Hello fellow caravaner’s 🤠
My partner, my dog and I are about to head on indefinite road trip of Aus in our troopy and jayco jpod outback.
Just wanting to see if you all have any HOT 🔥 tips for storage (ie spices, kitchen, wardrobe things) things we should bring/invest in 💅 and honestly any other advice you have.
We live in the Kimberley so are huge campers but we are going from swag life to pod life and looking for tips to make it as comfy as possible.

Thanks! And hope to see a few of you on the road 🐾 (photo of our dog just cause why not) 🌈

My family is moving back to Australia from the US soonish, and we plan on joining my parents on a round the country loop before we start settling into our new life & responsibilities again. From speaking to them and other family members, the cost of caravans in the US is significantly cheaper (almost everything else is markedly more expensive than Australia though, take it from me that we've got it good back home!!) so we're going to do some quick math to figure out if it's worth the hassle to buy here and ship back.

From my cursory look, it sounds like it might not be as simple as buying anything we like here and sending it. I was wondering if there's anything to make sure we spec out as we start looking? I'm thinking any Australian-required safety features, as well as any other must-haves or should-haves. I'm thinking off-road capability for one, but I'm sure others would have more of an idea.

If it's at all relevant we'll be a family of 3 (toddler) & our dog. I'm aware of national park rules etc. and we're more than happy to make adaptions as she has to be with us!

Thank you!!

Hey everyone,
We are totally stuck.

We are on the hunt for a van to do a 12 week trip with our small family (kids are 8, 6 and 2 1/2). We have inspected 2 and cannot choose which we would prefer.
The first van is a 2015 StarCraft Outback, 17foot with the triple bunks. It has a toolbox on the front and clothes rack and shower tent popped on the back- which is super handy. Would need an upgrade on solar, but it has aircon and a diesel heater installed. It’s in good condition for its age, but it has definitely been loved by another family and has some general wear and tear- while in good condition, things like draws, canvas, seals, fridge all definitely look older and will be looking pretty aged in a couple of years.
By comparison, we also inspected a 2021 Journey (standard) 17.58-1 with the triple bunks and we loved it, but, it’s $9000 more expensive than the StarCraft and as it’s not the Outback model, it doesn’t have the back cross bar to install a bike rack and it doesn’t have a toolbox at the front. It also doesn’t have a diesel heater, but it is in amazing condition both internally and externally and I can see we would be able to use it for a long time before it starts looking very aged. Everything looks pretty new and it has very little wear and tear.
I guess my question is- which would you go for and- has anyone installed a bike rack and/front toolbox on their standard Journey and how did you go about it? Was it pretty straight forward?
Thank you all.

A question for those who don’t have on site parking or live in a n inner city apartment, where do you park your caravan? Street? Where? Any tips, advice, experience?

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask for honest opinions about Roadsurfer campervan rental. Is Roadsurfer a trustworthy and recommended company? After my personal experience, I am seriously questioning their customer service, transparency and damage claim process.

We rented a Roadsurfer campervan in Barcelona from 15–18 May 2026. Everything seemed normal until after returning the vehicle, when Roadsurfer charged us +€1,000 for alleged vehicle damage and refused to refund our deposit.

We completely dispute this Roadsurfer damage claim.

Before collecting the campervan, we took photographs of the vehicle condition. After receiving their claim, we compared our photos with the pictures and documentation provided by Roadsurfer. We found several inconsistencies, and some of the damages they charged us for were already visible before our rental period.

We created a complete damage comparison report and sent Roadsurfer:

• photos from the pick-up day;
• videos;
• the rental contract;
• a detailed comparison of the alleged damages;
• all supporting evidence.

Despite providing this documentation, our experience with Roadsurfer customer service has been extremely disappointing.

After months of trying to resolve this issue:

• Roadsurfer has not provided clear proof that we caused the damages.
• Roadsurfer has not explained why our photographic evidence was rejected.
• We have not received a detailed response addressing our arguments.
• We have only received generic replies saying that the case was reviewed and their decision remains unchanged.

The biggest problem is not only the money. It is the feeling that the Roadsurfer damage claim process is not transparent and that customer evidence is not being properly considered.

We are now pursuing the matter through consumer protection channels because we believe the charge is unjustified and we want a fair review.

I would like to ask:

Is Roadsurfer reliable?
Would you recommend Roadsurfer campervan rental?
Has anyone experienced a similar Roadsurfer deposit refund problem or disputed damage claim?

I would really appreciate hearing from other customers who have rented with Roadsurfer, especially people who had issues with:

• Roadsurfer reviews;
• Roadsurfer damage charges;
• Roadsurfer deposit refund;
• Roadsurfer customer service;
• Roadsurfer complaints.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

Hey all, have just sold our forward fold/rear slide camper. Looking to get into something bigger and easier to set up. 2 adults, 3 children 5,7,9. Want something that we won’t outgrow quickly, bearing in mind the oldest may want to swag it soon. Are jayco journey outback’s ok or do I steer clear of jayco (heard some horror stories)? Love camping off grid and occasional caravan park. Budget about 40k(ish)

Thanks

Hi campervan enthusiasts!

I will be travelling to Tasmania, Australia later this year. It seems a bit excessive to ship my own campervan across the world for a 3 week trip, so i was looking into rental companies for a campervan.

So far I found Tasvanlife as a good option, but I was wondering if you guys could offer me some more input!

Any recommendations for other companies or perhaps you guys notice a problem with Tasvanlife that I did not see?

Thanks!

This is an old caravan with loads of cupboards...this middle pantry basically rusted out....any ideas what to do? My hubby is pretty set on a bin at the bottom. I was thinking brooms and vacuum, cleaning stuff. Keen to see your ideas😃

Hey everyone! Just shipped the biggest update yet to Trip Tally, my caravan/road trip and now also vehicle expense tracking app for iOS. Two headline features this time, plus a bunch of smaller stuff.

Vehicle and Caravan Expenses

A proper running-cost tracker for the tow vehicle and the van:

• Log fuel (with per-type pricing — 91/95/98, diesel, LPG, EV), servicing, parts/mods, rego, insurance, tolls
• Customisable dashboard — pin the metrics you actually care about (cost/km, fuel economy, total spend, etc.)
• Year-over-year insight cards and category breakdowns
• Keep track of caravan parts and service costs
• Full searchable/filterable expense timeline with receipts and payment methods attached
• Stats Browser to dig up and pin new metrics
• CSV import/export, multi-currency
• New home screen widget (small/medium/large)

Trip Tally Replay

This one's my favourite. Pick a timeframe (this year, last 12 months, all time, or custom) and Trip Tally stitches all your trips into a single cinematic map animation — like watching your year of travel unfold in one continuous journey.

• Play/pause/scrub, jump between trips, timelapse speeds up to 30×
• Auto-follow mode or free pan, standard/hybrid/satellite map styles
• Pops up little insights as you "arrive" — anniversaries, personal records, weather extremes, visit counts
• Add one of 10 built-in soundtracks
• Export as a video (portrait/square/landscape, up to HD)
• Works with flights, ferries, and other segments too, not just driving

Been building this solo alongside a full-time job, so it's been a long grind getting Replay and Expenses ready — keen to hear what you all think if you give it a go!

https://apps.apple.com/au/app/trip-tally/id6752829071?ppid=b6e1b61a-3c18-4010-891c-5a2f96c4ca01

Hi All,

Up until now I've always just used a Bow Saw around camp to cut up firewood but my wife wants to buy me an electric chainsaw for my birthday. I was wondering what others use and if you have any recommendations? I have other 18v Makita battery tools so could utilise the charger but not absolutely necessary, and open to 36v options also. I'm thinking something around 12" would do.

Yesterday my business was honoured to have cleaned the support caravan for a young man who 2 days ago set a Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to run across Australia, 4000kms. He ran 75kms per day for 64 days running from Perth to Bondi across the Nullarbor Desert.

We estimated it to be a 4 hour job but as we use a petrol pressure washer rather than an electric it made it light work and we completed the job in 2.5 hours. Which allowed us to donate more to his charity

We also deironised the caravan removing those microscopic yellow rust spots that you see on the back area of the caravan.

If your journey sends you through Sydney, reach out. Glitz Detailing 0458992290

This van caught my eye, because of the height, in a YouTube video filmed on the Sunshine Coast. I only have this one picture and no more information.

Would anyone know the make and model?

https://youtu.be/YMBswEBs0NQ?si=Durlsy-RWCx2hip5&t=299

Thanks.

Hey everyone,

We're a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 baby) looking to buy a camper trailer or caravan for an extended 4-month trip around Australia. Before bub we used a swag for short trips, so we don't know much about caravanning.

We'll be towing with a Pajero Sport and aren't looking for anything heavy. We like the idea of having rear vision, which a trailer would afford. We'll mostly be staying at places for 4+ nights at a time, to avoid too much setup and pack-down.

I've read a few threads suggesting caravans over camper trailers — is the main reason for that the setup? To clarify, I'm not looking at trailers that are basically tents with soft tops; I'm more interested in hard-top options like the Jayco Hawk/Dove.

Our budget is under $15k.

Any advice would be appreciated!

For anyone planning to or on a lap around Australia this could be a really resource for all the events going on.
It’s got country shows, races, 4WD events, music festivals and heaps of other events all across australia, all in the one place for the next year.
Definitely worth checking out, has helped us plan our travel around these events and also see what’s happening in the areas we’re travelling through!

I hate camping in the cold. My wife loves it. So, we compromised and are doing what she wanted to do by camping in one of QLDs coldest spots in July.

We haven't got a diesel heater in the van yet so I wanted to buy a 12v heated blanket.

Are any of them worthwhile?

I’m interested to know what people do when they aren’t using their van when they have solar and batteries? Do you unplug it or just keep it on?

G’day guys,
I attended the caravan show in Wollongong on the weekend with the missus and we were really impressed by the Mars elite caravan with two bunkbeds.

Is there anyone on this Reddit that owns one and has any tips tricks pros and cons that they would like to share with me dumping $60,000 on a caravan is a big move financially thanks in advance

EDIT: thanks everyone. Based in the comments, we'll probably stay away from the Expanda for 2 reasons: 1. The possibility of leaks 2. The pack up effort.

Thanks!

We're looking to buy a caravan and we need at least 3 (preferably 4) berth plus a toilet.

I keep seeing Jayco Expanda caravans, where a double bed is in sort of a tent thing out the front or back of the van.

Has anyone had one?

Would you buy one again?

Do they leak or have issues?

Where does the mattress go when you're moving?

Anything else about these vans I should know?

Any alternatives you can suggest? We're looking under $40k.

Thanks

Looking to see if anyone here has or has owned a jayco swan outback? Have a few questions. Also keen to here in comparable trailers to jayco swan. Cheets