Another Melbourne-built monster fifth-wheeler emerges

Melbourne's Trailblazers RV has kicked off the New Year in style, delivering another top-shelf fifth-wheel caravan with slide-out to a well-heeled customer this week, at its Dingley Village, Victoria HQ and factory.

The custom-built 28ft tandem axle, fifth-wheel caravan boasts a spacious couple's layout including the usual 'master bedroom' with raised queen bed in the front nose cone, a split bathroom, and a two-person dinette at the rear that converts to another bed.

The rear offside slide-out houses twin recliners (that face a 60in TV) and a section of the extra-large kitchen, while the layout also allows for huge amounts of internal storage, including a bank of floor-to-ceiling cupboards and drawers in the hallway just before you enter the bedroom.

A total of 1600W rooftop solar feeds an 800kW lithium battery system, with a 3000W inverter to help run a number of domestic-style appliances including a front load washing machine and dish washer, gas/induction cooktop, three-in-one oven, air conditioner, and internal and external large-screen TVs.

Other highlights include extra-large side windows, a diesel ducted heating system, Starlink satellite set-up, electric awning and external oven/BBQ.

While not designed for extensive off-road travel, the latest Trailblazers fifth-wheeler is fitted with Teko Tuffride Stage 4 airbag suspension.

Trailblazers RV boss Phil Richardson said with a 3600kg Tare and 4500kg ATM, the 28ft fifth wheeler will be towed by its new owners behind a GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali pick-up. He said the customer paid around $270,000 for the custom-built creation, although they could have paid more with a 'full electric' set-up.

"(With the nose cone over the tray bed), it's equivalent to a 21ft caravan (in length)," he explained, in regards to one of the many benefits of buying a fifth-wheel caravan.

Trailblazers is one of a handful of Aussie manufacturers that still offer a super-sized fifth-wheel caravan with a slide-out, not to mention smaller off-road versions. Fifth wheelers were sold locally in decent numbers up until around 10-15 years ago, before a drop off in demand spurred by negative publicity around American-built imported models.

Melbourne's Sunliner and Queensland's Winjana RV continue to offer made-to-order fifth-wheel options, while Australia's largest RV manufacturer Jayco failed to attract enough buyers for its short-lived 5th Wheeler during the couple of years it offered the model.

However, the American-style travel trailers could be making a comeback, as they're particularly suited to the rising number of US pick-ups on Aussie roads. Richardson said Trailblazers currently has 32 orders on the books for its big fifth wheelers, mostly in the up-spec 27ft to 33ft body length bracket, with a typical buyer a cashed-up early retiree in the 55 to 75 age group.

In business for 20 years, Trailblazers is also known for its other niche builds including off-road truck campers, toy haulers, compact hybrids, and more recently, premium off-road caravans.