Goldfields Grand Duke reviewed at Camper Trailer of the Year 2024

SCOTT HEIMAN — Heiman Habitat

The term ‘Grand Duke’ emerged as a hereditary title in Western Europe in the mid-1500s. A Grand Duke ranks in order of precedence below that of an emperor or king, but higher than an everyday ‘dime-a-dozen’ duke. So, this is a term that’s been reserved for entities that play a particularly important role in society. Similarly, the Goldfields Grand Duke stamps its credentials as a camper that stands above its peers. Once upon a time you could find forward folding campers everywhere. Indeed, it was hard to tell them apart. These days, however, many manufacturers have dropped this style of rig in favour of hybrid models. But not so for Goldfield Campers from Maryborough, Victoria. It has embraced a familiar design and imbued it with features that make the Grand Duke truly worthy of its name.

Ease of use

Stephen from Goldfields is a tall fella at 6ft 4in – or rather 193cm in modern parlance. In this respect, he resembles a couple of judges (Scott 190cm and Tim a whopping 200cm aka 6ft 6in). Sick of having to bend his neck to get into the usual forward fold campers on the market, Stephen got to work to make the Grand Duke’s tent taller. So, there’s no need to roll yourself up like a German pickled herring to clamber inside. While this may sound like a small change, it makes a big difference when your camper becomes your home away from home — day in, day out. Also, as a folding camper you’d expect to need 1000 yards of canvas, and more poles than a tepee, to deploy the tent and awning. However, the Grand Duke can be erected (without the awning) by simply adjusting the internal spreader bars. This is super-handy for overnight stops when you’re trying to gain ground or for a simple weekender when the weather’s kind. In total, we counted 20 loose poles to deploy the full awning, walls, window shutters and shower annex but, as we watch Steve and Steph setting up, it’s pretty clear that with a bit of practice, there’s really not much to it.

Value for money

At $26,990 plus $1150 for the diesel heater as shown, the Goldfields Grand Duke was the second lowest priced entrant at this year’s Camper Trailer of the Year event. But this package offers far more than the price tag might lead you to expect. The list of extras that comes with the Grand Duke is as long as your arm. Far from leaving its customers to fork out for a long menu of camping accessories that they’ll need to actually start using the camper in the great outdoors, Goldfields throw it all in as standard. From the fridge to the toilet, the hot water system to the solar blanket, if it’s something you think you’ll need to make life on the road easier, it’s probably already included with the Goldfields Grand Duke package.

Comfort

Sitting down at the club lounge, the Grand Duke instantly felt more comfortable than similarly configured campers we’ve previously tested. When we asked Stephen why this might be, he told us that Goldfields has had the Grand Duke’s lounge made from a slightly softer foam than most other campers in its field and that they’ve also remodelled the shape of the cushion. Again, this is a small change, but it’s both noticeable and welcome, especially as you get older or if you have back issues. Besides, given that the club lounge is the characteristic social hub of forward-fold campers, who wouldn’t want it to be as comfortable as possible? Talking of comfort, how does a full-sized 100mm inner sprung queen mattress with a 20mm foam topper sound? Lie back in comfort and enjoy the morning birdcall as the sun comes up or listen to the news and weather forecast on the radio through the camper’s sound system that comes with FM, USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Grand Duke enjoys other design features that speak to Goldfields’ concern for making life easier for its customers. One example is the positioning of the LPG bayonet lug which is located behind the sink below the slide. This placement makes it easier to connect to because there’s no need to get on all fours and scamper between the kitchen slide and chassis to attach it like in other similarly configured campers. It’s also pleasing to see the use of a snake track for the 100L fridge to protect the power cable when opening and closing the slide. In fact, cable management throughout the Grand Duke was impressive. It’s these thoughtful adjustments and inclusions that prove that this Australian-owned and operated family business is run by campers designing campers for campers.

KATH HEIMAN— Heiman Habitat

Goldfields Campers is intent on getting couples and young families off the couch and down by the beach with the least hassle possible. You see, the Grand Duke comes standard with virtually all the accessories you’ll need to get on the road, and a 500kg payload to fill with food, family and fun.

Self-sufficiency

It carries a total of 160L of water isolated across two tanks — 120L and 40L, each with water level indicators — so you can use one for town water and fill the other from less reliable sources.

There’s also space for two jerries and, for showers, there’s a Smarttek Lite hot water system, two 100Ah deep cycle batteries which are supported by a 240V Projecta battery charger, a 40A DC-DC charger and a 200W solar blanket.

There are two 9kg gas bottles, the Companion 100L fridge is included in the driveaway price, and the camper even comes with a cassette Thetford toilet. There are a few handy external storage boxes, with two pantry drawers adjacent to the kitchen area, another big drawer slide that is suitable for pots and pans and a cupboard around the back.

Common to forward fold campers, internal storage is at a premium with relatively small compartments under the club lounge and the bed. So, there’s a risk that the internal space could get crowded if you’re travelling with a couple of kids and their paraphernalia. Happily, the boat rack comes standard and provides a good option for storing additional gear on the road. And, when you’re fully set up, the awning is 4.3m (14ft 1in) wide and 2.4m (7ft 9in) deep, providing plenty of shelter for the whole crew. So, there’s really no reason to be tripping over the kids’ toys.

Offroad and towing

It’s a characteristic of forward fold campers of this style that there’s a long distance between the towball and the rear axle. In the case of the Goldfields Grand Duke, this distance is a whopping 3.6m (11ft 8in) which is the length of a 14-person dining table or a Suzuki Jimny. Inevitably, this affects the camper’s suitability for tight country tracks.

The towball weight is around 140kg which is quite light for this style of camper. But if you plan outdoors adventures over hilly or undulating terrain, it is still a long and heavy camper, weighing up to 2000kg when fully laden. You’d be well-served to pair it with a powerful, long-wheelbase tow tug such as a LandCruiser 200 Series.

During highway driving and on rough terrain, we observed that the camper’s generic suspension appeared a little stiff, with the Grand Duke bouncing around more than would be expected given its weight. Having said that, we towed it through some very close, bendy, rugged country on the Barraba Track in Mount Kaputar National Park, NSW, and it emerged unscathed with big smiles on the drivers’ faces. And nothing made contact with the ground over the moguls at the Janowen Hills 4WD Park in Queensland.

The battery box is stashed away internal to the camper, the underbody water tank is well protected by checkerplate, and the cabling is tucked high along the chassis rail where it’s unlikely to get snagged. We were told that 90 per cent of Goldfields buyers want a boat rack so it may be fair to conclude that their off-track ambitions are most focused around finding the best waterside campsite within spitting distance of a main road. If that sounds a lot like your camping style, the Goldfields Grand Duke has got you covered. Otherwise, invest in some added peace of mind with a suspension upgrade and a set of rims and rubber to match your tow-tug.

X-Factor

When it comes to X-Factor, there are two standout features of the Goldfields Grand Duke. One is the price tag. This is an amazing amount of camper and accessories for just over $28,000. In 2021, we reviewed the Mars Space X which was similarly configured and would have set you back around the same amount of money with fewer added accessories. So, today’s price is an extraordinary achievement for Goldfields given the increase in global materials and production costs over the intervening period. The other standout feature is that, for this money, you get basically everything you need to bring an outdoors lifestyle to reality. Just pack your clothes and your favourite toys and hit the road. Backed by a family owned and operated Australian company with a great reputation for what they do, I’d feel confident heading out in a camper sold to me by Stephen and Steph from Goldfields Campers.

TIM VAN DUYL — Camper Australia Creative Director

I first reviewed the Grand Duke in the middle of Melbourne’s COVID lockdowns (as a journalist, we could travel for work) and back then I was impressed with the low cost to get what was a very well spec’d camper. Fast forward four years and it has gone up in price but not nearly as much as other campers, at a little over $28k as seen at CTOTY 2024. It is a real deal for a budget-conscious family.

Innovation

The taller roof and softer seating are the obvious innovations in the Grand Duke. There is also the internal storage bin that doubles as a locker for the optional air conditioner and the positioning of the gas bayonet to the rear of the camper. This last feature is a noteworthy one, as it gets the bayonet away from the awful position you’ll see in most campers, between the kitchen slide and wheel arch that creates a very awkward hooking up process.

The raised roof is more than just practical for tall people like me, fellow judge Scotty and Steve from Goldfields. It also adds volume to the space inside, making it more inviting while adding practicality in the option to use the tent frame as a drying rack or clothes hanger without impinging too much on personal space.

Quality and build

The Grand Duke is built in China which goes a long way to explaining its low cost; after all, labour rates there are less than a tenth of local rates and with most components of the build coming from the same place, shipping costs are reduced too. Knowledge to some but not all, most campers of the shape and size of the Grand Duke come from a handful of factories that can also buy larger quantities of things like the steel used in the frames and chassis, the canvas in the tent and the springs and shocks underneath.

When imports first took off in popularity, there were horror stories regarding a lot of these vital bits. I heard of frames bending, canvas that leaked and issues around hubs, bearings and wheel studs. I do not hear those stories anymore. It took some time but trailers like these are better built than a lot of local products from 10 years ago. I would not (yet) suggest they are as good, but the gap is narrowing, and fast.

Look under a Grand Duke and where you once might have seen Tek screws poking out everywhere and cabling running in illogical (and dangerous sometimes) places, now it is neat and tidy. The days of saying imported campers like this are rubbish are over.

The same goes for the tent. I’ve seen fist-sized gaps in some and have been in a couple that held water out about as well as a colander, but this one is good. The 14oz canvas is impregnated from the factory and the stitching is neat and tidy. I’d suggest with a few seasonings, it will be about as good as it gets. Keep it clean, pack it away dry and you should get years of reliable use from your Grand Duke.

We did see one build issue and it caught the eye of a few on the trip. The camper rode far too stiffly for the tracks we were on and the load it was carrying. Chatting with Steve, he mentioned it rides better nearer its ATM, but I’d still suggest the springs are too stiff and the shocks are not up to the job of restraining them.

The wrap

The Grand Duke is one of, if not the most, affordable campers of its style but that doesn’t mean it suffers for quality or accessories. It comes with a decent fridge, hot water service, good water and power storage and it’s comfortable. Add on a heater like we saw and you’re up for a little over $28,000. Considering the amount of internal space and the bed size plus its surprisingly good offroad ability this is a great camper for budget-conscious young families looking to stay at a mix of remote camps and holiday parks.

GOLDFIELDS CAMPERS GRAND DUKE SPECS

Weights and dimensions

Construction

Power, water and cooking

Goldfields Campers Grand Duke price from $26,990

Options fitted

• Diesel heater

Goldfields Campers Grand Duke price as shown $28,140

More information

Goldfields Campers

29 Maryborough-Dunolly Road

Maryborough Vic 3465

P: 03 5461 4222

E: goldfieldscampers@gmail.com

Related articles:

Camper review: Goldfields Grand Duke