What happens when you match experienced caravan owners with a very clear vision for their dream van with a custom caravan manufacturer willing to go the extra mile?

You get something pretty special like this gasless and timber free Tonka from Great Aussie Caravans.

In brief

• 6.7m (22ft) gasless couples van that can also work well for additional family members swagging it
• Full offroad spec complete with auto levelling airbags
• 4500kg ATM with a whopping 1210kg payload

This review is a little different than most for a couple of reasons. Firstly, rather than spend time with a dealer or manufacturer, as we often do, the couple who bought the reviewed Tonka were kind enough to show me through their pride and joy. And secondly, the van has had several aftermarket mods completed. As we go, I will point out the features that are different to factory issue.

Troy and Laura are experienced caravanners and have owned multiple caravans over the years. They also share their travel and other life experiences through their growing social media presence on Journey Unknown. When they were ready to upgrade their caravan, they had a really clear picture of what their ideal van looks like. Laura explained “We wanted a van that works as a couples configuration but also accommodates Troy’s dad and son when they travel with us. They both sleep outside in swags, but we still wanted the living area and shower/toilet configuration to work for everybody. We couldn’t find a layout we liked so we came up with our own. We went to three different caravan manufacturers with our concept and Great Aussie Caravans was really on board, so we went with them.”

Troy and Laura from Journey Unknown are the owners of this particular Great Aussie van

How is the Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 22ft built?

Great Aussie Caravans is a very unusual manufacturer in that it offers three different construction methods to cater to the full spectrum of customer preferences. All the vans look very similar from the outside as they all feature composite aluminium sheeting/checkerplate on the walls and fibreglass sheeting on the roof. However, under the skin, the materials vary dramatically.

TIMBERTECH is its budget-friendly option based on a traditional meranti frame for the walls and roof, a one-piece timber floor and 3mm ply for the interior wall surfaces. ALLYTECH is a more modern 100 per cent timber-free construction method. Welded aluminium replaces the timber frame, a polymer honeycomb material is used for the floor and fibreglass sheeting is used for the internal walls. The van on review uses Great Aussie Caravans’ premium and latest construction method — FIBRETECH. It is also timberless and does not have a traditional frame. Instead, a frame is CNC cut out of sheets of a proprietary material exclusively brought in by Great Aussie Caravans. The FIBRETECH name comes from this polymer material which Great Aussie Caravan states is an eco-friendly, recyclable material that is odourless, approximately 25 per cent lighter than traditional framing with a B1 low flammability rating and high moisture/chemical/corrosion resistance. Interior walls share the same fibreglass sheeting as ALLYTECH.

Its also worth noting Great Aussie Caravans uses laminated polymer board for all its internal furnishings in its FIBRETECH vans, making them 100 per cent timber free construction and environmentally friendly.

The underbody

The custom Tonka 22ft features a truss-style chassis as seen in many high-end offroad vans. Truss chassis’ can achieve a taller overall beam height than traditional box section chassis without increasing weight. Increasing the beam height increases your floor/body height which has a number of advantages. The floor is above the wheel articulation range eliminating the need for cutouts in the floor. It’s a cleaner, simpler design and enables all of the interior space above the floor to be used. Increased height also improves the body approach and departure angles.

A clever feature is the use of removable aluminium insert panels in the truss chassis voids. Not only does this reduce weight but it also allows easy access for serviceabilty of plumbing, water tanks and so on, rather than having to remove underbody protection and dropping tanks.

The truss-style chassis is paired with TEKO/TuffRide independent suspension and stage four airbags

Matched up to the chassis is TEKO/TuffRide independent suspension and stage four airbags. The airbag system has an onboard compressor, controlled by a wireless remote enabling ride height adjustment and auto levelling. The 12in hydraulic disc brakes offer superior stopping power over drum brakes, but the trade-off is the lack of a trailer-based electronic sway control (ESC) system option. This is not a Great Aussie Caravans issue, but rather a general gap in the market regarding compatibility with disc brakes and sway control systems. Troy and Laura have specified wheels with a six-stud pattern to match their LandCruiser 300 Series. This means spare wheels can be used on either the car or van. This Tonka is factory-fitted with a Cruisemaster DO45 pin-style hitch but has been swapped out for a Lovells Automotive hitch, which we’ll discuss later on in the review.

How comfortable is it inside?

I reviewed a very similar length Tonka in issue 644 of Caravan World (also available online here). The 21ft 6in version had a classic front bed, mid kitchen/dining and rear bathroom. If you have read many of my reviews, you will see I am economical on superlatives, but I found this van to be a real standout for its wow factor bathroom. The rear bathroom/laundry had a modern apartment-style feel with the most space I have seen in a van of this size. Of course, you pay the price somewhere and the dining area was a little more compact than average.

This Tonka flips the usual layout with a rear east–west bed, mid ensuite and kitchen and front club lounge

Troy and Laura enjoying the spacious front-end club lounge

Troy and Laura’s 22ft Tonka completely flips this design, and it is fascinating to see how much difference it makes to the functionality and vibe of the van. The front has a big club lounge which comfortably seats four adults and creates a more spacious feel for gathering and having a chat. A front window has been optioned in for more natural light and of course the views. As the mid-section does not have seating there is room for a few innovations. Just inside the front door is a laundry chute that directs clothes to an external access storage compartment. The TV just above the laundry chute is cleverly ‘framed in’, meaning it does not need to be stowed away for travel. The other mod con making it into the kitchen area is an aftermarket Midea compact dishwasher. Other appliances include a Dometic 224L compressor fridge, an NCE 23L microwave and a Thetford twin plate induction cooktop.

Troy and Laura added a compact dishwasherThe central ensuite has an illuminated vanity bowl

Moving along, the bathroom setup is more like you see in many bunk caravan layouts, with a shower on one side and toilet on the other. The advantage of this setup compared to a typical couples rear bathrooms is the shower and toilet can be used concurrently while maintaining privacy. Concertina doors at each end of the bathroom space serve a number of purposes. Closing both doors creates a buffer between the bedroom and the living area if a daytime nap is called for and also creates a good private space for dressing after having a shower.

It’s an island east–west bed so there’s no access issues

The rear bedroom breaks convention with an east–west bed. Unusually, you can walk around both sides of the bed meaning there is no need to climb over each other to get out of bed and there is easy access for bed making (some of the usual bug bears with east–west bed configurations). The framed in TV idea is repeated in the bedroom. Admittedly the setup feels a bit more cramped than most bedrooms, but it is a very efficient way to make the most of the caravan’s footprint. I believe this is an extremely well thought out van to meet Laura and Troy’s requirements.

Outdoor living

The well thought out theme continues on the exterior. I mentioned the internal laundry chute directs clothes to an external compartment but what I didn’t mention is the compartment also houses a washing machine. The external access washing machine is an important part of the overall functionality as it frees up the space in the internal bathroom area where you often see washing machines. (If you want to see a different way to use a similar external space, look at the second upright fridge in the Tonka featured here).

We get to see a few more of Troy and Laura’s clever aftermarket touches on the exterior. There is a permanent wall-mounted clothesline right next to the washing machine. It saves setting one up at camp, but your clothes won’t get the benefit of sun drying if you have the awning out. One of the jerry cans on the rear bar has been modified to accommodate a retractable water hose — no more winding up hoses and ending up with stray water in your storage boxes!

The external washing machine frees up a lot of space in the bathroomThey have added a retractable water hose on the back of the van

Troy has another spot where he doesn’t mind a little bit of water. Great Aussie Caravans has built a storage compartment specifically to house Troy’s kayaking and snorkelling gear. Of course, you wouldn’t want to flood it, but it is nice to have one dedicated wet area separate from all your other storage. There are some other interesting storage areas incorporated into the rear bar. When you look closely it effectively doubles as a storage box. Either end of the rear bar has small doors for some extra storage and the middle of the bar has a short trundle drawer. Troy and Laura only store light stuff in these spaces to minimise weight at the extremity.

Roughing it

A powerful Projecta 12V system makes this Tonka gasless. Well, almost. Troy and Laura carry a small gas bottle to power the aftermarket BeefEater barbecue housed in the front toolbox. This addition eases the demand on the 12V system as does the diesel-powered hot water service/space heater. The Projecta package includes a 400Ah lithium battery, a 3000W inverter and a premium power management system. The system is fed with solar power via the six 200W panels (1000W total).

While this Tonka has been designed to be gasless, Troy and Laura have added a gas bottle for their aftermarket BeefEater barbecue

Most vans feature two 95L freshwater tanks. This Tonka steps up to three 95L freshwater tanks but only has the typical one 95L grey water tank. Most of the time that won’t be a problem, but if you are in an area mandating grey water collection you need to be mindful that you won’t have a home for most of it. An OGO waterless composting toilet has been optioned instead of a regular cassette toilet. Waterless is the key word because there is no flushing involved which means you won’t fill waste receptacles up as quickly, resulting in more ‘range’. Whereas composting is often a bit of a misnomer because in van life there typically wouldn’t be enough time for the contents to decompose before you need to dispose of it. You can learn more about toilets in our guide here.

How does the Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 22ft tow?

The Tonka 22ft has a tare weight of 3299kg as it left the factory and an ATM of 4500kg delivering a substantial payload of 1201kg. Troy and Laura have no intention of using the full ATM. Loaded to their travel weight they are coming in at around 3700kg. Despite keeping the van weight down, the LandCruiser 300 Series has had an extensive rerating by Lovells Automotive to make it legal to tow the Tonka. The re-ratings are: GVM increased from 3280kg to 4200kg, GCM increased from 6750kg to 7800kg, and tow rating increased from 3500kg to 4000kg. The actual upgrades to the tow vehicle are shock absorbers and springs. Lovells mandate that its hitch has to be used to meet the increased tow rating despite the factory-fitted Cruisemaster DO45 being rated to tow 4500kg. Troy reports he finds the DO45 much more user-friendly and is disappointed he can’t use it.

Laura does much of the towing and is very happy with the stability. My brief experience in the rig revealed nothing to the contrary. Hats off to these travellers for being smart about keeping their van weight down and avoiding adding too much weight at the rear.

This van does require a big tow vehicle

What we thought of the Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 22ft

Laura and Troy had a very clear brief for a caravan to suit their family’s needs. They have collaborated with Great Aussie Caravans to bring together an internal layout and exterior features that work for them. The front club lounge provides a great communal area and frees up the kitchen area for some innovative features. The mid bathroom with shower and toilet in ‘separate rooms’ and double concertina doors optimises privacy and creates a buffer for the bedroom. An east–west bed makes the most of the footprint but remains functional as you can access it from both sides. An external washing machine and rear bar that doubles as a storage box makes this van special. Troy and Laura have further tailored their van with aftermarket accessories to create a van that is just about perfect for them.

About Troy and Laura

Troy and Laura are YouTubers but consider themselves typical caravanners. They love exploring Australia but full-time travel is not on their radar. Caravanning is a big part of their journey but not their whole story. They also enjoy jumping on an aeroplane for a getaway every now and then. Like many of us they are kind of making up their travel as they go along — hence the name Journey Unknown. Part of Laura and Troy’s journey is ‘going nowhere’ by spending time at their hobby farm in South Gippsland, Vic. They make their peaceful rural retreat The Farm @ JU Buffalo available to self-contained campers through Hipcamp (some powered sites available). We used the farm as part of our photoshoot location. It has a charming vibe with chickens and sheep to gaze at and is a great base to explore a beautiful part of the world.

Troy and Laura’s channel Journey Unknown

Troy and Laura’s hobby farm ‘The Farm @ JU Buffalo’ in Victoria

GREAT AUSSIE CARAVANS TONKA 22FT RATINGS

VALUE FOR MONEY

Yes, it’s a lot of money but it is also a lot of van

TOWABILITY

Laura is very happy with the towing, and I saw nothing to the contrary in my short time with the van

SUITABILITY FOR INTENDED TOURING

The Tonka has all the right equipment to tour all over Australia

BUILD QUALITY

Great Aussie Caravans are committed to building high-quality caravans and this Tonka was no exception

LIVEABILITY

Laura and Troy had a very clear brief, and I believe their Tonka nails it

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Plenty of power and water capacity plus a waterless toilet to go further

CUSTOMER CARE

Great Aussie Caravans has dealers in all states and offers a warranty of five years on the structure and chassis/suspension, along with a two-year general warranty

INNOVATION

Jam-packed with innovation from the builder and the owner

X-FACTOR

More X-factor than most, the standout being the very clever layout

GREAT AUSSIE CARAVANS TONKA 22FT SPECS

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

EXTERNAL

INTERNAL

Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 22ft price from $164,020

OPTIONS FITTED BY FACTORY

• Black Jack A-frame trailer jack
• Gold pack — internal fixtures
• NCE 23L flatbed microwave
• Dishwasher — pre-plumbing
• Thetford twin plate induction cooktop
• Four shelves
• Bin drawer
• Mirror on shower door
• Front window
• Camec PIN entry front door
• 3 x 12V fans
• Extra solar panel
• Starlink prewire
• OGO composting toilet
• Diesel HWS and space heater
• Custom external hatches
• Upgraded illuminated vanity basin

AFTERMARKET ACCESSORIES FITTED BY CUSTOMER

• Lovells Automotive coupling — to support tow rating increase
• Wall mounted clothesline
• Midea compact dishwasher
• BeefEater barbecue and 4kg gas bottle
• Retractable water hose

Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 22ft price as shown $176,818 (excluding aftermarket accessories fitted by customer)

MORE INFORMATION

Great Aussie Caravans

88–106 Kyabram Street

Coolaroo Vic 3048

P: 03 9308 8511

THE NEXT STEP

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