Review: Caravanning Australia by Lee Atkinson
Fifty Great Destinations in Australia Suitable for Caravan Travel
Sep 22, 2008
Tourism Research Australia reports that for the year ending 30 June 2008, more than 8 million people stayed overnight in either caravan or camping accommodation. This constitutes approximately 11% of travelling Australians for that time period.
With the increased popularity of camping or caravan holidays, both Australian and overseas visitors are looking for holiday destinations suitable for this style of travel and accommodation.
Caravan Travel in Australia
Caravanning Australia (New Holland, 2008) offers a selection of 50 destinations in Australia suitable for caravan and motorhome travel.
As an introduction, Atkinson provides practical caravan and motorhome travel tips and advice. This includes information on road safety and preparing a car for towing, what to pack, tips on parking a van, variations in speed limits between States and advice on driving in the snow or outback. There is also information on carbon neutral caravan travel.
The caravanning overview includes a brief summary for travelling several long stretches of road that comprise major sections of an around Australia trip. These include:
- Across Tasmania: Hobart to Strahan
- Great Alpine Road: Wangaratta to Bairnsdale
- The Princes Highway: Melbourne to Sydney
- The Pacific Highway: Sydney to Brisbane
- The tropical north: Rockhampton to Cairns
- The Savannah Way: Cairns to Broome
- The coast road: Exmouth to Perth
- Across the Nullarbor: Perth to Port Lincoln
- The Red Centre: Adelaide to Alice Springs and beyond
- Great Ocean Road: Warrnambool to Torquay
A website link to a relevant state tourism or travel website is included with each summary.
50 Great Destinations in Australia for Caravans
Each Australian State and Territory (excluding Canberra/ACT) has a separate chapter. The ACT (Australian Capital Territory) is included only peripherally in a section on visiting the Snowy Mountains.
An overview map of each state shows major cities and highways and the areas covered in the chapter. Travel and town maps are not supplied.
A brief summary of significant towns and attractions is provided for each area including things to see and do, travel tips and contact phone numbers and/or websites for local tourist information services. Average temperatures for mid-summer and mid-winter are provided along with suggestions for the best time to travel to each area.
Where to stay and best eats offers only one or two suggestions for each area. Further investigation would be required before planning a trip. Drive time information is only useful if the starting point is in a capital or major city.
Beautiful colour photographs of significant locations are scattered throughout the book. Photographs are not provided for all recommended destinations. An index lists all destinations recommended as well as cross-references for a variety of activities and interests such as golfing, rainforests, art galleries and museums.
A Practical Overview of Caravan Travel in Australia
Respected travel journalist Lee Atkinson is the former editor of The Open Road motoring magazine. In addition to regularly published travel articles, she is the co-editor of an anthology of Australian travel stories and the author of other travel guides.
Caravanning Australia is an excellent introduction into touring Australia. It contains practical advice on organising a successful caravan or camping holiday as well as offering a range of tips to improve the holiday experience for caravan travellers of all ages. International tourists will find the book useful but its target audience is domestic caravanners. The information provided is not comprehensive, but instead offers an overview of caravan-friendly holiday destinations in Australia with phone numbers and websites listed to facilitate detailed holiday planning.
Caravanning Australia (ISBN: 978-1-74110-6183, 320 pages)
Related Article: Review: 1015 Things to See & Do in Australia
Reference: Tourism Australia, Quarterly Report June 2008
