Buyer guides
Caravan & motorhome buyer guides
Long-form answers to the questions every Australian caravan and motorhome buyer should ask — from tow vehicles to off-grid setups to what to avoid.
Do you need a special licence to tow a caravan in Australia? State-by-state rules explained
Short answer: a standard car licence covers almost every caravan-towing combination in Australia. The real limits are your vehicle's ratings, learner/P-plate restrictions, and the 4.5-tonne GVM line for motorhomes.
Buying adviceBuying a second-hand caravan: the 12-point inspection checklist
Second-hand caravans are 30–50% cheaper than new but hide 30–50% of their defects until you tow them. Here's the 12-point pre-purchase inspection every buyer should run before signing, with what to look for and what disqualifies a sale.
Off-grid setupOff-grid power setup for caravans: battery, solar, inverter sizing for Australian touring
Most off-grid power complaints come from undersized solar paired with oversized batteries. Here's how to size battery, solar and inverter for real Australian touring, with worked examples for couples and family.
Towing & safetyCaravan weights explained: Tare, ATM, GTM and ball weight in plain English
Tare, ATM, GTM, ball weight and payload — the four numbers every Australian caravan buyer needs to understand before they sign. Plus how those numbers interact with your tow vehicle's GVM, GCM and towing capacity.
Towing & safetyTow vehicle matching for caravans: the Australian buyer's guide
How popular Australian 4WDs (Prado, Triton, Ranger, 200 and 300 Series, F-Truck) match against the caravan brackets they're realistically rated for. GCM and ball weight matter more than headline towing capacity.