Rick Huckstepp•9 Sept 2017

REVIEW

Extreme Outback Curlew

Unique boat-loading, off-road pop-top stands out from the crowd

There are plenty of hybrid models on the market, purporting to mix the best of caravan and camper trailer design, but how many can really withstand

the rigours of Outback travel?

New Queensland manufacturer, Extreme Outback Campers, with its new boat-topper pop-top appears to have come close, with its ‘live inside’ layout and ability to handle harsh terrain.

Not to mention quality finish; not bad for a prototype!

LONG STORY SHORT

What we see here comes as no accident.

Long story short, Outback Campers’ Mark Timms was in the market for a camper trailer with sheltered living behind solid walls built, all built on a chassis that could handle the Cape with boat carrying capabilities. A tall order indeed!

Unable to find a manufacturer willing to fulfil his requirements, Timms (an experienced shop fitter by trade) went it alone and the Curlew was born….

Relatively compact at 4350mm/14ft 6in long (internal body length) and 2020mm/6ft 8in wide, the Curlew sits on a sturdy platform of 150 x 50 x 3mm main chassis rails, with a drop down goose neck crafted from steel plate onto which a DO35 off road hitch is fitted.

Tubular rock sliders (50 x 3mm) are fitted all round and the bottom rear edge of the body is aggressively upswept to help clear obstacles when traversing embankments.

The rear half rock sliders form part of the rear bumper bar on which two spare wheels are fitted.

The rear hitch point is designed to accept typical Hayman Reese accessories like bicycle racks and would also be a good place to mount an outboard motor rack of sorts.

Also under the rear can be found the inlets for the two 125L poly water tanks, plus a single 35L stainless steel drinking water tank plumbed to a filter.

MORE OFF-ROAD STUFF

Recovery points under the rear are easily accessed and fitted with bow shackles, and standard fit is Vehicle Component’s air bagged swinging arm suspension with twin shocker absorbers on each arm.

The nearside rear wall has a caravan-style Dometic awning which should be easier to pull up for a smoko than a Fox-Wing style shade usually seen on camper trailers, that requires roping down to prevent wind damage.

The caravan-style pop top roof is lifted via three worm drives built into the inner walls and operated electronically from the console behind a nearside hatch. However, the party trick here is that the pop top can be lifted up with the dinghy in situ, although to remove the boat it must be in the down position.

To unload the dinghy, a steel frame is inserted into the rear hitch point, the securing strap released and a remote hand-piece plugged into the side console.

The boat manually slides rearward while paying out Spectra cable from the roof top’s two tonne electric winch and as the hull lowers it pulls up on two transom lanyards.

From there the boat transom rests on the inserted steel frame and the weight of the dinghy tips it over the correct way up as more winch line is paid out before coming to rest on the ground.

This is a very effective, almost effortless method of toting and manhandling a boat from a high position, in what otherwise could be a treacherous job.

A big tool box in front of the main body holds a slide-out BBQ, roll-top cooker in one side while in the other a 2kVa Honda generator is slide mounted.

The fuel tank for the Airtronic diesel heater is also located here, and on top a lid opens to provide access to a large area for extra tarps, poles and the like. There’s also a firewood rack.

There’s also a full width boot for more storage, and behind that are the twin 120Ah batteries with a tool drawer above.

Also accessed externally is the removable toilet cassette and a hot and cold external shower on the rear wall.

WELL-EQUIPPED INTERIOR

Entering the Curlew via the nearside rear door, there’s a well-appointed kitchen to the right with two-burner gas cook top and plumbed sink in a module that has five drawers, two large cupboards and a full width shoe locker.

Straight ahead a three-quarter height unit extends towards the front, while the offside corner contains a decent-sized combination shower and toilet with a privacy curtain extending down from the ceiling.

Forward of the shower cubicle is a 121 litre Dometic three-way fridge under more overhead cupboards, while not far away is the 22.6L Suburban hot water service installed to provide easy access to plumbing.

Opposite the fridge is a bench lounge with more storage underneath and there are storage drawers fitted at the end of the bed base too.

The queen size mattress is inner sprung and a tie down point at each corner of the base means gear such as tables and chairs can be secured on top for when you hit the rough stuff. There’s also some bedside storage for magazines and books next to the bed.

The TV, air-conditioning cooling vent and other monitoring and switching gear are also located on a wall close to the fridge.

OUTDOORS DINING

So the weather is too nice to be inside?

Outside under the awning is a chef’s kitchen with a large pull-out sink and twin burner gas cooker drawer unit that includes a pull-out stainless steel BBQ.

The sink and a two burner gas cook top have separate flush lids and the extended bench top folds back or can be fixed in the upright position as a wind break.

Storage includes a pull-out utensil drawer, another long drawer plus a couple more drawers, one of which is deep enough for pots and pans.

The internal cabinetry is constructed from lightweight 16mm Colourboard while the external kitchen drawers are aluminium.

VERDICT

At $95,000, Outback Campers’ first model is right up there among the more expensive trailers on the market. But then few campers fulfill the hybrid brief as well as the Curlew does, and it’s solidly built and nicely finished to boot.

The boat loader is a hands-down winner in the simplicity and practicality stakes and with three cooking stations on board the bush chef will be fully sated.

WE LIKED:
>> Off-road ready
>> Great boat loader
>> Fit and finish

NOT SO MUCH:
>> Unproven
>> Pricey
>> Do you really need three kitchens?

EXTREME OUTBACK CAMPERS THE CURLEW

Overall length: 6920mm

Internal body length: 4350mm

External body width: 2020mm

Internal height: 1500mm (pop top closed), 2000mm (raised)

Travel height: 2600mm (without boat)

Tare: 2100kg

ATM: 3400kg

Ball weight (Tare): 180kg

Body/frame: 3mm plywood internal walls with vinyl finish; 25 x2 5mm aluminium welded box section frames behind external walls of 4mm composite panel.

Chassis: 150 x 50 x 3mm galvanised steel zinc, primed and powder coated

Wheels: 16in alloy

Brakes: 12in electric

Stability control: No

Cooking: Two-burner gas cooker (internal). Two-burner gas cooker, BBQ and roll top cooker, slide-out BBQ (external)

Microwave: No

Fridge/freezer: Dometic 121L three-way

Toilet: Thetford cartridge type

Shower/toilet: Combination (internal) and external shower

Air-con: Aircommand Heron 2.2

Central heating: Eberspacher diesel

Hot water: 22.6L Suburban

Gas: 2 x 4kg

Lighting: LED inside and out

Batteries: 2 x 120Ah Rita deep cycle

Solar: 2 x 180W marine grade

Price: $95,000

Supplied by: Extreme Outback Campers, Brendale, Queensland

Extreme Outback Curlew

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