SLIM DUSTY 10. Aug/Sep 2014 AND JOY MCKEAN RRP $5.95 ‘We lived in caravans 17 years’ ESSENTIAL Great Aussie BUYING GUIDE Toaster Should you buy old or new? Remembering the 1950s icon and its demise In print and online timetoroam.com.au AUSTRALIA’S NEW FAVOURITE CARAVAN AND CAMPING MAGAZINE Issue 10 Aug/Sep 2014 1 BRISBANE 104KM Tweed Heads BRUNSWICK HEADS BYRON BAY LENNOX HEAD BALLINA EVANS HEAD Grafton RED ROCK CORINDI BEACH MOONEE BEACH COFFS HARBOUR MYLESTOM URUNGA HUNGRY HEAD NAMBUCCA HEADS SCOTTS HEAD Port Macquarie BONNY HILLS NORTH HAVEN Taree TUNCURRY FORSTER SEAL ROCKS HAWKS NEST Newcastle SYDNEY 160KM upfront | contents 10 AUG/SEP 2014 upfront 07 / REGO RIP OFF NSW considers changes to soaring caravan fees 08 / ANNEXE GAS BOMBSHELL Red tape forces job cuts 08 / WICKED SLAP DOWN Lewd camper company finally bows to pressure features 18 / CARAVAN CONQUERS THE MURRAY Plonk the floating van completes epic journey RISE AND FALL OF THE TOASTER 20 / RISE AND FALL OF THE TOASTER Heavy metal favourite from the 50s riding high again 28 / NEW OR SECOND HAND? on the roam Help to make the right caravan purchase JAYCO 48 / PEOPLE AND PLACES CONQUEST The VIC caravan industry’s night of nights, 31 / OUR RENO RESCUE plus show highlights Big changes ahead for Roam’s 1969 Viscount 38 52 / MAGNIFICENT MACLEAY tried+tested Coastal gems, land of legends 52 54 / FLAVOURS Magnificent 32 / CARAVAN REVIEW Thai green curry is seafood heaven Macleay Atlantic Caravans New Generation 56 / CELEBRITY CAMPER 38 / MOTORHOME REVIEW Joy McKean, Grand Lady of Music, Caravan Queen Jayco Conquest 59 / MY TOP FIVE 42 / CAMPER REVIEW ON THE COVER Gerry Ryan reveals plans to hit the road in 2015 Freedom Offroad Beyond Carapark caravans, Broken Hill NSW 64 / WHAT’S ON Photo by Phillip Terry Australia’s best guide to regional events this Spring 4 timetoroam.com.au Discover the seven wonders of the Tweed Tweed Coast Holiday Camping Parks has seven exciting destinations that will keep the kids happy. With plenty Caravans of beaches, national parks, fishing spots and much more, the kids will be entertained. And, the comfortable Cabins accomodation will fit the bill - with plenty of cash to spare. 52 For a simply perfect coastal holiday. Magnificent book now. Freecall 1800 234 121 Macleay or email: [email protected] www.tchp.com.au quadrant.com.au TRT 21766 TRT quadrant.com.au upfront | welcome Editor’s desk In this issue we feature the story behind Australia’s favourite caravan from the 1950s, the Carapark. highly sought after by vintage caravan buyers who are proud to own what may well be the world’s most un-aerodynamic caravan. We hope you enjoy the feature and some wonderful photographs rescued from the rubbish pile when the company collapsed in 1965. Also in this issue we profile country music’s “Grand Lady “ Joy McKean who tells the remarkable story of how she and husband Slim Dusty spent 17 years travelling Australia in caravans. And finally a special thank you to the Caravan Industry Association of Victoria who invited us My earliest memory of a Carapark along to their annual awards night recently. You is quite delicious. can see some photos from the night on page 48. We hope it will be the first of many such Close to where I grew up in country NSW nights we can share with you to celebrate there was a Carapark donut van right beside a the industry’s great achievers. service station in the main street of Berry. Passing through Berry we’d often stop and buy Rod Bruem delicious cinnamon donuts from that boxy caravan. [email protected] On a recent trip to the Shoalhaven I was pleased to see the van is still there serving tourists and locals alike. The Carapark story is an interesting one because the company not only catered to the leisure market, but also had a big commercial Time to Roam Australia welcomes letters, photos business, helping provide offices and other and contributions from our readers on just accommodation during the post-war boom years. about any subject that relates to caravanning In recent years Caraparks have become and camping. [email protected] Subscribe: Subscription form on page 66 or Editor Rod Bruem via our website www.timetoroam.com.au or by News Editor Bronwen Kiely phone 02 9695 7749. Chief Sub-Editor Seb Stephens Time to Roam is published bi-monthly and Contributors Michael Cusack, distributed by Time to Roam Australia Pty Ltd Gabriela and Rolando Oporto, David Cook, 10 Dover Rd Botany NSW 2010. Paddy McCann, James Field, John Hogan, Brett and Kathy Kempster Australia’s new favourite Phone: +612 9695 7749 Design and Production Mitch Morgan Design, We welcome letters and contributions mitchmorgandesign.com caravan and recreational from our readers. Proudly Printed in Australia by travel magazine, in Enquiries [email protected] Offset Alpine, Lidcombe NSW print and online Sales Director Phill Terry m 0425 255 495 e [email protected] Legal: Time to Roam is copyright, with editorial and advertisements National Sales Manager Todd Buttery the exclusive property of Time to Roam Australia Pty Ltd. No part of timetoroam.com.au this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written m 0401 963 851 e [email protected] permission of the publisher. Distribution Manager Colin Hoggard Time to Roam encourages recycling and e [email protected] Australia Post Registered Print publication: Environment is printed on paper sourced from ISO 14001 Certification applies to Offset Alpine Printing sustainable forests 100009867 ABN 24160144525 6 timetoroam.com.au upfront | industry news NT QLD $189.50 $176.20 SA NSW $88 $451 WA ACT INDUSTRYNEWS $115 $462.90 VIC $54 Standard caravan registration costs as of 01 July 2014 TAS Based on registering 1.6 tonne caravan for private use $138.20 REGO RIP OFF: CARAVAN OWNERS WHACKED AGAIN State Governments have quietly slugged caravan owners in recent budget changes with NSW and ACT once again the hardest hit. Despite having the smallest road interstate to avoid the high charges. network in the country, the ACT Victoria has upped its rates, but still remains the most expensive charges a flat annual fee of only $54. place to own a caravan, with NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay Victoria and South NSW only narrowly behind. said the proposal acknowledges caravans are generally used much less Australia have by In both jurisdictions it costs than regular passenger vehicles. far the best deal, around $500 each year to take a There’s no relief in sight however for medium size van on the road. not only having ACT caravan owners with a Government There is hope however for NSW caravan the lowest annual spokesman ruling out any review. owners with the State Government fees, but also The spokesman suggested ACT flagging possible changes that would having a flat rate caravan owners had the alternative dramatically cut costs for some. of registering their vehicles for short Under the new system, the current weight periods, of three or six months to tax would be abolished and registration avoid the excessive charges. would instead be calculated using a base fee plus a charge per kilogram. A Transport NSW discussion paper offers the example of a $50 base fee ACT and 14c per kilo charge. Under this VIC SUBSCRIBE TO OUR scenario, the cost of registering a 1600 $462.90 eMAG AND eNEWS kg caravan would drop by $177 to $274 $54.00 FOR EXCLUSIVE per annum. If accepted, the new charges CONTENT could be in place by the end of the year. Caravan owners in the ACT are timetoroam.com.au The paper admits the changes have paying $408.90 more to register their been partly forced by NSW caravan caravans than those in Victoria Follow us on Facebook: owners registering their vehicles /timetoroamaustralia Issue 10 Aug/Sep 2014 7 upfront | industry news WICKED CAMPERS’ SLAP-DOWN After years of complaints, hire company Wicked Campers has finally been forced to back down on the use of obscene and offensive slogans on its vans. The company - notorious for its controversial marketing ANNEXE GAS BOMBSHELL tactics - was brought to heel BY BRONWEN KIELY by the mother of an 11-year- old Sydney girl who launched an online petition after her New safety regulations are being blamed for job losses among daughter was confronted by caravan and canvas manufacturers, who say the traditional one of the company’s vans. Paula Orbea’s petition Aussie caravan annexe is seriously under threat. attracted more than 110,000 signatures, gained widespread Revised gas ventilation standards mean caravans worth of business in just over a month. media coverage and prompted with gas appliances venting to the door-side “People who’ve ordered caravans could be the Federal Senate to pass cannot have fully enclosed annexes fitted. cancelling orders saying we’re not going to buy a motion condemning the a caravan if we can’t put an annexe on it.” Camper trailer manufacturers have also been caught company for using a ‘litany He described the regulations as “very draconian”. “I’m up in the crackdown, although industry officials say of sexist, mysogynistic all for safety, but this just hasn’t been thought through.” they are unsure if the new rules are even necessary. and racist slogans”. Australia’s leading RV manufacturer, Jayco Its estimated more than 30 per cent of Australian After thumbing its nose at has been swift to respond with its engineers caravans could be affected including some of the Advertising Standards Board working with appliance supplier Dometic to rulings in recent years and country’s most popular brands.