Weekly Wrap

JAYCO OWNER WINS PARAMOUNT POP-TOP

This year’s Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow was a blockbuster, with more than 60,000 through the gates over six days. But the happiest spectator of them all would have been Amanda Herbert, who took home first prize of a Paramount Duet worth $36,995 in the Passport Competition.

Amanda said her primary reason for being at this year’s show was "to look for accessories for our Jayco and to check out what’s new on the caravan market." She said she was hoping to take her new Paramount pop-top van to Bateman’s Bay for the Easter holidays to break it in.

"We absolutely love caravanning. We’ve been going since we were kids with our families," she said.

Other 'door prize' winners at the show were Jackie Seib ($470 Dream-Pot package), Cheryl Loschiavo ($1199 Waeco 50-litre fridge), and Janene Van Wyk ($1750 Southern Cross Canvas Ultimate Deluxe Tent).

LOTUS FANS FEEL THE LOVE

Lotus caravan owners and enthusiasts now have a new online forum to swap ideas, discuss issues and share their passion for the stylish, Victorian-built vans.

The Lotus Caravan Owners Group forum was set up by landscape photographer Ian Fraser and already has 35 members, who can post comments and pictures on a range of subjects including ‘My Rig’, ‘Trips and Adventures’, ‘For Sale and Wanted’ and ‘Technical Chatter’, where somebody has already provided one solution to the perennial problem of leaky boots.

There’s also a specific section for Lotus dealers to join in the conversation.

CARAVAN PARKS CHOC-A-BLOCK

The Easter long week-end is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for caravan parks and campgrounds, and this year appears to be no different.

Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter has predicted the five-day weekend -- which includes Easter and Anzac Day, starting on Good Friday -- will be fully booked along the popular coastal playground, from camping grounds to five-star resorts.

He said the long weekend will be a chance for many Queensland holiday operators to recoup some of their losses after the recent floods and Cyclone Yasi, with some accommodation providers reporting holiday makers who cancelled their trips in January are taking a getaway at Easter instead.  With just weeks to Easter, Top Tourist parks at Kirra Beach and Broadwater are almost fully booked with no powered campsites available over that period.

It’s not just coastal parks around Australia expecting a full house though, with Victoria’s Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park currently fully booked, bar a couple of cabins, over the April 22-25 long week-end.

SPRUNG! UPGRADED SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPERS UNVEILED

Imagine Campers has relaunched its two-model Australian range of rugged, off-road campers with new suspension systems designed for Australia’s tough conditions.

The South African-built, military-look camper trailers now feature Al-Ko leaf spring suspension on the two to four berth TrailVan model and Vehicle Components independent suspension on the larger ComfortVan, which comes with an internal bathroom.

Ernie Anfield from Imagine Campers said the upgraded models were displayed at the Caravan, Camping, 4WD and Fish Show on the Gold Coast in mid-March and received an "excellent response" with several orders taken. The ADR-approved range starts at $46,700.

HALL OF FAME FOR CARAVAN KING

Jayco boss Gerry Ryan has been hitting the headlines a lot lately, whether it’s his horse Americain winning the Melbourne Cup, being declared ‘Australia's top earning entertainer’ due to his major stake in the hit animatronics arena production Walking with Dinosaurs, or his involvement with new Australian professional cycling team GreenEdge. 

Now Ryan has been recognised for Jayco’s contribution to the local Melbourne business community. Announced at a gala dinner last month, Ryan was only the fourth person to be inducted into the Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. Ryan founded Jayco in Dandenong in 1975 and the RV manufacturer now has more than 900 employees and builds around 9000 RVs a year from its 55,000sqm factory complex in Dandenong.

Picking up the premier regional business award at the same function was Dandenong sheet metal fabrication company Hilton Manufacturing, which manufactures a range of components for the RV industry including parts for Jayco and A'Van Caravans.

STAY FOR FREE IN QUEENSLAND

Australia’s second biggest holiday park operator is running a promotion to attract holiday makers back to Queensland tourist areas recently affected by cyclones or floods. The Big 4 ‘Pay for 4, Stay for 6’ deal runs until June 10 at selected parks and includes two nights for free when you stay for six nights.

The offer is not available on all types of accommodation and is subject to availability at each park. For a list of participating parks, click here.

60-SECOND KWIKI COMING

Melbourne’s Stockman Products, the makers of the award-winning Pod Trailer, is about to release a new "60-second camper".

To be called the Kwiki, it will be based on the same lightweight, plastic pod camper that’s been available for around two years, but with a new pop-up canvas section designed for quick and easy set-up. "It’s kind of like a swag on wheels," explained Stockman Products’ Phil Savory.

Currently in prototype form the company, which picked up the 2006 Australian Plastic Award for its innovative plastic pod-lid design, is finalising details in regards to the manufacturing of the canvas before releasing the new model to the market in the near future. Stay tuned.

MONSTER MERC BUILT FOR TOWING

A new top-gun towing machine has hit the Australian market, aimed at cashed-up owners of big caravans, boats and horse floats.

Part of the military-preferred GL off-roader range, the V8 diesel-engined GL 450 CDI off-roader will tow an impressive 3405kg, with a towball download rating of 273kg. According to Mercedes-Benz spokesman, John Vasilj, the big Benz’s introduction here has been driven by "demand from customers with specific towing requirements".

Towing grunt comes from a 4.0-litre, twin-turbo common-rail diesel V8, producing peak power of 225kW and max torque of 700Nm. Fuel consumption (without caravan) is 11.8L/100km.

We have it on good authority the big Benz is a very capable luxury tourer; the only catch its $169,800 pricetag!

TOY HAULERS FEEL THE HEAT

Jayco has issued another safety recall in relation to one of its caravan models. The recall concerns 11 Base Station toy haulers, with chassis numbers between N70040 and N70711.

According to the recall statement, "There should have been a splash back fitted to the interior wall near the cooker to protect it from the heat generated by the cooker... The wall could get hot, presenting a possible fire and burn hazard".

Owners should contact their Jayco dealer for inspection and rectification if required. The latest recall follows a similar issue with a number of Jayco motorhomes (chassis numbers between J90090 and M90311), resulting in another recall announced in February.

LIGHTWEIGHT EURO ON ITS WAY

The local importer of European-built Adria caravans has released some interior photos of its latest 390 DS van, which will be on display for the first time at Sydney’s Caravan Camping RV & Holiday Supershow from April 30 to May 8 at Rosehill Racecourse.

Priced from just $28,990 plus on road costs, the compact van has an ATM of only 1100kg and is designed to be towed by mid-sized, four-cylinder tow vehicles.

Features include a heavy duty Al-Ko chassis, 97 litre Dometic fridge, shower and toilet, plus sleeping for four including a lounge/double bed, dinette/single bed plus another single bed. Interior decor is the latest Euro-look of dark natural woodgrain with contrasting white walls.