Tips & Tricks

  • Holiday Park Tips

    • Have a trial weekend in a nearby Holiday park so you get used to your new caravan.
    • On arriving at your destination after a long trip, do not panic to set everything up when you first arrive.
    • Park your van onsite and relax with a quiet cuppa or cold drink, take in the scenery, say "Hi" to your neighbour or give the kids a swim, then take your time setting everything up.
    • Remember you are on holidays, there is no rush.

  • Packing Tips

    • Checklist, make up your own checklist and tick off as you pack.
    • Analyse your checklist on your return and delete those items not required.
    • Spread your load evenly throughout the van, packing heavy items down low and close to the centre of the caravan over the axle.
    • Run your fridge for at least 24hrs prior to your trip to cool it down.
    • You will be surprised that with a little bit of care you will be able to reduce the load in your van considerably.

  • Towing Tips

    • If you are not familiar with towing a caravan then consider attending a towing clinic.
    • Be aware of the extra length and width when turning or over taking.
    • Always ensure you have fitted your towing mirrors to your car before leaving.

  • Reversing Tips

    • For safety always have someone watching from the rear when reversing.
    • Practice reversing in a local car park when it is quiet. Form a large circle using some buckets and practice reversing in an anti clockwise direction, this will allow better vision. When comfortable with this, try reversing clockwise.
    • If possible when reversing on to a site, approach the site to enable you to reverse in from the drivers side (anti-clockwise direction), this will give you a clearer vision of the side of the caravan and of the site, and will allow easier and correct positioning of caravan.

  • Driving Tips

    • Stop and refresh regularly on long trips and use this break to check to see that everything is in order in and around the caravan.
    • On your first trip, and its still good advice thereafter, to set off at a quiet time when traffic is at its minimum and just take it steady until you get the feel of towing.
    • If a road train or heavy vehicle is approaching from the rear, do not slow down to allow them to overtake as they will have already judged the distance and taken a line of approach. Just simply maintain your current speed and position, keeping to the left.
    • If traffic is building up behind you, pull over when safe to do so and allow them to overtake.

    • Consider purchasing a UHF Citizen Band (CB) radio. Heavy vehicles sit on channel 40 and will usually try calling you first before overtaking. When both the caravan-er and the trucker speak to each other it makes highway travel a lot less stressful and safer for all concerned. Bart McLeod.