Five alternative tow tugs

There’s more than one way to tow a caravan or camper trailer

Tractor pull

You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy tractors, says Hugh Campbell, the founder of the Chamberlain 9G Tractor Club which heads out on regular treks around the country, pulling a variety of camper trailers and caravans.

The WA-based club started around 1999 and has grown to around 70 members as the appeal of these vintage tractors, which were made in Australia from 1947 to 1977 before bought out by John Deere, grows.

They try to keep off the main roads for obvious reasons, although they’re hardly slugs with a cruising speed of of 50km/h or more, while the four-cylinder Perkins engine slurps fuel at around 18L/100km.

Going a bit slower has its advantages, explains member Dianne Turnock: “You get to see so much more, and we do stop and start quite a bit so if you see something you want to take a look at, you can.”

The old tractors have also been modified with UHF and headset systems and in some cases a full cabin added including better seats, a stereo and air-conditioning.

Horsin’ around

Caravanners are often accused of holding up traffic, but you’d have a good excuse if behind the reins of one of these horse-drawn rigs from Victoria-based Colonial Way Caravans.

Giving new meaning to ‘slow travel’, the business is based in the Victorian goldfields town of Rheola and offers family-friendly holidays using old-style gypsy caravans pulled by Clydsdale horses. It’s a unique camping experience and reckon they’re the only ones offering ‘real’ horsepower-driven caravans in Australia.

The timber vans feature a truck-style dog trailer set- up – four wheels in each corner – for stability.

Routes are flexible, and generally involve meandering along bush trailers before pulling up to a nice campsite along the river.

With one double bed and three bunks, each cara-wagon can sleep five, plus there’s a gas stove/grill, gas lantern, barbecue plate, and a basic bush toilet and shower.

You can even bring your dog, and rates are around $1000 a week for up to four people.

Two wheel towing

Road tripping motorcyclists usually have to choose between loading up the bike with extra storage compartments for camping gear, using a sidecar or staying in motels.

Or they can hitch up a lightweight camper trailer that’s been specifically designed to tow behind a motorbike.

We spotted a neat rig in Tasmania a couple of years ago, with two up on a comfy Honda Goldwing towing a decent-sized, Elite single axle camper trailer.

Elite is one of a handful of motorcycle camper specialists in Australia, with a number of models with GVM ratings of between 300 and 450kg.

The all come equipped with a queen bed and storage areas, with options to fit an awning and annexe walls, fridge, 12V battery system, solar panels, picnic table, and fuel tank, depending on model.

One of the best things about these campers is they take up little room and feature a removable drawbar for easier transport and storage.

Prices for the Elite campers range from around $4500-$10,000, which isn’t bad considering you can easily spend $30,000 on a touring bike these days.

Pedal power

This could be the least user-friendly but most health-enhancing option when it comes to hauling along a mobile home.

These micro-light vans or trailers are rarely seen in Australia, but increasingly common in Europe where push bikes are more acceptable as everyday transport and even full-size caravans are pretty light and easy to tow.

Some of these vans squeeze in fixed beds, kitchens and bathrooms, and are often narrow enough to be pulled down sidewalks. For lazier types, they can also be towed behind battery-powered bicycles and mobility scooters.

Doubling up

For some people, the copious space and storage possibilities of a large motorhome are not enough, and towing a trailer behind a motorhome to carry more gear or another vehicle becomes an option.

You see a few motorhomes on the highways towing trailers carrying a small car or 4WD, fishing boat, or other recreational plaything, but few pulling a caravan.

But that doesn’t mean it never happens, with one high-profile example when ex-Olympic swimmer Lisa Curry hit the road with the support of Jayco, towing a big toy hauler caravan behind a 28ft luxury motorhome with 3000kg tow rating.

All up, the caravan road-train provided up to 10 sleeping options for Lisa and her travelling companion!

What’s the most unusual tow vehicle you’ve spotted in your travels?

Five alternative tow tugs

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