes

require next to no cooking utensils at all.

So why have a crack yourself? You’ll be

camping back-to-basics in no time.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, EH? After feasting on some (or all) of these recipes

using my dead-simple cooking methods, I reckon

you’ll know why it’s worth taking a walk on the

creative side the next time you head for the scrub.

Sure, you can probably buy bigger and better

things down the local shop but where’s the fun in

that? The next time you’re out camping, give some

of these a crack, I guarantee you’ll love it!ABOVE: Flame-kissed dinners out on the

tracks. It doesn’t get better than this.



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tra derv s.c om.a u 25

BUSH MECHANIC

The camper you want is now easier to find

12 large baby mushrooms

150g cream cheese

CHEESY MUSHROOM BALLS

150g blue cheese

Salt and pepper

Parsley

Hot barbecue sauce (if desired)

Bacon (6 slices)

Start by cleaning the mushies and

removing the stems. Then, add the

cheeses, salt and pepper, parsley and

sauce into a container and mix well

together before stuffing it into your

mushrooms.

Slice a piece of bacon in half and wrap

the mushroom up securing it with a tooth

pick through the side so it still sits evenly

on the grill.

Cook it for about 4-6 minutes each side

or until the bacon is just starting to crisp.

Then enjoy the hell out of it! Oranges Chocolate brownie mix (cake mix works, too)

Aluminium foil

Vanilla ice cream

Start by cutting the top off the orange

about a quarter of the way down, and

remove most the actual orange from

the skin, leaving a bit on the bottom

and up the sides for added flavour.

Mix up your brownie mix, and pour

it into the orange skin. Now to keep

this quick and easy, you can just

use a brownie mix ready to from the

store. Or to go one step further, grab

a few of those self-saucing pre-made

brownies and use those instead.

Wrap the orange in 2-3 layers of

heavy duty aluminium foil and place

on a bed of hot coals for roughly

15-25 minutes. The orange flavour will

blend in with the chocolate sauce and

brownie. Serve with ice cream and it’s

guaranteed to be a hit!

ORANGE CAMPFIRE

BROWNIES

Ice cream cones

Banana

Dried fruit

Peanut butter

CAMPFIRE CHOC CONES

Cadbury Caramello chocolate

Mini marshmellows

Choc chips

This one’s as simple as they come. Simply

stuff those ice cream cones with enough

sweet stuff to sink a battle ship and you’re

just about done. One tried and tested list

of ingredients is mentioned above, but

don’t limit yourself to that.

Once you’ve filled the cones up, simply

wrap them in a few layers of foil and place

on the coals. Now these won’t take long

at all, seeing as you’re literally just melting

the chocolate inside. So keep a close eye

on them or you’ll end up burning the cone.

Get it right, and you’ll be the king of the

camp kitchen!

HAM AND CHEESE LOAF

1½ tbsp of Dijon mustard

Poppy seeds

¾ 3/4 cup melted butter

1½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

Unsliced loaf of bread

Shaved ham off the bone

Cheese (pick something tasty like Swiss cheese)

Mix mustard, poppy seeds, melted butter,

Worcestershire sauce and minced onion

in a bowl. Slice the loaf evenly all the way

through, and line with cheese and ham. Pour

a thin layer of the liquid mix over the top and

wrap 2-3 times in aluminium foil. You can put

this straight in the coals but you’ll lower the

chances of burning it in a camp oven. Cook

for about 15 minutes with the majority of coals

on the lid and remove when the cheese is

melted and the bread is lightly toasted.


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ph: (07) 3208 1133

m: 0432 740 553

27 Moss St,

Slacks Ck, QLD 4127

www.trackabout.com.au

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tra derv s.c om.a u 27The camper you want is now easier to find

NIP THE PREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCES OF TOWING OFFROAD IN THE

BUD WITH COMMON SENSE, THE RIGHT GEAR AND A RESPECT FOR

ROUTINE. WORDS JOHN ‘ROOTHY’ ROOTH PICS ANTHONY WARRY/LOWRANGE

ROOTHY’S SHE

Chooka brought it up the other night

during our weekly training session for

the Australian Olympic darts team down

at the Mudflats Hotel. Yes, you’re right,

none of us have actually made it to the Olympics

but then half of us are lucky just to hit the board.

It just sounds so much better when you’re

explaining Thursday night to your wife, though...

Chooka and Loretta are planning another big

trip bush for the winter season and, with a brandnew Goldstream RV in tow, things have kicked

up a notch from the old blanket-under-the-trees

travel of their cour ting days. He’s done plenty

of adventuring in his time but, while there are

no worries the Goldstream will handle the job,

Chooka’s main concern was what might change

given the extra work involved towing.

Of course, Kevvy chimed in with his own

advice, mostly centred around how much more

food and beer they’ll be able to enjoy with all that

extra space. And Porker Baton had a bit to say

about it, too, like how much more quality fishing

time a bloke could enjoy knowing his wife was

comfortable back at camp.

Yep, my mates are pretty useful if you need

a hand with a big plate of prawns or knocking

over a free keg, but when it comes to the more

serious stuff, well, they’re prepared for it but are

pretty good at avoiding it, too.

And that is pretty much the crux of towing

big-time offroad – be prepared for trouble but

go out of your way to avoid it! There are alwaysplenty of detailed reports in these pages on

the same subject but seeing as I had to get my

head around it for Chooka, I figured it’d be easy

to share it with you as well. Some of it, anyway,

at least as much as I can fit on these beer

coasters...

DAILY RITUAL

Towing anything means the vehicle is working

harder than normal so the first thing to do is a

fluid check each morning. That means lifting the

bonnet. On most modern cars, you can eyeball

TOP: Even a mild creek bed can put twice the

strain on a vehicle with a caravan or camper

strapped on the back. No problem, but you do

need to allow for it!

CAUSE & EFFECT


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the brake fluid and it’s not hard to dip for the

oil and steering fluids. The biggie, of course, is

the transmission fluid in an auto because it’s

responsible for powering the torque converter

and tightening the bands as well as lubrication.

And more load means more work.

So if the transmission fluid is down a tad then

there’s less oil doing the work which translates

to the heat that kills an auto. You probably

know that and have fitted a transmission cooler

already but it doesn’t matter whether we’re

talking a few kilometres up a Fraser beach or

climbing out of the Finke – once you add a soft

surface and a few dips, you’ve got a recipe for

cooking more than fish!

Fluid checks should be right up there first

thing with a look at the wheel nuts, a check of

the hitch and wiring, and a shake of the safety

chains. But the biggie once you’re doing a bit

of offroading is to have a good look underneath

the entire rig. You’re looking for oil leaks onthe ground that tell their own story, depending

what they’re under and also any sticks jammed

up under the chassis. It doesn’t take much of

a stick to rip out a brake or fuel line and they

have a habit of doing nothing for ages until they

suddenly decide to pole vault off a rock.

Tyre pressures are important on-road, but

absolutely crucial offroad. A decade ago,

nobody ever considered letting the pressures on

the trailer tyres down but now most of us realise

a flatter footprint reduces load when you’re

travelling on sand or loose gravel.

ABOVE: With a good snorkel setup and a

modern engine with hydrostatic fan, there’s

not a lot to fear from water crossings but

the golden rule is to keep the motor running

afterwards to dry things out. Either lift the

bonnet and let it idle the steam off or do a

few more miles.

ABOVE RIGHT:The most common si tuationtowing up a beach is to get bogged in soft

sand. However, it’s vital you use quality

recovery gear – not the cheap polyester

stuff – and make sure you at tach it to

genuine recovery points on the vehicle and

not the lightweight loops used to tie them

down on transporters.

CENTRE LEFT: It’s not just traction that’s

directly related to tyre pressure, modern

tyres with a bit of deflation will ride over

stakes and sharp rocks, too. But remember

to do the trailer’s tyres as well, aiming for a

similar footprint right around your rig.

CENTRE RIGHT: Towing through softersurfaces puts a big strain on the motor

which, in turn, stretches the cooling

capacity to its limits. No problems if your

radiator, hoses, pump and coolant are all in

good condition but any weak link will turn

Old Faithful into a St anley Steamer.

FAR RIGHT:Daily checks on everything

fluid-wise are the cheapest form of

insurance you can have. Diffs and

gearboxes can be checked just by looking

for puddles under the vehicle.


Plus, we’ve gone a long way from the old

belief that the harder a tyre was, the less chance

there was of a puncture. That furphy has been

reversed (mind you, Kevvy still reckons you’ll getfurther after a puncture if there’s more air to leak

out and pumps his up accordingly).

It’d be possible to fill a ute with tools and still

not have the one you need, so the trick is a bit

of versatility and no doubling up. My own golden

rule – based on a lifetime of ‘do-it-yourselfing’ –

is to always carry whatever’s required to fix the

last thing I fixed. But hopefully you’re leaving

home in something a tad more modern, eh?

A SAFE RETURNOh boy, I’m in deep water here, and not just


29/172

because it’s after closing time and I forgot to

call my wife. I’ve opened up topics here that

could take books to address and we’re running

out of space! But the one thing I absolutelyhave to mention was the first thing Chooka and

I covered.

If you’re adventuring, you need to be

prepared to recover the vehicle. And after this

last year of LowRange DVDs where Kenno

either towed a camper or a van on all the trips,

it’s pretty obvious that the first vehicle to get

stuck will be the one pulling a trailer.

So two things are required – one, the

common sense not to go travel stupidly

impossible tracks (not always a big component

of making good television!) and two, really good

The camper you want is now easier to findThe camper you want is now easier to find tradervs.com.au 29

ROOTHY’S SHE


30/172

30 campertraileraustralia.com.au30 campertraileraustralia.com.au

recovery gear. You don’t need a winch with the

lot – although it’s almost mandatory if you’re

travelling on your own – but you do need quality

gear. Given the extra strain of a trailer, the most

dangerous thing on earth can be a recovery

involving stuck vehicles and big weights.

Given the cotton-wool-wrapped nature of

life under a government trying hard to outlaw

common sense, you’d think snatch straps,

shackles and things would have to be covered

by legislation. They are, but bureaucratic

laziness and general lack of real-life

experience mean that legislation comes under

the ‘crane slings’ standards. Now there’s a

world of difference between static lifting a few

tonnes and twanging the same out of a creek

bed bog!

Not that long ago there were only a few

companies supplying offroad recovery

equipment and they all had reputations toconsider and customers they wanted to

come back. These days, you can buy stuff

that’s often half the price from all sorts of

online shops and the like, and while it looks

the goods, if it’s cheap it’s probably not. The

reason is polyester – cheap to make, looks the

part but has exactly the same flexing charac-

teristics as those nasty blue plastic tarps and

the same horrible habit of losing its integrity

with a bit of sunlight and age. The real things

are made with nylon – much more expensive

but with built-in flex and longevity, too. Pay

TOP: Of course, the most recoveries you’ll

probably have to handle will be after a bit too

much effort around happy hour. Here, I’m

working up to a great recovery with Dave,

the sole inhabitant of Restoration Island.

His home-brewed beer didn’t leave much to

restore, I can tell you...

ABOVE: Few tools have as many potential

uses as a butane-powered soldering iron.

Apart from joining wires – often an issue when

towing in rough country – they’re pretty good

at welding plastic radiator tanks, loosening old

nuts and, err, hollowing out didgeridoos, too.

more, but live to come home!

Phew, and I haven’t even got around to the

difference between genuine recovery points

on a vehicle and the ones welded on at the

factory to facilitate tying said vehicles down

on transporters. Maybe we’ll look at that next

time, eh? If I’m still alive at any rate. I can hear

my wife and her Morry outside, not too hard,

seeing as I still haven’t fixed the tail pipe, and

both of them are roaring.

See what happens when you try and help a

few mates?

OOTHY’S SHED


31/172

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The camper you want is now easier to find tradervs.com.au 35

LIGHTER AND

ALTITUDE CAMPERS’ NEW ALUMINIUM-BODIED ULTIMATE DELIVERS

A LOT OF BANG ON AND OFFROAD FOR ITS SUB-TONNE TARE.

WORDS DAVID GILCHRIST PICS NATHAN DUFF

BRIGHTER

REVIE


36/172


MEASURING UP

> Hinged kitchen and large pantry

> Storage drawer with under-bed

access

> Easy-clean fibreglass floor

> Genuine queen-size bed

> Tropical roof

> Diesel heater

HITS

MISSES

> Could do with bedside storage

pockets

> No LED lights for annexe

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: At less than 1tTare, the Ultimate promises manoeuvrability

on the tracks; Goodrich Grabber AT2

tyres instil confidence on and offroad; We

could have thrown a lot more at this rig;

Auxiliary fuels up front are encased for

added protection; Riding on proven Vehicle

Components suspension.

When you think of altitude, images

of high forest-clad peaks by deep,

dark valleys spring to mind. So

Queensland’s Sunshine Coast

hinterland, south-west of Gympie, was a

fitting place to test the new Ultimate by

Altitude Campers.

Director Brian Johnston launched Altitude

Campers a little more than two years ago on

the back of previous manufacturing and camper

hire businesses, with the view to establishing the

Maryborough facility as a source of high quality,

value-packed, Aussie-made camper trailers.

So, with that lofty ambition, my chance to playwith this camper came with great expectations.

AROUND THE OUTSIDE

If first impressions are anything to go by, the

Ultimate makes the grade. It wasn’t shiny

and brash, instead it came across as a very

functional, tidy camper.

It looked easy to use, with a few nice comforts

plus all the essentials such as storage, gas,

lighting and cooking close at hand.

So, with all those boxes ticked, we got around

to setting it up and having a closer look at a little

hideaway called Cedar Grove, 12km west from

the peaceful country village of Amamoor.

We hitched the camper to our tow vehicle

with the Ultimate’s Vehicle Components

Hitchmaster DO35 hitch. That’s the right sort of

kit for the job, considering it has a load rating

of 3.5t, which is ample for most camper trailers

including this one. It was part of the equipment

list that also included Vehicle Components

Cruisemaster coil-sprung suspension and a

sturdy construction which convinced me it could

cope on tracks a little bit tougher than those it

conquered on our test run.

Everything looked very promising when wearrived at camp, as the main tent was easy

to set up in a matter of minutes. In next to no

time, we had the tent unfurled were opening

up the windows and doors – this is great news

for anyone travelling with kids or just doing an

overnight stop en-route.

Camping in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast

hinterland comes with the potential for hot,

humid days, so airflow around the tent is

important. Consequently, it was great to see the

camper’s tropical roof, which was set as a fixture

on the roof of the tent, automatically deployed


37/172


REVIE

“When you consider the camper’s low Tare of just under atonne, it’s unlikely you’ll ever overload it”


38/172


CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Setting up for an

overnight camp is easy; Sheltered access to

the large storage box and the entire kitchen;

Orient the kitchen parallel or at 90 °; External

access to storage under the bed is relatively

deep; The spare wheel swings away for easy

rear access; Dedicated storage for small and

large pantry items; Monitor your battery, fuses

and water storage from a single point.

without fuss as we rolled the tent off the trailer.

While the speed and ease of the basic setup

was a big plus for those wanting to swiftly

settle the kids in the shade, establishing a more

elaborate camp is a slightly different story. On

the plus side, the Altitude Ultimate has a large

awning that more than doubles the living space

but its size means it chews up time getting it set

up, with many poles and struts required to get it

looking right.

TOUGH STUFFBuild-wise, Altitude’s Ultimate is a model of

quality. The camper has a sturdy chassis of

50x50x2.5mm RHS galvanised steel. Up front,

where you might expect to most wear and tearduring travel, Altitude chose 100x50x4mm RHS

galvanised steel for a strong drawbar ready for

all the twists and turns of offroad or back-road

travel. All up, the entire chassis and drawbar

construction looks sound.

Under the chassis, Altitude selected ideal

riding gear for its Ultimate: 2t-rated Vehicle

Components Cruisemaster suspension. And

when you consider the camper’s low Tare of just

under 1t, it’s unlikely you’ll ever overload it – even

with the two 80L water tanks filled. (I reckon any

owner who can weigh down a small camper

CTA RATING

1. FIT FOR INTENDED PURPOSE

2. INNOVATION

3. SELF-SUFFICIENCY

4. QUALITY OF FINISH

5. BUILD QUALITY

6. OFFROAD-ABILITY

7. COMFORTS

8. EASE OF USE

9. VALUE FOR MONEY

10. X-FACTOR

with more than a tonne of extra baggage oughtto stay at home and phone a friend).

Maximising the strength-to-weight ratio in

the Ultimate was a priority for Altitude and the

company deftly achieved this through the use of

composite aluminium panels for the body and a

honeycomb-insulated fibreglass floor.

ON THE INSIDEWith the structure and suspension sorted,

high on the wish list for any camper trailer owner

is to have ample storage. And Altitude has

provided plenty in the Ultimate in three well-


39/172


orchestrated ways. The first is an enormous drawer that is

accessible from the rear when the camper is still

packed away and from inside the tent after it’s

unfurled. For those that like to carry a wardrobe

full of clothes and other gear, this drawer is

almost the full width of the trailer and very deep.

The great thing about this massive drawer

is that it’s also accessible by lifting up the

genuine queen-size bed, allowing you to fully

utilise the adjacent area for a card table or

bunk beds. This storage access also reveals

two smaller storage compartments; one is

trad ervs.c om.a u 39

REVIE


40/172


really a plumbing maintenance hatch, while the

other is a small hide-away storage hatch.

The bedroom has reading lamps for the bed

and general purpose lighting courtesy of a

central LED strip.

The internal dimensions are within the scope

of a typical hardfloor camper, although a strip

of vinyl below the innerspring mattress allows

for a bit more room under the canvas, making

it a comfortable space for two or a few. The

main annexe has Velcro on the walls for an

optional room if you need more.

In terms of external storage, the camper has

a front boot for the jerr y cans, diesel heater

and gas bottles and behind that on the driver

side a huge open hatch for wet camping gear.

CONVERTIBLE KITCHEN The sl ide-out kitchen, with a Thetford Spinflo

cooktop triple-burner gas stove and sink, is

the third surprise, as it opens out on a hinged

mount. This allows the chef to change the

position of the kitchen, locking it parallel to the

tent or at 90° to suit the weather or their needs.

> More pictures> Specs to compare

> CAMPERTRAILERAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

Gas cylinders 2x4kgWater 2x80LCooktop Three-burner cooktop on aslide-out drawerKitchen StainlessBattery 2x120Ah AGM

> ACCESSORIES

$39,990 (plus on-road costs)

> PRICE AS SHOWN

To enquire about this camper, visitwww.campertraileraustralia.com.

au/spec or phone (07) 3073 8480

> ENQUIRIES

Box size 3450x1900mmLength (hitch to tail lights) 4850mmTent size 4650x1800mm

> DIMENSIONS

Tare 980kg

ATM 2000kgSuspension Vehicle Components2T Cruisemaster independent withsprings and trailing armsBrakes 12in electric with handbrakeCoupling Vehicle ComponentsHitchmaster DO35Chassis 50x50x2.5mm hot-dipgalvanised RHSDrawbar 100x50x4mm hot-dipgalvanised RHSBody Aluminium compositeWheel/tyre 16in alloy 265/75 R16Style Rear-fold hardfloor

> TRAILER

CTA SPECSALTITUDE CAMPERS

ULTIMATE

2x Gas bottles

Fridge

Queen Bed w/ storage

ink Awning

Three-burner stove

2x err Cans1 each side

Main Floor

F i r e w o

d

r a c

k

Pantry draws

Hot water & Heating

Diesel

Shower set Heater

Ensuite

Optional Kids room

ABOVE: There’s hot and cold water plumbed

to the shower. RIGHT: Stork lights by the

bedhead and internal canvas flaps typify the

Ultimate’s user-friendly design.


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Immediately beside the slide-out kitchen

is a generous twin drawer pantry and next

to that is a fridge slide with an 80L Waeco

fridge-freezer on board. Weighing in at around

29kg and drawing something like 2A, this

fridge is a worthwhile inclusion. The pantry

hatch also provides access to the battery

management system. This makes this kitchen

area feel much like a general utility hub where

you can turn your snags, switch on the heater

and make sure your batteries are charged

within reach of a cool beer.

The camper’s elec trica l system runs off

two 120Ah AGM batteries and a Redarc 1230

Battery Management System which, like the

fridge, are accounted for in the 980kg Tare. For

my money, the nice thing about this system is

that it’s got a bit of a green preference. Thatis, if 12V solar power input is available, solar

power will be chosen to top up the batteries

before relying on a mains source or DC

vehicle power.

With the power sorted, LED strip lighting

helps you find your way around at night and

you can plug your gadgets in any one of three

easily accessible 12V.

While the diesel heater keeps the interior

of the camper cosy on cold winter nights,

the back side of the camper will keep you

clean with an external hot and cold shower.

Now here’s the kicker – you can enclose the

external shower with the ensuite annexe;

simply pick up some rubber mats from anycamping supplies retailer and you’ll have a

proper little indoor bathroom.

THE VERDICT

The Ulti mate by Alti tude Campers is a grea t

camper for two people or a small family and is

equally suitable for an outback long-haul or a

quick getaway on the weekend.

The degree of fi tout belie the simple yet

strong and lightweight design.

Solar panels and annexe walls would

complete it for me.

tra derv s.c om. au 41

REVIE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Stepping up

to a genuine queen-size bed; There are three

points of access to the drawer system under

the bed; The hot and cold water plumbing isaccessible from inside.



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REVIE

INSTANT EMPIRE

QUICKLY STAKE YOUR CLAIM AT CAMP WITH THE ALLIANCE

CAMPERS WARRIOR SOFTFLOOR CAMPER.

WORDS AND PICS DAVID GILCHRIST


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MEASURING UP

> A sizeable tent with ample storage

around trailer

> A quality kitchen with large pantry

> Sturdy 14oz canvas, double

stitching throughout

> Easy set up

HITS

MISSES

> Powder-coating finish could be

better around some drawers

> Inconsistency in the qualit y of the

welded joins

> Placement of pantry above the

slide-out kitchen

> Heavy Tare weight

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The dampers

and coils ride as one; Six-stud LandCruiser

style wheels; The Warrior has the goods for

rough road travel; Ample external storage;

The wheel carrier pivots on two points for

easier handling; A 25A charger tops up two

100Ah batteries; Extra safety chains up front;

Multiple access points on the toolbox.

There’s a lot said about the quality of

internationally-sourced camper trailers

and how they compare to those

made here. And, after 12 months of

manufacturing offshore, Alliance Campers

reckons it has made the right strides in terms

of design, style and build quality. So I took a

look at the top-of-the-range softfloor camper,

the Warrior, to see if it was a bantamweight or

a true contender.

LOCAL DESIGNWhile Alliance campers are imported, they are

manufactured in the Alliance’s own factory in

China and built to an Australian design. The Warr ior i s the resul t of e ight months

of research in Australia, during which time

All iance produced four prototypes, each

a refinement of the previous one, before

arriving at the current design, which is now in

production.

FROM THE GROUND UP All iance Campers touts its Warrior

step-through softfloor camper as an offroad

camper. That suggests it should have

adequate suspension and a chassis and body

construction ready to handle the tough stuff

that the Australian bush can dish up.

A look around underneath revealed a

chassis of 60x40x4mm hot-dip galvanised

RHS attached to a drawbar of 100x50x4mm

hot-dip galvanised RHS. The body panels

are powder-coated aluminium to protect

against corrosion and to keep the camper

weight down.

Suspension-wise, the camper has shock

absorbers, heavy duty coil springs and trailingarms, which is a common setup in offroad

camper trailers.

Crawling underneath, my first impression

was that this camper was sturdy enough, but

I did wonder if one of the drawbar members

was cut as precisely as it should be. However,

All iance offers a five-year structural warranty

on the trailer, which put my mind at ease.

There was an enormous amount of storage

space with every available nook and cranny

utilised in powder-coated aluminium drawers.

On the downside, the finish of some drawers


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REVIE

trad ervs.c om.a u 47

was uneven, with the paint skin having

bubbled slightly in areas. At the time of this

review, Alliance was outsourcing its hot-dip

galvanising and power-coating processes

but, the good news is that, since this review,

All iance has brought its powder-coating

inhouse to its own factory in order to have

greater quality control.


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COMFORT AND EASE

As for the question of design, A lliance

Campers’ Warrior had the right stuff with

storage in the bedroom, under the steps in

the main tent and around the trailer including

a large front end storage box. The main

tent storage is quite remarkable with a large

slide-out drawer ample enough to keep most

of your camping bric-a-brac.

One of the camper’s most standout features

CTA RATING


2. INNOVATION

3. SELF-SUFFICIENCY


5. BUILD QUALITY

6. OFFROAD-ABILITY

7. COMFORTS

8. EASE OF USE

9. VALUE FOR MONEY

10. X-FACTOR

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Elastic and hooks

help keep the canvas taut and operating at its

best; Two pairs of hands make light work ofthe awning, which rides attached; The awning

covers the entire kitchen area; There’s enough

room to fit camp cots under awning, even

when you take into account the size of the

door; There’s self-supporting benchtop either

side of the four-burner cooktop; The fridge

slides out to reveal even more storage space;

The kitchen pulls out from the camper’s rear.

is the speed with which we went from arr iving

on-site to having the main tent up and ready

to use. It’s an ingenious, graceful system

for a softfloor camper that may even leave

some hardfloor enthusiasts green with envy. It

involves rolling the tent up and over, adjusting

a few of the internal pre-fitted poles then

hauling the floor out from underneath. It’s fast

and simple and that’s just what you want.

While the main tent took only one or two


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REVIE

minutes to establish, the annexe setup took,

perhaps, another five. However, that’s still a

lot faster than many other softfloor campers

I‘ve seen. The effort to erect the annexe is

definitely worthwhile as it almost doubles the

living space and provides coverage for the

slide-out kitchen. It’s worth considering that

the combination of the annexe together with

the main tent probably provides enough living

and sleeping space for a family of five.

The cook ing area includes a useful stainless

steel kitchen slide-out with a sink and drainer,

hose and electric pump and a four-burner

stove. Then there is a fridge slide-out with a

food fridge and enough space for a second

fridge to keep your bait or beer cold, plus

a large slide-out pantry that has heaps of

storage space.

The position of the generous pantry over the

kitchen slide-out would force me to be more


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EVIEW

organised than I’m normally am before starting

to cook but, just the same, the kitchen areaand the overall storage space were among the

best aspects of this thoughtful design.

SETTING UP CAMP The Warrior of fers owners two key ingredients:

easy, quick set up and plenty of space. Easy

set up means you’re getting down to camping

quicker and that’s better for everyone. More

space in this instance, among other things,

comes with better access to the bed thanks to

side steps. The internal staircase is a popular

feature in softfloor campers but poor access

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A walkway provides both partners access of the bed, note the DVD player and sound

system; Poles are sewn in to reduce setup times at camp; The flyscreens allow light and air to circulate through

the tent.


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www.southernlandcampers.com.au

Live your Dream

to Explore Australia In Your Southern Land Camper

Unit 6, 36 Barry St,

Bayswater. VIC 3153

03 9720 [email protected]

to best suit your needs!


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EVIEW

RIGHT: The tent is high and has large windows

to bring the best of the weather in.

BELOW RIGHT: There’s plenty of room for the

kids’ beds in the softfloor tent.

> More pictures> Specs to compare

Gas cylinders 2x9kg holdersWater135L tank with lockable waterfiller and electric water pumpCooktop Four-burnerKitchen StainlessBattery 2x100Ah

> ACCESSORIES

$24,999 (plus on-road costs)

> PRICE AS SHOWN

To enquire about this camper, visitwww.campertraileraustralia.com.

au/spec or phone (07) 3085 2830

> ENQUIRIES

> CAMPERTRAILERAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

Box size 2800x1800mmLength (hitch to tail lights) 4700mmTent size 2800x5200mm

> DIMENSIONS

Tare 1390kg

ATM 2000kgSuspension Heavy duty independentwith dual shock absorbers, coilsprings and trailing armsBrakes 12in electricCoupling Polyblock offroadChassis 60x40x4mm hot-dipgalvanised RHSDrawbar 100x50x4mm hot-dipgalvanised RHSBody Powder-coated aluminiumWheel/tyre 235/75R15 tyres, six-stud LandCruiser stud patternStyle Softfloor step through

> TRAILER

CTA SPECSALLIANCE CAMPERS

WARRIOR

Sink Four-burner stove

Queen bed

Under sleepdraw

2 x Gas bottles

Jerry Can

2 x Spare whee s

Main floor Awning

fridge

is the sort of thing that can turn a camping

weekend sour very quickly, so this is important.

Although it arguably means a larger trai ler, as I

have more generous proportions, I’d rather thespace than something with a compact design.

The downside is that in th is case, extra space

means more weight to tow. And a Tare weight

of a smidge under 1400kg is getting a bit on

the high side for a softfloor camper trailer.

Power-wise, the Warrior looks to have the

right stuff with two 100Ah batteries, a 25A

seven-stage Projecta Battery Charger and a

1000W pure sine wave inverter to help meet

your needs. For those who like to travel with an

array of electrical entertainment gadgets, there

is a DVD player and plenty of USB and power

outlets. Pick up some portable solar panels and

you really would have a decent power system.

THE VERDICT The Alliance Campers has all the hallmarks of

a brand on the move. While there was some

room for improvement in terms of fit and finish of

the Warrior, it was easy to set up and provided

plenty of living space.

A commitment to development, an impressive

determination to listen to customers and a

substantial structural warranty all show Alliance

Campers’ willingness to join the game for the

long-term.


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THE BLUE TONGUE OVERLAND XR IS COMFORTABLE

AND EASY TO USE OUT ON THE TRACKS.

WORDS DAVID COOK PICS MATTHEW FEHLBERG

KNOWHOW

REVIE


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MEASURING UP

> Good design and engineering

> Comprehensive fine-tuning of all

areas

> Excellent electrical system

> Huge fridge capacity

> Good range of options on the

canvas

HITS

MISSES

> Restricted access to pole storage

when set up

> Ensuite wall issue interfering with

essentials

> Carpet in jerry can storage area

> Limited access to the Redarc

battery monitor panel

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Coated metal

stoneguards protect your auxiliary supplies up

front; The internal lockers are carpeted ; Two

awnings allow for wall-to-wall coverage on

extended stays or fuss-free shade at a quick

stop; Two stainless steel tanks provide 150L

water capacity for extended st ays out on the

tracks; Your choice of gas ring sizes to suit yourgas consumption.

In the past decade, the Australian camper

trailer industry underwent a significant

changes when it went from having an almost

exclusively local manufacturing base to one

where many models are now produced abroad.

The quality of the imported offerings varied

greatly in those early years, but the standard of

workmanship and design in recent years has

steeply improved. Now, in line with some of the

brands seen at Camper Trailer of the Year 2016,

along with the release of other new modelssuch as the Blue Tongue Overland XR, the gap

appears to be closing.

Blue Tongue has established itself as a local

manufacturer of high quality side-fold softfloor

camper trailers but, as interest in competitively-

priced rear-fold and forward-fold hardlfoors

increased, the company sought an overseas

supplier. After trialling several sources in 2015,

Blue Tongue began shipping in three designs

from China for assembly and customisation in

its workshop in Kirrawee, NSW, and haven’t

looked back since.

WHAT IT’S GOT

The Blue Tongue Overland XR rear-fold camper

on review doesn’t break any new ground in

camper design, but it has made some great steps

forward in quality and functionality.

The basic design follows that of a traditional

rear-fold camper. It is built on a solid chassis

and drawbar made from 100x50x4mm hot-dip

galvanised tube. The drawbar runs back to the

front spring hangers and arrives in Australia in one

piece for optimal strength, as opposed to beingbolted together during assembly which can form a

weak point under the chassis.

Also under the floor are 100L and 50L

stainless steel water tanks, each complete with

checkerplate stone shield.

The suspension is a fully-adjustable dual shock

trailing arm independent setup with 12in electric

brakes and high-load 16in alloy rims. A front winch

assists in opening and closing if you feel the need,

but the guys from Blue Tongue recommend, and

easily demonstrated, the old fashioned lift and pull

approach, which places less strain on


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The camper you want is now easier to find trad ervs.c om.a u 59

REVIE


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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The new boat rack;

Lift and pull or use a winch; Optional solar

panel up top; A good depth for an easy pack-up.

the tent bows.

The fully welded steel body is smar tly finished

in a two-pack off-white with grey highlights and

stainless steel trim. It is 590mm deep, which

is more than enough to provide for plenty of

internal storage and easy pack-up, saving a lot

of straining and fiddling around to get the canvas

in on the mattress. The side awning can remain

attached during pack-up to save the need for its

removal and reattachment each time you break

and make camp.

COOKING

The kitchen is all stainless steel and includes a

three-burner Smev stove, sink, mixer tap, with a

pull-out extension at the end for additional prep

space. The kitchen and the extension both require

a supporting leg under the end. Under the bench

are cutlery and utensils drawers and a smallstorage space around the base of the sink.

Immediately adjacent to the kitchen is the fridge

slide that’s big enough for an optional fridge up

to 110L. Next to that is the pantry, consisting of

a long 560x150x145mm drawer and two shorter

drawers at 400 and 175mm deep, suitable for

items such as bottles. All drawers are carpeted

and the top of the longer drawer’s cabinet can be

used for additional prep space during cooking.

Lighting here is provided by an LED stork light

and a smaller side light which provides some

illumination in the general area.

CTA RATING


2. INNOVATION

3. BUSHABILITY


5. BUILD QUALITY

6. OFFROAD-ABILITY

7. COMFORTS

8. EASE OF USE

9. VALUE FOR MONEY

10. X-FACTOR

Setting up the tent is easy, and only requires

you to insert and extend the two front vertical

poles and two spreader bars at the rear. This sort

of adjustment is expected in a rear-fold camper

trailer tent with vertical front and rear walls. The

camper comes standard with a full-length side

awning which runs from the front, adjacent to the

hitch, to the back, but also with a shorter shade

awning which Velcroes

Documents

Camper Trailer Australia - April 2016.pdf