Over the years, I’ ve kept a mental list of manufacturers I’ ll consider for when the time comes for me to hit the road full time. That’ s still a few years away, but that time is coming, and Hilltop Caravans has earned a spot on my list.

I had the opportunity to hitch up a brand new van by Hilltop Caravans: the Mawson. This van was a limited edition rig built to celebrate the manufacturer’ s 10th year. This 18ft 5in van hit all the right notes: it’ s on a single axle, it’ s sub-19ft in length, vulnerable underbody components were protected, and the layout made good use of the available space.

APPROACHING CAMP

The Hilltop Mawson comes with Bosch sway control – an excellent addition for peace of mind. The van towed brilliantly along the highway as I headed south-east towards the Ninety Mile Beach. It tracked nicely behind my Nissan Patrol tow vehicle at 100km / h.

When I arrived, I headed straight to the campsite. The track in was sandy but I had traction boards and an air-compressor. However, my approach to the campsite was eventually foiled by an overhanging branch that would have potentially damaged the top of the van. I couldn’ t go around it as the embankment was too steep. My only option was to reverse out, turn around, and park up instead near the foreshore.

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