Winjana Ormiston 630

WE LIKED:
>> Towable by many utes
>> Good external storage space
>> General fit and finish

NOT SO MUCH:
>> Energy-guzzling lighting
>> High-mounted microwave

Despite their increasing presence in the Australian market over the last 10 years, fifth wheelers (or goose neck trailers as they’re sometimes called) are something of a mystery to many potential RV owners.

But there’s nothing mysterious about them at all, according to Andrew Brennan, proprietor of Queensland’s Winjana RV. And a visit to his Toowoomba factory would suggest he has the matter well in hand.

I was there to take an Ormiston 630 fifth wheeler on a road test.  At 6.95m (22ft 8in) long, Andrew says it’s the smallest in the Winjana RV range. But while I was there I did see something considerably smaller – a one-off with a single axle (which has since been confirmed for production).

THOUGHTFUL DESIGN

The Ormiston 630, like the rest of the Winjana range, is built on a powder-coated steel chassis with 125 x 50mm rails.

A slightly unusual feature of the Ormiston chassis is that the front part of the frame under the overhang is outside the body. It looks a little odd at first glance but is actually quite practical; not only providing space for the front jacks and gas cylinders, but also allowing a little more internal space.

Al-Ko independent suspension fitted with shock absorbers is used for the tandem-axle undercarriage. Although the torsion-style suspension really isn’t classed as offroad, the Ormiston 630 certainly handled some undulating dirt roads well enough during our test.

(Not long after my visit, the Ormiston was taken on a 6000km R&D trip along the Birdsville and Strzelecki Tracks and, according to Andrew, it came back without a blemish and was simply cleaned up for the next caravan show.)

Above the chassis, Canadian Spruce timber is used for the wall frames and the roof beams, and marine-grade ply is used for both floor and ceiling.

Tinted and double-glazed Seitz style hopper windows are fitted all around the Ormiston instead of sliding windows seen on earlier models. External storage consists of bins at the front and rear with access from both sides.

AMERICAN FLAVOURED INTERIOR

Like most conventional fifth wheeler layouts, the Ormiston’s bedroom is located up the front in the overhang. Adjacent to the bedroom, on the offside, is the bathroom, while further along is some cupboard space and the fridge.

Opposite that is the kitchen bench and there’s a club lounge at the rear.

The Ormiston’s decor is vaguely North American (a fair amount of North American Oak is used for the external timber finish) with hints of Australian and European styling.

Windows all ‘round provide good ventilation and natural light and for the evening time, there are plenty of light fittings, including reading lights in all the right places.

Most lights in our review unit were halogen/incandescent lights, but fluorescent and LED fittings are also available.

Single beds are fitted to this particular Ormiston, which allows for a wide walkway down the middle of the van. For those who prefer it, a queen bed model is also available.

The singles both come with a large window, reading light and a central, but quite small, cabinet, while additional shelf area can be found above the timber pelmets.

The steps to the bedroom have dual functions with hinged lids giving access to storage space underneath.

Between the nearside bed and the entry door, a two-door cabinet acts as both storage and a TV mounting point. When mounted, the TV can be seen from either the beds or the dinette in the rear.

The 12V and antenna sockets are located in the ceiling instead of the wall and the side wall of the cabinet sports a conveniently-located radio/CD player.

AND THE REST...

The bathroom comes with a separate shower cubicle, Dometic cassette toilet and a corner wash basin with a cupboard below and shaving cabinet above.

A window and ceiling hatch supply the necessary ventilation and the door comes with two recessed towel rails.

While the kitchen bench isn’t particularly large, it makes good use of the available space. There are four drawers and the overhead lockers and single cupboard have extra shelves.

There’s a hard-to-reach overhead microwave above the four-burner cooktop/grill and a stainless steel sink with drainer. Benchtop working space is improved by hinged flaps at both ends of the kitchen cabinet.

Opposite the kitchen, a cabinet comes fitted with a Waeco 175 litre fridge which adjoins a wardrobe with a drawer below. Under the drawer is a storage compartment for items such as a hot water heater and battery charger.

The club lounge in the rear allows room to stretch out and has windows on three sides which provide a 180 degree view.

The table is quite sturdy on two legs (which is certainly an asset) but it’s limited to moving only backwards and forwards, not sideways.

For TV viewers with eyesight problems, a second TV antenna/12V socket connection point is fitted to the end of the kitchen bench. The roof mounted Dometic air-conditioner above the table area allows a cooler temperature when needed.

Our tow vehicle was an Isuzu D-Max, which comes with a Gross Combined Mass (GCM) of 5850kg, a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of 2950kg and a load capacity of 1035kg.

Given the Ormiston 630 has an Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) of 3000kg and an unladen pin weight of 380kg, the GVM and ATM added together give a figure of 5950kg. This equals the GCM and assuming the loaded pin weight adds 200kg at worst, the Isuzu load capacity will be able to handle it and give a nicely weighted rig for towing.

Given the Ormiston has a tare weight of 1960kg, which allows for a load capacity of over 1000kg, the towing figures are quite conservative.

VERDICT

Having seen a few Winjana RV fifth wheelers, there’s no doubt the Ormiston 630 is the result of years of experience and refinement.

Anyone new to the world of fifth wheelers is going to appreciate the relatively small size of the 630 from a towing point of view, while old hands who simply want an easily towable fifth wheeler aren’t going to be disappointed either.

WINJANA ORMISTON 630

External length: 6.95m (22ft 10in)
External width: 2.43m (8ft)
Interior height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)
Nameplate ATM: 2710kg
Nameplate Tare: 1800kg
Pin weight: 380kg
Frame: Canadian Spruce timber
Chassis: Powdercoated steel
Suspension: Al-Ko independent   
Cooktop: Stoves four-burner and grill
Fridge: Waeco 12V 175 litre fridge
Microwave: LG
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Dometic cassette
Lighting: 12V fluorescent/halogen
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Fresh water: 160 litre 
Grey water: 102 litre
Black water: 22 litre
Price: $77,500 (on road, Qld) 
Supplied by: Winjana RV, Toowoomba, Qld