Home-Living Anywhere You Can Tow the Mystic 12 Travel Trailer: It's Ultra-Cheap Too

Ladies and gentlemen and lovers of the outdoors, lend me your eyes for the next few minutes or so to get to know the Mystic Series travel trailers from Fantasy Caravan, one of Australia's rather young crews on the block. Nonetheless, this team is backed by over 15 years of camper industry experience, so you can bet your bottom dollar they mean business.

Now, like most other camper crews from Australia, Fantasy builds all sorts of compact and folding off-road solutions, but it's the Mystic Series that brings a non-folding design to the game. You can compare it to what we typically see floating around in Europe.

So, what are we up against here? Well, for starters, Fantasy offers three floorplans to interested buyers: the Mystic 10, 12, and 12F, the latter even being equipped with a bunk option, and more. But, for the sake of argument, I'll be diving deeper into the Mystic 12, as it's sitting right in the middle in terms of features and price.

Speaking of price, this lineup starts off at just $35K Australian ($22,800 American at current exchange rates) dollars - the Mystic 10 - and tops off at just under $42K Australian ($27,400 American) for the 12F. As for the simple Mystic 12, that one's selling for a cool $41K ($26,700 American). Again, these are all prices in Australia, so it comes across as hella affordable for North Americans. Nonetheless, there are catches to owning an Australian-born RV or camper, and we'll get to those shortly. For now, let's enjoy the trip.

As mentioned, I've chosen the Mystic 12 to be our playground this time around, and to start us off, allow me to point out that this bugger comes in with an ATM of 1,500 kg (3,306 lbs) and dry weight of 1,150 kg. (2,535 lbs) According to the images in the gallery, this puppy can be towed by a Tesla Model X. To get wherever it is you want to go, you'll be relying on a torsion suspension, so none of the trailing A-arm goodness Australia is known for, meaning you'll also be restricted to dirt or gravel roads, maybe some light sand at best.

Once you've finally made it to some trailer park, hidden beach, or mountain ridge, it's time to find your spot and settle down for the next few days or so. It's here that you'll be able to appreciate the fiberglass sandwich panel and XPS insulation that the shell is made of, as well as all the exterior features that Fantasy has in store.

One major distinction that you'll notice about the 12 is the fact that it doesn't include an outdoor galley. If you want one, you'll have to ask Fantasy if it can be included in the design. Or, you can always bring your own outdoor gear along and settle in around the unit; make it home, as there are plenty of options for just about anything on the market these days.

Yet, once we head inside the Mystic, things really take on a different story. Remember that whole inclination toward European design I mentioned? Take a look and tell me if it feels otherwise. Go ahead; step inside.

As we enter the 12, we find ourselves standing near the rear of the floorplan, with a large wardrobe and countless storage spaces to our right and a galley block and bedding to the left. A dinette sits in front of us, and tucked away in the far right corner of the unit, a wet bath is there waiting for your dust-filled hair from all your adventures.

Regarding what your life may be like inside, well, it's not hard to see and understand precisely what that's like. Every space is well-defined and easily accessible. After whipping up some food at the galley, turn around and set the table, watch a tad of TV, and hop into bed afterward for an afternoon siesta.

After waking up, head back outside, unload those bicycles from a bike rack that you may have had installed, ride up to the nearest ridge or where the beach ends and the ocean begins, and enjoy the sunset. Ride back to a unit that's waiting for you in the shadows of dusk, with outdoor lights at the ready and batteries recharged.

Take a shower knowing 70 liters (18.5 gals) of water is at your disposal, throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave, and instead of watching TV, head back outside to watch for shooting stars. Sounds like the right way to share a bag of popcorn.

As for that catch I mentioned, it has to do with the fact that Australian campers and RVs are tuned to their road laws and regulations. This means that you won't be able to use them outside of the land down under. Maybe you can beg Fantasy to create a unit based on your needs and wants, but that's either going to cost you a ton of extra cash, or it just won't be possible because of production lines. At least we can drool over a travel trailer done right and for as little cash as possible.