4 x 4 and tent or campervan

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Mar 7, 2018
Messages
29
Reaction score
15
Will be detecting in the GT area in June for as long as possible!! Interested in knowing what forum members think would be the best way to go, either buying a 4x4 and a tent or a campervan?
Only have about $6000.00 to spend on whatever l finally decide to get.
Love to hear what members think is the best way to go on these two options.
Cheers
 
That is a very good question mate. What do you get for $6,000 apart from a bloody big tent. I don't think that you can get a camp trailer, so I will be watching this with interest.
I may have stated this before but my wife loves sleeping under the stars, 5 of them at the front door! :p :p
Mackka
 
A 4wd is nice to have but not really a requirement for a lot of the gt area.
The gt area can get VERY cold in winter
If camping out, tent or camper you WILL need some form of heating
Consider onsite cabin/van, you'll get good rates for a couple of weeks or more ( my pick )
Get good warm (thermal) clothing, you can always take it off if you get too warm
A good thermos for hot drinks
A pair of "sheepskin wool riggers gloves" not cheap but absolute magic to keep warm ( I used to operate a bobcat with them on in winter, my hands, not the bobcat )
If you camp out consider going to a "spotlight store" and buying some lengths of "polar fleece" for blankets, deliciously warm and cheap as chips

And remember it's easier to cool down in winter than it is to warm up
 
I see you are coming from NZ with no vehicle https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=25836

So I would just get a decent vehicle and rent a caravan, you could probably get a good deal for a month.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mou...amper-trailer-for-hire-jayco-swift/1171409901

Or just buy a caravan, even a std road one would be fine if you don't give it hell on dirt roads with corrigations.

Or maybe just buy a bigger type van and some gear to put in it, you could sell that easily to OS travellers when done with it.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-cars-v...it/k0c18320l3001317?sort=rank&price=__5000.00

98% of GT you don't need a 4wd.

$6000 is a pretty small budget for vehicle alone so prob the transit option would be best.

BTW for all that effort I hope you have something better than an xtrerra to use while here.
 
Couldn't you hire a camper from thrifty or wicked for a month? 6k......or are you staying in AU's after?
 
Thank you for the feedback people, and l do realize l,m doing this in the wrong time of the year but circumstances dictate when l will be here. Having said that where l come from is just 30km from My Hut ski field in the South Island where the winter temperatures get well below freezing on a regular basis in the winter so will be well prepared for the cold. If everything goes according to plan l will be staying for a extended length of time, maybe a year or so really don't know. I know my budget isn't big by any stretch of the imagination but it is what it is. I wouldn't think l could afford to stay in any regular type accommodation for too long hence trying to come up with a affordable option. I will see what l can come up with once l,m over there.
Once again thanks for your thoughts. Oh yeah I,m swinging a Minelab sdc2300 and the new Makro Gold Racer Pro! Just used my 705 for coin and relic hunting over here, it was my first detector!
Cheers
 
Forgot to mention to member davent, love your avatar pic and yeah that is a real sharp price for camper hire and may well be a do-able option.
Many thanks x-terragold
 
Vehicle

The best AWD/4X4 you can afford for around $5000 - you could also consider looking at an AWD wagon/suv such as a forester/outback which will cope with most decent and not so decent dirt roads. - you will get a lower km and later model AWD forester/outback than you will a 4X4 Wagon, although you can pickup some decent petrol Pajeros for around the $4500 mark with rego and varying KM from 200K to 350k that would be serviceable and a bit more roomy.

Sleeping

A Decent Quality Canvas Tent, proper foam mattress & cot style bed (keep you off ground) + a couple of Tarps ($1000-$1500).

and if you have any money left a fridge & Awning setup for the car,you can pickup some decent products online that should last for at least 12 months at pretty good prices, check out the kings products at www.4wdsupacentre.com.au,

I haven't bought anything from here myself however i have a number of friends who reckon most of the gear is good value for money, not as high quality as some other options out there however at sometime a third of the price for a trip such as yours it Should last and will "kit up the vehicle" as a good camping setup if you sell when you leave.
 
HoudiniHarry said:
$6k - hire van and buy SDC would be better value.
OP already has a SDC, although he could swing to and better his chances :D
1524547092_dual.jpg
 
Top