Here Are 8 Vintage Caravans You Can Book In Australia
There’s something about vintage caravans that makes us yearn for the simpleness of yesteryear – a time when our phones could be more than three metres from our person, milk was delivered right to your doorstep and you said good day to your neighbours Bill and Catherine on your way to the old steam mill. You know, the good old days.
While modern technology has made everyday life pretty great in lots of ways, there’s still a small part of us that dreams about getting off-grid, embracing nature and living it up like it’s some time before the 1990s. In response, a new trend has emerged – it includes placing cute vintage caravans in picturesque locations and renting them out for the night.
From converted trams to lovingly renovated 1964 Sunliners, here’s a bunch of cosy caravans that’ll help you achieve Mad Men levels of vintage bliss.
[related_articles]29628,28290,12031,30056[/related_articles] [listicle]Settle into Camp Kulning
Does it get any more Melbourne than holing up in a refurbished old tram? Probably not. Camp Kulning, located five minutes from Kyneton and 15 minutes from Daylesford in Victoria, is a cosy setting for a weekend away with mates. The block of land includes a cottage, a 1950s caravan and a refurbished W-class tram, all as accommodation. Backing onto the Lauriston Nature Reserve, the space itself looks like something out of a Wes Anderson movie, complete with hazy coloured lounges, a tiki bar, a campfire, billy carts, sun lounges and all the fixings for badminton, croquet and table tennis. Fun fact: the tram is called Jean Claude Van Tram. Nice.
Say hello to Talulah
Talulah was born in 1968 and spent most of her life riding up and down the East Coast of Australia. Like many retirees before her, Talulah has since decided to settle on the coast – in the cosmic garden of the Byron Bay Holiday Park, in fact. Like the perfect beach holiday house on wheels, Talulah sits under an old fig tree just five minutes from the heart of Byron. With a large queen bed, BBQ cooking facilities, pushbikes and surfboards, it’s the perfect seasonal getaway to rest your weary head and get stuck into that surfing lifestyle. Is it just me or can you already hear ‘California Dreamin’ playing from an old jukebox?
Bright’s humble delight
If you’re heading north-east of Melbourne you might happen upon a small innocuous township called Bright. It’s usually known as a base for alpine resorts like Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Mount Buffalo but visitors can now stay in a vintage Airstream caravan right in the heart of it. This place has all the amenities of home, and it’s found right in some of Victoria’s best countryside. It’s secluded privacy in a cool setting – the self-contained caravan is fitted with a fridge, microwave, oven, TV and a private deck for relaxing on. This might just be your brightest idea yet (sorry).
Oh hello, retro
Sorry, what’s that? Oh it’s just the ’60s calling. Settle in for a little retro styling with RetroPod‘s set of colourful vintage caravans that cruise around Byron Bay. There’s two quirky cabins on offer: the Atomic and the original Pod. Both trailers are recently renovated 1964 Sunliner Caravans complete with an “atomic era” heritage and a few modern comforts. Each pod can be delivered to your choice of location in the greater Byron area, from Tweed Heads to Lennox Head. Anyone else thinking about nailing this one down for Splendour in the Grass?
Margaret River, caravan-style
I have three words for this vintage Airstream – location, location, location. This jazzed up caravan offers guests luxury in the wilderness with access to 8.5 acres of stunning native bushland, just 3.5 kilometres from the Indian Ocean. You’re only seven minutes away from famed surf beach Prevelly, and you’ll be treated to curious native wildlife right on your door step. Other amenities include a LCD TV with Foxtel, outdoor seating, mountain bikes, free Wi-Fi and a barbecue. But really the only thing you need to know is that this cosy abode is only eight minutes drive from Western Australia’s wine haven, Margaret River. Eight minutes! Think of all the wine!
The happiest of Glampers
Experience Melbourne’s best kept secret, the glorious Mornington Peninsula, with Happy Glamper. Peninsula mainstays Happy Glamper are a mobile business that set up canvas tents and caravans in campgrounds on the ‘Ninsh, lay out everything you need for the weekend, and after your stay, pack it all down for you and drive away – genius, right? Happy Glamper offer two unique caravan options: there’s Miss Myrtle, a quirky ’50s era trailer, and Peggy Sue, a glam 1966 Airstream that packs a punch.
Curious? Check out our profile on the time we stayed with Peggy Sue down on the Peninsula. Suffice it to say, it exceeded all expectations.
Photo: Patrick O’Neill
Home away from home
Cosy is the name of the game at this converted Airstream on NSW’s northern coast. Located near Manning River in the town of Tinonee, this unique American caravan offers modern accommodation in a decidedly retro setting. Probably the most amazing part is how much they’ve managed to fit in – there’s a queen-sized bed, bathroom, fully-fitted kitchen, dining area and a lounge area with a double sofa-bed, nonetheless. It’s huge, yet so cosy at the same time.
A very Melbourne idea
Melbourne, in true ~Melbs~ style has decided to open a first-class Airstream hotel on a carpark rooftop – because of course it has. Notel Melbourne is “not a hotel”, but a set of six vintage Airstreams transported in from the US. Located on a disused rooftop in Flinders Lane, each caravan will feature an ensuite bathroom with a full-height shower, a double bed, complimentary craft beer (is there even any other kind in Melbourne?) as well as a tablet loaded with a virtual city guide, complimentary movies and music. As of publication, Notel is in the process of taking its first bookings so head to their website to be one of the first people in the country to give it a go. [/listicle]
(Lead image: Mark Lobo Photography/provided by Happy Glamper)
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