Snowy River SRT18F Caravan Review!

This adventure started off with some nervous energy. I was set to take out the Snowy River SRT18F to a spot in the Sunshine Coast hinterland where there were multiple creek crossings to get to my location. I was nervous because it had rained all night the night before and there was more rain forecast. I knew that if the creeks were too high, I would either have to risk it for the biscuit or call the day off.

I had picked up the van from a local Green RV dealership. This gave me the opportunity to test this ‘multi terrain’ van on the Bruce Highway. My aim for the day was to test the van on various terrain types in order to see if it was true to it’s word. Sure enough, the van performed well on the highway. Being an 18ft van on a single axle, it was light for its size and stayed straight and true behind my ute.

I pulled off of the highway and onto the hinterland roads where I was able to tow it on steep, windy roads. The Snowy River SRT18F felt easy to tow through the narrow country roads and I found I wasn’t holding anyone up behind me. 

TOWING THE SNOWY RIVER

I pulled over to take some photos in the hills and realised I had managed to pull into a tight little section. The only route out required me to do one circular turn on almost full lock. Sometimes, this can be a problem, especially in a ute – I find sometimes you can touch your bumper or tail light on the drawbar or stoneguard. However, this van allowed me to be almost on full lock and I pulled out of that tight spot easily.

When looking at the drawbar, I noticed it had quite a unique shape, which Snowy River calls a gooseneck drawbar. This basically means that the chassis is nice and high underneath the caravan for maximum ground clearance but then curves down on the drawbar to meet the height of the towball. This allows for standard vehicles to be at the right height when hooking up to the van.

It was then time to hit the dirt and the road was corrugated. The van seemed to handle the rough roads really well. This van has independent coil suspension with dual shock absorbers from EFS. I think this is a great choice. EFS is an Australian company that makes great quality gear. I have used its suspension a couple of times in various conditions and it has always performed brilliantly.

I then came to the first of three river crossings. Fortunately, the rain had held off throughout the morning and they weren’t too high. I crept into the first crossing, which had a rocky, undulating surface, which meant traction wasn’t an issue but it did mean I was getting thrown around a bit as I gently made my way through.

Although my car was bouncing around, I noticed by looking in my mirrors that my van was managing to stay nice and flat. In a real-world situation, this is really important because the last thing you want to do when you get to camp is pick up the contents of your cupboards from the ground and have to put them away again. Instead of the van bouncing around, the suspension was actuating and keeping the van steady. 

I crawled out the other side nice and easy, and as I pulled up to the next crossing, I realised that I had done the first crossing in 2WD. This showed again how easy it was to pull the van through the water.

INTERIOR HIGHLIGHTS

I pulled through the following crossings with ease, arrived at my site and decided to have a look through the interior of the Snowy River. The first thing I noticed was the amount of natural light. There are plenty of large windows, allowing for lots of airflow and light. The interior design is also light and bright, which makes the space feel open and airy. This is important in a caravan because they can quickly start to feel tight and claustrophobic, especially single-axle vans.

Somehow, this van did not feel it’s size – it felt much bigger. Snowy River had managed to fit two bunks, a large bathroom, a comfortable living and cooking area as well as a decent bed up front. There’s also a washing machine stashed away under the bunks. 

In this van, the manufacturer had made the most of the space. It’s not always easy making 18ft liveable for a family. On this van there was a reverse-cycle air-conditioner, a Dometic Dust Reduction System, as well as a 175L fridge and freezer.

EXTERIOR FEATURES

Outside, the Snowy River SRT18F had a large awning from Dometic, plenty of storage up front in the toolboxes as well as boot storage. The gas cylinders were stored inside the toolbox on an easy-to-access slide-out tray. On the opposite side was another slide-out tray for another fridge or perhaps a generator, or even just fire wood.

Stored underneath were two 100Ah lithium batteries, a 95L grey water tank as well as two 95L fresh water tanks. On the roof, the van had three 180W solar panels – this van is set-up quite well for an off-grid trip.

GORV’S VERDICT

Overall, I thought this van performed really well on and off-road. The interior was comfortable and spacious considering its size, and it comes well-equipped for its size and price point. I think this van would be a good choice for adventurous families.

THE SCORE

FIT AND FINISH –

LAYOUT –

INNOVATION –

HITS & MISSES

COMPLETE SPECS