The Long Wait is Finally Over

 Well, the wait is finally over. It's been nearly fourteen months since we paid our initial deposit to secure our 2021 delivery. Saying we are excited is an understatement, and the wait has been well worth it. The workmanship and quality of the product are unmatched. There is only one change we've made, which concerns the awning. Originally, our plan was to have a Thule electric awning, but after receiving feedback, we decided to opt for the Carefree Altitude electric awning.

Bushman compressor fridge and dual induction cooktop.

Our Panasonic 4-in-1 oven bakes, steams, fries, and is also a microwave.

Nature's Head Composting Toilet:

Internal roof panel with recessed LED lighting, housing speakers, electric skylight hatch, and air conditioning.

Simplicity Load Sharing Coil Suspension:

Excited to see that Bushtracker is now using my Flinders Ranges photo I took several years ago with our old Bushtracker on the owner's manual:

Bushtracker Construction

 After paying our deposit in October 2020 and facing all the issues related to the pandemic, we expected our new van to be ready in early September 2021. Our first significant instalment was paid on 7th September 2021, covering the completion of the chassis and frame. Now, it's the first week of November, and we've just been asked for the final payment. The good news is that our van will be ready for pickup on 7th December. Unfortunately, the Queensland border will remain closed until 17th December, so we've decided to have our van transported to the Bushtracker agent, ABCO Caravan Services, here in Coffs Harbour. We've already received a quote from Straightshot Transport, and at $1474, it offers excellent value. We are currently coordinating with them to arrange delivery with Bushtracker.

Updated photos received during the last week of November:

Bushtracker Factory Tour

 We checked into an Airbnb in Tanawa, a short ten-minute drive from the Bushtracker Factory at Kunda Park. Our visit was to have our plans for our new 18' mid-width van drawn up and to inform them of any additional features we wanted beyond the standard inclusions. It's our third new Bushtracker, so the whole process took just under two hours to finalise the plan, add any extras, and select interior colours. Mind you, we had already downloaded copies of plans from the Bushtracker website, where you can cut and paste templates to suit your needs.

This van will differ considerably from our previous Bushtrackers. It will feature both interior and exterior enhancements that allow us to spend even more time off the grid.
Instead of the standard Simplicity Suspension, we've opted for the Load Sharing Coil Suspension for a more comfortable ride.
Cladding will now be made of fibreglass, and instead of checker plate, we are using the Dominator coat on a flat surface beneath the van's rub line, which Bushtracker is renowned for. 
The 600 Ah lithium batteries and 1,080 watts of solar power enable us to eliminate gas cooking. Instead, we'll have a Panasonic 31L 1000W Inverter microwave with a flatbed design that steams, bakes, grills, and microwaves. The baking and grilling functions are comparable to those of a traditional oven, with a temperature range of 30°C to 230°c. Hotplates will be dual induction, and the E-pro 3000W inverter will easily power these appliances.

On our first van, we installed a combined shower and toilet, and we have decided to keep the same setup in this van. We find that dedicating the entire back of the van to separate facilities is just a waste of space, and how much time do you actually spend there anyway?

We are also replacing the traditional Thetford toilet. A Nature's Head composting toilet will be installed in its place. We have several friends who have these fitted in their vans, and they rave about how fantastic they are. Solids and liquids are separated, with solids needing to be emptied roughly every four weeks or longer, and the liquids can be easily emptied whenever needed, using a container that holds 10 litres.

The Carefree awning is the current electric awning being fitted. We weren't overly impressed with this and have decided to install a Thule electric one instead. This particular awning reminded us of our own A&E awning on our first van, with its protective cover when not in use. The Thule goes a step further, having the awning fully enclosed in its own canister. 

So it's now just over three months before the pickup, which will pass quickly considering it's been seven months since we paid our deposit.

Our 2016 Bushtracker

 Our 20' Bushtracker, which we bought new in 2016, was sold on Christmas Eve. Of course, we have decided to have another Bushtracker built, but the pickup won't be until some time in September this year. 

Due to their popularity, the wait time for a new van to be constructed is usually around nine months. We know this from the wait we experienced with our two previous vans. However, the wait for this new van is a little longer. We paid our deposit in October last year to secure a spot for this year; otherwise, we would have had to wait until early 2022. 

We have decided on the features we want in the new van and are currently planning it. Here is a small selection of photos taken over the past four years, showcasing some of our travels during this time. To say we are waiting patiently is certainly an understatement. It has now been five months since we paid our deposit, and we still have another seven months to wait. 😢 

Pickup day August 2016.

Birdsville Big Red Bash:

Mount Augustus:

Wittenoom Gorge - Pilbara:

Kennedy Range National Park - Pilbara:

Warroora Station:

.

Great Central Road:

Betoota:

Victoria Silo Art:

Patchewollock

Rosebery

Brim

Sheep Hills

Devenish

Rochester