Caravan Touring From Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast

This guide is for caravan and camper trailer owners who live around Port Macquarie, or who pass through on a coastal tour. It covers the electrical side of touring from the Hastings: the two very different highways out of town, the NSW trailer brake rules, charging the van while you drive, solar on a wet coast and the checks worth doing before you leave.

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Free step-by-step guides written for New South Wales conditions, with the parts you’ll need listed for each job.

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Two highways, two kinds of trip

Most touring from the Hastings starts on one of two roads. The Pacific Highway runs north and south along the coast, and its upgrade to a four-lane divided road was largely completed in December 2020. It's an easy tow, but long days at highway speed put a steady load on the van's brakes, wiring and charging system, and a fault can go unnoticed until you stop.

The Oxley Highway is a different test. From Port Macquarie it runs past Wauchope and then climbs west through the ranges toward Walcha and the New England. There's a steep range section between Yarras and Yarrowitch, and around 45 km between Yarrowitch and Wauchope is unfenced, so stock and wildlife can be on the road. Brakes, lighting and a good brake controller set-up matter far more on that road than on the coast.

NSW trailer brake rules, in brief

Trailer brake requirements depend on the gross trailer mass (GTM), the load carried by the van's axles when it's packed for travel. The NSW Government's page on towing a trailer or caravan sets out the current requirements. In summary:

• Up to 750 kg GTM: brakes aren't required, but any brakes fitted must work properly.
• 751 to 2,000 kg GTM: an efficient braking system on both wheels of at least one axle.
• 2,001 to 4,500 kg GTM: an efficient braking system on all wheels.
• Over 2,000 kg GTM: an automatic breakaway system that applies the brakes if the van comes off the tow vehicle.
• The car and van together, including any load, must not be longer than 19 metres.
• Before each trip, all lights must work and safety chains must be properly connected.

Brake controllers for the range

On a long climb and descent like the Oxley Highway range, you want the van to share the braking without locking its wheels. Set the controller's gain with the van loaded exactly as you'll travel, including water and gas. Then test it on a quiet road at low speed and adjust until the van pulls up firmly and smoothly.

Learn where the manual override is so you can reach it without looking. It lets you brake the van alone if it starts to sway. Weak electric brakes are often a wiring fault, not a brake fault: thin feed cable, a poor earth or a corroded plug pin all cut the current reaching the magnets. Our guide to installing an electric brake controller covers the correct feed, fuse and earth.

Charging the van while you drive

Many modern tow vehicles have smart alternators that drop their output voltage once the starting battery is full. That's good for fuel economy, but it can leave the van's house battery barely charging on a long run up the coast. A DC-DC charger fitted near the van battery boosts the voltage to suit the battery type, whether it's AGM or lithium.

Cable size matters as much as the charger. A long run from the front of the car to the back of a van loses voltage quickly if the cable is too thin. Our guide on choosing a DC-DC charger or isolator explains which suits your set-up.

Solar on a wet coast

The Mid North Coast is greener than inland touring country for a reason. Bureau of Meteorology figures for the former Port Macquarie Airport weather station show an average of about 99 days a year with 1 mm or more of rain, and late summer is the wettest time, with March the wettest month. A run of grey days can leave a small solar set-up struggling to keep a fridge running.

If you plan to stay at free camps or national park campgrounds, size your solar and battery for cloudy days, not sunny ones. Park the van, or the portable panel, where it gets the most open sky, and keep panels clean of salt and dust. Our guide on how much solar you need for a caravan walks through the sums.

The van's own safety check

Caravans and trailers have their own NSW registration requirements. Light trailers and caravans of 4.5 tonnes ATM or less generally need a safety inspection once they're more than five years old, though caravans under 411 kg tare are exempt. Lights, reflectors and brakes are common reasons for a fail. Check your renewal notice and the NSW Government's safety check page, as the rules can change.

Remember that any fixed 240V wiring in a van, such as mains powerpoints or a hard-wired inverter circuit, is work for a licensed electrician, not a DIY job.

Pre-trip checklist

Run through these the day before you leave, while there's still time to fix a problem:

• Lights: tail, stop, indicators, clearance and number plate lights on the van all working, with the car's lights too.
• Plug: pins clean and tight, and the cable long enough for tight turns without dragging.
• Brakes: hitched up, roll slowly and use the controller's manual override. You should feel the van pull up.
• Breakaway: check the breakaway battery is charged and the lanyard clips to a solid point on the car, not the safety chains.
• Charging: start the car and check the van's battery monitor shows charge coming in.
• Driving lights: if you'll be on the Oxley Highway at night, check they're aimed correctly and wired through a relay.

Getting work done before you go

Brake controller, DC-DC charger and solar installs are busy jobs before school holidays, so book early. A short test run, such as out to Wauchope and back, shows up most problems before the real trip. Our Wauchope page covers local work on the Oxley Highway side of the region.

Parts for this job

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Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop electric brake controllers

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Get it done: get a quoteDo it yourself: shop breakaway kits

Questions Port Macquarie drivers ask

Does my caravan need electric brakes in NSW?

It depends on the van's gross trailer mass. Up to 750 kg no brakes are required. Between 751 and 2,000 kg you need brakes on both wheels of at least one axle, and above 2,000 kg you need brakes on all wheels plus a breakaway system. Check the current rules with the NSW Government before you buy or modify a van.

Why isn't my van battery charging on the Pacific Highway?

The most common causes are a smart alternator that drops its voltage, cable that's too thin for the distance, a poor earth, or a blown fuse in the charging circuit. A DC-DC charger near the van battery usually fixes the first two. Check fuses and connections at both ends first, as corrosion at the plug can also cut charging.

Is the Oxley Highway hard to tow on?

It's a bigger test than the coast. West of Wauchope the road climbs through the ranges, with a steep section between Yarras and Yarrowitch, and a long unfenced stretch where animals may be on the road. Set your brake controller carefully, use lower gears on descents, and avoid towing there at dusk or night if you can.

Need an auto electrician in Port Macquarie?

Find local auto electricians and mobile services in the Port Macquarie directory, or start with your area: Port Macquarie-Hastings.

Run an auto electrical business in Caravan Touring From Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast?

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• Want more local customers? List your business on this site so drivers in Caravan Touring From Port Macquarie and the Mid North Coast can find you.

Not confident doing this yourself?

There’s no shame in handing it over. A local auto electrician can diagnose the fault properly and get it done safely, especially for anything involving brakes, airbags, hybrid systems or air-con gas.

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