Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 196: Conquering Frontiers with Style & Durability
The charms of an alpine hut are no doubt enduring. What with the morning sun weaving through wild scrub and grandly framed, like a McCubbins scene. Pioneering and quiet, it speaks to a collective yearning. What if you could take that picturesque ambiance with all the modern-day camping indulgences wherever you please? The tough, fully equipped Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 196 brings manners to the Murray, offering a blend of rugged capability and refined comfort.
Natural Finishes Throughout
Stepping into the Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 196 couple’s caravan during our Tough Tested 2024 program, powered by GUSTO, Vantec, and NCE, our crews were immersed within the Murray Region’s splendour, but it was as if it had wiped its feet on entry. Waterfall timber benchtops, filtered water, splashbacks, and soundproofing on the walls, wide vertical panelling on the leather dinette, and high-gloss ceilings felt natural and indulgent simultaneously. Great Aussie’s luxury finishes flow through to the wall-to-wall ensuite at the rear, where you’ll find ring lighting and digital readout on the backlit mirror, brushed gold tapware, and small details like a front-loading washing machine fitted into the cabinetry. While in the master bedroom up front, a leathered bedhead for the queen-size bed makes a grand statement.
A Kilowatt of Solar Power
Power-wise, the Great Aussie Caravans Tonka 196 harnesses a full kilowatt of solar generation flowing at 40A to support 400Ah of lithium storage. It’s even quicker when plugged into mains power with 180Ah-rated charging, supporting 3000W of inverter capability for full access to your appliances off-grid. Generous storage for auxiliary power expands firewood, fuel, and water capacities with stone-chip proof front and rear toolboxes smartly tucked out of harm’s way, including the drawer out the back.
Adjustable Airbags for Tough Terrain
To tackle the tough stuff, this classic mid-size layout rides tall on a laser-cut truss chassis atop the Cruisemaster’s luxury ATX airbags, 17in Mickey Thompson mud terrain tyres shod with MPC rims, 12in electric drum brakes, the Cruisemaster M60 dampers with a DO45 up front, and BOSCH Trailer Sway Control (TSC), featuring algorithms for managing sway off-road. This formidable blend improves agility in this 2900kg Tare-weighted van. To its off-road arsenal, Great Aussie Caravans fitted Bosch Trailer Safety Control (TSC) on the Tonka 196 demonstrator with advanced algorithms designed and tested for off-road use. See how John Cullen driving for Great Aussie takes advantage of the tech on the Tough Tested 2024 Time Trial Track.
Allytech Construction
Being a Tonka, the 196 features Allytech construction, one of three Great Aussie Caravans manufacturing techniques available. It comprises a welded 1.3mm box section alloy frame with an aluminium outer shell, dense XPS insulation, a one-piece fibreglass roof, and fibreglass on the internal walls. Climate control comforts like the reverse cycle air-conditioning perform at their peak, with light but strong honeycomb flooring rounding out the fully insulated shell.
Great Aussie Caravans
