Caravan Setup Guide for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know

Why Proper Caravan Setup Matters

A well-set-up caravan means more than just comfort. It ensures safety, stability, and efficiency throughout your trip.

Poor setup can lead to caravan sway, uneven sleeping surfaces, damaged appliances, or unnecessary wear and tear on your van. For beginners, understanding the basics of caravan setup in Australia is the foundation of stress-free caravanning.



Whether you’re using a caravan park, free camp, or off-grid spot, mastering your setup will make every adventure smoother.

1. Choosing the Right Campsite

Before you even unhitch, where you park your caravan sets the tone for your entire stay.

When looking for a site—whether in a popular caravan park in Australia or a remote bush camp—consider the following:

✔ Accessibility and Space

Ensure the site is large enough to manoeuvre and park your caravan comfortably. Beginners often find reversing tricky, so look for drive-through sites when possible.

✔ Ground Surface

Avoid steep or uneven terrain. Flat surfaces make levelling much easier.

✔ Shade and Weather Exposure

In hot Aussie summers, shade is gold. But be careful parking under trees—falling branches or dripping sap can damage your roof.

✔ Proximity to Amenities

For your first few trips, it’s helpful to stay close to water, bathrooms, and power access.

✔ Rules and Regulations

Some locations require you to set up in designated areas, especially national parks and free camps. Always check the guidelines.

2. Positioning Your Caravan

Correct positioning is one of the most important caravan setup steps for beginners.

✔ Face Into or Away From Weather

In windy areas, position the front of your caravan toward the wind for better aerodynamics and stability.

✔ Consider Privacy

Think about where your windows, awning, and outdoor seating will face.

✔ Access to Power and Water

Make sure your caravan’s connection points line up with the powered site’s poles and taps.

✔ Space for the Awning

Leave enough room to roll out your awning safely.

3. Unhitching Your Caravan Safely

This is where many beginners feel most nervous, but with the right steps it’s simple:

Step-by-step unhitching process

1. Park your tow vehicle and caravan in a straight line.
2. Apply the handbrake on the caravan.
3. Chock the wheels so the van cannot roll.
4. Disconnect your safety chains.
5. Unplug the trailer plug.
6. Lower the jockey wheel and raise the coupling off the tow ball.
7. Slowly drive the tow vehicle forward.

Take your time—rushing leads to mistakes. Many beginners search “how to unhitch a caravan safely” because this step can feel intimidating at first.

4. Levelling Your Caravan

Proper levelling is critical for stability, appliance function, and comfort. Most fridges and internal systems work best when the van is level.

How to level side-to-side

• Place levelling ramps in front or behind your wheels.
• Drive the caravan onto the ramp until the bubble on your spirit level is centered.
• Chock the wheels to secure them.

How to level front-to-back

• Wind the jockey wheel up or down until the caravan sits flat.



Helpful tip:

Use a spirit level or install a smartphone leveling app—many travellers swear by them.

5. Securing Your Caravan

Once level, secure the van completely:

• Apply the handbrake firmly.
• Use wheel chocks on both sides.
• Lower your corner stabilisers (sometimes called “legs”).
• Avoid using stabilisers to level your caravan—they're designed for stability only.



These steps keep your caravan steady, especially when walking inside or during windy weather.

6. Connecting to Power

Connecting your caravan 240v power supply correctly is essential for powering appliances and charging systems.

✔ How to connect safely

1. Ensure the caravan’s main switch is off.
2. Use a 15A heavy-duty extension lead designed for caravans.
3. Plug into the power pole first, then your caravan.
4. Turn the caravan switchboard on.

✔ Avoid household leads

Using a standard 10A household extension cord is dangerous and non-compliant in caravan parks.

✔ Check your RCDs

Ensure residual current devices (RCDs) and circuit breakers are functioning properly.

7. Connecting to Water

If you're on a powered site, you’ll likely have access to a water tap.

✔ Steps to connect water

1. Use a food-grade drinking hose (usually blue).
2. Connect from the tap to your caravan’s mains water inlet.
3. If you’re free camping, fill your onboard water tanks before arriving.

8. Setting Up Your Caravan Awning

The awning is where outdoor living happens, especially in Australia’s warm climate. Setting it up correctly helps prevent damage and keeps you shaded and dry.

Steps to set up a roll-out awning

1. Unlock the travel latches.
2. Use the awning rod to unwind the awning about 30cm.
3. Slide out the arms and loosen the knobs.
4. Fully unroll the awning.
5. Extend the legs and position them either attached to the caravan or pegged into the ground.
6. Tension the roof for stability.

Awning safety tips

• Never leave your awning out in strong winds.
• Use anti-flap kits for added strength.
• Peg down awning legs securely.

Beginners often search how to set up a caravan awning, so practicing at home is highly recommended.

9. Setting Up Your Caravan Interior

With the exterior sorted, it’s time to organise inside your caravan:

✔ Turn on the gas

Make sure the gas bottles are open if you plan to cook.

✔ Switch appliances on

Check that your fridge, lights, and hot water systems are working.

✔ Secure loose items

Loose belongings can fall or break if not stored properly.

✔ Use space wisely

Caravan living means smart storage—use packing cubes, hooks, and collapsible items.

10. Setting Up Your Caravan Toilet and Waste System

If your caravan has an onboard toilet, proper setup is essential.

Steps for using a cassette toilet

1. Pull out the waste cassette and add toilet chemicals.
2. Fill the fresh flush tank if required.
3. Ensure the cassette is locked into place.

Grey water

• Many caravan parks require caravans to collect grey water.
• Use a portable grey water tank or connect a hose to a drain point.

Black water

• Only dump your toilet cassette at official dump points.
• Use biodegradable chemicals to avoid damaging systems.

11. Setting Up for Off-Grid or Free Camping

If you’re planning on off-grid camping or free camping in Australia, your caravan setup will look a little different.

✔ Battery power

Ensure your caravan battery is fully charged before leaving.

✔ Solar panels

Position portable solar in full sun to top up your battery.

✔ Water usage

Be mindful of your supply—showers, dishes, and cooking all add up.

✔ Generators

If using a generator, check noise rules and generator-approved areas.

Off-grid travel is one of the most popular searches among caravanners, and learning correct setup is key to staying comfortable.



12. Safety Checks After Setup

Safety should be part of every setup, no matter how experienced you are.

Your checklist

• Fire extinguisher accessible
• Gas bottles turned off when not in use
• RCDs and fuses checked
• Stabilisers firmly in place
• Awnings pegged down
• Cables tidy and away from walkways

13. Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned caravanners make mistakes—but here’s how you can avoid the most common ones:

❌ Not using wheel chocks

❌ Incorrectly levelling the caravan

❌ Leaving awnings unattended in wind

❌ Using non-caravan extension leads

❌ Forgetting to lock the hitch when travelling

❌ Ignoring weight limits or towing capacity

Learning these early can save your caravan from serious damage.



14. Caravan Setup Checklist for Beginners

Many people search for a caravan setup checklist, so here is a simple beginner-friendly version:

✔ Before unhitching:

• Park on flat ground
• Apply caravan handbrake
• Chock wheels
• Disconnect electrics and chains

✔ After unhitching:

• Level caravan
• Drop stabilisers
• Connect water
• Connect 240v power
• Set up awning
• Organise interior
• Check safety equipment

Print this list and keep it in your caravan for easy reference.



Final Thoughts: Mastering Your Caravan Setup

Learning how to properly set up your caravan is a skill that grows with every trip.

What seems complicated at first will soon become second nature.

Whether you're exploring coastal caravan parks, heading inland for free camping, or setting up for the night on a long road trip, this guide gives you the foundation you need for safe and enjoyable travels.

With the right knowledge of caravan setup for beginners, you’ll feel confident, relaxed, and ready to enjoy the freedom of caravanning across Australia.

Every journey starts with a good setup—so take your time, follow the steps above, and enjoy the adventure ahead.