Buying your first caravan is exciting. You have the van, you have somewhere in mind for that first trip and you are probably already thinking about everything you need to pack.

And that is usually when the list starts getting longer.

Some caravan accessories are about comfort. Others make setting up much easier. And then there are those practical bits of gear you may not think about until the exact moment you need them.

With years of experience helping caravanners get ready for the road, the CARAC team knows which products genuinely make those first trips easier. So we have put together a list of practical essentials and handy extras we recommend for first time caravanners.

Before you tow

1. Caravan Log Book

Your first trip is only the beginning, so start keeping track from day one.

The Caravan Log Book by Caravanning With Kids gives you one place to record your travels, kilometres, fuel and expenses. It is Australian made and designed specifically with caravan and camper travel in mind.

It might seem like one of the less essential things on this list, but after a few trips it becomes a great record of where you have been, what you spent and just how far your caravan has travelled.

2. Black Jack Tow Ball Weight Scale

Before worrying about what goes inside the caravan, it is worth thinking about how everything you pack affects your towing setup.

Loading your caravan changes its tow ball weight, which is why a tow ball weight scale is a useful piece of equipment to have at home. The Black Jack Weight Scale measures up to 350 kg and gives you a straightforward way to check your caravan's ball weight.

It is particularly useful when you are new to caravanning and still learning how moving food, water, gas bottles and luggage around the caravan can affect your setup.

3. Mawby Hook Safety Chain Coupling Set

Here is one of those small upgrades that can make hitching up considerably easier.

The Mawby Hook Safety Chain Coupling Set is designed for trailers and caravans up to 3.5 tonne ATM and provides a sturdy, easy to use connection for your safety chains.

For new caravanners especially, anything that makes the hitching process simpler and less fiddly is a welcome addition.

4. Saracen Australian Hitch Lock V2

You have invested a lot in your caravan, so security should be on the list from the beginning.

The Saracen Australian Hitch Lock V2 is made from hardened high tensile steel and is designed to help prevent your caravan from simply being hitched up and towed away. The V2 design can lock the tow chains and hitch together and includes additional hardened steel collars around the pin lock.

It fits a range of popular Australian caravan couplings including AL-KO, Trigg Boss, Meher and Trojan.

A simple addition, but one that can provide some extra peace of mind when your caravan is parked.

5. Safe Caravan Towing: The Manual

When you are new to caravanning, there is a lot more to towing safely than simply hitching up and heading off.

Safe Caravan Towing: The Manual is a comprehensive Australian guide covering safe and legal towing of caravans, large trailers and horse floats. Written by Ken Wilson from the Truck Friendly caravan road safety program, it brings together years of research and practical information, with QR codes throughout linking to further resources and videos.

6. Milenco Grand Aero 4 Towing Mirrors

Good visibility is one of the basics of safe towing and a legal requirement when towing the van.

The Milenco Grand Aero 4 Extra Wide Towing Mirrors give you a wider view around your caravan and are designed to remain stable at towing speeds. The Grand Convex version also provides a larger field of vision, helping you keep a better eye on what is happening behind you.

Once You Arrive

Getting to the campsite is one thing. Getting your caravan level, stable and properly set up is the next.

7. Redfoot Caravan Levellers

Very few campsites are perfectly level.

A good set of levellers makes it much easier to compensate for uneven ground and get the caravan sitting where you want it. That is important for comfort inside the van and can also be important for the correct operation of certain caravan equipment.

The Redfoot Caravan Levellers are therefore one of those pieces of setup equipment worth having with you from your very first trip.

Rather than improvising when you arrive at an uneven site, you already have the right equipment ready to go.

8. Redfoot Stabiliser Pads

Once you are level, you want the caravan to stay stable.

The Redfoot Stabiliser Pads give your stabiliser legs a larger footprint, helping spread the load and providing a better base on grass, gravel and softer ground.

They are simple, compact and easy to keep in the caravan, which is exactly the sort of gear we like.

9. Navigator RV Step

You will be surprised how many times you step in and out of your caravan during a trip.

The Navigator RV Step provides a large, grippy aluminium tread and folds flat when it is time to pack up. It weighs just 2 kg, measures 63 x 41 x 22 cm when open and has a 120 kg weight rating.

It is one of those very simple additions that you will probably use every single day you are away.

10. Navigator Nowhere Chair

Once the caravan is set up, it is finally time to sit down.

The Navigator Nowhere Chair gives you a padded seat and backrest, plus those little extras that quickly become important around camp, including a drink holder, wine glass holder and handy storage pocket. It folds down into its own carry bag when it is time to pack up.

A comfortable camp chair might sound obvious, but it is one of those things you will use every day you are away.

11. CGear Multimat

Creating a clean and comfortable area outside the caravan makes a big difference once you are set up.

The CGear Multimat uses a clever multilayer construction that allows sand and dirt to fall through the mat without coming back up. It is lightweight, easy to pack away and non absorbent, making it a practical base for your chairs, table and outdoor living area.

It also means less dirt being walked straight back into your nice clean caravan.

12. Ground Puppy Pegs

Once your mat is down, you need something to keep it there.

Ground Puppy Pegs are compact screw in pegs designed specifically for groundsheets and mats. They can be driven into the ground using a drill and feature a bright orange rubber cap that makes them easier to see and much kinder on bare toes around the campsite.

Simple, clever and much easier than wrestling with traditional pegs every time you set up.

13. Ground Dog Rollout Awning Anchor Kit

Your awning creates valuable extra living space, but it also needs to be properly secured.

The Ground Dog Rollout Awning Anchor Kit V2 is designed to securely anchor rollout awning legs when they are positioned vertically away from the side of the caravan. The complete kit includes screw in Ground Dogs, anchor plates, straps, safety springs, a socket and drill adaptor, all packed into a convenient canvas bag.

For a first time caravanner, having everything you need together in one kit makes securing the awning a much simpler part of setting up camp.

Water and Power

This is where first time caravanners often discover there are a few more things involved than simply parking the van.

14. Flat Out Compact Starter Pack

Fresh water in. Waste water out. power connected!

Hoses are part of everyday caravan life, but they are also very good at becoming tangled, dirty and awkward to store.

The popular Flat Out hose system keeps hoses contained on compact reels, making them easier to use and much neater to store. It is a particularly good solution in a caravan where storage space is valuable and you do not want loose hoses taking over a front boot.

The modular Flat Out Compact Starter Pack includes a 7.5m Choice drink water hose, 6m (as 2x3m) Sullage hose and 15m Premium 15amp Extension Lead, all on Compact Multi-Reels.

15. Ampfibian Weatherproof RV Plus 10A to 15A Adaptor

Your caravan will generally have a 15A power connection, while a normal household power point is 10A.

That does not mean you should modify plugs or use an unsafe adaptor.

The Ampfibian Weatherproof RV Plus is an Australian made 10A to 15A power adaptor designed specifically for caravans and RVs. It allows you to safely and legally connect your 15A caravan to a domestic 10A supply.

It is IP55 weatherproof and incorporates both an RCD and a 10A circuit breaker for additional protection.

Particularly handy when you want to power the caravan at home before a trip, cool down the fridge or get everything ready before departure.

A Few Things for Safety

Some accessories make caravanning easier. These ones are about being prepared.

16. Quell Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, which is exactly why having an alarm matters.

It requires no wiring, includes three AA batteries and has a test and reset button.

Remember that a carbon monoxide alarm supplements a smoke alarm. It does not replace one.

Shop the Quell Carbon Monoxide Alarm

17. John Guest Caravan & Plumbing Repair Kit

Hopefully you will not need this one.

But a leaking or damaged water line can become a much bigger problem when you are hundreds of kilometres from home.

The John Guest Caravan & Plumbing Repair Kit is designed for common repairs to 12 mm caravan and RV plumbing systems. The kit contains a selection of connectors, elbows, locking clips, tube supports, 2 metres of tubing and even a tube cutter.

It is compact enough to leave in the caravan, ready for the day something goes wrong.

And that is exactly when you will be very glad you packed it.

And Now for Comfort

Once everything is level, connected and secure, there are a couple of additions that simply make caravan life nicer.

18. Sirocco II Cabin Fan

Anyone who has spent a warm Australian night inside a caravan will understand why this makes our list.

The original Sirocco II Cabin Fan provides 360 degree directional airflow, three speed settings and four timer settings. Its gimballed design lets you direct the air where you need it, while the fan can fold flat against the wall when it is not being used.

It operates on 12V or 24V, has a low power draw and is designed for quiet operation, making it particularly useful around the bed at night.

The white Sirocco II is an easy comfort upgrade you will appreciate trip after trip.

19. 21Captains Slim Air Refiner

Caravans are compact spaces. Cooking smells, damp gear, shoes and everything else that comes with travelling can make themselves known pretty quickly.

The 21Captains Air Refiners use coconut shell activated charcoal to help keep the air inside your caravan fresher, without chemicals, power or refills.

They come in two sizes. The Slim Air Refiner is designed for smaller spaces and comes as a pack of two, making it easy to place one in different areas of the caravan. The larger OG Air Refiner is a great option for bigger spaces or where you want a little more coverage.

Both sizes are available in three colours: Smoke Grey, Outback Orange and Daintree Green, so you can choose one that suits your caravan interior.

Simply find them a home in the van and let them do their thing.

Your First Caravan Trip Will Teach You Plenty

Ask ten experienced caravanners what you need for your first trip and you will probably get ten different lists.

That is part of caravanning.

You will quickly work out what suits your setup, how you like to travel and which accessories earn a permanent place in your van. But starting with the basics for towing, levelling, water, power, safety and comfort means you are much better prepared when that first campsite finally comes into view.

And if you are still putting together your first caravan setup, come and see the CARAC team in Dandenong South. We can help you work out what you actually need for your caravan, rather than filling it with gear you may never use.