Outdoors

Lumberjack's hard-edged teardrop trailer folds into a tiny cabin

Lumberjack's hard-edged teardrop trailer folds into a tiny cabin
Lumberjack Birdsville camper trailer
Lumberjack Birdsville camper trailer
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The Birdsville is built to take on rough roads and trails
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The Birdsville is built to take on rough roads and trails
The Birdsville stretches 17.7 feet in total length
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The Birdsville stretches 17.7 feet in total length
When folded for travel, the Lumberjack Birdsville looks like a basic teardrop with compact hard-sided cabin
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When folded for travel, the Lumberjack Birdsville looks like a basic teardrop with compact hard-sided cabin
The Lumberjack Birdsville includes two bunk beds for the kids
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The Lumberjack Birdsville includes two bunk beds for the kids
The front tent area houses the "master bedroom" with queen bed
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The front tent area houses the "master bedroom" with queen bed
The Lumberjack Birdsville has much more space than the average squaredrop trailer
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The Lumberjack Birdsville has much more space than the average squaredrop trailer
With the flip of the roof, the Lumberjack Birdsville turns into a four-person family camper
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With the flip of the roof, the Lumberjack Birdsville turns into a four-person family camper
Steps into the rear entry
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Steps into the rear entry
Outdoor galley area
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Outdoor galley area
The front toolbox next to the slide-out kitchen compartment has a fridge slide
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The front toolbox next to the slide-out kitchen compartment has a fridge slide
Kitchen packed away
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Kitchen packed away
The Birdsville rides on a dual-shock independent suspension
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The Birdsville rides on a dual-shock independent suspension
Swing-away spare tire carrier opens access to the entry door
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Swing-away spare tire carrier opens access to the entry door
The bunk beds convert into a sofa seaqt
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The bunk beds convert into a sofa seaqt
Structural steps up to the queen bed
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Structural steps up to the queen bed
The Birdsville includes an audio system with dual speakers and head unit
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The Birdsville includes an audio system with dual speakers and head unit
Peeking into the Lumberjack Birdsville
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Peeking into the Lumberjack Birdsville
The lower bunk has a dedicated openable window with fly screen and shade
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The lower bunk has a dedicated openable window with fly screen and shade
Lumberjack Birdsville camper trailer
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Lumberjack Birdsville camper trailer
An included wall and floor set turn the L-shaped awning into a tent
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An included wall and floor set turn the L-shaped awning into a tent
Looking in through the entry
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Looking in through the entry
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Showing yet another style of compact Australian camper trailer with all-world ruggedness, Lumberjack Camper Trailers presents its latest, the Birdsville. The trailer looks like a hard-edged teardrop or squaredrop while towing, but its roof pops free and folds forward to create a living space much larger than the typical tear. It sleeps four people on a double bed and two bunks, offering comfortable living for the intrepid family of explorers.

Australian camper trailer manufacturers are quite adept at blending fabric and hard walls into shelters of innumerable sizes and forms. The Birdsville reminds us of the new X3 that Patriot Campers just released, albeit with a taller, more robust squaredrop hard body in place of a compact trailer box. For Lumberjack, the Birdsville fits somewhere between the recently launched Sheoak squaredrop (with available roof-top tent) and the company's deep lineup of flatter, longer soft-sided forward-folders.

The Birdsville is built to take on rough roads and trails
The Birdsville is built to take on rough roads and trails

On the road, the 17.7-foot (5.4-m) Birdsville is easily mistaken for a basic ruggedized teardrop trailer, its shape familiar from similarly framed squaredrops like the Off Grid Expedition. Like other tears and squaredrops, the Birdsville does in fact have two sleeping berths inside its insulated fiberglass walls, only those berths aren't side by side on a single mattress but stacked in dual bunk-bed format.

With the flip of the roof, the Lumberjack Birdsville turns into a four-person family camper
With the flip of the roof, the Lumberjack Birdsville turns into a four-person family camper

The Birdsville's hard-sided interior doesn't work on its own, though. Arrive at camp, unlatch the roof and fold it forward to reveal a tent that greatly increases living space. The front section of the tent is dedicated to the built-in queen-size bed, while the rear section opens up headroom over the bunks and floor. The upper bunk relies on the tent for ventilation, while the lower bunk has a dedicated window with built-in fly screen and shade. During the day, the bunk beds convert over into a bench seat. The trailer is optimized for families, two kids piling onto the bunks while the parents enjoy the comfort of the queen bed.

The Birdsville interior is great for sleeping, winding the evening down with some entertainment on the LCD TV or digital Bluetooth/CD stereo system, or spending a little time sitting and relaxing, but it's not really built to spend the bulk of the trip in. Instead, it pushes campers to spend their days outdoors, which is really the draw of camping to begin with. Cooking happens on the full slide-out kitchen with dual-burner stove and stainless steel sink. The pantry next to the slide-out has a fold-down cover/worktop and storage shelves, and the front toolbox on the other side of the slide-out kitchen has a built-in fridge slide. Up above, the L-shaped awning provides some shade and light weather protection. The canvas walls and flooring included as standard turn the awning into a full annex tent.

Outdoor galley area
Outdoor galley area

Down below its vibrant white, black and orange body, the Birdsville has a hot-dipped galvanized chassis, dual-shock independent suspension, 16-in tires and 12-in electric brakes. Other key specs include a dual deep-cycle battery electrical system with control panel, independent 80 and 40L stainless steel water tanks with skid plates, dual electric water pumps, and a rear-mounted spare tire that swings away for access to the rear entry door. The trailer measures 6.9 feet (2.1 m) in both closed height and width and weighs 3,090 lb (1,400 kg).

The Birdsville retails for AU$29,999 (approx. US$19,860), fully equipped. We hope to take a closer look at this new member of the Lumberjack family at the Victorian Caravan, Camping and Touring Supershow going on through Monday. We'll bring back more news and impressions from the show in the coming days.

Source: Lumberjack Camper Trailers

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1 comment
1 comment
MemoriaTechnica
Believe it or not, there are *motorcycle* trailers that are similarly capable, and they've been around for a long time. And no, not a trailer to pull motorcycles, a trailer pulled *by* a motorcycle. They have about half the folded footprint of this system, but unfolded, they're amazingly similar, complete with queen sized bed; though they do lack the kitchenette and second bunk; but since motorcycles tend to be limited to 2 people, this is not an issue. Instead they have a table and two chairs where the second bunk would be. Some even include AC and showers and an enclosed parking port to keep two motorcycles safe from prying eyes or the elements or can double as an enclosed patio or full sized tent that sleep an additional 8; though I can't imagine the scenario where that would be necessary. [One guy pulls the trailer and all your riding buddies have a place to stay??] I find it fascinating what can be accomplished with such a small foot print and they're great for trailer camping with compact cars as well.