Volkswagen launch the new VW Transporter

Last week marked a special moment for our team…

Frontline Campervans were invited to the official launch, where we had the incredible opportunity to showcase the very FIRST all-new VW Transporter Campervan!

We’re extremely grateful to be part of this milestone and excited for what this means for the future of adventure.

A new chapter begins right here! 🚐

Free public transport is included in tickets to the Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow

Valid pre-purchased tickets to the Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow on Tuesday 28 April to Sunday 3 May 2026 at Rosehill Gardens includes travel on the following public transport services, just show your event ticket to transport staff when boarding:?

• Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Intercity services (non-booked services bounded by Bomaderry, Goulburn, Bathurst, Scone and Dungog stations)
• Sydney Metro services
• Sydney metropolitan and outer metropolitan buse
• Sydney, Parramatta and Newcastle Light Rail services
• Sydney and Newcastle Ferries

Remember to keep your event ticket safe for your return journey or you’ll need to use your Opal card or contactless payment method, as you must have a valid ticket when travelling on public transport. Your event ticket is valid on the modes of public transport listed above until 4am the following day.

Note: an additional train access fee applies for travel to or from Domestic and International Airport stations. The access fee is not covered by your event ticket travel entitlements.

The FIRST PHEV Campervan in Australia!

Source: Caravan Industry Australia

Discover Australia’s first plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) campervan. Tim from Frontline Campers gives us a quick walkthrough of their Ford Transit Custom PHEV petrol electric campervan.

Frontline Camper Conversions takes Top Honours at NSW Industry Awards

Frontline Camper Conversions is proud to announce it has been honoured with the NSW Trade Dealer/Retailer of the Year at the 2025 Caravan and Camping Industry Association (CCIA NSW) Awards of Excellence, held on Wednesday, 20 November at the W Sydney.

This recognition places Frontline Camper Conversions among the state’s leading tourism and lifestyle operators, celebrating excellence in the delivery of a quality product, continued after sales support, launching and developing new products & adapting with consumer needs.

The annual Awards which recognise the very best among a highly competitive field of industry businesses and professionals. With innovation and dedication continuing to shape the state’s thriving caravan and camping, manufactured housing and land lease living sectors, this award is a testament to Frontline Camper Conversion’s hard work, passion and commitment to excellence.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to receive this award,” Tim Heritage, General Manager said.’

“It’s wonderful recognition of our team’s commitment, the support of our community, and our pride in representing the region while contributing to such a dynamic, growing industry.”

CCIA NSW CEO Wayne Lange congratulated the winners, highlighting the industry’s strength and diversity.

“Across every corner of NSW, our members are building experiences that bring people together, from the coast to the outback,” Mr Lange said.

“This year’s winners and finalists remind us that success comes from passion, hard work and connection to community, and their efforts ensure caravan and camping remains one of Australia’s most popular and well-loved ways to holiday.”

We look forward to continuing the companies growth in 2026, expanding our environmental goals and meeting all customer service needs around NSW.

Why the Frontline Ford Transit Custom is a Smart Campervan Choice in Australia

Source: The Wanderer
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Frontline Ford Transit Custom campervan: smart, compact, and perfect for couples touring Australia

For couples who want a car-like driving experience with the benefits of all the bells and whistles, this Frontline Ford Transit Custom ticks all the boxes.

Frontline Ford Transit Custom Conversion 

For many motorhomes, there isn’t always a choice of the base vehicle, even if the layouts are different. But there are some exceptions to that, like Frontline Campers. The van converter has produced a campervan from a Toyota Hiace or a Volkswagen T6 van for many years. More recently though, Frontline has stepped out with a Renault Trafic; and now, ta-dah, a Ford Transit Custom conversion.

Test Driving the Ford Transit Custom Campervan

About 15 years ago, the Ford Transit Custom was quite a standard vehicle used either as a van conversion or as a base vehicle under a coach-built. But more recently, the Transit has not been seen much at all. Having test-driven a few in New Zealand, I’ve often wondered about the Transit’s absence here. Consequently, when I saw a Transit Custom van under development at the Frontline factory, I was keen for a test drive … and after a patient wait, the keys were in my hands.

A week of inclement weather changed my original destination choice. And since the test drive was as much of an interest as the ‘camper’ part, I opted for a test loop out west – along the Bells Line of Road across the Blue Mountains and then back east along the Great Western Highway. This drive offers several options for scenic spots and several camping choices. One of my favourites is the Katoomba Falls Tourist Park – excellent for walks along the clifftops and seeing the numerous waterfalls in full flight since it had been raining quite heavily.

Ford Transit Custom Motorhome Features

Getting behind the wheel of the Transit Custom is an experience in itself. It’s different from Japanese vans like the Toyota Hiace, and like many European light commercial vehicles, it is more car-like than truck-like. After hopping into the driving seat, the non-circular steering wheel is first noted. Slightly squashed top and bottom, it looks more difficult to get used to than it is. There’s no dashboard-mounted gear change; its steering column shifter is mounted on the right-hand side, and the indicator switch is on the left. All the eight-speed automatic transmission controls, including the manual shift changes, are on the column shifter. It’s a bit fiddly, and I’d prefer paddles for more precision when changing up or down. My vehicle had a seven-inch instrument cluster with two speedos – mph and km/h. Everything, including the climate control, is operated through the 13-inch multimedia display. That naturally includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  

On the road, the 2.0-litre TDCi Ecoblue turbo diesel engine is a lively performer generally and delivers low-range torque acceleration around town. It’s not particularly noticeable that the vehicle is front-wheel-drive, and the independent rear suspension provides a good handling feature. The external mirrors and the rear-view camera offer good visibility for reversing around. The usual safety features include six airbags, adaptive cruise control, lane assist and traction control assist.

Smart Design in the Frontline Conversion

Frontline has done a neat job on the external fit-out. For starters, the pop-top roof is neatly designed to fit into a fibreglass moulding, making it look like part of the van body and not something stuck on top. The Fiamma F45 awning is a bit harder to disguise, but it’s not too obtrusive (and I’d rather have one that’s not). External body cut-outs are few. Along the offside, there’s the water filler, mains power socket, fridge vent, and what looks like a cassette toilet hatch but is a compartment for storing butane gas cylinders for the cooktop. There’s an external shower, but it’s inside the rear door. 

It’s a van conversion, so there’s no external bin storage – but opening the rear tail-lift door gives access to the optional pull-out boot drawer. That feature is, in many ways, more practical than the usual empty area under the rear of the bed.

Inside the Frontline Ford Transit Custom Campervan

Like most Frontline conversions, the Transit has several layout choices, but I had the popular ‘Adventurer’ layout, which principally offers the benefit of transporting four people around. It’s a relatively simple layout with a kitchen and storage cabinet along the offside wall, a day/night lounge just behind the sliding door and a storage area in the rear. Naturally, setting up doesn’t take long. It’s a matter of releasing the four corner straps and pushing the roof up. Three screened windows in the canvas gusset allow a generous amount of natural light in. Once the lever is located, the passenger seat swivels around easily, offering a useful extra seat. The lack of opening windows is an issue for some travellers, so the optional insect screens that can be fitted to the side and rear doors may be of interest. 

The Frontline sleeps two, and once you have your fingers in the right place, folding the seat down and making up the 1.86m x 1.4m (6ft 1in x 4ft 7in) bed is relatively easy. It can be accessed from either end (the rear lights are fitted near the back). I liked the Sirocco fan that’s mounted on the cabinet about halfway down the bed. All the windows are fitted with curtains, so night-time privacy is assured.

Cooking and Storage in the Transit Custom Campervan

A single pole table can be used with the rear seat during dining time. That same tabletop is designed to fit on top of the rear drawer, forming a neat table or cooking platform as required. The table and pole are stored behind the driver’s seat when not in use. 

Built into the side cabinetry is a cupboard that includes two drawers, three separate drawers, and a couple of smaller compartments. The under-seat area offers good storage space for general items… a couple of low plastic boxes might be a convenience there. 

Campervan Essentials for Off-Grid Stays

In standard form, the campervan has a 100Ah AGM battery plus the usual 240V fittings. My review camper came with a 150Ah Lithium battery and 200W of solar panel capacity, thus being reasonably well equipped for off-the-grid stays. Most of the electrical switching is located on the kitchen bench. The 55-litre water tank capacity is more limiting. That said, any campground with basic toilet facilities will be well suited to the Frontline campervan.

The Bottom Line on the Frontline Ford Transit

Frontline has done a very neat job with this conversion. Full marks for stepping out with a Ford Transit Custom. It’s not a big motorhome, but it doesn’t pretend to be … it’s more like a lightweight camper or a weekend escape machine. It works for me, and the Transit is a great drive. There’s a bit more to come with the Ford Transit Custom in Australia, too. An AWD version is on its way, something sure to interest intrepid Outback explorers and snow country travellers. In addition, hybrid and all-electric versions are on the production line too. What’s not to like?

Specifications

The Camping Concierge

Source: caravancampingnsw.com

We were thrilled to be a part of Caravan & Camping NSW’s latest campaign, the Camping Concierge Translator. If you look closely you’ll spot one of our Campervans 👀

Try the translator now!

Frontline unveil their newest campervan — Ford Transit Custom

Frontline unveiled their brand-new model Fronline campervan, the Ford Transit Custom, at the 2025 Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow in Rosehill.

Frontline launches new Ford Transit Custom campervan

New Blue Oval base allows Sydney campervan specialist to offer more space and comforts inside

Source: caravancampingsales.com.au

Long-standing Sydney campervan conversion specialist Frontline has ripped the covers off its much-anticipated new Ford Transit Custom campervan, unveiled at the 2025 NSW Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow at the Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney. This marks an exciting addition to the growing market of Ford campervans for sale in Australia.

Adding to Frontline’s Toyota HiAce, Volkswagen Transporter and Renault Traffic conversions, this new Ford Transit campervan is the most spacious in the lineup. It boasts the largest bed area in the Frontline range, a big wardrobe, expanded kitchen bench space, and a cleverly positioned electrical system that frees up additional storage in the boot. For buyers exploring Ford Transit Custom camper vans for sale, this model raises the bar on functional design and comfort.

Pricing for the Ford Transit Custom campervan for sale starts at $110,000 drive-away, based on the Transit Custom Trend model in Frozen White. Buyers can choose from four other paint colours for an additional $3600. A variety of vehicle add-ons like a towbar, alloy wheels, and side striping, are available before even diving into the optional interior fit-outs. For those searching for a Ford Transit Custom campervan for sale in Australia, these offering blends value and flexibility.

Standard kitchen and cooking features include a stainless-steel sink with electric pump, both butane and induction cookers, and a 12V 90L fridge-freezer, adding to the appeal of Ford Transit campervans for sale that are truly road-trip ready.

The pop-top includes three flyscreen windows for ventilation, while the interior offers soft fabric wall lining, fully-lined curtains, 15mm plywood flooring with vinyl coverings, a swivel passenger seat (or fixed front bench for three), a convertible bed/lounge setup, swivel table, external shower, 55-litre water tank, and a wind-out awning. This makes it a standout choice among Ford Transit camper vans for sale across Australia.

The standard electrical fit-out includes a 110Ah AGM battery, Victron 240v and DC charging, plus an Orion DC to DC and MPPT solar regulator. Off-grid adventurers will appreciate optional lithium and solar upgrades. Standard features also include a 12V fan with timer and six LED lights, ideal for anyone seeking an off-grid Ford Transit campervan Australia buyers can rely on.

With a tare weight of around 2350kg and a GVM of 3225kg, the Frontline Ford Transit Custom camper offers a solid payload of approximately 875kg, along with a towing capacity of 2500kg. These specs make it a strong contender in the market of Ford campervans for sale geared toward touring and camping enthusiasts.

The base vehicle, the 2025 Ford Transit Custom, is an all-new design introduced in late 2024. It features upgrades in safety, occupant comfort, rear area access, and cabin versatility, making it a superb base for the latest Ford Transit campervan for sale Australia audiences are searching for.

Under the hood is a 125kW/390Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, while an AWD variant will also be available. This makes the Ford Transit campervan Australia market more appealing to adventurers who need varied drivetrains for different terrains.

The fit-out offers a choice of cabinet styles, seat trims, and curtain colours. Optional extras include flyscreens for the rear or side doors, a rear door tent, microwave, portable toilet, diesel heating, and upgrades to lithium batteries and solar setups. These customizations give more flexibility to those exploring Ford Transit Custom camper vans for sale with specific lifestyle needs.

Like all new Frontline conversions, this Ford Transit campervan for sale is completed at the company’s Brookvale, NSW factory and includes full volume second-stage Federal approval, ensuring compliance and quality for Australian buyers.

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Michael’s off-grid adventures

I’m currently slowly driving Adelaide to Margaret River following the ocean Esperance etc plus detours. Then return Busselton to Kalgoorlie/ Nullarbor home. 6 weeks in total.

These days most road’s are sealed and I only drive on Graded service road’s which can be a bit Corrugated.

So Yes I am very happy for all your help and making such a wonderful mobile home off-grid.

Yours sincerely
Michael

Rob and Slava’s Second Great Big Australia Adventure 2024

After we left Magnetic Island we saw a different side of Townsville. The Strand Beach just to the north of the CBD is really quite attractive. From there we went to a freecamp on the beach at Toomulla. One thing that has changed since we were last up this way is that the warning signs aren’t quite so frightening for the uninitiated. Instead of listing a dozen or so creatures that could kill you while taking a swim, now they just warn you about crocs and stingers. They still provide vinegar in case you get stung by a box jellyfish, unless someone has used it up on their chips. There isn’t anything supplied if you get attacked by a croc, although I suppose you could use vinegar on that as well.

We bobbled up and down the coast between Tully and Innisfail for about a week. There is lot’s to see and do and lots of free camps. We also drove inland to see a few waterfalls. We booked a national park camp to see Wallaman Falls. These are billed as the longest single drop falls in Australia at 296m. It had been raining all day, although it had stopped before we arrived. 

But the camping area was a proper quagmire. I pitied the people staying in tents. In successive nights we camped at El Arish, Babinda Boulders, Tully Gorge and Paronella Park. It rained at the Boulders but was dry at the other sites. In fact day 77 at Babinda Boulders was the last time we experienced any rain. Incidentally we camped there in the rain last time we visited in 2014. It is a popular swimming spot despite over 20 people dying there since the 70s. There are signs describing in graphic detail how you will
die if you enter the rapids. Tully Gorge wasn’t so intimidating and is a great place for whitewater rafting. I took Jess there when she was a young teenager and she loved it. Paronella Park is a must se if you are up this way. It was built in the 30s by a young Spaniard who dreamed of owning a Castle and made his fortune selling cane farms. It has suffered several natural disasters but is currently owned by a family who is passionate about continuing the place’s legacy.

We spent the next few days at Mission Beach. Last time we visited it rained the whole time we were there. This time we brought the good weather and we were told it had been raining from December up to the day before we arrived. We used our time there to catch up on stuff like laundry. I even went to the pub to watch NSW get thrashed in the first State of Origin. It’s apparently a popular thing for New South Welshmen to do, get surrounded by fanatical Queenslanders while your team gets thrashed.

From Mission Beach we went to Ellis Beach just north of Cairns. We used that as a base while we did tourist things like the Scenic Railway to Kuranda (including Barron Falls and the Skyrail on the return trip) and the wildlife park on the road to Port Douglas. We also just wandered around the Cairns waterfront and shops and explored Cairns’ northern beaches. The van park we stayed in at Ellis Beach had been completely rebuilt in about 5 months after it was mostly washed away (along with sections of the Capt Cook Highway) when the region was hit by a rain depression following a cyclone last December. It is a lovely park, right on one of the nicest beaches in the region.

We had planned to do the Bloomfield Track from Cape Tribulation to Wujal Wujal. This was the scene of major environmental protests back in the day. The protests were about keeping the Daintee area as a wilderness and keeping it closed to tourism. The compromise was that the Bloomfield Track was built. It is a challenging 4WD track that we drove without any problems in the original Vanborghini. However parts of it were also washed away by the same rains that destroyed parts of the Capt Cook Highway. We got conflicting stoies about whether it was open or not, ranging from “people are driving through now” to “the track remains closed indefinitely”. Nobody we spoke to was able to give us a definitive answer. We decided to drive to the Daintree Ferry and ask them. If anybody knew, they would. Meanwhile I made two alternative plans, one in the event the track was open and another if it was closed. As it turned out, it was still closed, but the plan was to reopen it on 22 June. So our plan was to avoid it on the way north up Cape York and drive it on the way south, which would be a few days after its planned reopening. So that is what we plan to do in a few days time.

So our revised route up Cape York took us from Daintree to Laura, Coen, Weipa, Bramwell Station and Loyalty Beach.

We did a cruise on the Daintree River and saw 5 crocs in the space of an hour. Laura is home to the Quinkan Galleries, reputed to be one of the top ten rock art sites in the world. We did the arduous walk to one of the sites. Coen was exactly the same as when last visited, that is to say a small village that is dependent on its pub and school for its existence. We arrived in Weipa too late on Friday for the mine tour and we would have to wait until Monday for another one. A weekend in Weipa with nothing to do was not on the cards, so we missed out. Its a shame because I really like that sort of stuff. Next stop was Bramwell Station. Its a working cattle station that has a successful side hack as a resort. They average over 100 campers per night during the dry season. The night we stayed they only had 90.

The final leg of our Cape York adventure was from Bramwell Station to Loyalty Beach. Its indicative of how bad the Telegraph Track Bypass Road is, and how out of its depth the Vanbo is, that it took us 7 hours driving time to do the final 210kms, that’s 30kph if you’re slow at arithmetic. Included in that we did the detour to Fruit Bat Falls, which is a “must do” up this way. We also had to cross the Jardine River. For all its notoriety, the Jardine is not much of a river. There is a punt operating to get you across. But if they linked two punts together it would make a permanent bridge. But that doesn’t seem to be a priority. Maybe once they complete the magnificent new bridge over the Archer River. Just a side note on the condition of the three major roads up the middle of Cape York, the Peninsula Development Road from Laura to Weipa, the Telegragh Track Bypass Road from the Weipa turnoff to the Jardine River and the Bamaga Road from the Jardine River to Bamaga. Bamaga is just down the road from where we are camping and about 35 kms from the northern most tip of the Australian mainland. When Slava and I drove the original Vanborghini up here in 2014, the roads from Cairns to the Tip were about 60% dirt. It’s almost exactly 1000kms from Cairns to Bamaga, so that was 600kms of dirt. We measured it on the way up and the dirt bits now account for only about 35%, or 350 kms and the biggest chunk of that is north of the Weipa turnoff. So in the last decade, about 250kms of new sealed road has been built. But apart from the new Archer River Bridge, there is no work currently being undertaken to improve the road. So it could be decades before the road is all sealed. Even if/when it is sealed it will remain a frontier because it is so remote and that won’t change. But in the dry season, it is idyllic when you get here.

We spent 4 nights at Loyalty Beach, 26kms south of the Tip (Pajinka). On the first full day here we planned to drive to Pajinka. We had done it before in the original Vabo and didn’t have any problems. We took the short cut and faltered at the first water crossing. Too deep for us. So we took the long way round and we got to about 6.5kms from Pajinka when we were turned back by an even deeper and wider waterhole. I felt really deflated. The Vanbo has never failed us before.  A few more days of evaporation and both crossings might be fordable by us, but there is no way of knowing. So we accepted that we aren’t going to Pajinka on this trip. However, we did do a three Island cruise of the Torres Strait Islands which included stops at Horn, Thursday an Roko islands. Horn is famous for its role in WWII as a foward defence base. Thursday is the administrative capital of the Torres Strait Islands. Roko is a boutique resort with 4 glamps and an eye watering all up daily cost.

I have to mention the stunning sunsets up here. They are amazing. Daylight hours are pretty much 6:30 am To 6:30 pm. Daytime temperatures are in the high 20s and overnight it is in the low 20s. It is very pleasant.

So that’s it. We start driving south again this morning. Hopefully the Bloomfield track will be open by the time we get there, early next week. And then we head west on the Savannah Way, to the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria. I’ll write again in about a month, assuming that is a suitable milestone in the trip.

Cheers
Rob, Slava and Ruby

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