Caravan World

john ford

Welcome to our Great Migration North Issue, and for those lucky ones hitting the road soon there is plenty here for you. For the rest of us, perhaps there is inspiration from our travel writers to pack the van and follow suit, especially as there are fire ravaged areas across the country crying out for visitors. Huge donations to the cause show how Australians and people around the world have been touched by the plight of those affected, particularly those who have lost everything. But many businesses that survived are also in trouble. It’s the same from the east coast and across the great divide, through South Australia and over in the west. Not all these towns are ready for an influx of visitors, but plenty are. As Brett from Captain Sponges…

tracking bushfire recovery

Researchers are encouraging citizen scientists to use their mobile phone for a good cause — to track the recovery of bushfire-ravaged area to help inform future research. Created by University of New South Wales (UNSW) PhD candidate, Casey Kirchhoff, the Environment Recovery Project aims to use a mobile phone app so anyone can take photos of bushfire-affected areas to allow scientists to analyse how areas recover, why some areas recover better than others and which plants and animals return first. “I realised that I was probably among a handful of scientists collecting this information. So, I thought, why not ask citizen scientists to share their photos? The bushfires burnt such a large area, it’s impossible to survey it with our current resources,” Kirchhoff said. “This is another way people can contribute to post-bushfire…

give it a rest

Transport for NSW is trialling a change in parking at two rest areas on the Pacific Highway and Norther NSW, with the aim to reduce fatigue-related crashes by developing a network of rest areas across NSW. Changes during this trial will include the enforcement of fines for light vehicles parked in heavy vehicle spaces and four-hour time limits for light vehicle drivers, and will apply in the Yelgun and Arrawarra rest areas. Acting Director Northern, Vicky Sisson, said rest areas are provided to reduce the risk of fatigue in all drivers and therefore improve road safety. “Heavy vehicle drivers are required by law to take mandatory rest breaks, and because of their size are limited to where they can travel. It is important that heavy vehicle drivers are able to access dedicated parking…

making a mediterranean diet work down under

A study conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) found adding 2–3 serves of pork (250g) per week to the Mediterranean diet makes it more palatable for Aussies while still allowing them to reap the benefits. Statistics show that most Australians suffer from a poor diet, and there have been calls for moves towards the adoption of a Mediterranean diet. However, the red meat restrictions of the diet are problematic as Australians are among the top meat consumers worldwide — on average 100kg per person per year is eaten. “The Mediterranean diet is widely accepted as the world’s healthiest diet and is renowned for improved cardiovascular and cognitive health, but in Western cultures, the red meat restrictions of the diet could make it harder to stick to. By adding…

keep on camping

Caravan Industry Association of Australia’s (CIAA) new initiative ‘Keep on Camping’ is urging travellers to consider visiting an affected area on their next caravan or camping trip. According to Tourism Research Australia, caravan parks in the South Coast of NSW and Gippsland, Vic, account for 38% and 42% of the market share of all commercial accommodation in the regions respectively, while caravan and camping trips make up 30% of all trips in regional Australia. With this in mind, the Keep on Camping website launched by CIAA helps travellers make informed decisions so that when it is safe, they can get back to those areas to spend money and help communities reliant on tourism. Stuart Lamont, CIAA CEO, reinforced the prevailing message that long-term sustainability in these regions will be reliant on tourism. “Many of…

is lithium really needed?

Q Hi Dave, Hi 12V Guru! I hear all this hype for Lithium batteries these days, but do we really need such technology for camping and when trying to get away from everything? Surely this just encourages us to charge more distractions or carry more unnecessary gear? Typically, fridges in the vehicle and van are the main power users. Appreciate your advice. Callum Smith, Phillip Island, VIC A Thanks Callum, this is a very pertinent question when considering new caravans coming onto the market. It seems that many RV manufacturers are trying to add the latest functionality just for the sake of it or to outdo their competitor — is it really adding value to our camping experience? Do we all really need the same modern conveniences as what we have at…