New Age Wallaby

When Melbourne's New Age exploded onto the Australian caravan market in 2009, it was with a shotgun spray of models.

The original 13ft Little Joey, named after founder and former caravan framer Joe Barrasso, was soon joined by the larger and progressively more luxurious Bilby, Manta Ray, Big Red, Oz Classic and Jewel models in lengths up to 24ft. ??And amongst them for a short time around four years ago was the 16ft Rockin' Wallaby pop-top.

Now in 2014, following a product rationalisation by dynamic managing director Gabby Barrasso, who has now taken control of the company, New Age has re-introduced the pop-top with brand new 15ft and 16ft Wallaby models, starting at $39,990 delivered in Victoria.

That is pretty sharp pricing for a fully-featured caravan by any standard, but it's a real attention grabber coming from New Age, whose current production of around 1000 caravans a year makes it one of the country's leading players.

It's more interesting when you consider that even the entry-level WA15E reviewed here comes standard with a full, separate shower, toilet and vanity ensuite stretching across the rear of the pop-top, an island north-south queen bed, reverse cycle air conditioning, twin water tanks, an awning, microwave, three-burner gas cooktop and grill.

Then there are the thoughtful touches like the substantial vinyl pebble-guard on its nose and the standard stone shielding for both the single gas bottle's plumbing and its external A-frame tap.

Visually, the 15ft Wallaby pop-top is neat and attractive, rather than a standout from the crowd, featuring ribbed aluminium cladding over a Meranti timber frame, with standard polystyrene wall insulation.

The 100mm x 50mm Preston-built Duragal chassis is completely adequate for a van with a single axle and an empty (Tare) weight of just over 1500kg and even fully laden the 15ft Wallaby is well within the towing capabilities of most large sedan and station wagons and light 4WDs.

There's no front boot or window, but on the bright side that means less chance of water leaks and dust intrusion. The full-width rectangular tunnel boot just ahead of the leading awning strut will swallow a lot of gear anyway – just as well, as it's the only external storage area. ??

Further evidence of cutting the cloth to the price can be seen at the rear of the Wallaby, where the single spare wheel is bolted by a simple central steel extrusion. No bumper means that owners will need to take special care when reversing.

A recessed step makes entry through the centre door easy and once you pop the roof – a simple task after unlatching four external clips and pushing it up from inside – a surprisingly roomy interior greets you.

The front island queen bed allows good access on both side to the twin three quarter robes and twin clothes lockers above the bedhead. ??However with no front window, a relatively small window on the right hand side and dark-toned timber cabinetry, it looks a little under-lit.

It would also have been good to have a couple of additional head-height cupboards on either side of the bed.

There's some storage room under the bed, but most of the space is taken up by the modular Truma reverse cycle air conditioner and its rather vulnerable ducting.

Back to the good news. The kitchen is a beauty for a van of its modest length, with lots of bench space to the right of the Dometic three gas burner cooktop and grill and its adjacent stainless steel sink bowl. I have seen luxury vans nearly three metres longer with less usable kitchen bench space!

The under-bench fridge-freezer is a Dometic 164-litre, which is adequate for a van of this size.

It's the fabric-upholstered L-shaped lounge opposite that delivers the 15ft Wallaby's spacious feel, with seating room for up to three adults around the skinny, single-pedestal table, but it has a larger window than the ‘letter box' slit in the kitchen and is a comfortable and pleasant placed to relax. ??The larger 16ft Wallaby pop-top gets café dinette seating.

There's storage under the lounge cushions, accessed by finger-breaking ring-pull lockers below and combined with the generally good cupboard space in the kitchen the Wallaby 15ft should house everything most couples will need for the extended weekend trips that New Age expects most owners to take.

Apart from its excellent living space, the real attraction of the Wallaby pop-top for many couples will be its full ensuite at the rear of the van. This comprises a Thetford swiveling cassette toilet on the left and separate fibreglass shower cubicle on the right, with a vanity with its mirror and island washbowl in the middle. ??

There's even room for a compact 2kg Daewoo mini front-loading washing machine on the wall next to the toilet, but that would probably be a $2000 overkill in an entry-level pop-top like the Wallaby.

New Age's solution to shielding off the shower when the pop-top is raised is simple, but effective, with a simple nylon ‘mini' curtain closing the gap to the pop-top roof. ??Privacy in the ensuite is provided by a substantial furled curtain that closes across the doorway.

I've seen more elegant solutions to the pop-top shower problem, but not in a sub-$40,000 van!

WE LIKED: 
?>> Bang for buck
?>> Full ensuite
?>> Large kitchen bench
?>> Practical, roomy layout

NOT SO MUCH:
?>> Gloomy bedroom?
>> Ensuite curtains ?
>> Lack of solid door to ensuite
?>> No rear bumper

VERDICT

The new Wallaby 15ft pop-top and its 16ft big brother are not designed for extended touring. They're principally aimed at couples who want to take short holidays but still enjoy modern caravan comfort and features.

Priced from just under $40,000 delivered in Victoria the Wallaby give purchasers access to the build quality, customer support and prestige of the growing New Age brand for the price of a lesser caravan.

NEW AGE WALLABY POP-TOP WA15E (15ft)

Travel length: 6.72m
External body length: 5.186m
Internal body length: 4.859m
Interior height: 1.95m
External body width: 2.50m inc awning
Travel height: 2.38m
Tare: 1580kg approx.
ATM: 1880kg approx.
Ball weight: 130kg approx. (depending on options)
Body: Meranti timber frame with aluminium cladding and polystyrene foam insulation
Chassis: Duragal 100mm x 50mm steel
Suspension: Single beam axle with leaf springs
Brakes: 10-inch electric
Stability Control:  Optional
Wheels: 15in alloy wheels with 235x15 tyres
Fresh water: 1 x 80L and 1 x 60L tanks
Battery: 1 x 100Ah deep cycle
Solar: Optional
Air-conditioner: Truma Sapphire modular reverse-cycle
Gas: 1 x 9.0kg
Cooking: Three-burner gas cooktop and grill
Fridge: 164-litre Dometic three-way
Microwave: Daewoo
Toilet: Thetford cassette?Shower: Separate fibreglass cubicle
Lighting: LED
Price: $39,990 delivered in Victoria
Options fitted: None
Supplied by: New Age Caravans, Epping, Vic