Nova 21/79 Special 2006 Review

By Greg Williams

They don’t think small at Somerton, Vic-based Nova Caravans. After being in the business of building caravans for only a few months, the company has already moved to a larger premises so it can increase production.

Its caravans aren’t small either – according to Robert Cataldo, one of the co-owners of the business, Nova is concentrating on the bigger end of the market.

“Our smallest van is a 17ft (5.1m) caravan. They’re more upmarket vans, but not overpriced,” he says.

What you see in this review is Nova’s 21/79 Special, which means it’s 21ft (6.4m) long, 7ft 9in (2.4m) wide and a special order.

While it’s not exactly a regular production model (it’s the sixth van they’ve built), it does provide a good idea of what you can expect from this new Melbourne manufacturer.

Classy appearance

On the outside the Nova is very much a traditional design. The walls are aluminium cladding over plywood (insulated walls and ceilings) on a Meranti frame, the chassis is DuraGal and the tandem axles sit on load-sharing leaf springs.

There is a stoneguard at the front that goes up to the top of the boot, which also houses the inverter, fuses and 25A charger for the two 100A deep cycle batteries.

But the batteries don’t live there, they’re on a slide-out tray behind a little hatch on the side of the van.

The people at Nova assure us that the batteries will usually go in the boot – the customer wanted the batteries in this particular position.

The customer also wanted a slide-out barbecue on the outside, which sits flush behind the batteries. All this fits neatly under the Fiamma awning, but with the battery pack, barbecue, door and a very deep window, there isn’t any room left for drop-down table.

The spare wheel (wheels are 14in with neat customised centre hubs) is mounted on the rear bumper and there are easy-lift stabilisers at each corner.

The exterior is well lit, with an illuminated grab handle at the door and a fluorescent light under the awning.

There are 12V and 240V powerpoints just above the battery pack and the tail and clearance lights are LED.

On the roof there is a Winegard powered TV antenna near the front left of the caravan and a Wren AirCommmand air-conditioner in the middle with a large Four Seasons hatch on either side of it. The wind-out Galaxy windows are tinted.

Underneath there are twin water tanks, with lockable water filler and a mains pressure tap on the A-frame.

Newly designed

Entry into the Nova is via a Camec triple lock door, which takes you into the kitchen/dinette area. The interior layout is fairly traditional – the double island bed is at the front and the bathroom and toilet are at the back.

Where the design really departs from the traditional is in the bathroom, which is big enough for two people and includes a 3kg washing machine.

The shower is on the right as you walk in and the washing machine and toilet, a Thetford cassette, are on the left.

In the centre is a large basin with mixer tap, three drawers beneath it and a mirror with two overhead cupboards above it. There are two 240V powerpoints on the wall above the basin and a window above the toilet.

Lighting here is provided through a skylight and a 12V fluorescent in the ceiling. There is also an exhaust fan in the ceiling above the shower, which has a single glass door.

The kitchen and dinette – the latter is able to transform into a double bed – are large and spacious with plenty of working space and overhead cupboards.

The dinette table and benchtops share the same granite-grey surface, which goes well with the rich Tasmanian oak timber used on the cupboards.

Here the curved bulkhead above the sink and stove, with built-in halogen downlights, adds a touch of real class.

And speaking of class, the timber finishes in the Nova are worthy of an upmarket furniture showroom. There is no veneer here, the cupboards are made of real timber, fit perfectly and have a solid feel to them.

The drawers are on metal runners and the catches are the adjustable screw type.

Having the battery pack and the barbecue situated on the outside has had an effect on the inside, so a slide-out pantry (which you can expect on other models) won’t work on this design.

The cupboard under the microwave, which is effectively the pantry, has its doors opening onto a narrow benchtop, so you may have to keep this surface clear while working in the kitchen.

The selection of appliances is another area where quality is obvious. The cooktop, on the left of the kitchen area, is a four-burner Swift plus grill and oven with stainless steel splashback and dual powerpoint.

Above that is a Swift rangehood built into the curved overhead cupboard, and to the right of the stove is the sink, with round bowl and mixer tap.

There is plenty of lighting in the kitchen, from the halogen downlights in the overhead cupboards the fitting in the rangehood to the fluorescent tube above the sink.

There is also a window above the sink but it could have been larger to let in just a bit more natural light.

The Sanyo microwave sits high up next to the swivelling 15in LCD TV, which is connected to a CD/DVD player above the dinette and the four speakers in the ceiling.

On the other side of the kitchen, between the dinette and the bathroom, is the fridge, a 150L three-way Dometic.

The bedroom is separated from the rest of the caravan by a large wardrobe that forms a barrier between the dinette and the bed.

The innerspring Posturepedic mattress sits on an innovative base which uses a steel frame and wooden slats to provide excellent support. All of this lifts up on struts to reveal more storage space.

There are two more wardrobes on both sides of the bed, as well as bedside cupboards and shelves with that same grey surface for small items like a cup of coffee or a book.

Above the bed are three overhead cupboards and on each side are large split windows. There is another window of the same dimensions next to the dinette as well as a smaller front window (with stoneshield on the outside) above the bed.

The interior lighting is made up of compact fluorescents in the ceiling and halogen downlights, including two above the dinette and another two above the bed.

There are two powerpoints in the bedroom as well as one above the fridge.

The bottom line

It is a custom order but the Nova 21/79 as seen here shows that we can expect plenty in the way of quality from the company in the future.

The business partners, Robert Cataldo, Mark Milner and Joe Trigilia, have taken the leap into larger premises in Freight Drive, Somerton, just up the road from their old factory.

This means Nova will be able to work on up to six caravans at a time. As we went to press Robert told CW that Nova had 11 caravans on order, eight of which were as a result of its stand at the 2006 Melbourne Caravan, Camping & Touring Show.

Robert added that the partners each have more than 20 years’ experience in the caravan industry; Nova is already supplying two dealers – Noel’s Caravans in Adelaide, SA, and Solar City in Shepparton, Vic. Enquiries from other dealers are welcomed.

The new Nova brand looks like it will fit into the market pretty well. What it has going for it is experience, quality workmanship and the inclusion of plenty of standard features that will make touring a pleasure.

Nova Caravans, 71 Freight Drive, Somerton, 3062, Vic, (03) 8339 0700, fax (03) 8339 0733.

We liked

• Quality interior finish

• Well-built kitchen

• Great bathroom

We would have liked

• Batteries in the boot

• A bigger window in the kitchen