For many good reasons, it’s time to explore Australia for the first time – or again.
— Michael Browning
State by state, region by region, road by off-road, Australia is awakening from its enforced Coronavirus travel slumber.
There is no universal advice yet, but it’s fairly safe to say that by the next round of school holidays in late July, you should be able to travel to most of the country, although some remote communities may remain off-limits a little longer to keep them safe. So this is very general advice and you should do you own detailed homework before hitting the road.
Just how far you will be able to travel, and when, could vary. It looks like many states will allow you to venture up to 500km away from home, maybe more. For some, this represents a solid day’s travel; for those taking less-travelled roads, it will take longer.
But if the Coronavirus shutdown has taught us something, it’s to slow down, smell the roses and ignore what our parents told us – talk to strangers.
Like a football team re-emerging to play, we need to prepare for this new dawn like it’s our first. Even the experienced amongst us will need to recall our hitch-up routine, check there are no ants or mold in the water tanks or taps, lubricate some moving parts that have been dormant for many months and ensure we’ve packed all necessities of off-grid travel: power cords and water hoses, an extra spare wheel, a jump starter or leads, a fuel jerry can, a working jack and puncture repair kit, basic tools, snatch strap, etc.
For many, the trip will be their first beyond the safe cocoon of the caravan park and here you need expert advice and some pre-planning. Be aware that when the travel ‘gun’ goes off, many people will be off and running for the best spots, whether in your state or someone else’s.
For example, following the cancelation of the sold-out 2020 Big Red Bash in early April, most existing ticket holders are planning to be there from 6-8 July, 2021 rather than get a refund.
The BRB organisers say only around 10 per cent of ticket holders have asked for and received a refund for this year’s event and these tickets will go on sale via the event’s website from 9am on Tuesday, June 2. So if you want to be there, you need to act now. This is just one example.
As one of a handful of Australian companies exclusively manufacturing extreme off-road camper trailers, hybrid off-road caravans and now – since its recent purchase of long-established custom off-road caravan specialist, Trakmaster – TRACK – and its many owners, has proven history here.
The experience in meeting demanding Defence Force contracts and the collective remote area experience of its many owners has been incorporated into its RV products over more than 30 years, allowing owners to head into difficult terrain with unique confidence.
There’s no disputing that the Tvan is a hard shell camper trailer icon, after being voted Camper Trailer of the Year several times since its introduction in 2000, with its profile as distinctive and proud as that of a Porsche 911.
The hybrid pop-top Topaz launched in 2011 shared much in common with the Tvan, but its larger size made it more appealing to many couples and long-term travellers. The latest T4 range introduced last year is ever roomier inside and brings many new comfort and technical features to this extreme off-road range.
Now with the addition of Trakmaster caravans, TRACK adds larger off-road caravan expertise from a specialist custom manufacturer to its range, offering long-term travellers the confidence to live off the grid in comfort for extended periods.
A common feature of all these models is that they were designed with harsh operating conditions in mind, meaning that they are highly sought after on the second hand market, where they hold their value better than most faux off-roaders.
If you are considering investing in an off-road camper or caravan, you really need to benchmark them first against other ‘off-roaders’ on the market.
So, once you’ve done your homework and made your choice, where should you go?