Confucius said, "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." I understand the perks of travelling light—in fact, I've been doing it most of my life! I also know how good it is to cook over a fire in the coals. I see how dancing flames beat watching TV. I think the sounds of nature are way sweeter than any music. I also understand that life can be cluttered, making it tough to strip things back to basics.

That's the vibe behind the little NockAbout Camper. NockAbout made a lightweight "chuck wagon" with a rooftop tent. It's like a blank canvas with a sturdy trailer and chassis. You've got tons of storage for whatever you need—simple or fancy. It's easy to set up, and makes for cozy digs for a couple who love camping and travelling.

Dal Canvas’ NockAbout Camper started its life as did many similar products. He saw what was on the market and decided to build his own design. He enlisted a group of mates to help with the construction, and they are all still involved in the production versions. Incidentally, Dal’s real name is Dave, but everyone calls him Dal due to his last name, Machon!

Lightweight and Tough

The NockAbout is a rugged little camper that's a great companion for tough trips. With a dry weight of just 500kg, it's agile on bush tracks, campsites, or even when maneuvering into storage at home. Its weight and size make it a good fit for smaller 4X4s or everyday vehicles. But this camper's got a wandering spirit and won't want to stay put for too long.

We tested the NockAbout from its base in Slacks Creek, Brisbane, driving on mountain tracks around Mount Cotton before heading to a campsite at Mount Tambourine. I thought it would have basic leaf spring suspension, but nope, NockAbout built a fully galvanised box-section chassis with a sturdy independent trailing arm suspension made locally. It includes Firestone airbags. It handled great on paved roads, but off-road was where it shone – tracking smoothly over bumps and corrugations with good clearance and a solid relief angle. It stayed grounded even on rough terrain riding easily on its 14" sunrasia style wheels and stopping efficiently with its 10" electric brakes. Most production models can have 16" wheels with 5 or 6 studs to match the customer's vehicle. There's plenty of clearance in the wheel arches for different wheels and offsets.

The main chassis rails (100 x 50 x 3 mm galvanised) are folded to create the A-frame drawbar. This makes for a strong construction without needing butt welds or gussets where the drawbar meets the chassis. The chassis can be adjusted if customers add heavy weights to the front open section. The trailer's lightweight is excellent for off-road use, but the loaded weight will be higher due to lots of storage in the main tub. You access this via twin rear doors that seal with compression locks and rubber trims. The total allowable mass (ATM) is 1250 kg with a low 50kg ball weight.

There's an Anderson plug on the drawbar for vehicle connectivity, plus a CTEK charger so optional solar panels can be plugged in directly charging twin 50 amp deep cycle batteries. Dal's camper had a Hyland 50mm off-road ball coupling, but now there's a choice of DO35, ARK, or a standard 50mm fixed ball.

Customisable Setup

It looks like a little green box on wheels, but it's a solid base package that you can customise to fit your lifestyle. This one had a top-loading basket and Max Trax mounts, but Dal will tailor it to taste. There's unused space on the drawbar for racks (motorbike, outboard, generator) or storage for tools, gas, fuel, or even a compressor. Most campers want a kitchen and pantry. Dal suggests the Drifta range as an option – you can put it on the drawbar or have it slide out from the tub.

Gigantic Roof Tent Plus Room for your Camping Gear

Dal's expertise is in canvas, and the tent on this camper is great. Setting up for an overnight stay takes just a few minutes. There's a front protection shield over the hinge joint that unclips easily. This shield has folding legs that double as a camp table when removed. The powder-coated aluminium lid opens 180 degrees with gas struts and rests on a checker plate step on the front. You can turn this step into a storage locker if you want.

You'll be surprised how big the tent area is – it pops up and tensions easily with three cantilevered bows. There are wing awnings with simple frames to extend the covered area. Inside is a big foam mattress, or you can opt for a 100mm innerspring with a comfort cover. Overhead are LED strip lights, plus there are awnings, midge-proof flyscreens, and high-quality zips. The tent is made from premium Dynaproofed Billabong Wax Converters canvas.

NockAbout includes a 2m wide full-length awning with zippered edges for adding walls. They also make a shade screen for the trailer end where you step into the tent. Dal said the tent is a priority since that's where they come from—that's where they live. I liked that the tent's elevation helps catch breezes on warm nights and keeps bugs and animals away. A tropical roof is an option. 

Cross Between a Forward Fold Camper and a Chuck Wagon?

I'm not usually into "green" stuff, but I liked the candy colour on this camper. Nock About says sales take off when they make one in camouflage. The main tub is made of zinc annealed steel that's etched and powder-coated. You can pick colours from the full Dulux range.

Outside, the tub's got a fold-out table on the driver's side, recessed LED lights, and grab handles where you need 'em. Inside, the tub is lined on the floor. It houses twin batteries, an airbag control panel, a voltage indicator, power outlets, and a big sliding storage box (timber in this one, aluminium in future models). Underneath, there are two wind-down stabilisers. Dal is adding an engineered recovery point/tow bar receiver to new models. He put a reverse monitor on his trailer – smart move.

The Nock About has no water, gas, or kitchen in its simplest form. You can add those as options. But lots of folks are happy cooking on portable stoves, carrying water, and washing up in a bucket. My brother and sister-in-law started camping like this: a basic camper for gear, a tent for sleeping, and storage for camping stuff. The fridge is in the tow vehicle, which cuts power needs. They wanted the basics to teach their kids camping, and loved it!

Dal, his wife Sue, and friends make Nock About Campers in Brisbane alongside their primary business, Dals Canvas (27 years). They're friendly folks making a camper with a place in the market – tough, with lots of storage, a comfy tent, lots of options, and lightweight. This "box on wheels" has surprises galore. 

I Liked

  • Lightweight

  • Tent

  • Simplicity

  • Chassis and suspension

I Would Have Liked

  • It’s all optional!

  • Checker plate alloy table/stone screen combo

 

Specifications

Tare: 500kg

ATM: 1250kg

Suspension: Independent trailing arm with air bags and shockers

Brakes: 10” electric

Coupling: Hyland on demo replaced by ARK or DO35 (optional) 50mm ball std

Chassis: Fully welded box section galvanised

Drawbar: 100 x 50 x 3 mm galvanised chassis rails folded to form the A-frame drawbar

Body: Main tub powder-coated zinc anneal, top aluminium.

Wheel/tyre: 14” Sunrasia radial on demo – optional to suit towing vehicle

Style: Black Sunrasia

 

Dimensions

Box size: 1750 x 1200 x 980 mm

Length: 3250mm

Tent size: 2400 x 1800 x 1000 mm

 

Accessories

Gas cylinders: optional 

Water: optional

Cooktop: optional

Kitchen: optional

Battery: 2 x 50-watt deep-cycle

 

Supplied by: NockAbout Campers, Slacks Creek, QLD.

 

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