South American odyssey for tough Aussie camper

Track Trailer’s renowned off-road camper trailers might have conquered much of Australia’s harshest regions, but how will one fare through the rugged environs of South America?

That’s the question 4WD guru Ron Moon will answer when he tows a Track Trailer Tvan Murranji camper through one of the most inhospitable places on earth during a four month expedition in 2011.

Moon is currently making his way to South America by plane, where he will pick up his Tvan and Nissan Patrol from a shipping container in Argentina.

According to Track Trailer’s marketing and media manager Lloyd Waldron, the former editor of 4x4 Australia magazine and prolific guidebook writer has owned a number of Track Trailer campers over the last 20 years or so, with his latest, two-berth Tvan Murranji valued at around $50,000.

From Argentina, Waldron said Moon will "continue right the way down to the base of South America, head his way back up looping around Brazil, going in through Bolivia, then up through Ecuador and Columbia, skipping across the Gulf of Mexico into Mexico, and touring through a bit of the States".

Moon will post regular updates on his mega-adventure on the Track Trailer website.

Moon’s Tvan is not the only Track Trailer undertaking a long distance, torture test this year. A Topaz offroad van also featuring Track Trailer’s military-spec MC2 suspension, is about to set off on an around Oz, trip-of-a-lifetime towed by a specially prepared Nissan Patrol.

Mike and Anita Pavey have quit their day jobs and will set off on February 1 on what they describe on their website, thedirt4wd.com.au, as "an epic 40,000km adventure around Australia, surveying the coasts and exploring remote outback posts".

Over 12 months the intrepid pair will post regular updates and photos on their website and in the process are also hoping to reveal Australia's top-100 touring destinations.

Like Moon, the Paveys have been long-term Track Trailer owners. "We’ve been dealing with them for years," Waldron said. "They’ve owned our products for as long as I can remember."

"They’ve always been quite keen to do something rather different... so this is an opportunity for them to go and have a bit of fun."

To provide them with a few more comforts along the way, the Paveys’ top-spec Topaz is fitted with a number of options including CD/MP3 player, innerspring latex mattress, external barbeque, portable toilet, roll-out awning, ensuite tent and shower, 80W solar panels, reverse-cycle air-conditioning, bike rack, Honda generator and fitted wardrobe shelves.

Waldron said it has a “bit of everything, and that’s on top of its standard spec... it’s quite a vehicle, this one”.

Over the past three years Track Trailer campers have also been the offroad camper of choice for ‘Mr 4x4’, Pat Callinan, who has clocked up thousands of kilometres in a variety of models during the filming of his TV show, Pat Callinan’s 4x4 Adventures.

"His most recent (Tvan) did around 20,000km... so they definitely get around,” Waldron said.