Thread: camper trailer vs caravan parks

Personally, I'd stay in on-site vans in caravan parks or in motels so I didn't have to tow anything. However, having said that, our experience on a trip to Derby was that caravan parks and motels up North charged horrendous prices. In fact, I stayed in an old pub for a week in Derby - it was a better deal.

Don't forget to factor in the extra fuel consumption.

On our trip, we kept meeting up with a couple towing an old dual axle 7'x6' or 8'x6' trailer they'd converted to a camper. It had a large non-aerodynamic box on the back. Their consumption was more twice what we were using in the 300Tdi Disco.

Admittedly, they were using a 75 series NA 4.2 litre diesel Land Cruiser. They were surprised that we didn't need to fuel up very often (only really needed to once between Katherine and Derby but for safety we fuelled twice) where they were fuelling at nearly every servo along the way. Their fuel bill was staggering.

I remember Elisabeth and I discussing it at the time and noting it was probably cheaper (and more comfortable) in the way we were travelling.

The advantage of your 4WD camper is that you can get off the beaten track.

Going by the set-ups we have going through town most people could stay in 5 star hotels for a year and save money.Saying that a small cub type camper is easy to tow and easier to use and are very comfortable to sleep in.That is what I'm buying.The best thing is they are like cars,buy one that has done it's trip of a lifetime and all set up for half new price. Pat

Go the campertrailor or rooftop tent that way you can stop and stay wherever you want.

TIM.

Having done a trip to Melbourne twice once towing and once using the motel/cabins/caravan parks there are pros and cons to each.

The Info huts at towns are a great way to get ideas what is in the area, I think the cost per night was only about $30-$50 more (family of 5) however with towing my fuel jumped from 10/100 to 16/100. Also able to overtake if required.

Moble phones and a list of the places to stay and you have them all narrowed down to the cheapest. IE Blue mountains cheapest caravan park (BlackHeath) was on the day $75 less than on 11kms closer to Sydney.

Set the back of the car up so you can pull over and make lunch and have one of those 20 doller gas stoves and you don't need a trailer.

Last tip Don't travel in the school holidays as the prices are inflated

After years of tents we've gone for the trailer option. Main criteria in selecting it was ease of set-up and pack-up. We now have something that is put together in 2 minutes and closed up in about 5 minutes.

Haven't got away from the tent as we will still need that for areas we can't take the trailer.

Depends if you are in a hurry or not.
If time is short don't tow anything and pack a tent or prebook caravan park on site cabins or vans.
If you have plenty of time ( like I wish I had) then you can drive during favourable wind conditions (tail) and keep the apeed low to reduce fuel consumption. So towing a camper would be more attactive not to mention making you more independent.
CHEERS

Originally Posted by DiscoDan

Set the back of the car up so you can pull over and make lunch and have one of those 20 doller gas stoves and you don't need a trailer.

Last tip Don't travel in the school holidays as the prices are inflated

Firstly, I agree with the last tip! Or in the tourist season if up north.

I also bought a cheapie gas stove. In that way, I could leave it in the Disco when I left the Disco in Derby with my daughter. The stove worked very well - so well, in fact, I bought another when I got home and that one lives in the back of the Rangie. I can now have a cuppa whenever I like.

However, you may need a wind screen for it. I stopped at a truck stop on the way to Adelaide and it was blowing a gale. I had to stack boxes around the stove to shield it.

What also influenced our trip was this - my wife's love of camping (not):

All good oil from these guys but Ron's first comment summed it up very well.

Some of us love the camping - if that's not you but you still want to see things then go the pub/motel/cabins in van parks and ring around and book early.

As they used to say about the NT a few years ago:

If you never, never go, you'll never, never know!