Vans for all reasons
A pair of Lagoon vans
Lagoon vans with the lot
As the years roll on, more and more baby boomers are finding they have the time and resources to finally hit the road. Meanwhile, there are many young couples who have decided not to put off the excitement of travel but they are looking for a van to accommodate a tribe of children. Happily for both of these groups, the Australian caravan industry is a dynamic and competitive market where buyers are spoilt for choice in selecting a new caravan to suit their lifestyle.
Making that choice even broader is an innovative builder, Bellarine Caravans, who have formed an exclusive partnership to sell the range of Lagoon Caravans.
My trip to Geelong, on the Bellarine Peninsula, west of Melbourne, was to review two very different offerings, the 20’6” all-singing-and-dancing Pasadena and the very accommodating 19’ Family Tourer.
That’s not to say that the Pasadena is strictly for retirees because younger couples can enjoy it for holidays on the road just as happily. So too, the Tourer is not restricted to young families because plenty of older folk like the idea of taking their grandchildren along (and I’m sure a lot of parents like the idea of the kids heading off as well).
Lagoon Caravan is in Campbellfield, northwest of Melbourne, and has been manufacturing this range of vans for two years, but with 10 years of experience in the industry. In the short period the vans have been on the market, they have delivered over 200 examples across a range of four models, with demand so strong that they recently needed to move to a larger factory for their 25 strong workforce.
Paul Dean from Bellarine Caravans attributes their success to the high quality finish and very competitive price especially for a van that includes many quality features as standard.
While the Pasadena and Family Tourer are very different inside they each share a striking modern look. Both are built on a 50x100mm Super Gal chassis with a 150mm drawbar and ride on tandem roller-rocker suspension with 15” alloy wheels mated to electric drum brakes.
Their fully insulated meranti frames have 280mm wall studs and all joins are glued, screwed and stapled for maximum strength. Only quality products are used in the vans making their price even more surprising.
A colourful swirl adorns the sides and the lower section of contrasting colour highlights the brilliant white of the aluminium cladding. The Tourer on test had a traditional checkerplate lower section in an understated beige finish, while the Pasadena sported a smooth composite panel in contrasting black.
Drawbars have standard ball mount, an electric breakaway system, water tap and a pair of 9kg gas bottles in sturdy frames while the front windows have an aluminium shield for travelling.
Along the sides I noted a forward full-width boot, large Aussie Traveller branded double-glazed and dark-tinted windows and full-length rollout awnings. Outside entertaining is enhanced with a fold down picnic table and outlets for 240v and 12v as well as for television through a rooftop wind-out antenna.
Those polished alloy wheels really suit the van and help give the raked front and blunt rear section a sporty well-proportioned look. Spares are mounted well to the driver’s side on the rear of the van leaving loads of room for a second spare to be fitted if required.
Entry is towards the rear where there’s a fold down step and grab handle to a three way door. Once inside the layout is very different in each van so we’ll go through them individually.
The Pasadena
Buyers of Lagoon vans have a wide choice of interior colours but I liked the theme of the test van where a pleasant blend of muted browns and cream lent an unpretentious ambience that should remain in fashion over the life of the van. Cream laminate benchtops and gloss splashbacks run along the kerbside wall for a generous food preparation area. Timber-look drawers and cupboards under the bench and overhead, as well as a slide out pantry, provide adequate storage for supplies and implements. It was good to see all cupboards throughout the van are fitted with sturdy piano hinges.
At the left hand end of the kitchen bench is a stainless steel sink with a usefully sized draining board. Towards the front, a full-sized oven with grill drawer is covered in laminate for preparation and to keep things neat, but lifts to access a cooktop with electric and three gas burners. Overhead of the stove is a stainless steel rangehood to take care of cooking smells although the good flow-through ventilation would undoubtedly also help.
Over on the kerbside is a small microwave over the full sized 184L fridge freezer that is stylishly faced with the matching cream colour of the kitchen.
The four-seater central dinette has a trifold table, handy for creating more space when relaxing. Some may disagree but I liked the minimalist look of the windows around the van, which don’t come with pelmets or curtains. Instead light and privacy is controlled by the inbuilt screens of the window mechanism for a clean look that also alleviates curtain cleaning and dust collection.
The bedroom is at the front of the van and the queen island bed has good access all round. To the side of each bed are hanging lockers with long mirrors and small tables for personal items, as well as large picture windows for panoramic views of the surroundings.
A well-equipped and well-ordered ensuite runs across the rear section of the van. There’s a Thetford cassette toilet, full size shower and a 2.5kg washing machine under the vanity. A square ceramic basin adds a touch of class and there are sliding mirrors and good LED lighting for grooming. I noticed plenty of ventilation through an opening window, as well as overhead hatches in the shower and main room.
More and more travellers are finding the once exotic option of an ensuite is now a necessity. Certainly, for bush camping or even when stuck at the far end of a caravan park they are inclusions that make life in a van more comfortable.
But, as with all things caravanning, it comes down to compromises and priorities and in the case of the Family Tourer the priority is finding room for the children.
The Family Tourer
As attractive as the Pasadena may be, it won’t accommodate a large family inside overnight. There would be the option of setting up beds in an outside annex, but for younger ones this may not be the best choice. The Family Tourer, on the other hand has room for parents and three children in bunks and the option of a fourth on the dinette lounge. That’s a pretty big family by today’s standard.
Without an ensuite the interior is an open plan design where big windows provide a bright airy space. Light coloured, timber joinery harmonises with the mid tone granite look of benchtops, table and splashbacks.
To the right of the entryway I found a set of triple bunks, each with its own window to keep the relatively low space of the bunks open and airy. My guess is that kids will love a ladder neatly incorporated into the bed structure. Even with full-length mattresses across the van there is room for a hanging cupboard and a set of six drawers that would be handy for separating the children’s clothing.
To maximise seating for dining and relaxing, a generous L-shaped lounge is positioned around a long table. Lounge cushions are thickly padded and finished in a striking swirl pattern to add some levity to the traditional timber picture frame joinery.
This arrangement places the kitchen in one sweep along the driver’s side with a 184L fridge-freezer to the right of the bench. I’m not that keen on having the microwave set high over the fridge, particularly in a family van, as the risk of someone spilling hot food can be a worry. As with everything in the van Lagoon stress their willingness to work with customers for a customized outcome, so it could be positioned elsewhere.
Further forward is a gas and electric cooktop and griller and it looks as if there is space for an oven to be installed instead. Closing the laminate lid over the cooker gives more preparation space and the dining table is also well placed to provide more preparation room. Rounding out the kitchen is a circular stainless steel sink with draining board and the cook gets a good-sized picture window to enjoy the view while peeling the spuds.
An island queen bed is set into the front area, as far away from the bunks as possible and as in the Pasadena, there are monster picture windows and an overhead hatch for a view and generous airflow.
These two offerings from Lagoon cover a lot of options. The Pasadena will appeal to couples wanting all the bells and whistles of contemporary design and the Tourer is ideal for parents and grandparents who want to get away with a tribe of kids.
Both vans have a degree of independent camping, with twin 95L under-floor water capacity and a 120w solar panel connected to a high quality dual stage charger and 100ah battery. This means there will be opportunities to get away into the bush or maybe onto a cheaper, non-powered site in a caravan park.
Price is an important consideration and at $43,940 for the Family Tourer and $52,940 for the Pasadena these Lagoon vans offer good value. Weigh has been kept under 2500kg so they don’t need monster trucks to move them around, another advantage in keeping ownership costs low.
A look over the standard list of inclusions on their website should encourage potential buyers to dodge the speed cameras on the Princes Freeway and head down to Geelong to check them out.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Lagoon Caravan
Model: Pasadena
Country of manufacture: Australia
Overall length: 8.07m
Width: 2.44m
Travel height: 2.92m
Tare weight: 2060kg
Gross weight: 2460kg
Ball weight: 160kg
Price as reviewed: $52,940
Model: Family Tourer
Country of manufacture: Australia
Overall length: 7.62m
Width: 2.44m
Travel height: 2.92m
Tare weight: 1900kg
Gross weight: 2300kg
Ball weight: 160kg
Price as reviewed: $43,940
Find Out More
Bellarine Caravans
290a Princes Hwy, Corio, Vic 3214
Ph. 03 5274 9670