The good news is , there are numerous manufacturers that can work hand in hand with customers in order to build a functional , legal and safe van that is truly customised to their needs and wants . And that ’ s another point : a customer might have an interesting idea but to realise it in a way that meets all Australian Standards takes years of experience .
Regal Caravans has been on the job for a couple of decades . The company has built standard layouts , of course , but at the company ’ s core , it ’ s a custom builder . In late June , Regal had a couple motorhomes and caravans to show us . For me , it was a perfect opportunity to glimpse a few custom touches that you won ’ t necessarily find in an offthe-shelf caravan . After all , this company ’ s vans are hand-built . There ’ s no mass production going on in this factory .
Note that the shower has no door or lower ' lip ', making wheelchair access easy .
The Braun lift works brilliantly .
CARAVANNING IS FOR EVERYONE
Why should people who are in wheelchairs or have other issues with mobility be precluded from the Australian caravanning lifestyle ? They shouldn ’ t ! Other companies , over the years , have offered wheelchair-friendly caravans , with one of the earliest involving a ramp configuration that would allow someone in a wheelchair to access the caravan .
Regal , however , has its own solution . It is part of the company ’ s Accessibility range , and it involves plenty of custom touches .
It starts with the German-made AMF Braun lift . Rated to 300kg , it operates very smoothly at the push of a button . The caravanner simply needs to position themselves in their chair on the lift , push a button on a control ( which is on a long lead so it ’ s possible to reach and use ), and the lift , well , lifts the person so that they can easily wheel themselves inside without impediment .
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