This episode of the show takes us down to Hilllston. Hillston in Western NSW on the Lachlan River. We followed the Kidman Way from Cobar and headed south. Stopping at a lovely little caravan park and a short walk into town did the 1.2km walk along the Lachlan River. Its a flat pleasant stroll with plenty of information boards to read along the way, and the sound of the Correllas in the background.

Whilst in the caravan park Phill chatted with a group of people travelling on pushbikes. Phill and Mallaki talk about their trip, riding pushbikes. They call themselves the Campbelltown Joggers, but they gave up the jogging to ride bikes. They were in training for their ride from Darwin to Adelaide. We have made contact to see if their trip actually went ahead with the lockdowns, did they get our in time?

Next up again we are chatting with Jeff DeAth from Check Weight and this weeks topic is when buying a second hand caravan should you get it weighed.

Have you recently bought, or are you planning to buy a caravan? There are many things to consider before buying one, particularly the weight of your caravan and whether your vehicle is suitable for towing it.

To ensure it’s legal and safe to tow. Caravans usually have limited carrying capacity (payload) so it can be easy to accidentally overload them. Common modifications and accessories such as additional water tanks, gas cylinders or tool boxes can eat into the carrying capacity and limit how much you can carry. 

Some caravans can even exceed their maximum weight when empty. This is a big problem as there is no easy fix. We have also seen a few caravans with incorrectly marked ID plates from the factory and some with so little payload that necessary items can’t be carried. Ultimately, you need to know the weight of your caravan to know whether your tow vehicle is suitable and if you can carry everything you need.

For a used caravan, it’s best to weigh it before you buy it. This is because the caravan may have been modified or had additional equipment fitted after it was built which could affect its maximum weight and carrying capacity. For example boxes on the back, bike rack, or even the addition of a washing machine. All these things will effect the weight. https://checkweight.com.au/