Hi from Australia

[MINDARIE BOY]

Just ordered a 2014 - 356QBQ - Heritage Glen Fifth Wheel its being made in USA,shipped over here and having some modifications done here to make it compliant with AU rules i.e. Air brakes,Airbag suspension 3 axles/6 wheels and AU appliances,plumbing/electrics etc should be ready end of January to pick up.

[crunchman12001]

Congrats on your new 2014 - 356QBQ - Heritage Glen Fifth Wheel Nice looking unit. Welcome to the forum from Bainbridge, Ohio.
Question: Don't they make RV's in Australia or is the difference night and day from what is made here?
Just curious if the cost of shipping and conversion is worth it?
crunchman

[Joe_GA]

G'day Mate! Welcome to Forest River. The modifications to your unit sound extensive.
I went to Sydney back in the 70's and really enjoyed myself. What little I saw of your country was beautiful.
I'd love to hear regular reports and see pictures from you as your unit is modified. Where will you use it? Are there RV parks or do you just camp in the outback?

[Wiscampsin]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your 2014 356QBQ Heritage Glen.

[MINDARIE BOY]

Originally Posted by crunchman12001

Congrats on your new 2014 - 356QBQ - Heritage Glen Fifth Wheel Nice looking unit. Welcome to the forum from Bainbridge, Ohio.
Question: Don't they make RV's in Australia or is the difference night and day from what is made here?
Just curious if the cost of shipping and conversion is worth it?
crunchman

In my opinion the American stuff is much better than the Australian spec and far much bigger.They have only just started putting single slide outs in some manufacturers vans here let alone 4. Im going to be travelling in mine all around Australia and want to be comfortable with as much room as possible.After the conversions and shipping its not that much more than buying an Australian made 5th wheeler which is 26ft long with 1 slide out.
Most of the caravans/RV's here all look the same because they all use the same factory parts i have always liked something different.
In my case i think it will be worth it in the end.

[MINDARIE BOY]

Originally Posted by Joe_GA

G'day Mate! Welcome to Forest River. The modifications to your unit sound extensive.
I went to Sydney back in the 70's and really enjoyed myself. What little I saw of your country was beautiful.
I'd love to hear regular reports and see pictures from you as your unit is modified. Where will you use it? Are there RV parks or do you just camp in the outback?

I will post photo's when i go to collect it from Melbourne and tow it back to Perth which is along way
There are RV parks but not all of them are suitable because of the length of the unit with the tow vehicle but allot are adapting as 5th wheelers and motorhomes are becoming more popular.
Im originally from the UK and have been here 7 yrs so there is allot for me to see here.If i can't get on some parks i will take pot luck where i camp.

[MINDARIE BOY]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your 2014 356QBQ Heritage Glen.

Thanks for the reply.

[crunchman12001]

Originally Posted by MINDARIE BOY

In my opinion the American stuff is much better than the Australian spec and far much bigger.They have only just started putting single slide outs in some manufacturers vans here let alone 4. Im going to be travelling in mine all around Australia and want to be comfortable with as much room as possible.After the conversions and shipping its not that much more than buying an Australian made 5th wheeler which is 26ft long with 1 slide out.
Most of the caravans/RV's here all look the same because they all use the same factory parts i have always liked something different.
In my case i think it will be worth it in the end.

Thank you for sharing what is available on the other side of the world. I was not aware that your choices were so limited there. I look forward to hearing of your adventures in the outback.
Again, welcome to the forum.
crunchman

[johnanbev]

Hi All
Like Mindarie boy we live in the land of OZ. Near Melbourne Victoria, and this is our first post. We have been following the forum for 8 months now and have learned so much and have really appreciated the information posted on the site.
We ordered a Salem Hemisphere Lite 246 RLBS last February had it shipped to Los Angeles for compliancing to Australian Design Rules for trailers, and finally shipped to Melbourne where I picked it up from the Shipping terminal two weeks ago. Went camping last weekend up to the Murray River about 300Km north, had a great time! Planning another trip next weekend.
It is a great camper.
Johnanbev
Hemisphere 246RLBS

[Joe_GA]

Welcome John and Bev. It's great to hear from others down under. I also hang out on fishing forums and have met like minded guys from Australia and New Zealand. It's great sharing stories, ideas and lifestyles. Y'all folks from down under, stick around and share adventures. Just for grins, I started searching for RV's for sale in Australia. I was surprised to see many dealers sold the 5th wheel and the tow vehicle in a package deal. I did notice that there were no big 5th wheels for sale.

[johnanbev]

Thanks for the welcome Joe, main problem for the large fifth wheelers is the lack of larger trucks in the "ute" range [utility truck or pick up as you call them] on the market here. I am pulling the Hemisphere with a Colorado crew cab. It has a 2.8 litre Duramax common rail turbo diesel which puts out 470 Newton metres of torque, and pulls the RV easily. Our problem is the "gross combined mass" of the truck and trailer combined which in my case is 6tonnes [6000kg] and is the limit in my case so I have to be careful as to how much weight I put in the RV.
This is basically the reason why the aren't so many larger 5er's here.
johnanbev
Hemisphere lite 246RLBS
Holden Colorado
2.8 CDT Duramax