We dream of exploring every nook and cranny of Australia, but not all roads are suitable for a caravan. So, rather than miss out on those locations, we’ve chosen to leave our caravan behind in storage.
Finding Storage Locations
When we were planning our trip, we tried to work out which destinations weren’t suitable for caravans and how many nights we’d stay there. A quick internet search helped us find places that allow for van storage, and we’ve also found that many caravan parks allow you to store vans for a small fee.
We’ve also thought about where friends and family live. Where possible, we’ve planned to drop off our van with them while we go exploring.
Leaving the Caravan Behind
Here are the essentials we need to consider before leaving our caravan.
1. Securing the Van
To keep the van secure, we’ve found that chocking the wheels and using a coupling lock is essential. For extra peace of mind, we’ve also installed AL-KO’s Anti-Theft System, which means we can track where the caravan is in real time via our smart phone app as well as receive an alert if the van moves outside of a pre-set perimeter (also known as a geo-fence).
2. Power Requirements
So far, the places we’ve stored vans haven’t been powered, so we’ve chosen to turn off the fridge and keep the battery off charge.
3. Food Items
To avoid attracting mice, ants or other creepy-crawlies into the caravan, we take all our food items with us on our off-road journeys. If that’s not possible for you, make sure everything is carefully packed in tough (rodent proof) storage containers.
4. A Storage Checklist
Once we’ve parked the van at a storage location, we go through the following checklist before heading off:
- Turn off the gas.
- Close windows
- Closevents.
- Remove food items.
- Chock wheels.
- AL-KO ATS Alert Perimiter (Geofence) is established
- Install coupling lock.
- Remove valuable items.
- Lock the door
- Double check all items
Forward planning has helped us store our van in safe and affordable locations so we can enjoy our off-road adventures with peace of mind that our van will be waiting for us when we return.
Drew and Court are a Melbourne couple who are travelling around Australia for the next 10 months. They’ll be writing about their experiences for Without a Hitch, giving us the real story of life on the road.
In their next article, Drew & Court talk about respect for the tracks, your fellow caravaner and for the environment.