Best Caravans for Touring Australia: Choosing the Right Caravan for the Big Lap

1. SWAG SCT17: Our Top Pick for Couples Touring Australia

For couples planning to spend months travelling around Australia, the SCT17 is our first choice.

It is built around the type of features that become more valuable the longer you stay on the road. You get a large internal fridge, a washing machine, internal cooking facilities, a full ensuite and a queen island bed that can be accessed from both sides.

That island-bed layout is a particularly useful touring feature. Both travellers can get in and out without climbing over one another, while making the bed is much easier than with layouts pushed tightly against the walls.

The SCT17 also gives you:

• A large 188L internal fridge/freezer
• A built-in washing machine
• Internal cooking facilities
• A large external kitchen
• A queen island bed
• Separate shower and toilet
• 200L fresh water capacity
• 120L grey water capacity
• 300Ah lithium battery capacity
• 400W solar
• 2000W Victron inverter/charger
• Reverse-cycle air conditioning

For someone spending a few weeks away, a washing machine or larger fridge might sound like a luxury. When you are travelling for three, six or twelve months, they can change how often you need to stop in major towns and how comfortable everyday life feels.

The SCT17 is also approximately 300kg lighter than the SCT18 and runs on a single axle, making it a more manageable option for many touring couples.

It still uses the same off-road suspension underneath as the rest of the SWAG range. We classify it as a semi off-road caravan because the SCT17 has been designed more like a traditional caravan for long-term touring, with a wider body, large internal fridge and washing machine.

At around 200mm wider than the rest of the SWAG hybrid range, that extra width creates more usable living space inside the van. The trade-off is that it does not track directly behind the tow vehicle as closely as the narrower SCT18, which becomes more relevant on sand and tighter off-road tracks.

For couples planning the Big Lap, the SCT17 is our strongest all-round recommendation because it puts long-term liveability first without giving up the suspension, power and water capacity needed for serious Australian touring.

2 SWAG SCT18 Couples: Best for More Adventurous Touring

The SCT18 Couples is our recommendation for travellers who want to push further beyond the highway and established caravan routes.

One of the biggest differences is width.

The SCT18 is around 200mm narrower than the SCT17 and has more of a true off-road hybrid footprint. Its wheels follow more closely in the same tyre tracks as the tow vehicle, which can make a noticeable difference when towing through sand or travelling along narrow tracks.

It also runs a dual-axle setup, compared with the SCT17’s single axle, and provides more external storage for travellers carrying camping gear, tools and equipment.

Where the SCT17 focuses heavily on internal touring comfort, the SCT18 shifts more of the functionality outside. It includes an external fridge and greater external storage capacity, giving travellers easy access to food, drinks and equipment without needing to head inside the caravan.

The SCT18 also includes:

• 300Ah lithium battery capacity
• 600W solar
• 2000W Victron inverter/charger
• 50A DC-DC charging
• 200L fresh water
• 120L grey water
• External fridge
• Additional external storage
• King-size bed
• Full ensuite
• Reverse-cycle air conditioning
• Dual-axle running gear

Its 600W solar setup also gives it an advantage for travellers planning longer stays away from powered sites.

The king-size bed gives the SCT18 a more spacious sleeping setup than the SCT17, while the additional external storage makes it easier to organise gear that you do not necessarily want taking up space inside the van.

Choose the SCT18 Couples if your Big Lap will involve more beach driving, sand, off-road tracks and remote camping. Choose the SCT17 if you expect to spend more time living inside the van and prioritise long-term comfort.

SCT17 vs SCT18: Which Is Better for Touring Australia?

For most couples planning a traditional Big Lap, we recommend the SCT17 first.

Its wider body, large internal fridge, washing machine, island bed and lower weight make it particularly well suited to months of continuous touring.

The SCT18 becomes the better option when off-road access and external storage move higher up your priority list.

The decision largely comes down to how you expect to use the van.

If you are travelling highway kilometres, staying for weeks at a time in different regions and effectively living from the caravan for months, the SCT17 has the edge.

If you are deliberately chasing remote camps, beaches and more difficult access tracks, the narrower SCT18 layout becomes a major advantage.

3. SWAG SCT18 Family 4B: Our Pick for Families of Four

For families of four taking on the Big Lap, the SCT18 Family 4-Berth combines permanent sleeping spaces with the narrower off-road hybrid platform found across the SCT18 range.

Parents get a king-size bed, while the kids have two permanent 2m-long bunks. There is no need to turn the dining area into a bed every night or pack bedding away each morning.

Those full-length bunks also make the van more practical as children grow. Families can invest in a caravan they can continue using as younger kids become teenagers.

The 4-berth includes:

• King-size parents’ bed
• Two 2m bunks
• 300Ah lithium battery capacity
• 600W solar
• 2000W Victron inverter/charger
• 200L fresh water
• 120L grey water
• Internal and external refrigeration
• Full ensuite
• External kitchen
• Reverse-cycle air conditioning
• Dual-axle off-road setup

The narrower SCT18 body is also an advantage for families who want to reach campsites beyond the standard caravan park network.

For a family of four, the SCT18 4-berth gives everyone a permanent bed while retaining the water, power and off-road capability needed for extended travel around Australia.

4. SWAG SCT18 Family 5B: Our Pick for Families of Five

Families of five often face a difficult choice when shopping for a touring caravan: move into a much larger van or accept a layout where someone sleeps on a converted dining area.

The SCT18 Family 5-berth avoids that compromise.

It fits a king-size parents’ bed and three permanent 2m bunks, giving every family member their own sleeping space.

That makes a big difference when you are living in the caravan for months. Beds can stay made, the dining area stays usable, and each child has their own dedicated space.

The 5-berth retains the main touring features of the SCT18 range, including:

• Three permanent 2m bunks
• King-size parents’ bed
• 300Ah lithium battery capacity
• 600W solar
• 200L fresh water
• 120L grey water
• Internal and external refrigeration
• External kitchen
• Full ensuite
• Reverse-cycle air conditioning
• Dual-axle off-road setup

Like the 4-berth, it retains the narrower hybrid body that helps the van follow the tow vehicle’s tracks more closely in sand and tighter off-road conditions.

For families of five doing the Big Lap, the SCT18 5-berth is a triple bunk caravan that provides dedicated sleeping space for everyone without forcing you into a substantially larger traditional caravan.