Is this Australia's coolest off-grid hybrid caravan?

Are you looking for something a bit different from the countless 'cookie cutter' hybrid pop-top caravans on the market, with their often oversized, camper trailer-style slide-out kitchens, pre-shrunk caravan-clone interiors and sometimes clunky, fiddly set-ups?

Well, Victorian boutique manufacturer Wallaroo Caravans has put on the thinking cap and gone down a different route with its latest 17ft 6in off-road pop-top, that offers a fresh take on the popular half camper/half caravan hybrid format.

"I wanted it to be really unique and introduce some ideas that haven't really been done before," explained Wallaroo Caravans founder Mick Neil about the new Wallaroo Hybrid 48V model released earlier this year.

One of the brainwaves was to move the traditional external kitchen area from the side to the front in order to bring the outside in, and allow the 17ft 6in Wallaroo Hybrid to deliver a close to cafe-style experience in a remote bush setting.

"It's a true indoor/outdoor kitchen; the bench is the same height whether you're inside or out," he explained.

"That was the main thing I wanted to achieve, as you get some other hybrids with inside/outside kitchens but once you're inside, the (outside) bench is at knee height."

This 'level playing area' is achieved with a large hatch that opens up the front, and a front deck or platform that folds out across the drawbar, at the same height as the internal floor.

It means the internal kitchen bench and sink are within easy reach from outside, with a nearby drawbar mount for the Weber bbq and a sailtrack awning for more shelter if required.

"There's also a roller door inside so you can quickly close it off if you need to, if the weather is bad or the bugs are out," he said.

Despite what appears to be quite a few moving parts Mick reckons it only takes a couple of minutes to set up the Wallaroo Hybrid, with the power-operated pop-top roof, side awning, jockey wheel and entry steps helping speed up the process.

"When you're travelling the side (platform) wings fold up and so essentially you end up with another big storage area for things like firewood or ground mats," he said.

Step inside and you'll also quickly notice a very different arrangement for the dinette/lounge seating, separate shower and compost toilet, and bedding for four people.

"The other unique feature is that the kids sleep at roof level, above the parents," he said.

The stacked north-south double and twin single beds are fixed, so there's also little effort required to set up inside, and Mick reckons it works well in practice despite the close proximity of parents and offspring.

"I was expecting it to be a bit noisier with the kids above bouncing around, but being a composite base and with a couple of other tricks we did, it's been pretty quiet," he explained.

Other features you don't expect with a 5.45m long x 2.25m wide hybrid body include a 2.5kg washing machine and drawer fridge located in external lockers, while the premium fit-out also includes an under-bunk air conditioner, 212 litre compressor fridge, portable induction cooktop, 27in TV, Starlink ready connections, solid surface bench tops and pocket spring mattresses all round.

While for bush baristas there's the option of a coffee machine that slots into a dedicated pantry slide-out...

There's also plenty of off-grid power in the form of an Ecoflow 10kwh 48V lithium battery system with a 2600W inverter and 1500W rooftop solar, along with 300L fresh/95L grey water tanks, and a big 40L diesel tank to keep the hot water and space heater running for longer.

Like other Wallaroo 'vans, the 17ft 6in Hybrid boasts timber-free construction including a fibreglass sandwich panel body with honeycomb floor and composite cabinetry, and it rides on a Duragal chassis with Cruisemaster XT airbag suspension, a DO-35 coupling and disc brakes, plus there's Raptor external protection.

As a "high quality, low volume builder", and with all 'vans built to order, the 17ft 6in Wallaroo Hybrid Series starts at $162,500, with a couple's layout also available. Tare mass is approximately 2620kg, with a maximum payload of 880kg.

A carpenter by trade, Mick and his wife established Drouin South, Victoria-based Wallaroo Caravans in 2018 after getting hooked on the caravan lifestyle in their 20s.

While he says there's been plenty of interest so far in the innovative new Hybrid, Wallaroo's best seller remains the more conventional 19ft 6in Couple's hardtop model.