Innovation, off-grid escapes and a few wild headlines — the August 2003 issue of Caravan World was full of clever compact designs and classic travel tales.
Back in August 2003, the spotlight was on saving space and making memories. From retro vans with clever slide-outs to compact campers and crocs on the run, issue 396 of Caravan World was packed with innovation, adventure and a few wild headlines to match.
By this point, issue numbers were finally appearing on the cover — a small milestone, but it marks a big journey when you consider we just sent out our 662nd issue.
Croc on the loose
Kakadu National Park had a moment in the news cycle in 2003 — and not just because of its ancient landscape or seasonal flooding. A 3m crocodile had reportedly taken up residence near Twin Falls and wasn’t too keen on being relocated by rangers. While believed to have slunk off unnoticed, it kept scenic flight passengers alert and watching.
The national park was also featured in the magazine with a beautiful spread and a thoughtful look at its cultural roots. As writer Peter Morton explained, “The word Kakadu is the early settlers’ interpretation of Gagudju — one of the original language groups for the park’s floodplains.” He also paid tribute to Big Bill Neidjie OAM, the last known Gagudju speaker, who had passed away the year before.
Kakadu National Park and its croc population was making headlines back in August 2003
A TREK down memory lane
Flipping through the pages, one image made me pause: a shiny TREK camper trailer. Visually, the very same model my family spent countless holidays adventuring in — and it’s still kicking, albeit a bit worse for wear after going on 30 years of off-grid trips, custom bike rack installations and the rigours of a family of six. ‘Well-loved’ is probably the best description I could give it.
The simple but sturdy TREK camper trailer
Compared to today’s camping set-ups, the TREK was bare-bones brilliance — a double bed in the tray, slide-out kitchen bench (only a plumbed tap and a hole for a plastic-tub sink), a canvas tent plus some camp stretcher bunks we eventually outgrew.
The TREK was the perfect companion for our river-side camping trips around Bourke, NSW, but it also made the long-haul treks up the Cape, to Darwin and over to Carnarvon. It’s still going strong today as a support vehicle for my dad’s paragliding towing business in Dubbo, albeit with the tent removed.
The article itself covered Geelong Caravans adding the TREK brand to its lineup, alongside Windsors and A’vans. “Customers had been asking about this type of trailer,” said Ricky Barrett at the time, noting its lockable solid steel roof, lightweight build and range of optional extras.
A Little Rippa with curves
The cover feature of August 2003 was Roadstar’s eye-catching Little Rippa Rover — a retro-inspired van with curved ends and a clever clamshell-style slide-out design.
At just 11ft 6in (3.5m) long and weighing only 1100kg, it was impressively compact but could still sleep four thanks to a convertible dinette. Reviewer Joan Green praised Roadstar’s lateral thinking, saying it had rediscovered how a vintage profile could deliver something truly innovative.
The curvaceous Little Rippa Rover
The hinged front and rear sections folded out with the help of gas struts, while a pop-top added headroom. No front boot due to the curves, but a trapdoor in the floor handled essential storage.
This van was still pre-production at the time of print, having been displayed at major shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Roadstar’s modern Little Rippa models have a sleeker silhouette today, but if you ever spotted one of these originals in the wild, we’d love to hear your story.
A classic A’van
Continuing the space-saving theme there was a review of the A’van Cruiseliner by none other than Malcolm Street. This unit was one of the brand’s popular A-line folding campers. At 6ft 6in (2m) wide and a mere 900kg tare weight (1200kg ATM), it was a breeze to tow behind the Land Rover Discovery used for the review.
Malcolm praised the quick setup and compact towing dimensions, though he did note that the van was best suited for short getaways rather than long-haul travel. “It’s not hard to see why the A’van Campers’ folding caravans are very popular,” he wrote — and with the Cruiseliner still a familiar sight today, his words have certainly stood the test of time.
Gentle giants and southern peaks
The travel features in this issue also covered two very different corners of the country — Hervey Bay and Cradle Mountain.
In Queensland’s whale-watching capital, Hervey Bay, humpbacks were gathering offshore for their annual stopover with calves in tow. The author boarded the Spirit of Hervey Bay catamaran for a close-up look at the action. The company still runs tours today from July through October.
Gentle Giants and Hervey Bay delights
Meanwhile, Gwen Haslar headed south to Tasmania to explore Cradle Mountain National Park. She stayed at Cradle Mountain Tourist Park (now Discovery Parks – Cradle Mountain), praising its private bush setting and peaceful atmosphere. Getting to Tassie with a van is no small feat these days, but for those who book well in advance, the trip is worth every kilometre (and dollar).
A trip to the Apple Isle
Family-friendly caravanning
Finally, the Postbag column from August 2003 included a request from a reader asking for more content dedicated to family caravanning — predominantly vans with the comforts of home that could be towed by the family car, not top-of-the- line 4WDs.
It’s a topic that still comes up, but the Catch-22 these days is that added creature comforts and tech can quickly bump up the ATM and push the van out of standard family car territory. Hybrids have opened up a field of options (like the Windsor Rapid 15B we reviewed last month), but it’s always going to be a balance between practicality, comfort and what you’re willing (and able) to tow.
Our Postbag column is still going strong, and there’s now a new prize on offer — an iTechworld JS80 Lithium Jump Starter! Check out all the details and find out how to enter here.
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Looking back: Offroad adventures | January 1984
Win an iTechworld JS80 jump starter — new Postbag prize on offer!
Looking back: Retro curves and off-grid charm | August 2003