Australian Long Term Caravanning

Editing tools have gone haywire on this site. Story is about a Couple who sold up and are travelling Australia with a 2008 Caravan and pulled by 6 tonne(13,000lb) Light Truck GCVWR of 20,000lb. As they are on a very tight budget, they found the fittings inside the Caravan had to be upgraded. No problems with Truck or 10yr old Caravan

On the four-metre tray of our Isuzu truck we fitted large lockable toolboxes, which hold cameras, metal detectors, and tools for servicing the truck, van and two-man buggy sitting across its rear. Not to mention oils, filters and other spare parts that are hard to get at a moment’s notice when Outback.

Fridge and freezer space inside the Regal was insufficient for our long-term remote travel plans, especially when we had to be careful with our budget and wanted to shop up big in the specials section of large supermarkets whenever we got close to a major town.
Pros and cons of long-term vanning
So rolling on, what are the positives and negatives? The pros are many, especially if you enjoy the freedom from the humdrum of city life. The cons are just as many... if not more.
The main issues relate to the caravan. I was very happy with the build of it but like many caravans the quality of components are chosen for occasional holiday use, not full-time living.
Although the queen-sized mattress was relatively new when we bought the caravan, within a year the inner springs were sagging and causing an old back injury to flare up, resulting in terrible sleep.
We purchased a new, slightly heavier double-sided latex mattress from a caravan mattress manufacturer that supplies the top end of the market in Queensland. However, within eight months the new mattress was starting to sag, so I contacted the manufacturer, who told me I should be turning the mattress every three months. Pity they didn’t tell me that first up!
I had them pull the mattress apart and repair it and at this stage turning the mattress quarterly is doing the job. But if it was a one-sided latex model this wouldn't be possible. The moral of the story is to get a double-sided mattress or a home quality mattress built.
Our old ‘hand me down’ Posturepedic Sleepmaker mattress is 23 years old and still hasn’t sagged and has never been turned over. I guess it’s hard to get quality these days.
Carry lots of spares
The van’s hardware is also struggling to keep up with the stresses of full time use. Drawer catches wear out and gas struts on overhead cupboards weaken prematurely. Other than sourcing better quality hardware prior to ordering a new van, you’ll be stuck with what you get when buying a second hand model.
We now make sure we carry plenty of spare drawer catches – I’ve replaced six to date!
I could go on forever about repairs and general maintenance but reading my spare parts list below will give you an idea of what’s in store when you go nomad…
A tube or two of outdoor roof and gutter sealant. Caravans are subject to twisting and racking and eventually the manufacturers sealants fail… and a leaking caravan is a nightmare.