Imagine waking up in a chic, refurbished campervan – complete with all the fittings – as you explore some of the most beautiful sites across the region, and Australia.
Whether it’s for a romantic escape, special occasion, girls’ trip or solo adventure, adventure seekers can experience van life from as little as $70 per night, thanks to Noosa couple Jack Newton and Shanai Palmer.
The passionate travellers have always dreamed of renovating a fleet of rental vans to those looking for a relaxed, yet adventurous getaway.
When they bought and repurposed a retro 1980s Franklin caravan in 2015 to rent as an Airbnb it sparked the idea for their business Coastal Vans, which launched in February.
With a campervan, caravans and motorhome in the fleet, each offers a tasteful touch of boho luxury and the creature comforts of a bed, fully-equipped kitchen facilities, tables and chairs.
Depending on the van, they can sleep between two or four people – with the campervan allowing pets – and the larger vans include a bathroom, television and air-conditioning.
The vans can be delivered within a 30km radius of Noosaville and guests can opt for a grazing platter on arrival.
Travellers can plan their own journey or, to take the hassle out, Coastal Vans can provide the ultimate custom itinerary for those who just want to hit the road.
Ms Palmer said they hoped Coastal Vans gave an alternate travel option for people on the Sunshine Coast to enjoy a “raw” experience.
“Campervanning has that little bit of rawness to it to be able to explore and take a step back and experience something different,” she said.
“I love the fact that you drive along and end up finding a cool spot you never knew existed.
“We have a passion for living in the moment and escaping the everyday grind and we genuinely love creating memorable experiences for people.
“Our purpose is to bring the pleasures of easy-going travel to life and explore all the beauties van life has to offer.
“We pride ourselves in having options available to suit different circumstances and budget for the ultimate van-lifestyle experience.”
Ms Palmer said she loved helping people plan trips and said it did not matter if you had never travelled in a van or driven a van before.
The vans can be rented out for a weekend or as long as a month and can be taken Australia wide. Each van includes comprehensive insurance and roadside assistance.
“We love helping people plan their trips and make the most out of their holiday,” Ms Palmer said.
“Experiencing van life is fun so it is exciting when people haven’t done it before.
“For people wanting to experience the Sunshine Coast, we always recommend a night in Noosa, but we also love and recommend the hinterland areas of Kenilworth, Montville and Maleny.
“Another favourite stop for us is heading up north to Rainbow Beach or 1770, or even down to the Gold Coast and Gold Coast hinterland.
“It also depends how long people book for. We have a booking going out soon for a whole month and they will be going down to Canberra.”
The fleet of vehicles include Henny the Hiace, Florence the motorhome and Vee – a 1980s Viscount caravan.
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Ms Palmer said since 2021 they had put a great deal of time and effort into having each vehicle ready for hire, with the caravan still in its final stage before completion.
“The campervan took us 10 months to complete, whereas the motorhome only took about three months because it already had everything in it,” Ms Palmer said.
“Our caravan has taken us the longest though because it’s retro.
“We’ve had to take everything out and we are really excited to launch that very soon.”
Coastal Vans plan to add more vehicles to its fleet in time and Ms Palmer said the motorhome had been extremely popular so far.
For more information, or to book, visit Coastal Vans.
