Planning your Ultimate Caravan Holiday

Planning your Ultimate Caravan Holiday

  Heading out in the caravan or camper trailer these holidays?

We've got the three most important things to make planning your ultimate caravan holiday a breeze!  

PREPARE YOUR TOWING VEHICLE AND CARAVAN

It’s important to pay close attention to the features and benefits that come with your caravan. What is it capable of? What are some of the drawbacks? Can it handle rough off-road terrain? If you’re purchasing a new caravan, ask your dealer to take a test drive of the caravan to get a feeling of how to drive it attached to your vehicle on the road and learn how to park it before taking it on your trip.

Plan your trip and make notes of the fuel stations and towns along the way. Create a checklist and ensure your caravan is properly stocked with everything you require, including emergency equipment. Don’t forget to inform family and friends where you will be travelling, so they can check in with you to ensure your safe and well.

Before leaving your starting location, and each location along the trip, ensure your caravan is properly packed for safe travel. The first step is to ensure all cords (such as the electrical cord to power mains) are disconnected from the caravan. Store all appliances in secured cupboards and secure your clothes and belongings.

If you have a pop-top caravan, lower and lock in the roof for travel. Turn off the gas, fill up your water containers and pack away external accessories such as caravan awnings and fold-down tables. Check the fluid levels of your vehicle including brake fluid, petrol and coolant.

Finally, do a walk around your caravan to ensure it is all secured for travel. Hook up the caravan to your vehicle, turn off the handbrake and remove chocks. Also, check that the jockey wheel has been removed or raised and secured.

Caravanning Queensland offer free safety checks around the state that includes weighing and measuring any recreational vehicle from camper trailers to motorhomes, with gas inspectors conducting safety checks – and best of all they offer an amnesty on breaches, so you can go off and fix it before you get pulled over on the highway to your holiday.

FIND THE RIGHT CAMP

Once you get to each location, look for even ground to park your caravan. Put on the handbrake, lower the jockey wheel and place wheel chocks under each tyre to make sure the caravan is stable and secured. Dismount your vehicle from the caravan and connect your caravan to power mains (if available). If you have a pop-top caravan, raise the roof and secure it in place. Open your caravan awning and set up your equipment, tables and chairs.

BIG4 Holiday Parks

BIG4 Holiday Parks are all over Australia, and have become the go-to campsite for many families.

That doesn’t mean that everyone is jammed into a crowded park – it means that the individually run parks are backed by BIG4 to offer family friendly options in addition accommodation – from kids clubs to mini golf, water playgrounds to bike hire. BIG4 Holiday Parks are generally bigger than your usual camping ground set up, and many have won awards for their facilities with guests complimenting range of accommodation (everything from tent sites and slabs for your caravan to luxury cabins) and all the activities on offer.

There are special deals for guests staying at parks, including discounts on local experiences and – if you sign up to become a BIG4 Member – you can save every time you book at a BIG4 Holiday Park, as well as get discounts on everything from car hire to insurance (even adventures to book while you’re on holiday!)

Discovery Parks

Only want the best for your next holiday? Discovery Parks rates and reviews the best caravan parks, holiday parks and resort parks – reviewing the park, even providing tips on what you can do during your stay.

Certain parks even offer specials on accommodation, holiday packages and senior discounts and even gift vouchers available for someone just about to embark on their trip away – or planning one, with vouchers valid for up to 24 months.

Hipcamp

WithHipcamp you can discover and book tent camping, caravan parks, cabins, and glamping—everywhere from national parks to blueberry farms. It's is an online marketplace company that offers outdoor stays and camping experiences via a website and mobile app. Private landowners primarily list campsites, glampsites, RV space, cabins for users to discover and book based on listing type, location, landscape, activities offered, and amenities.

DRIVE SAFE

The most important thing is to relax, go where the road takes you and don’t try to plan too far ahead. We never made too many forward bookings at caravan parks or camping grounds because we didn’t want to be too regimented. This is one of the best things about caravanning around Australia – no set itineraries and absolute freedom!

If you need a bigger car to tow the boat for your next trip, Motorama can find the perfect vehicle to fit your lifestyle.