Silver Streak
Bremer Bay Getaway
Vanguard Caravans in Epping, in the heart of Melbourne’s caravan manufacturing precinct, has been building its wide range of vans for 30 years, both under its own brand and as a contract builder for various yards across the country.
Under the leadership of owner John Kyriakidis, or as he is universally known, Johnny K, the company has been amongst only a few local caravan builders to seek quality assurance and International Certification IS standards for its business management practices and procedures as well as their environmental management systems.
Along with these accreditations Vanguard claim to be the first to have achieved the combination of National LPG Installation Certificate, National Electrical Safety Standards Certificate and a Public Weighbridge Certificate with tamper- proof documentation.
To me, these things are important because they show a dedication to quality that is reassuring when buying a caravan. After all, it’s a big investment and we want a van that will perform for years without worry and still be in good condition when it’s time to think about its resale value.
Any van can look great from the outside, but it’s what’s under the skin that really counts. In the case of our test van, the Bremer Bay, it’s good to know that its stunning appearance is matched by a professional build quality from a manufacturer who is passionate about their product.
With a 3.5T tandem independent trailing arm coil suspension including twin Ironman gas shock absorbers and its heavy duty chassis the Bremer Bay is designed to cope with travel over rough corrugations and bush tracks while offering an easily towed package on major roads even if the 3440kg gross weight will restrict it to larger tow vehicles.
Its well-balanced weight towed easily and smoothly behind my 100 series Cruiser along the freeways and back roads to our destination for photography. Al-Ko Electronic Stability Control is a boon in well-trafficked roads when other drivers want to play kamikaze at the traffic lights and hard breaking is required.
High gloss aluminium propeller plate stone guards are fitted along the sides with boxes over the drawbar and a jerry can at the back from the same material. All the boxes and TIG welded storage doors are manufactured in house and they have a well-finished and sturdy appearance that adds to the van’s rugged appeal.
The main body has been finished in powder-coated high-profile cladding in gleaming silver while squared off corners of the dark tinted windows add to the unpretentious image. There’s nothing understated about the van’s overall appearance though, riding high on 16” polished alloy wheels and making the most of its large size to create a significant statement on the road. It’s big and bold and looks the part.
The 6” Supergal A-frame connects to the tow vehicle through a 3.5t Hyland Hitch and it supports the two lockable boxes either side of racks for jerry cans. The driver side incorporates a slide-out for two 9kg gas bottles while the passenger side is designed to take a 40l fridge.
A mesh guard under the frame is a handy place for dirty items or for collecting some firewood along the way. Items on the frame are protected by a full width black mesh stone guard and a hinged aluminium cover shields the front window.
Towards the front is a through boot, which has been designed to hold a Webber BBQ. It is neatly lined and, like all the hatches, is fitted with LED lighting.
Tucked out of harms way behind the driver-side wheels is an easily accessible carrier for 3x120gel batteries and further back I found a dedicated hatch for a 2kv generator. All the pipes and wiring under the van look to be well protected as is fitting for a van destined for places where stone damage underneath is possible.
Along the passenger side are two picnic tables and an entertainment hatch with television bracket and external power outlets while a 17’ Dometic rollout awning offers shade for outdoor living.
The rear of the van features a reversing camera and a strongly built rear bar supporting a spare tyre (with room for a second) and the second jerry can holder. An inspection door for the water supply to the shower inside is a great idea for long-term maintenance.
With the body of the van built on a 40x20mm aluminium frame it is claimed to be not only stronger, but also some 60kg lighter than a timber framed van. 19mm Styrofoam is fitted into the wall cavities while the roof gets acoustic grade and fire retardant insulation.
Entry to the van is forward of the tandem wheels with a fold down step and lit grab rail to assist. Layout has the bedroom at the front with a rear ensuite and a well laid out living space central. Colours are a welcoming mix of warm ash cabinetry with dark furniture and a white ceiling.
Big double glazed windows either side of the bed have Roy Cola coloured curtains and matching soft touch Espresso tinted pelmets so, with the overhead hatch, there is plenty of light. Set on timber slats over a steel frame the queen size bed has a very comfortable 9” Pillowtop innerspring mattress. Bed access is good from both sides and there is storage below with efficient gas struts to help lifting. There are the ubiquitous hanging lockers and overhead cupboards but like the rest of the van, the quality of the cabinetry is superb.
Rich Santiago Cocoa leather gives the dinette a real quality feel. In dining mode there would be room for up to four while the lifting extensions allow a couple to lounge with feet up, resting against the padded backrest. The three-fold table is finished in a dark grey granite laminate and there are storage cupboards below as well as drawers in the seats.
To the rear of the dinette is a full size 230l Vitrifrigo fridge/freezer using efficient compressor technology for longer running on battery power. Speaking of which, with a total of 330ah of on-board power and two 120w solar panels on the roof, the van is well equipped for independent camping for as long as the sun is shining, presuming that power is used sensibly. Charging is through a 40amp charger and a Prostar 30 Regulator with inbuilt battery protection and readouts for monitoring the system.
Cooks should be pretty happy with the well laid out kitchen as it sweeps from the ensuite to the entry door along the passenger side. Storage includes two slide-out pantries, big pot and cutlery drawers and a set of overhead cupboards.
It was good to see a generously sized stainless steel sink and draining board because they can often be token inclusions. Again with judicious use, there should be plenty of water for long stays with a pair of 95L fresh water tanks and an additional 95l of grey water. Heating is from a Suburban hot water system, regulated at 50 degrees, which can be powered from either gas or 240v.
Locating the stove adjacent to the door should help ventilation, although there’s twin-fan rangehood as well. The Swift 500 Series has an oven and griller as well as one electric and three gas burners and is complemented by a 240v Samsung 34L microwave over the sink. Closing the glass cover and folding benchtop over the cooktop adds significantly to preparation space and the high splashbacks will make cleaning easier.
Also set into the overhead cabinets is a JVC DVD and sound system with all the latest connections and a set of speakers in the roof as well as a waterproof pair outside. For relaxing on the track the van is optioned with a 24” flat screen TV that receives signal from Winegard Sensar-HV aerial to pick up local channels or a Sphere Satellite System for connecting to Foxtel.
A sliding door takes you through to the rear ensuite where the timber theme continues for a modern upmarket ambience. To the driver side the Thetford ceramic cassette toilet is well positioned to leave plenty of room either side. Cupboards abound and a stylish ceramic white sink set into a black vanity looks very contemporary with a designer mixer adding further bling.
A Dometic WMD front load 1050 washing machine is positioned at a sensible height to the left leaving the vanity as a handy place for laundry baskets.
The tempered glass shower door has a strong magnetic catch and a lock for travelling. The shower itself is a decent size and neatly moulded with rounded corners for easy cleaning while the sliding mechanism for the showerhead gives a large range of height options. Waterproof LED lights are set into the roof and two opening hatches with 12v fans takes care of ventilation.
It would be pretty hard to imagine an angle that hasn’t been considered in the van for extended travel and owners can be confident the off road suspension will get into some pretty remote places. Of course with nearly 3500kg fully loaded its not something that will go everywhere a 4wd will go, but it will get to most of the iconic destinations on your list. Payload is over 600kg, which should be sufficient even with full water and gas to carry enough for extended travel.
Price starts at $88,000 with our test van coming in at $92,000 with a raft of desirable options. Considering the well-considered engineering, quality build and luxurious fit-out that represents good value. As mentioned already it will require a large vehicle to tow it safely so look for something with a towing capacity of at least 3500kg.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Vanguard
Model: Bremer Bay
Country of manufacture: Australia
Overall length: 8.32m
Internal Length: 6.5m
Width: 2.33m
Travel height: 3.1m
Tare weight: 2700kg
Gross weight: 3440kg
Ball weight: 240kg
Price from: $88,000
Price as reviewed: $92,000
Find Out More
Vanguard Caravans
2-4 Devon Court Epping Vic, 3076
Ph. 03 94014995
www.vanguardcaravansales.com.au