If the names ‘Demc & Lotus’ resonate with you – especially if you’ve had some caravan repairs or servicing done in the Far North QLD area, then you’ll know who we’re talking about… Yep!... ‘Babinda Mobile Caravan Repairs’.
During our extended stay at the Cool Waters Caravan Park in Cairns recently we had an unknown water leak just under our stove. A bit of research and we realized we didn’t actually have to hitch up and go to a dealer or caravan repair facility – they could come to us!
But Cairns is a 50min drive from Babinda – are they serious??
As it happens yes, because another full-time caravanner at the park had been getting some work done on her van over the past few weeks such as a new air-conditioner installed and more.
So the next day – literally – they arrived. Pulled out our stove and discovered several heat affected water pipes that had been part of a not so great original design that had melted thus causing a minor water leak.
The fix was easy enough as was their pricing – basically charging an hourly rate… for the WORK – not for the travel time!!
Anyway not long after that our caravan was due for re-registration. Being registered in NSW we needed to take it to a QLD Govt. approved inspection station. But that meant packing everything, hitching up, then towing to the inspection station just to get a ‘Road Worthy Certificate’ that we could then send to the NSW equivalent then coming back ‘home’ the same day to the caravan park we had fallen in love with, unhitching etc etc…!
After more research we discovered several mobile inspection options approved by the QLD Govt. that would allow an ‘on-site’ vehicle inspection after which we could send the appropriate paper work to NSW RTA and ‘voila’ after paying the rego fee we were legal again for the next 12 months!
So the options available for full-time or even part-time caravanners on the road are plenty.
Specifically we’ve realized – and discovered after chatting with these hard working people – that the level of ‘serviceability’ from smaller regional towns is probably greater than those from ‘the big smoke’.
Why?... well one of the comments that struck a chord with us came from Dylan at Torque Auto also in Babinda FNQ as it happens. He told us he was ‘born & bred’ in Babinda – a small town of some 1,300 ppl. Dylan is 26 years of age or so and said that “there aren’t a lot of work opportunities in this town (Babinda) so the next option was to start your own business”.
And this is exactly what his sister Riannon has done and included her brother Dylan & her own husband Kieren to work alongside her sister Demi.
Talk about keeping it in the family!!
But we had a 1st hand face to face experience of this local business – recommended to us by Babinda Mobile Repairs – where they ordered, then fitted new tyres to our 2013 New Age OZ Classic caravan.
But wait! – When we discussed what we needed then subsequently ordered the 5 tyres (incl. spare) we were still in Cairns. We’re talking $1,000+ including fitting! – “Can I fix you up for that now as we won’t be there for a few days yet??”
“No… that’s fine thanks!” they said. “Fix us up when you get here….” - Such trust!
Anyway we eventually made it down to Babinda – as mentioned about 50mins south of Cairns.
The tyre’s were there. Subsequently fitted PLUS all four rims etc were cleaned better than we’ve ever done!
So in a nutshell what was our experience of ‘small town’ … ok – ‘tiny town’ businesses?
BRILLIANT – AMAZING- PERSONAL 1 on 1 INTERACTION!
Seriously BOTH Babinda Mobile Caravan Repairs and Torque Auto Babinda are family owned – family run businesses who are not only passionate about doing the best for their customers, but genuinely care about what they do on a daily basis.
While we can’t hope to promote what they do across the whole of Australia, we can suggest that if you are in the FNQ area between (say) Townsville & Cairns etc, you have at least two pretty amazing businesses who we can all but guarantee will provide the services they offer and more.
Thanks guys – we’ll be back!! ?
