RV PROFILE
FLYING THE FLAG
And then there’s their 12V system.
Brendan and Ruth fitted a second
120W solar panel to the roof as well
as a second 110Ah deep-cycle battery.
A 3000W inverter was fitted in a
kitchen cabinet, giving them scope to run
some 240V appliances without turning on
the generator.
But that’s not enough for the McMahons: they
travel with a portable satellite dish, which is
stowed in the Navara, and connects to the
van via through-the-wall fittings.
I assumed it was a VAST setup. In fact,
they’ve simply installed their home Foxtel box
in one of the van’s overhead cupboards – and
it works a treat.
Wherever they travel, the McMahons proudly
display the Australian flag once they’ve set-up
camp, with the flagpole held in place by the
jockey wheel clamp.
The drawbar is also home to a couple of 9kg
gas cylinders, a small fuel tank for the
generator fuel, and a separate diesel tank for
their onboard diesel heater. Both fuel tanks sit
within protective checkerplate housings.
The heater control is mounted near the
bedhead, so they can turn it on and wait for
the van to warm up before getting out of bed.
The Hotham has a 50mm ball coupling and
rides on tandem-axle leaf-spring suspension.
Like all Hilltop caravans, it has a meranti
timber frame and it appears to be a solid,
substantial caravan.
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