Camping guides
Caravan tips for beginners
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So you’ve just bought your first caravan and you’re not sure where to start? Or maybe you’re hiring a caravan for the first time and you’re not quite sure what you’re doing? Don’t worry - our top 10 caravan tips for beginners will get you up and running in no time!
In this list, we’ve tried to cover everything that you need to know when caravanning for the first time, including:
Packing the caravan.
Setting up and packing down the caravan.
Towing, manoeuvring, reversing and parking the caravan.
Hitching and unhitching the caravan.
Hiring a caravan.
10 Caravan tips for beginners: things to know before you tow
1. Ensure that your car is capable of towing the caravan
Before you buy or hire a caravan, ensure that your car is capable of safely towing the caravan. Most importantly, is the towing capacity of your car greater than the gross combination mass (GCM) of the caravan?
You can find the towing capacity of your tow vehicle in the owner’s manual. Do not exceed this capacity.
The GCM is the maximum carrying capacity of the caravan. It is also known as the aggregate trailer mass (ATM) and should be specified by the caravan manufacturer.
The RAC provides more helpful information on calculating your car’s caravan towing limits.
2. Ask the caravan owner for advice
If you’re unsure about something before you set off on your big trip, ask the owner of the caravan you are hiring. There’s absolutely no shame in asking for help!
When you book through Camplify, you are hiring a caravan from an experienced owner who will be more than happy to show you the ropes. Upon picking up the caravan, ask the owner any questions you have and get them to take you on a test drive. Many of them will even drop off the caravan at your favourite spot and set everything up for you if you like!
3. Take a caravan towing course
Still not confident in your towing abilities? Want even more caravan tips for beginners? There are several awesome caravan training courses available in most metropolitan areas.
Tow-Ed is one of Australia’s most popular caravan courses, offering both on-road and off-road towing programs in every state and territory (except NT). By the end of the course, you will be confident in every aspect of towing a caravan, including hitching, manoeuvering, reversing and parking.
4. Pack all the caravan essentials
It is easier to pack for a caravan camping trip if you have a pre-prepared list of all the essentials you need to take. Refer to this road trip packing list and caravan checklist for a comprehensive list of what to pack for a caravan trip.
Generally, your caravanning checklist should include:
Food (basics)
General safety (fire extinguisher, spare tyre, wheel jack, brake controller etc.)
Medicinal (first-aid kit, medications, mosquito repellent etc.)
Mechanical (coolant, oil, fan belt, duct tape, tools, tyre pressure etc.)
Clothing (swimwear, formal wear, casual wear, nightwear etc.)
Resources (gas bottles, batteries, water etc.)
Cookware (cups, plates, pots, pans, kitchen, cutlery etc.)
Entertainment (books, games, TV, frisbee etc.)
Cleaning (air freshener, garbage bags, dishwashing liquid etc.)
Equipment (Esky, tables, chairs, surfboards, bikes, umbrella etc.)
Toiletries (toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush)
When you hire a caravan through Camplify, it will likely come with most of the essentials. Check the listing page and if you are still unsure about what you need to bring, send the owner a message and ask.
5. Don’t pack the caravan too heavy
One of the most important caravan tips for beginners? Packing lightly. It is important to consider the weight of your caravan when fully packed, with many beginners packing their caravan too heavy.
If the weight of your caravan exceeds the limits set by the manufacturer and the towing capacity of your vehicle, you will be towing the caravan illegally and may face some legal consequences if pulled over by the police.
Packing too heavy also makes towing less fuel-efficient and it is harder to manoeuvre your caravan. Only take what you really want and need for your trip and leave the rest at home.
6. Prepare to live in close quarters
This is a great caravan tip for beginners who aren’t used to living in close proximity to others. Usually, there is not a whole heap of privacy in a caravan, so prepare accordingly. Bring a set of earplugs if you know that your companion snores. And take an eye mask as well if they like to stay up late reading with the lights on.
Make sure that everyone gets some time to themselves if you want to avoid arguments on a caravan trip. Perhaps you can sit outside under the awning or take a walk every now and then to give your travel buddies some alone time.
7. Drive cautiously when towing a caravan
There are several reasons why caravans tend to be slower than other vehicles on the road. Taking things slowly is the safest way to travel when towing a caravan. It gives you more time to react to the road conditions, stray animals and crosswinds. Plus, towing a caravan slowly and steadily improves fuel efficiency.
Avoid swerving if you need to react suddenly to a stray animal or pothole ahead. And remember to be mindful of frustrated motorists queuing behind you in traffic. Keep left and pull over when necessary to let traffic pass.
Another great caravan tip for beginners is to get on the road as early as possible. It is easier to focus on towing your caravan in the early hours because there is less traffic on the road and more space. Plus, you’ll get to your destination earlier!
8. Have a passenger help you to reverse the caravan
Work with your passengers to make towing, manoeuvring, reversing and parking the caravan easier. It is crucial that beginners have a passenger get out of the tow vehicle and direct them when reversing the caravan.
Remember that you need to turn the car's steering wheel in the opposite direction that you’d expect the caravan to move. To reverse the caravan to the left, steer the wheel to the right. And to reverse the caravan to the right, steer the wheel to the left. Reverse slowly so that you can correct the course if needed.
If your car has automatic tilting reverse mirrors, turn the feature off. If you have caravan towing mirrors attached, the tilting mirrors may knock them off and crack the glass.
For more guidance, watch this video on how to reverse a caravan and read our extra reversing tips in this survival guide for first-time family caravanners.
9. Know how to hitch and unhitch the caravan
This is one of the most important caravan tips for beginners: ensure that you’ve practised hitching and unhitching the caravan before you set off on your road trip.
When hitching the caravan:
Wind the jockey wheel up as high as it will go.
Reverse the car up to the caravan so that the tow ball sits underneath the coupling head. It’s helpful to have someone guide you whilst reversing.
Lower the jockey wheel so that the coupling head sits on the tow ball.
Lock the coupling head onto the tow ball by engaging the coupling latch.
Remove or raise the jockey wheel so that it is in a travelling position.
Attach the safety chain or breakaway cable between the car and the caravan.
Connect the caravan trailer pin plug to the socket on the back of the car. Ensure that the brake lights and indicators on the caravan are working correctly.
Disengage the caravan handbrake.
To unhitch the caravan, you essentially reverse the hitching process.
For more information, see our video guides to hitching a caravan and unhitching a caravan.
10. Create a set-up / pack-down routine
Don’t waste hours setting up and packing down your caravan. Create a routine so that you can set up quickly and safely each and every time. Consider typing it up and designate jobs to different passengers.
The general process for setting up your caravan at a campsite should look like this:
Empty the waste tanks or cassette toilet at the camp dump point if necessary.
Fill up the fresh water tank.
Choose your campsite and park the caravan.
Level out the caravan with chocks if necessary.
Unhitch the caravan from the tow vehicle.
Turn on the gas (if the caravan is gas powered).
Connect to the mains power (if the caravan has a 240v power system).
Lower the entrance step and place a mat underneath to prevent them from sinking.
Power on the functions in the caravan if necessary (e.g. water pump, heating, etc.)
Open the ventilation.
Set up the external awning when you want to use it.
Hire a caravan for the first time with Camplify
Searching for caravans for hire in Australia? Camplify makes it easy to find and hire the perfect caravan for your camping trip. Simply enter your pickup location (plus heaps of optional filters) and within seconds, you will discover heaps of privately-owned caravan rentals to suit your needs!
And if you want even more caravan tips for beginners, check out the Camplify blog or, more specifically, our guide to camping for beginners!
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The information in this blog is accurate and current as of the date of posting. Please be aware that information, facts, and links may become outdated over time.