Sunland Blue Heeler Xtreme Off Road

WE LIKED
Unique interior layout with a nice open feel
Front van area design with plenty of storage
Good benchtop area, especially around the kitchen

NOT SO MUCH
No microwave oven

‘Offroad’ is a term that gets used a little too frequently within the recreational vehicle industry. Some wiser folk have correctly adopted the terms ‘rough-road’ or ‘national park road’, to be more accurate.

In the case of Sunland Caravans, however, there isn’t much doubt about ‘offroad’. Indeed, genial proprietor Roy Wyss positively encourages some serious offroad adventure with his vans, given their purpose-built features.

In particular, the Blue Heeler is built with offroad travel very much in mind, both underneath and within the caravan body.

For a start, on first glance the van has a boofy feel about it. That is partly due to the alloy checkerplate-covered front boot/gas cylinder compartment/ jerry can holder.

It might sound messy, especially as two side bins are included, but the design works well and leaves a very clean-looking drawbar, with just the Hitchmaster DO35 hitch and handbrake visible.

About the only issued I could perceive is that of careful loading to avoid excessive ball weight.

SOLID CONSTRUCTION

Otherwise looking fairly conventional, apart from the chamfered lower rear end, this composite fibreglass-built van has a lower waist all round that matches the front area.

It also has the usual items like Camec security door, Seitz hopper windows, external speakers and rear bumper bar mounted spare wheels.

Additional external storage is supplied by a nearside bin door that gives access to the under-bed area – useful in our review van given the front side bins were taken by a 2.0kVA generator on one side and a 2.2kg top-loader washing machine on the other.

Many of the solid construction features that are used inside a Sunland van are hidden unless you go poking around in the cupboards looking for the timberwork, or pull the body apart to see the 20mm polystyrene insulation in the walls and 50mm insulation in the roof.

However, that’s certainly not the case with the chassis area. Sitting high off the ground as it is, it’s not difficult to view the 6in- and 4in-railed hot-dipped galvanized chassis with its Cruisemaster independent suspension, complete with coil springs, trailing arms and two shock absorbers per wheel.

Also noticeable is the fibreglass composite floor that’s glued to the chassis, the alloy water tanks (one of which is shaped to fit the departure angle at the rear), and that all the piping and cabling is strapped up well out of the way, leaving a very clean-looking chassis.

UNIQUE LAYOUT

Our review Blue Heeler had a layout slightly different to the norm. It was a design that used single beds in the rear, a bathroom cubicle in the front offside corner with a kitchen that fits around it, and a nearside dinette.

Throw in a mid-offside, waist-high cabinet and another by the entry door, and the result is quite a practical design.

Of course, it’s all finished in the stunning Sunland cabinetry style with solid timber doors, piano hinges and colour coordinated upholstery which is by no means hard on the eye.

I should also mention the mirrors, which are not glass but polished stainless steel.

PRACTICAL SLEEPING

Single bed layouts aren’t popular with everyone but they are often a practical arrangement in smaller vans.

In this case, the 2.06m x 0.48m (6ft 9in x 2ft 7in) beds are quite easy to get to, and boast windows along the side and above the bed heads, LED reading lights and a good-sized bedside cabinet between them.

Overhead lockers all round give good storage, as do the under bed areas, accessed by lifting the posture slat bed bases.

Part of the offside bed area is taken by the Truma 14 litre water heater.

Mid-van, the offside cabinet offers a considerable amount of cupboard storage area, as well as benchtop space.

It’s also where the flatscreen TV can be located on a hinged bracket on the adjoining wardrobe wall, thus visible from both the dinette opposite and the beds in the rear.

STORAGE PLUS

Extra storage is certainly offered by the aforementioned wardrobe. Ours came with shelves, but I’ve no doubt it could be easily converted to hanging space, especially as there isn’t any elsewhere.

With plenty of room to stretch out, the leather and cloth upholstered dinette has a tri-fold table that can be used for either a full meal or just nibblies and wine.

LED reading lights and an overhead strip-light certainly provide plenty of illumination. If any visitors stay overnight, the dinette folds down easily to make up a small bed.

Between the dinette and front kitchen is a small cabinet with cupboard, as a well as a set of Perspex shelves that rise up the wall to meet the overhead locker area.

A panel at the top is used for mounting the solar panel regulator, 12V switches and radio/DVD player – the adjacent shelf is handy for any plug-and-play devices.

CLEVER CATERING

Catering is quite well-handled by the front kitchen which comes with a Stoves four burner cooktop/grill and a stainless steel sink with drainer fitted into the main bench, plus a Waeco 175 litre fridge installed on the other side of the bathroom.

General storage space isn’t too bad with four drawers, one cupboard and a small wire basket slide-out pantry under the cooktop and sink.

There’s isn’t much benchtop space but the cabinet between the kitchen and dinette provides considerably more.

No microwave is installed but I’m sure it isn’t a major issue to get one fitted.

SMALLISH  BATHROOM

This particular van layout doesn’t allow for an oversized bathroom, but the one fitted certainly has all the essentials – shower, cassette toilet and corner wash basin – and isn’t particularly cramped.

For ventilation it has both a fan vent hatch and a small window.

An ATM of 3000kg and Tare of 2380kg does give a very good load capacity for the Blue Heeler, but it also means a mid- to large-sized 4WD tow vehicle is required. 

Mine was the ubiquitous Toyota LandCruiser which dealt with the van in a very fine fashion and demonstrated no towing problems at all.

VERDICT

“Fitness for Purpose” was once the buzz-phrase, when quality assurance procedures were being introduced.

The phrase is still very relevant and in case of the Blue Heeler, it has clearly been designed with offroad travel in mind.

In addition of course, it has been built for travel in a style that’s very much the hallmark of Sunland Caravans.

SUNLAND BLUE HEELER XTREME OFF ROAD

Overall length: 7.97m (26ft 2in) 
External length: 6.25m (20ft 6in) 
External width: 2.45m (8ft 2in)
External height: 3.04m (10ft 1in) 
Interior height: 1.96m (6ft 5in) 
Nameplate: ATM 300kg 
Nameplate Tare: 2380kg
Ball weight: 210kg
Frame: Aluminium
Chassis: Hot-dipped galvanised
Suspension: Cruisemaster independent
Cooktop: Stoves four-burner
Fridge: Waeco 175 litre 12V
Microwave: None
Shower: Vari height flex hose
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Lighting: 12V LED
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Fresh water: 2 x 80 litre alloy
Price: $108,710 (on road, Qld)
Supplied by: Sunland Caravans, Caboolture Qld