Ever wanted to travel Australia by caravan? Look no further than the Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Supershow to get you sorted. Before you start your Australian adventure, be sure to read these helpful hints and things to know before you go to get the most out of your big Australian adventure.
1. Caravan/towing vehicle or motorhome registration
2. Registration and government stamp duty fees
3. Insurance
4. Driving licenses
5. Long term storage
6. Permits
7. Holiday and accommodation information
8. Caravan/holiday park fees
9. Fuel
10. Climate
11. Roadside assistance service
12. Setting up your caravan and towing vehicle after purchase
13. B doubles, B triples and double or triple road trains
14. Driving hours
15. For more information on the above topics visit these websites
1. Caravan/towing vehicle or motorhome registration
It's never been easier to register your recreational vehicle (RV) in Victoria. Simply visit the dealer where you wish to purchase your RV and they'll assist you with all the necessary procedures. You won't need to get a Certificate of Roadworthiness (similar to W.O.F in NZ) unless you plan on selling your vehicle privately. Conversely, all RV and motorhome dealers are able to purchase your vehicle without it having a Certificate of Roadworthiness.
Top of the Page
2. Registration and government stamp duty fees
Caravans and campers - all axle configurations
Fortunately these products, new and used, are exempt from stamp duty if registered in Victoria. Yearly registration is under $100 and there are no further ongoing costs involved.
Towing vehicles and motorhomes
Stamp duty of approximately 4% is added to the purchase price of these motor driven vehicles. Registration varies between vehicles due to class, engine size and engine power output. As a guide a 6-cylinder Holden or Ford vehicle will cost about $500 to register per annum, including insurance covering the occupants but not the actual vehicle. Motorhome registration may creep up to $1,000 per annum depending on the vehicle's size and weight. If you intend traveling in remote regions, a well set up and insured 4 x 4 towing vehicle is highly recommended.
Top of the Page
3. Insurance
While it is not compulsory to take out comprehensive insurance for your RV or towing vehicle, we strongly recommend doing so. There are numerous companies that offer this option at varying costs, however we estimate a $40,000 caravan to be comprehensively insured for $500 per annum, and a $40,000 towing vehicle at about $1,000 per annum (drivers over 25 years).
Top of the Page
4. Driving licenses
Your current NZ license is suitable for all Australian states and territories. There are no special license requirements for caravan towing and motorhomes under 4.5 tonnes.
Top of the Page
5. Long term storage
There are many RV storage facilities in Victoria, some within close proximity of Melbourne airport for your convenience. The most cost effective facilities are those that are aligned to the caravanning industry, being RV dealers and caravan/ holiday parks. Please call or email our office for more information. Another advantage of storage at an RV dealer is the ease of obtaining mechanical servicing or safety checks before your trip. RVs are generally stored outside in secure holdings however some dealerships may offer undercover storage.
Top of the Page
6. Permits
Permits are required to gain entry into lands of special interest. These include Aboriginal land holdings and national/state and territory parks that have significant historical or environment importance. Permits are generally available in regional centres that maintain and are responsible for these special interest lands, and there are many websites such as www.nationalparks.com.au that can help provide all the information you may need to visit these unique and protected areas.
Top of the Page
7. Holiday and accommodation information
When visiting the Caravan Show, be sure to visit the grandstand on the 1st and 2nd floors. Here all states and territories throughout Australia come together to provide you with valuable information on their respective regions. We have plenty of free information and our caravanning and camping associations provide their own caravan park guides so there's plenty of useful information on hand to get you started for your big adventure.
Top of the Page
8. Caravan/holiday park fees
Fees vary between regions depending on peak seasons and whether the site is powered or not. On average, a powered site for a single or tandem axle caravan or medium size motorhome for two people is about $30 (excluding high demand peak times such as Christmas to early January). We recommend you book ahead if you're intending to stay in popular holiday areas.
Top of the Page
9. Fuel
Fuel prices throughout Australia vary considerably due to taxes and freight. The general rule is the more remote the area, the more expensive the petrol. Diesel is about 10% more expensive than unleaded petrol, yet diesel is becoming more popular in 4 x 4 towing vehicles. Unlike NZ there are no requirements to complete a log book for diesel powered vehicles. At December 2007 the Melbourne city fuel prices are as follows:
Unleaded petrol - $1.35 - $1.40 per litre
Diesel - $1.40 - $1.45 per litre
Expect to pay up to $1.90 and possibly $2.00 for fuel in remote regions.
Top of the Page
10. Climate
Inevitably RV products end up in regions of extreme high temperatures. We recommend that both your RV and towing vehicle are fitted with 240 volt air conditioning for your own comfort.
Top of the Page
11. Roadside assistance service
If you purchase an RV or towing vehicle in Victoria you can join the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV). This is equivalent to the AA in New Zealand and provides many levels of roadside assistance in the event of an accident occurring. This roadside service is inclusive of caravan and motorhomes, and extends to all Australian states and territories. Your roadside insurance company may have reciprocal rights with the RACV so we suggest that you check with your local branch to verify this as well as any other services you think you may need while on the road here in Australia. The RACV is an exhibitor at the Caravan Show so be sure to visit the stand where staff will be happy to assist with any questions you have.
Top of the Page
12. Setting up your caravan and towing vehicle after purchase
There are a number of caravan service centres where you can ensure your RV will be set up properly and ready for the road. These centres provide:
 Fitment and adjustment of the electric brake controller
Extended mirrors
Suitable tow bar if not fitted upon vehicle purchase
Trailer wiring harness including 12 volt hard wire for battery back up if required
Weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar if required. (Please note that we recommend that all rigs have a weight distribution hitch as standard to ensure 10% of the gross caravan weight is placed on the tow ball. For single axle caravans this would be approximately 160 kg and for a tandem axle 220 kg)
Friction anti-sway bars are also available
Road testing to ensure your rig is safe
Top of the Page
13. B doubles, B triples and double or triple road trains
If you're not familiar with heavy duty line haul trucks that operate on Australian roads then the following may assist you. As well as standard 45 ft single or semi-trailers, we also have multi trailer combinations up to 3 trailers and 120 tonnes. These larger rigs are popular on tourist routes and due to their physical size we offer the following advice:
We suggest that your RV be fitted with a VHF 40 channel radio transceiver. These are around $400 and when fitted provides direct contact with other drivers, making it easier to communicate when overtaking or passing on a main road
We also suggest that you place a sticker on the rear of your RV that displays 'VHF Ch 18'. This is the recognised caravanning channel throughout Australia
On remote dirt roads we recommend that you pull over as far as possible when confronted with an oncoming truck in order to avoid dust clouds, which blind your vision on the road and can cause serious accidents
Road trains are particularly susceptible to swaying as they are just trailers attached to one another by ring feeders. Many of these rigs have a top speed of only 80 km per hour so if you are in a situation where you would like to overtake a vehicle, we suggest that you use your VHF radio and make contact with the driver
Dirt roads can be extremely dangerous to overtake on so again, we strongly suggest that you make contact with the driver using the VHF radio and check if he or she intends to pull over at a nearby location. If this is not possible we suggest that you pull over and rest until the dust has settled before commencing your journey again
Top of the Page
14. Driving hours
There is no legislated maximum driving time for caravans, campers and motorhomes less than 4.5 tonnes; however we recommend you take breaks throughout your journey. There are many rest areas located throughout popular tourist regions so make use of these. Remember these stops are not designed for overnight accommodation and fines may be issued as a result. We suggest you set off at around 8 am daily to get the full benefit of climate and wildlife and plan to check into a caravan/holiday park by 2 or 3 pm. This will give you plenty of time to set up camp and enjoy the surroundings.
Due to the physical size of the country and difference in terrain you might only travel short distances between destinations. It's not unusual to only cover 150 km in 4 - 6 hours, so use this time to enjoy the incredible Australian outback experience rather than to beat the pack.
Top of the Page
15. For more information on the above topics visit these websites
www.vicroads.com.au
www.carsales.com.au
www.ciavic.com.au
www.GoSeeAustralia.com.au
* NB costs are in Australian dollars
Top of the Page
|
