Pt Quobba Blowholes Campground is only a short drive from Carnarvon, which was our previous stop. We arrived pretty much right on 11am, which also happens to be the earliest check-in time, or arrival time, really, as the campground is unmanned.
Bookings are essential and are done through the Carnarvon Visitor Centre website. You choose your site online and pay before arriving.
Type of stay: Nature-based, off-grid coastal campground
Dates stayed: April 2026
Cost: $30 per night
Powered sites: No
Water: No drinking water available
Toilets: Toilets near the Aquarium/day-use area only
Showers: No
Pool: No
Pet friendly: Yes
Telstra: Poor
Starlink: No problem
Road access: Sealed road from Carnarvon, then sandy/gravel campground sites
Our Experience
We picked site 29, which meant we did not have ocean views, but we did have some shelter from the wind. For us, that was the better trade-off.
Facilities are basic, so you need to arrive prepared. There is no drinking water, no power, no showers, and no supplies available at the campground.
There are toilets near the entrance by the Aquarium, but these are meant for public day visitors rather than campers. There is also a dump point and rubbish bins at the entrance to the campsite.
The campground itself is sandy, with sites spread along the road for around 1–2km. Site 1 starts near the Aquarium, and the sites continue along the coast from there. Sites vary in size and exposure, so it is worth choosing carefully when booking.
Everything here is sandy, but most of the sites we saw were reasonably level, so there was not too much levelling to do.
We stayed for three nights and were lucky with the weather. There was not much wind during our stay, which can be unusual for this part of the coastline. The day we left it was blowing a gale, so our timing was pretty much perfect.
The main attractions here are the Aquarium and the blowholes, and both are fantastic.
For the Aquarium, we were advised to snorkel about two hours either side of high tide. At that time there is more water movement and depth, which means you can swim over the coral rather than getting stuck on it.
The blowholes looked really good at sunset and were quite impressive when they were firing.
There are also sand dunes behind the campsite where you can do some driving or walking.
We saw a few fishing people here with their boats, and we were told that if you have a boat, you are almost guaranteed to catch something here.
Pt Quobba Blowholes Campground is a great campsite if you are set up for off-grid camping. If you like swimming, snorkelling, or fishing, it is a fantastic spot, and both the Aquarium and the blowholes are well worth visiting.
At $30 per night, we thought it was a fair price for what you get, but you do need to be self-sufficient. There are no supplies out here, and the weather will make or break your stay.
For us, the calm conditions made it a very enjoyable stop. But on a windy day, this would be a very different experience.
Thanks for reading Pt Quobba Blowholes Campground. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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If you are heading along the Northwest Coastal Hwy, north of Carnarvon, then this could be a good rest stop to consider.
This is one of those 24 hour freecamps, which in typical WA style has all the basic features most travelers require.
Quick Facts
Website: N/A
Type of stay: Free camp
Dates stayed:
Cost: Free
Powered sites: No
Water: No
Toilets: Long-drop toilets
Showers: No
Pool: No
Pet friendly: Yes
Telstra: Yes weak
Starlink: No problems
Road access: Easy access from North West Coastal Highway; choice of tar-sealed or dirt parking
Our Experience
Yannarie (Barradale) Free Camp is set beside a riverbed that was dry when we stayed. It’s a large site with plenty of room, so even with around eight other campers there for the night, it didn’t feel crowded.
Facilities are basic but functional. There are long-drop toilets which were usable when we stayed, although they weren’t the cleanest. No toilet paper was supplied, so you need to come prepared. There are bins onsite and dump points for emptying a toilet cassette.
There were also a couple of large information signs around the site, but they were so faded we couldn’t read them.
You can park on the tar-sealed area or head further in and set up on the dirt. That flexibility makes it easier to find a spot that suits your setup and gives you a bit of breathing room.
Because it’s close to North West Coastal Highway, some road noise is unavoidable, but for a free overnight stop it still felt practical and easy.
It goes without saying there are flies here, maybe we are lucky that they are not in plague numbers, but not far from it.
There is not much shelter from the wind here, the bush cover is thin.
Yannarie (Barradale) Free Camp is a large, practical free stop on the Northwest Coastal Hwy of WA. It offers plenty of space, simple access, and useful basics like bins and a dump point, but the facilities are very basic and road noise is part of the trade-off. If you’re set up for a straightforward overnight stay, it’s a handy option.
Thanks for reading Yannarie – Freecamp. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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Before we bought our caravan, I spent a fair bit of time researching construction types. One thing kept coming up over and over, avoid timber caravans because of the risk of water leaks and rot.
While I am sure this is a valid concern, there still seems to be plenty of timber caravans being built today and I am sure there are many happy owners which have had no problems.
In the end, we went with an aluminium-framed van. What no one really talked about, though, was insulation. Aluminium might tick a lot of boxes, but when you’re parked in the sun, you quickly realise the air conditioner has to work a lot harder to keep things cool.
Like most people, we also looked at composite builds. They seem to be where the industry is heading, but for us, the price tag was hard to justify at the time.
After visiting a few caravan shows and talking to different manufacturers, one thing became pretty clear, every salesperson will tell you their construction method and construction type is the best. It doesn’t matter whether it’s timber, aluminium, or composite.
So instead of relying on sales talk, it’s worth understanding the real pros and cons of each and more importantly, what actually matters once you’re out on the road.
There’s a lot of marketing around this topic, but once you get out on the road, what really matters is how these materials perform over time.
The video below explains things really well. I’ve added our own take to it in this article, along with a few extra points worth considering.
Timber Frame
Timber-framed caravans have been around for decades and are still widely used today. Most are built using hardwoods like Meranti, although some cheaper builds may use pine.
Pros
Easy to repair – most tradespeople can work on them
Lower cost – generally the cheapest option
Flexible – handles movement and road vibration well
Proven method – long track record in the industry
Better natural insulation than aluminium (less heat transfer)
Cons
Water is the biggest enemy
Can rot if moisture gets in
Staples and glue can fail over time
Damage is often hidden until it becomes serious
Can be used off-road, but not ideal for harsh conditions, corrugations, water crossings, vibration and dust increase the risk of long-term issues
Real-world take
There’s nothing inherently wrong with timber, but it relies heavily on keeping water out forever. In reality, that comes down to ongoing maintenance and keeping an eye on seals.
Aluminum Frame
Aluminium framing is often marketed as a premium upgrade, but not all aluminium builds are the same. Thickness, design, and welding quality all play a big role.
Pros
Won’t rot like timber
Typically lighter
Strong when engineered properly
Seen as a higher-end option
Well suited to off-road use when properly engineered
Cons
Weld quality is critical
Can crack under stress if poorly designed
Transfers heat and cold (poor insulation, can lead to condensation)
Harder to repair and requires skilled work
Real-world take
Aluminium is definitely a step forward in many ways, but it’s only as good as the workmanship. A poorly built aluminium frame won’t hold up any better than anything else.
Composite Panel
Composite caravans are becoming more popular, especially in off-road and premium builds. These use sandwich panels (different skins with a core), often without a traditional internal frame.
Pros
No internal frame = fewer failure points
Excellent insulation
Lightweight and strong
Fewer joins = less chance of water ingress
Clean, modern finish
Well suited to off-road use when properly engineered
Cons
More expensive
Repairs can be difficult and costly
Poor quality builds can delaminate
Requires precise manufacturing
Real-world take
Composite looks like the future, but only when it’s done properly. Cheap composite can actually be worse than a well-built timber van.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Here’s how they generally stack up:
Durability: Timber (okay) → Aluminium (good) → Composite (best if high quality)
When choosing a caravan, there’s a lot to consider—cost, weight, and construction all play a part.
Price alone can quickly narrow your options between timber, aluminium, and composite builds, but it shouldn’t be the only factor. Weight is just as important, especially when it comes to payload.
If you’re planning a lap of Australia, you’ll be surprised how quickly the kilos add up. Between water, gear, tools, and everyday essentials, it doesn’t take long to use up your available payload. As a rough guide, having around 600+ kg of payload gives you a bit of breathing room for long-term travel.
It’s also worth thinking about how you plan to use the caravan. Will you mostly stay on sealed roads and caravan parks, or are you planning to head off-road and spend time on rough tracks? Not every construction type handles harsh conditions the same way, so matching the van to your style of travel is important.
The most important factor, though, is build quality.
A well-designed and properly built caravan will outperform a poorly built one—regardless of whether it’s timber, aluminium, or composite.
It’s also worth paying close attention to the structural warranty. Not just how long it is, but what it actually covers. A long warranty doesn’t mean much if it’s full of exclusions or difficult to claim on.
Thanks for reading Timber vs Aluminium vs Composite Construction. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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How Long They Last, What Uses the Most Gas, and Where to Refill
Gas is one of those things most caravanners don’t think much about until it runs out. When it does, everything seems to stop at once. No hot water, no cooking, no heating, and in some setups, no fridge either.
Gas is widely available throughout Australia, but refilling is not always as straightforward as filling a cars fuel tank.
Many regional towns offer gas bottle refills or swap-and-go services, however partial refills are often not practical. In many cases, you will be charged for a full refill regardless of how much gas remains in the bottle, making it uneconomical to top up a partially used bottle.
This is another reason why a twin-bottle setup works so well. When one bottle runs empty, you simply switch to the other bottle and continue travelling until you find a convenient place to refill the empty one. There is no need to waste money topping up bottles that are only partly used.
It is still worth planning ahead in remote areas, as refill services may be limited, have restricted trading hours, or be unavailable on weekends and public holidays.
Also in very remote areas in Australia, the cost of a gas bottle can be very expensive. I have heard prices of over $70 for a 9KG gas bottle. We normally pay somewhere in the region of $35.
Gas use also varies far more than people realize. A couple traveling in summer might get weeks to months from a bottle, while a family using heating in winter can empty the same bottle in weeks. Without a rough idea of how long gas lasts for different appliances, it’s easy to underestimate how quickly it disappears.
This guide is designed to take some of the guesswork out of caravan gas. It focuses on real-world use rather than best-case figures, helping you plan better, avoid running out, and travel with a bit more confidence.
Gas Bottle Basics
Most caravans in Australia use LPG stored in portable gas bottles. LPG is a mix of propane and butane, chosen because it stores easily as a liquid and works reliably across a wide range of conditions.
Common gas bottle sizes
The most common bottle sizes used in caravans are:
4 kg bottles – often found on smaller vans and camper trailers
9 kg bottles – the most popular size for touring caravans
Gas bottles are rated by weight. A 9 kg bottle contains 9 kg of gas, the steel bottle weight itself is on top of this. This is why the only reliable way to know how much gas you have left is by weighing the bottle.
Why LPG is measured by weight?
LPG expands and contracts with temperature, so measuring it by volume isn’t accurate. Weighing the gas gives a consistent measurement, which is why refill stations and bottle stamps always use kilograms.
How gas is used in a caravan
Gas is commonly used for:
Cooking (stovetops, ovens, BBQs)
Hot water systems
Space heating
Three-way fridges (on gas mode)
While appliance ratings provide a useful guide, actual gas consumption depends heavily on the conditions you are camping in.
For caravans fitted with a three-way fridge, hot weather can significantly increase gas usage. The fridge has to work harder to maintain the temperature it is set at, causing it to run for longer periods and consume more gas. A caravan parked in full sun with temperatures above 30°C will generally use considerably more gas than the same caravan parked in the shade on a mild day.
Under these conditions, it is not uncommon for travellers to report a 9 kg gas bottle lasting only a couple of weeks. Actual consumption will vary depending on the fridge size, ambient temperature, how often the fridge is opened.
The opposite is true in cold climates. A gas heater may become the largest gas consumer in the caravan, especially during winter camping when it is running regularly to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the van.
In practical terms, both appliances behave in a similar way. Neither typically runs continuously at full output. Instead, they cycle on and off as required, with gas consumption largely determined by the outside temperature and how hard the appliance needs to work.
This is why some travellers report getting only a few weeks from a gas bottle, while others can make one last for months. The climate and how your caravan is setup can have a major impact on gas consumption.
If your caravan does not have a three-way fridge or a gas heater, then gas consumption tends to be much more predictable. In most cases, cooking and hot water become the primary gas uses, and a 9 kg gas bottle can often last for several months.
Gas Bottle Connections & Life Span
There are 2 connections available today. The LCC27 (new) and the POL (old), by 2031 the LCC27 will have taken over as gas bottle have a 10 year life span.
The LCC27 sometimes has an internal connection for the old POL connector. When swapping bottles you need to check the connections carefully as not all LCC27 have internal threads for the old POL connector.
gas bottle connections
Managing Gas on the Road
Running out of gas is rarely about bad luck. Most of the time it comes down to not knowing how fast you’re using it, or not having a backup when one bottle empties. A few simple setups and habits make a big difference.
Run two bottles if you can
If your caravan has space for two bottles, use them. It gives you:
Double the capacity
Redundancy when 1 bottle empties
Flexibility when refilling options are limited
They also buy you time, especially in cold weather or when staying in one location for an extended period.
Gas Bottle Switch
A common question is whether both gas bottles should/can be used at the same time. While systems vary, the preferred approach is to use one bottle at a time and keep the second bottle in reserve.
Our caravan uses a manual changeover valve. We run from a single bottle and keep the second bottle as a backup. When the first bottle empties, we simply switch over to the second bottle.
A good habit is to refill the empty bottle as soon as practical rather than waiting until the second bottle runs out. This ensures you always have a full reserve bottle available, which can be particularly valuable when travelling in remote areas.
This approach has several advantages, you always have a reserve supply available, and there is less risk of unexpectedly finding both bottles empty at the same time.
Adjust usage when gas matters
Small changes can stretch a bottle much further:
Use electric hot water or cooking when on mains power
Limit heater run time and warm the van before bed
Cook with lids on and avoid running multiple burners
Only heat the water in the morning
Heating is usually the biggest gas user, followed by the fridge so even small reductions there have a big impact.
Refill Options
Swap n Go (most gas stations) or BCF, Bunnings, Mitre10, Caravan Parks.
There used to be a genuinely useful LPG locator in Australia. It was called Gasmate. These days, there’s no equivalent that’s consistently accurate, so finding gas still relies on planning ahead and double-checking locally. Google is still the best option.
Summary
In our experience, gas bottles last a surprisingly long time. We often get several months from a 9 kg bottle, but our usage is fairly low.
We spend time in caravan parks, where our hot water system operates on electricity. When free camping, the hot water system runs on gas, however we typically heat the water in the morning and then switch it off. The water generally stays hot for most of the day. As a result, our gas is mainly used for the BBQ and cooktop, and with this usage pattern we typically get around two months from a 9 kg gas bottle.
When the weather turns cold, we will occasionally use the gas heater. However, our caravan is relatively small and heats up quickly, so the heater spends much of its time cycling on and off rather than running continuously.
Even so, heater use has a noticeable impact on gas consumption. During periods of moderate heater use, we typically get around one month from a 9 kg gas bottle.
Your own results may be very different. Gas consumption depends on the appliances fitted to your caravan, the climate, and your camping style. The best approach is to carry a spare bottle and keep an eye on your usage. After a while, you’ll develop a good feel for how long your gas bottles last under your typical travel conditions.
Thanks for reading Caravan Gas Bottles Explained. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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Sunset Beach Holiday Park is located in Geraldton, Western Australia, and offers powered sites close to the beach and only a short distance from town. We paid about $55 per night for a powered site for two people, which puts it in the range you’d expect for a coastal caravan park with solid facilities and a convenient location.
Overall, Sunset Beach Holiday Park felt like a good practical place to stay in Geraldton. Check-in was straightforward, and the staff were friendly and helpful, explaining everything we needed to know on arrival.
The park has clean, well-maintained amenities, although they are not the newest. They were perfectly serviceable and in line with what we would expect in a park of this type. Like many parks, there was a code needed to access them.
There is also a swimming pool on site, which looked clean and well maintained during our stay.
Our powered site was level and easy enough to settle into, although being directly opposite the playground wouldn’t have been our ideal location. That said, you don’t always get the perfect site in a caravan park, and the level pad was still a plus.
The park is well positioned for beach access, and there is also a walking track you can follow all the way into Geraldton. One of the nicer touches is the sunset viewing deck, which seems to be a popular spot in the evening for people to sit with a drink and watch the sun go down. From there, you can also see the grain ships lined up on the horizon waiting to dock, which gives the view a bit of local character.
One thing worth noting is security. When we checked in, we were advised not to leave anything out and to make sure the car was locked whenever it was unattended. While we were there, some cars were broken into. It wasn’t clear whether the vehicles had been left unlocked or not, but it’s something to be aware of. In fairness, this can be fairly typical of caravan parks located close to town centres.
The beach itself is nice to have nearby, but it may not suit everyone for swimming. It’s mostly soft sand, and because it is open to the ocean rather than sheltered, conditions may not always be ideal. It was too cold for us while we were there, so we didn’t swim, but we still appreciated the beach access and the option to walk along the coast.
Sunset Beach Holiday Park is a convenient and generally well-kept caravan park in Geraldton, with friendly staff, level powered sites, clean facilities, a pool, and easy access to the beach. The sunset viewing deck is a nice feature, and the outlook toward the grain ships adds a bit of interest.
It’s not perfect, the beach is exposed, and security is worth noting, but overall it felt like a good option for a stay in town.
Thanks for reading Sunset Beach Holiday Park. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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Coro Park is a self-contained campsite about 30 minutes north of Geraldton on the WA coast. It’s a simple setup without the usual caravan park facilities, but it offers something a lot of coastal stays struggle with, well-designed sites that give you shelter from the wind, along with easy access to the beach and ocean views.
At $15 per person per night, it’s an affordable option for self-sufficient travellers who don’t need power or water and are comfortable managing their own setup.
We arrived a little early, but that wasn’t a problem. The camp hosts had left an envelope with all the instructions we needed to find our site and get set up, which made things straightforward.
One of the standout features at Coro Park is the way each site is bordered by hedging. On this stretch of the WA coast, that makes a real difference. It gives each site a bit of privacy, but more importantly, it provides useful shelter from the wind. You really notice this when you walk down to the beach and feel how strong the wind can be out in the open. While we were there, there were a few windsurfers out, which tells its own story about the conditions.
There are no amenities on site, but a short walk away there are toilets and a dump point. Both were clean when we were there.
The sites themselves looked relatively level and were made from compacted rock, which makes them practical and easy enough to set up on. Some are drive-through as well, which is always a bonus.
Another thing that stood out to us was the lack of flies. Whether we just timed it well or it’s often like that, we’re not sure, but there were not many around at all, which felt almost unusual for a coastal WA campsite.
Overall, Coro Park felt like a simple but well-thought-out place to stay if you’re properly self-contained and want a coastal stop with shelter, views, and beach access rather than a full-facility caravan park.
Some Pics
WindsurfersSunset at the beachShadow going to toiletThe dump pointCathy at Coro ParkOur campsiteA typical campsite showing the hedgesSunset from the campground
Summary
We will definitely be back here if we are in the area again.
The hedged sites offer valuable wind protection, many sites are level, some are drive-through, and the beach and lookout are both only a short walk away. If you’re self-sufficient and don’t need power or water, it looks like a very good option.
Thanks for reading Coro Park – Review. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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Another month has gone by, and this one has finally seen a bit of improvement to the bottom line. After a few expensive months, the overall figure has started to come back down to a more reasonable level.
That said, the rising cost of living is definitely starting to bite now. Food prices continue to creep up, and fuel costs are once again becoming a noticeable part of the budget.
Travel plans have also taken a few hits this month. Exmouth is now off the list thanks to Cyclone Narrelle, and we have also just received news that the caravan park at the Bungle Bungles will be closing for the season due to insufficient bookings.
That is one thing about long-term travel around Australia, plans can change very quickly because of weather, road conditions, or simply the economics of running remote tourist areas.
April 2026 expenses
Breakdown of the unusual expenses
Fuel: the increased fuel prices are really starting to bite now. I have increased our monthly fuel budget to $1,200, which is roughly a 30% increase from where we were previously. Even that may not end up being enough, especially once we start heading into more remote areas where prices can climb very quickly.
Groceries: The further north you go, the more expensive groceries seem to get. Add rising transport and fuel costs on top of that, and it is pretty clear those increases are now flowing through into supermarket prices as well.
Dog Expenses: Shadow had a trip to the vet this month for a general check-up and to get some preventative medication sorted before heading further north. That included a Paralysis Tick control collar, which is something we definitely do not want to skip once we get into tick country.
Car repairs/maint: We also picked up some spare filters for the Gibb River Road trip. Dust out there can be brutal on vehicles, so there is a good chance they will need replacing by the time we come out the other side.
Expenses – summary
Expenses – Sumary
Month
Total
Acommodation
(avg/ay)
Per day
December
$8,211
$87.5
$264
January
$4,090
$20.8
$131
February
$10,309.54
$16
$368
March
$11,303
$61
$364
April
$6,123
$37.2
$204
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
Monthly avg
$7,007
$44.5
$266
A running totals and averages for the year 2026
Summary
One thing we have definitely started doing is cutting back on takeaways and eating out. It is one of the easiest areas to rein in spending when costs everywhere else are creeping higher.
We are also thinking a bit more carefully about which attractions we visit. These days it has to feel worthwhile before we hand over the money.
That is simply part of life on the road. Going home is not really an option for us anyway, as our house is leased out for another year, so we just adjust and keep moving forward.
Even with the rising costs, we still would not trade this lifestyle. It just means being a little more selective and keeping a closer eye on the budget than we used to.
If you’re interested in what it costs us to travel full time, you can see all of our monthly expense reports here.
Thanks for reading April 2026 – Expenses. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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The answer depends entirely on what you expect the generator to do.
Do you simply want to charge your batteries during poor weather? Or are you expecting the generator to run heavier appliances as well, like the caravan air conditioner?
Those are two very different jobs.
A generator that is perfectly adequate for battery charging may be nowhere near large enough to comfortably run larger appliances like an air conditioner.
In reality, depending on where you travel, you may not need a generator that often at all, for us living on the road full time we have only needed it a couple of times a year. But when we needed it, it was a life saver.
It is better to have one and need it, than to need it and not have one.
Start with the Job
Before choosing a generator size, ask yourself what role it will play in your setup.
Do you want it to:
charge your batteries in poor weather?
top up the batteries after a few days off-grid?
run a few smaller appliances?
act as a backup so you do not have to head into a caravan park?
run the caravan air conditioner and other power hungry appliances?
power the van like you are plugged into shore power?
Until you know that, generator size is mostly guesswork.
For Many Travellers, the Generator Is Mainly for Charging
For a lot of caravan travellers, the generator is not really about running lots of appliances directly. It is simply a backup charging source when solar falls behind.
If that is your use case, then the size of your battery charger matters just as much as the generator itself.
For example, if your van has a 40A battery charger, there is a limit to how much charging power you can actually use. In that situation, buying a large generator won’t achieve much, because the charger becomes the bottleneck.
As a rough rule of thumb, a 1kVA generator can be workable with a 40A charging system. But once charger sizes increase, you are usually better off moving up to the next generator size.
The reason for this is once the generator is plugged into the caravan, the van treats it like normal shore power.
The battery charger may already be using a large chunk of the available power, and then everything else running in the van gets added on top, fridge, microwave, kettle, lights, air conditioner and so on.
That is why a generator that seems adequate on paper can still struggle in real-world use.
Small Generators Can Make Sense
If all you want is a backup option for charging batteries, a smaller generator can make a lot of sense.
They are generally:
easier to carry
easier to store
quieter
more fuel efficient
If your main goal is simply to keep the batteries topped up after a few cloudy days to avoid being forced onto shore power, a smaller generator may do the job perfectly well.
But Air Conditioning Changes Everything
This is the part that catches many people out.
If you want to run the caravan air conditioner, then a small generator will not cut it.
Air conditioners have a significant startup load as well as a running load. Even if the generator looks close enough on paper, the startup surge can still overwhelm it.
Some setups can improve this, such as soft-start A/C, but you still need to understand the actual power demands of your air conditioner.
As a rough example, our battery monitor shows loads on the 12V side. So if the air conditioner is effectively pulling around 80A and the battery charger is also working hard, the total demand on the system climbs very quickly to beyond what a small generator can handle.
The important point is not the exact electrical conversion. It is simply that once you combine heavy loads, a small generator can run out of capacity very fast.
A generator that is perfectly fine for battery charging can be completely unsuitable for air conditioning.
We see this with our own 1kVA Honda. It handles lighter jobs fine, but it cannot run the air conditioner and charge the batteries at the same time.
What Does kVA Actually Mean?
Generator size is usually given in kVA, which stands for kilovolt-amps.
Without diving too deeply into electrical theory, the practical takeaway is simple:
The higher the kVA rating, the more the generator can comfortably handle.
A 1kVA generator is a small unit. It will be fine for lighter loads and battery charging.
To put it into more familiar caravan terms, a 1kVA generator is only roughly equivalent to around 65A to 75A of 12V power in ideal conditions. In the real world it can be less once charger losses are taken into account.
That is where people get caught. A 1kVA generator might comfortably handle battery charging on its own, but once you start adding heavier appliances like microwaves or air conditioners, you run out of capacity very quickly.
Practical Charger and Generator Matching
AC Charger Size
Practical Generator Size
40A charger
1kVA – NO A/C
60A charger
2.2kVA recommended
100A charger
3+ kVA recommended
Below is a rough guide only, it helps translate common generator sizes into 12V numbers most of us will understand.
Generator Size
Rough 12V DC Equivalent*
Typical Use
Weight
1.0kVA
65A–75A
Light battery charging, modest loads
12–15kg
2.0kVA
130A–150A
Battery charging with more headroom, modest appliance use
20–24kg
2.2kVA
145A–165A
Similar to 2kVA with a bit more margin, A/C
20–27kg
3.0kVA
200A–225A
Heavier loads, more flexibility
35–45kg
3.5kVA
230A–260A
Greater headroom, more suitable for high-demand use
40–50kg
15A caravan supply (240V)
About 300A equivalent
Roughly the full 15A shore-power limit
About 3.6kVA
*These are approximate 12V-equivalent figures only. Real-world results depend on charger efficiency, generator design, power factor, and whether the rating is peak or continuous.
The Caravan Is Wired for Shore Power
Another thing worth remembering is that, from the caravan’s point of view, the generator is simply acting like shore power.
You are still plugging the van in through the normal 15A AC caravan plug, and the van is wired around that standard.
That does not mean the caravan will automatically draw 15A AC all the time, but it does mean you need to think about the total load the generator is being asked to supply.
Example
If the battery charger is working hard and then other things are running in the background, those loads all add together.
A rough 12V-side example might look like this:
Charger = 40A
Fridge = 5A
Lights = 2A
Fans = 2A
Even without doing very much, you can quickly end up around 50A worth of load.
In a situation like this, a small 1kVA generator would probably cope reasonably well because there is still some spare capacity available.
Another Example
Now let’s step things up a bit:
Charger = 60A
Air conditioner = 75A
Fridge = 5A
Lights = 2A
Fans = 2A
That works out to roughly 140A worth of demand on the system.
At that point, a 2.2kVA generator can be getting very close to its practical limits, especially once startup surges, charger inefficiencies, and other real-world losses are taken into account.
This is exactly where many people get caught out. A generator that works perfectly for battery charging alone may struggle badly once heavy loads like air conditioning are added.
Bigger Is Not Always Better
That said, bigger is not always the answer either.
Larger generators are:
heavier
noisier
less portable
use more fuel
take up more storage space
They can also be overkill if all you really need is a practical battery charging backup.
That is why it pays to match the generator to the job.
If the job is battery charging, buy for battery charging.
If the job is battery charging and running the air conditioner, then buy with that in mind.
Responsible Generator Use
Generators can be extremely useful, but they can also annoy other campers if used inconsiderately.
In many caravan parks there will be restrictions around generator use, ranging from limited hours through to complete bans. So do not assume you can simply book an unpowered site, turn up, and run a generator whenever you like. Caravan parks generally will not appreciate it.
A few simple things make a big difference:
avoid running them early in the morning or late at night
keep runtime reasonable
think about where noise and exhaust are directed
use efficient charging rather than running them all day
respect generator-free camping areas
Most people do not hate generators. They hate inconsiderate generator users.
Other Practical Things to Think About
Generator size is only part of the decision.
You also need to think about:
where you will store it
how heavy it is to move around
how much fuel it uses
how noisy it is
whether generator use is allowed where you camp
what maintenance it needs
A generator may be a good backup option on paper, but if it is awkward to carry, too noisy, or not allowed where you stay, then it is not going to be of much use.
So, What Size Generator Do You Need?
There is no universal answer, but there is a simple way to think about it.
If you only want a generator for battery charging, a smaller unit may be all you need, depending on charger size.
If you want a bit more headroom for other loads like A/C, then stepping up a size or two makes sense.
But if your goal is running everything as if you are plugged into shore power, then a larger generator will be needed.
Final Thoughts
The right generator size depends on your real-world use case, not on what someone else carries.
For many travellers, a generator is simply a practical backup for charging batteries when solar is not keeping up. In that situation, smaller can make a lot of sense.
But if your goal is running heavier appliances, especially the air conditioner then you need to size for that job properly.
In short, buy for what you actually want the generator to do. Not bigger for the sake of it.
Thanks for reading What Size Generator Do I need. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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We arrived in the early afternoon, and there were already a few caravans set up, so we simply joined the line-up.
As the weather had turned windy and rainy, we decided to have lunch at the café inside the Gwalia Museum. The meals were well priced and the food was good, making it a nice place to escape the weather for a while.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Free
Booking: No
Powered Sites: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: Yes – Museum
Dump point: Yes
Pool: No
Fire Pits: No
Telstra: Excellent
Starlink: No problems
Generator: Yes
Calendar wall clock – Gwalia museum
Our Experience
This campsite sits up on a hill, so exposure to the wind is pretty much guaranteed. There is very little shelter here, which is something to keep in mind if bad weather is coming through.
The sites themselves are level, clean, and set on compacted gravel. This is a fully self-contained campground, with nothing to be placed on the ground.
There are toilets at the museum next door, and they are modern, clean, and well maintained, however they are only open during museum hours. Outside of those times there are additional toilets about a five-minute walk down the hill at the ghost town area, along with a dump point. These were also in reasonably good condition during our stay.
The place felt safe, and we had no issues while we were there, nor did we hear of any problems from other campers.
We ended up staying here for two nights while waiting for Cyclone Narelle to pass further east of us.
It is only about a five-minute drive into the small town of Leonora, which has two fuel stations and a grocery store. Just keep in mind that this is remote Australia, so opening hours can be limited. When we were there, the grocery store closed at 1pm on Saturday and remained closed all Sunday.
There are two fuel stations in town, but as expected for a remote outback location, fuel prices are on the expensive side.
The museum and ghost town are definitely worth exploring. Walking through the old buildings and mining infrastructure really gives you an appreciation for how tough life must have been here during the gold rush years, and it is surprising to think much of it was less than 100 years ago.
Explore Gwalia Ghost Town & Museum
Come and see why the Shire of Leonora won the 2019 Heritage Award for their $3.3million dollar Gwalia Upgrade Project! Gwalia is a MUST see if you’re visiting the Goldfields region.
Stay a night or two in one of the luxurious and affordable rooms of Hoover House Bed & Breakfast or simply put aside a day to step back in time and discover the fascinating history of the Northern Goldfields. When you need a rest, enjoy a Devonshire tea on the sweeping verandah of the grand former Mine Managers House and take in the unmatched view over the gardens and the impressive open cut mining pit.
The living ghost town of Gwalia is the doorway to a unique experience of Western Australia’s rich mining history.
The little settlement that grew up around the Sons of Gwalia Mine in the late 1890s thrived until the final whistle blew on 28 December 1963, closing the mine and putting 250 men out of work. Gwalia’s 1200-strong population fell to just 40 in less than three weeks.
Today, the abandoned homes and businesses of Gwalia create a tangible snapshot of a vanished era and way of life.
We really liked this campsite. Between the campground itself, the Gwalia Museum, and the ghost town just down the hill, there was plenty to see and do, and all of it was free.
This campground is best suited to fully self-contained off-grid campers, with large level sites and plenty of room to spread out.
Thanks for reading Gwalia Museum – Freecamp Review. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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This campsite is only about an hour from our previous stop at Lake Ballard. The two campsites are relatively close together and offer similar features.
They are both located along the Golden Quest Discovery Trail.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Free
Booking: No
Powered Sites: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: Yes – Toilets
Dump point: Yes
Pool: No
Fire Pits: Yes, fire-restrictions
Telstra: Flaky
Starlink: No Problems
Generator: Yes
A sign showing the Golden Quest Discovery Trail
Our Experience
We had no plans to stay here, but the presence of the dam wall meant we could get some shelter from the wind. It also has many of the same amenities as our previous campsite at Lake Ballard, all in similarly good condition.
There are flushing toilets, which were clean and well maintained, along with a working dump point.
There were a few other campers here during our stay, but since we were not in a hurry, we decided to stop for the night.
The campground itself is massive, with both upper and lower camping areas and plenty of flat spots to set up. It felt like a safe environment, mainly because it is remote enough that most people here are fellow travelers and campers.
I would imagine that after heavy rain this area could become less suitable for larger vans or motorhomes.
At the time of our visit there was no water in the dam, so I am not sure whether it is still in active use.
Niagara Dam
An oasis in the wilderness of the northern Goldfields, Niagara Dam is a top rest stop on the Golden Quest Discovery Trail – perfect for a picnic, a refreshing swim, or a night camping in a swag under the stars.
The dam is a 25-minute drive from Kookynie, one of the many gold rush ghost towns and landmarks on the Golden Quest Discovery Trail – an epic outback adventure that weaves its way from Coolgardie through the Goldfield’s landscape and history.
Named after the once-booming town of Niagara, the dam was built in 1898, during the gold rush, to provide water for the railway from Kalgoorlie to Menzies. However, after its arduous construction which involved transporting cement from Coolgardie via camel train, the dam was deemed obsolete, as plentiful groundwater had been discovered in nearby Kookynie.
Today, it makes a scenic stop-off for outback adventurers. Stop for a picnic and a leisurely stroll or dip, or set up camp for the night.
Niagara Dam is an excellent option to consider if you are travelling through the area. The campground is huge, making it easy to find your own quiet spot away from other campers.
It is also a great stop for off-grid campers, with plenty of space and useful facilities for an overnight stay or a few days in the outback.
Thanks for reading Niagara Dam – Freecamp Review. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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A generator is one of those polarizing items that campers can be quite passionate about. Some people hate them, while others appreciate the convenience when their battery levels start getting low.
Like anything, their use can be annoying to others, so a bit of common sense is definitely required.
Whether you need a generator comes down to a few simple questions:
How much power do you use in a normal day?
How much battery capacity do you have?
How much charging capacity do you have?
How reliable is that charging in different conditions?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some travelers can go for long periods without a generator because their system easily keeps up with their daily use.
Others will need another way to recharge, especially if they spend extended time off-grid or run into poor weather where solar simply can’t keep up.
The Reality on the Road
The problem with power planning is that the weather does not always cooperate, and neither does your campsite.
We recently did a stretch of off-grid camping where it was overcast for four days straight. That is the kind of situation that quickly shows whether your solar system is enough on its own.
Trees are another big factor. You can be parked in a great spot, but even partial shade can reduce your solar output dramatically. In some cases, it is not much better than a cloudy day.
In our case, we use around 140Ah over a typical 24-hour period. That is not from doing anything unusual, it is simply the reality of living in the van full time. Our daily use includes a compressor fridge, Starlink, laptops and charging gear, lights, fans, the water pump, TV, and some inverter use.
Portable solar panels definitely help. On a good sunny day we can generate around 35+ amps, but that only really happens for a few hours in the middle of the day, maybe four to five hours when conditions are right.
Below is a typical morning reading after a normal night of use, including TV, charging devices, laptop use, and Starlink.
Our Enerdrive battery monitor, we are getting 10.3A charge
Batteries buy you time, solar keeps you going.
If your solar can easily keep up with what you use, you are fine. If it cannot, then sooner or later you will need another way to recharge, whether that is shore power, driving, or a generator.
Generator in the bush
Our Example
We have 400Ah of lithium battery capacity. The caravan has 600W of solar on the roof, plus a 200W portable panel. It is a modest setup, but not the most powerful system around.
On paper, 600W of solar can look like around 50 amps. In reality, once you allow for charging voltage, heat, panel angle, and normal losses, seeing something in the mid 30 amp range is more typical.
Portable panels can often perform better than roof panels because they can be angled towards the sun and moved out of shade.
In poor weather, we might only see around 15 amps of charge. At that rate, there simply are not enough daylight hours to replace what we use.
In good conditions, we can see around 35+ amps, which makes a big difference. Even then, it depends on how many hours of useful charging we actually get.
That is why solar figures on paper and solar performance in the real world can be very different.
Why The Maths Matter
A simple way to look at it:
Use: 140Ah per day
Solar input (overcast, trees): 100Ah to 130Ah
That leaves a shortfall of around 10Ah to 40Ah per day.
On the battery monitor, that might look something like this:
End of day one: ~92%
Start of day two (morning): ~72%
End of day two: ~86%
Start of day three (morning): ~66%
End of day three: ~80%
Start of day four (morning): ~60%
Each day you recover a bit during sunlight hours, but not enough to get back to where you started. Then overnight use pulls you down further again.
It does not sound like much at first, but over several days it adds up quickly.
You can also get into a situation where, even if the weather improves, there are simply not enough daylight hours left in the day to fully recover, you will need several good days to get fully charged up.
This is where a generator starts to make sense, not because you are using excessive power, but because conditions can leave you running at a steady deficit.
And once the battery gets too low, the problem is no longer theoretical. In our case, with a compressor fridge, running out of power is not just inconvenient, it means losing all the food in the fridge as well.
Batteries Size Helps, But It Doesn’t Fix The Problem
Larger batteries are useful because they give you more buffer.
If your system is slowly falling behind, that extra capacity will buy you extra days, how many days depends on how big the shortfall is. But unless you are putting enough charge back in, a bigger battery is only delaying the inevitable.
A power system needs to be looked at as a whole:
Battery capacity
Solar input
Charger size
Daily usage
Weather and conditions
Charging Limits Matter Too
Even when you do have access to charging, it still takes time, especially with a large battery capacity.
We have a 40A AC charger on shore power and a 40A DC/DC charger while towing and for solar. Neither is instant. If the batteries are very low, it can take many hours to recover.
Solar is no different. Output depends on:
Sun strength
Panel angle
Shade and trees
Cloud cover
Charger capacity
Winter makes this harder again. The sun is lower, weaker, and the usable charging window is shorter.
Trees are another big factor. Even a good system can struggle badly if you are camped in shade for most of the day.
This is where portable panels can help. Being able to move and angle them towards the sun can make a noticeable difference compared to fixed roof panels.
So Do You Need A Generator?
Maybe –
The simplest way to work it out is to test your own setup, how much power you use, and how easily your system can replace it.
This can be done anywhere, even in a caravan park. Just unplug from shore power and see how your system performs over a day or two. Try it in less-than-ideal conditions as well, overcast weather or when parked under trees.
It will not take long to get a feel for how your system behaves.
If things go downhill quickly, you can always plug back in and recharge.
So To Sum Up –
You are more likely to need one if:
You free camp or stay off-grid for extended periods
Your solar does not have much spare capacity
You often camp in shaded areas
You rely on constant loads like a fridge, Starlink, or devices
You want a backup rather than being forced into a caravan park
You may not need one if:
Your daily power use is low
Your solar comfortably replaces what you use
You mostly stay in powered caravan park sites
You move often enough for charging to keep up
You are happy to reduce usage when conditions are poor
Generator
Final Thoughts
A generator is not essential for every traveler, but for some setups it makes life much easier, it gives you that peace of mind knowing you have another option at hand.
For us, our generator has saved us a couple of times each year on the road, mostly due to bad weather. We work from the caravan, so things like the inverter, Starlink, and laptops need to be running consistently. When the solar can’t keep up, having that backup makes a big difference.
The real question is not whether generators are good or bad, it is whether your system can reliably keep up with how you travel.
If your power use is modest and your solar easily keeps up, you may never need one.
If your setup regularly falls behind during cloudy weather or long off-grid stays, then a generator becomes a practical backup.
In the end, it comes back to knowing your own numbers. Once you understand how much you use and how much you can realistically replace, the answer becomes much clearer.
Thanks for reading Do I Need A Generator for Caravan Travel?. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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Another expensive month, and it’s starting to add up. Nothing dramatic yet, but definitely something to keep an eye on as the year goes on.
Fuel is beginning to bite too, which didn’t help given we had a few thousand kilometres to knock over.
March 2026 expenses
Breakdown of the unusual expenses
Medical/Medication – Cathy needed some urgent dental work done this month. Thankfully everything went well, but as most people know, anything dental doesn’t come cheap. There were also some additional medication costs associated with the procedure.
Fuel – Fuel continues to be a factor. With a few thousand kilometers covered this month, it added up quickly. That said, running on petrol is working in our favour at the moment, diesel prices would have made this a fair bit worse.
Bills – Cathy has now finished work, and this was the final tax bill from the previous financial year. A one-off, but still a noticeable hit for the month.
Caravan Parks – We’ve started locking in a number of caravan parks ahead of the push north to Darwin. Some forward bookings were made this month, which will carry us through to around August.
Expenses – Sumary
Month
Total
Acommodation
(avg/ay)
Per day
December
$8,211
$87.5
$264
January
$4,090
$20.8
$131
February
$10,309.54
$16
$368
March
$11,303
$61
$364
April
$6,123
$37.2
$204
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
Monthly avg
$7,007
$44.5
$266
A running totals and averages for the year 2026
Summary
If you take out the tax bill and the dental work, our spending comes in at around $1,800 per week for the month. A portion of that is higher fuel costs, along with some forward bookings for accommodation.
It’s a good reminder that outside factors can have an impact, and not everything is within your control when you’re on the road.
Months like this also highlight that while weekly averages are useful, there will always be the occasional spike when larger or unexpected expenses come along.
If you’re interested in what it costs us to travel full time, you can see all of our monthly expense reports here.
Thanks for reading March 2026 – Travel Expenses. Shadow, the van, and the two of us will catch you at the next campsite.
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