WEEKEND WARRIORS: WHY A TRUCK MIGHT BE YOUR PERFECT GETAWAY

Ever since a certain world altering event in 2020 ‘staycations’ are on the rise and there may be no better place on Earth for doing this than the lucky country itself.

Aussies are spoilt for choice when holidaying domestically with one of the largest land masses on Earth as a backyard.

Boasting some truly extraordinary sights, Australia has stunning environments readily accessible by road—and it’s only natural that people are keen to get out and explore it.

But tackling coast roads to the desert or the red soil of the Territory takes preparation, patience, and undoubtedly, a keen sense of adventure. Many travellers are thinking outside the box, choosing trucks instead of a trusty ute without compromising too much on comfort, and with the ability to tow caravan, trailer, kids and the dog along safely too.

TO UTE OR TO TRUCK

The ute has its Australian origins as a working vehicle for rural areas, quickly making a mark as a trade solution with its versatile open cargo space.

There are endless variations available on the market and urban customer demand for road presence has morphed what may have once been a humble work vehicle into something based more on looks and driver comfort… and less about what will get the job done safely.

A ute can certainly go from the jobsite to the campsite and is billed as such. On the other hand, Aussie trucks are engineered for payload, superior towing capacity, practicality, and importantly, reliability. They’re also making strides (yes slowly but surely) in the driver comfort department.

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO

As the old saying goes, the masses can’t be wrong. In support of trucks for travel, online groups are popping up all over Australia, with some impressively creative combos to note.

Check out the Travelling Australia in a Truck page—thousands of members swap tips, routes, pictures of their trucks and the fascinating ways they have modified their work or recreation (or both) trucks into the perfect travel and living space.

From how best to install a filleting station to weight compliance advice, if you have a query, you’ll find plenty of like-minded travellers ready to share their knowledge here.

It’s plain to see the extra available space and weight advantage are making for an attractive option to pair with a caravan or trailer or tracking it tough in a 4x4 truck.

FOREVER HOLIDAY

There are those lucky few who have taken to the road only to find its allure to be all too addictive, as in the case of these Isuzu truck enthusiasts.

Helen and Greg Gault are no strangers to the value of caravan parks and motels across Australia, both having a background in managing them. Once the duo retired, they invested in a 2022 NPR 45-155 Tradepack to tow their New Age Big Red 22-foot caravan and carry everything they need to operate self-sufficiently on the road.

Proving that weight restrictions are not just an issue for driving on the job, the Gault’s main concern was having the power and capacity to tow safely. They put the worry of exceeding weight limits into the rear-view mirror with the Tradepack’s Gross Vehicle Mass of 4,500 kg along with the unit’s 5.2 litre four-cylinder 4HK1-TCN engine. By all accounts their NPR has no trouble towing the considerable weight of deluxe caravan and all the extras the couple have added along the way.

In a similar vein, ex-truckie Grahame Butler and wife Robyn are living out long held plans for their Isuzu Tradepack truck and caravan. Lifelong camping and outdoors enthusiasts, they initially hooked up their caravan to a ute but also ran into difficulties with weight compliance.

Their cell caravan is 26-feet-long and weighs in at over three tonnes even when empty. This meant the intrepid duo was already pushing their weight limit before they had even pulled out of the driveway.

With an Isuzu NPR 45-155 Tradepack, they came away with a Gross Combined Mass that dwarfs any ute in its weight class.

LIVING THE DREAM

The Gaults and Butlers aren’t the only ones living the travelling dream, with a growing number of families choosing to pack up their jobs and kids and purchase a light truck to take on the roads.

Whether you fish, camp, off-road or just like to get out and about, a light truck can handle more gear, provides excellent towing capacity and the safety and comfort features expected from a dual-purpose vehicle.

Planning a road trip and in need of destination ideas? Check out this blog on motoring sights to see.