Buying Guides & Caravan Advice

Winter Wanderer 26: SA Caravan & Camping Guide

Discover why winter is South Australia's best season for caravan and camping, with regional trip ideas, wildlife, food and towing tips in Winter Wanderer 26.

Caravan Trip Planning Tips for a Safe Journey

Pre-plan your next caravan trip: where to overnight, when to rest and how to keep your rig safe and ready for the road.

Pre-Trip Caravan Checks and Loading Tips

Caravan Industry Association of Australia's guide to weighing, loading and checking your caravan weeks out and on the morning of departure.

How to Hook Up Your Caravan Safely

Caravan Industry Association of Australia's step-by-step guide to safely hooking up your tow vehicle and caravan before hitting the road.

Understanding GVM, Towing Capacity and GCM

Caravan Industry Association of Australia explains GVM, braked towing capacity and GCM, and why getting these weights right matters for safe towing.

Reading Rest Area Signs for Caravanners

Know the signage before you tour: why truck-only rest areas matter and how caravanners can help keep everyone safe on the road.

HF Radio Tips for Caravan Road Safety

Learn why displaying your UHF channel and radioing ahead to trucks is key caravan road safety etiquette on Australian highways.

Truck Rest Areas: Caravan Road Safety Tips

Queensland Trucking Association explain truck rest area signage, UHF radio use and safe pre-trip planning tips.

Jason Hodges on Family Camping

Better Homes and Gardens' Jason Hodges on ditching technology, meeting fellow campers and why caravan parks make the perfect family destination.

Bali Bombing Survivor's Family Caravan Story

A Bali bombing survivor and his family share how a Winnebago trip on the Follow the Sun Relay became a journey of resilience and family adventure.

Frankie J. Holden's Caravan Park Story

Actor Frankie J. Holden and Michelle Pettigrove on owning Tathra Beachside Holiday Park, remote Territory camping and caravan park camaraderie.

Brooke Hanson's Camping Story

Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson shares her family's camping memories, from storm-battered tents to the healing power of time off-grid.

Spida and Sheree Everitt's Caravan Stories

AFL legend Spida Everitt and wife Sheree share wombat run-ins, a flooded tent and top caravan tips in Caravan and Camping with the Stars

Legal Requirements

Towing requirements are legislated and policed at a state level. Details of these requirements can be sourced from the relevant State or Territory Transport Authorities. Contact details for each of these state authorities can be found here:

Insurance

Your recreational vehicle needs to be insured, but choose your policy wisely. You should also bear in mind that your trailer may not be covered by comprehensive insurance if it fails to comply with legislation, or if its ATM exceeds your vehicle’s towing capacity, the Gross…

Organisations for Further Information

The Caravan and Camping Industry Associations throughout Australia are pleased to make The National Caravan & Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide available to you free of charge.

Rear Marking Plates

A caravan and tow vehicle combination that has an overall length equal to or greater than 7.5m is permitted to carry a “Do not overtake turning vehicle” warning.

A-Frame Towing

There are a number of strict legal and safety requirements for A-frame towing which you must implement and include (but are not limited) to:

Factors in Trailer Stability and Sway

Incorrectly loading your trailer can contribute significantly to stability and sway related issues. Ensuring the load is distributed evenly as per the ‘sensible loading’ diagram on the previous page is key to minimising any instability. It is also important to consider the…

Sensible Loading

Weight Distribution Hitches

The trailer’s drawbar should be as level as possible when being towed. Towing applies a downward force on the rear of your vehicle which is referred to as ‘ball weight’.

Preparation

Gas cylinders and LPG regulators should also be checked regularly by a qualified person.

Off Highway Towing Tips & Techniques

Any trailer or caravan should be driven at speeds with respect to the terrain being traversed, the loads carried and care of both the caravan and towing vehicle.

5th Wheeler Towing

With a hitch in this position the tow vehicle can carry much more weight than it could if a caravan was connected to a tow ball as the 5th wheeler imposes (a great deal more of the mass) some 20% of the mass directly over or slightly in front of the towing vehicle’s rear axle.

Definitions

In this Guide you will find a wealth of technical information, handy hints and advice, which,when put into practice, will help you to tow your Recreational Vehicle with a greater degree of confidence and safety. Towing any type of trailer involves more than attaching a towbar to…

Tyres

It is vital that your tyres are in good condition. Tyres can deteriorate just as much when a vehicle stands for long periods, as when it is being used. As tyres age, the surface rubber can crack and rubber compounds can deteriorate.

Braking Systems

All brakes must be operable from the driver’s seat of the tow vehicle except for over-ride brakes. The minimum braking system required for a trailer or caravan depends on its type and weight, as well as the weight of the tow vehicle:

Towing Parts

The towbar is the framework attached to the back of the tow vehicle. For safe towing, a properly designed and fitted towbar with an adequate certified weight rating is mandatory.

Tow Vehicle

If you are going to purchase a trailer or caravan, it is critical that you give careful consideration to your vehicle’s towing mass and construction prior to making your purchase. You will find the towing mass (or towing rating) under the towing section in the vehicle…

Caravan Safety For Your Next Trip: Loading, Towing, Hitching and more.

Before you head off on your next camping trip, it’s paramount that you check all important safety element of your caravan.

Five ways to start camping responsibly

Leave it better than you found it. Five practical habits that protect the places we love to camp — for the next traveller and the next generation.

Four common caravanning myths busted

From D-shackle "rules" to filing down a power pin — we put four of the most popular caravanning myths and tall tales to the test.

3 reminders to keep children safe while camping

Camping with kids is wonderful — and a few simple safety habits let everyone relax. Three reminders worth repeating each trip.

Happy campers: a guide to caravan park etiquette

Good neighbours make great holidays. The unwritten rules of caravan parks — noise, space, pets, kids and shared facilities.

Towing safety: the fundamentals

Weights, hitching, weight distribution and braking — the core knowledge every person towing a caravan needs to get right.

The importance of sharing truck and rest areas

Rest areas are a shared safety resource. How caravanners and heavy-vehicle drivers can co-exist so everyone gets the rest they need.

Road safety refresher for caravanners

A timely reminder of the towing habits that keep you and other road users safe — speed, spacing, sway, fatigue and courtesy.

Planning your big lap before you go

The trip of a lifetime rewards good preparation. Budgets, routes, van readiness and the admin to sort before you roll out the driveway.

Buying your next RV

Upgrading or changing direction? How to choose your next RV based on what you’ve learned from the road so far.

Caravan buying tips

Smart, practical pointers for any caravan purchase — from setting a realistic budget to the questions every buyer should ask the dealer.

Tips for buying your first recreational vehicle

The big decisions to get right the first time — new vs used, layout, tow match and inspection — so your first RV is one you’ll love.

Essential guide to lithium battery setups in your RV

Planning an off-grid power system? How to size your batteries, solar and charging for the way you actually travel.

Lithium-ion battery safety: ask the experts

With recent caravan and motorhome fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, Let’s Go Caravan Insurance asked independent experts to share their best safety advice.

Navigating the latest electrical standards for RVs

Clearing the confusion around RV electrical standards — what’s changed, why it matters for safety, and the questions to ask before you buy or modify.

Understanding caravan dimensions

Body length, overall length and width explained — and why the numbers matter for storage, ferries and caravan-park sites.

Caravan safety: loading, towing, hitching and more

A practical pre-trip safety run-through — towing capacity, loading, tyres, brakes, hitching, gas and fire — with three short how-to videos.