| I'm
actively planning to buy a campervan or motorhome, but am confused
about size, type etc. Can you give me a few general guidelines? |
| Unless you are travelling
with children, or are seeking a truly mobile-home, buy the smallest
vehicle that fulfils your needs, not the largest you can afford, or
otherwise desire. Most experienced users find a Toyota Coaster-sized
vehicle big enough even for permanent living, yet affordable, manoeuvrable,
small enough to park in towns, and to fit into out-of-the-way camp
sites. |
| I'm not sure whether to have a
diesel or petrol engine in my next big campervan. What the relative
benefits? |
Petrol engines are
generally cheaper, quieter, smoother, and friendlier to drive in
cities. On the downside they are more complex, use more fuel, require
more service, and are less suited to towing.
Diesel engines are simpler, generally more reliable, have greater
low-down 'pulling power', and use about 40% less fuel, but are noisier
and less flexible.
If driving extensively in cities, petrol engines are
generally more satisfactory, but for a campervan or motorhome used
extensively in the country (especially in remote areas) I'd pick
a diesel every time - preferably turbo-charged.
|
| I'm planning to fit out my own
medium-sized motorhome. Any general advice please on layout and constructional
methods? |
Preferably have a layout
that provides walk through access to the driving cab. Have all heavy
weights low down. Allow about two cubic metres storage, plus (if
possible) a further quarter of a cubic metre/person for personal
bits and pieces. Keep it light! Be very careful with chipboard -
it weighs over 20 kg a sq.m - and you'll be surprised how much is
required. Marine quality plywood is better, powder-coated aluminium
better still. Consider wire baskets instead of shelves: they are
cheap, light, simple, and versatile. An awning is virtually essential.
How do I register my owner-built coach as a motorhome?
The coach must be within its permitted GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass),
and be completed to the extent that it can reasonably be used for
its intended purpose. In particular, all sleeping and cooking facilities
must be in place. You are not legally required to have a shower
or toilet, but if you do, they must be in working order.
You must first obtain a Certificate of Weight from
a registered weighbridge (see Yellow pages for locations), and Certificates
of Installation for gas and mains electricity (but not for extra-low
voltage dc installations. Take these to an authorised service station
and ask for a Certificate of Roadworthiness for motorhome registration.
Then take this lot to the local Motor Registry. |
| What sort of things can I run from
solar power? |
Depends on how many panels etc, but
briefly most things that do not generate heat as their main purpose.
Thus lights, TVs, VCRs, water pumps, most kitchen appliances like
blenders, grinders etc are fine. It cannot be practicably used for
cooking, water heating or air conditioning.
Microwave ovens may be used for very short periods of a minute of
two - but draw up to two and a half times their rated power (e.g.
an 800 watt microwave oven generates 800 watts in heat, but consumes
up to 2000 watts in doing so). |
| What is the most efficient form
of lighting? |
| Compact fluorescents are by far the
most efficient, but most need an inverter to run them. The next most
efficient are halogen globes. Incandescent globes are energy gobblers. |
| Can I fit an instantaneous gas
water heater in my motorhome? |
| In Australia, the Gas Installation
Code prohibits the use of a flue-less water heater (or space heater)
other than a room-sealed type. A room-sealed gas appliance is one
designed such that air for combustion is not drawn from, nor exhaust
products enter into, the room (which means all of a motorhome) in
which it is located. These are rare devices, but Rinnai states that
its 'Infinity Internal 20' meets the requirements of the Code. |
| How much water do I need to carry? |
| Twenty litres/day per person is a
realistic minimum. |
| Is there worthwhile TV reception
outside major towns - if so what is the best type of TV and antenna? |
| All but the smallest Australian towns
have local TV coverage, almost exclusively in the UHF bands (Channels
28-69). Given an adequate antenna, good reception is available within
15/25 km radius of small towns, and up to 75 km of large ones. No
single antenna will optimally receive all channels. If spending most
time away from big cities it's more practicable to have an UHF-only
antenna. There are many types of such antenna but price is a reasonable
guide to quality. Avoid the omni-directional dome-shaped units. |
| How safe is it to camp away from
provided facilities like caravan parks? |
| Although it's rare, drunken and/or
bored hoons have been known to hassle those camping alone but such
problems seem limited to 30/40 km of towns. Physical attacks are fortunately
rare, but for piece of mind I recommend a vehicle with ready internal
access to the driving cab. If in any doubt, pack up everything before
going to bed so that you can drive straight out if necessary. Lock
all external doors and leave the keys in the ignition. Where at all
feasible camp out of sight of passing vehicles. Outside a caravan
park, National Parks are the next safest places to camp. |
| How do authorities define 'camping'? |
| Authorities define camping in various
ways, and local Health Dept regulations may forbid the occupied overnight
parking in defined areas. In practice you are likely to be left undisturbed
if you do not raise a pop-top roof, do not place anything outside,
and do not let anything drain onto the ground. But do not stay overnight
anywhere near an established caravan park, and absolutely do not cheat
by using their facilities for nothing. A good defense is to ask why
is it OK for truck drivers, but not motorhome drivers. |
What is the legal position
if found consuming alcohol in a parked motorhome? |
Section 25 of the
Police Offences Act makes it illegal to drink alcohol in a public
street or public place (prescribed by regulation for the purpose
of Section 25). Subsection 25(5) extends Section 25 to make it an
offence to consume alcohol in a stationary motor vehicle, which
is in a public street or (prescribed) public place.
The intent of the Act is, from Hansard 10 May 1995,
'to cover those people who go from hotels to their cars, with liquor,
and sit there drinking their liquor. Often, after consuming the
liquor, they return to the hotel, purchase more, and on the way
to and fro, damage property and otherwise conduct themselves in
an antisocial manner.'
Thus it is technically an offense to consume alcohol
in a campervan or motorhome even whilst settled down for the night
in a public street or (prescribed) place, but most police officers
are aware of the intent of the Act. It is unlikely that they would
take any action. If they did, the charge would almost certainly
be thrown out of court. |
| How much does it cost to 'live
on the road'? |
| There is a detailed analysis in 'The
Campervan & Motorhome Book', but as a generalisation, most couples
spend between $17,500 and $22,500 a year. This includes all costs
except presents and vehicle depreciation (the latter is very low for
well-made motorhomes). |
| I'm planning an 'Around-Australia'
- is there a preferable direction of travel? |
| Strong prevailing winds are such that
it's best to travel anticlockwise. Travelling the other way around
requires surprisingly more fuel. |
| Would I need a 4WD campervan to
travel the main inland routes - such as the Oodnadatta and Birdsville
Tracks? |
You don't need
4WD per se, but it is necessary to have good ground clearance, and
good sealing. One of the major advantages of 4WD vehicles however
is that they are very robust and will last far longer if you intend
to do a great deal of such travelling.
There are a few exceptions to the above. The last
450 km to the tip of Cape York is extremely rough and even knocks
4WDs around; the Tanami track is currently badly broken up by mining
vehicles; the Gunbarrel Highway is severely corrugated and I would
not recommend it in anything other than a good 4WD. |
