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Punch and Carrol Flemmer with their Iveco Daily 4x4.

Creature comforts off the beaten track

Main Image: Punch and Carrol Flemmer with their Iveco Daily 4x4. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

The West Australian

Home is where the heart is for adventurers Carrol and Punch Flemmer who like to wander out yonder in their Iveco with campervan module fitted to their specification for creature comforts off the beaten track.

What are you driving and why did you buy it?

We’re in a 2013 Iveco Daily 4x4 that has a half gear and a very low range, which effectively gives 24 gears, with three diff lockers. We bought it so we could go anywhere we wanted in the wonderful Aussie bush — and also tow our 4.2 tonne, 33ft sailboat. The campervan module is steel and was fabricated by Travel Trucks in Queensland. The module was fully appointed with opening doors, water and a double bed. Travel Trucks modified their layout to our design to include an 80-litre fridge-freezer, which doubles as a seat, and a cut-out to enable a walk-through from the cab. Our first trip was bringing it back from Brisbane to Perth via the Simpson Desert. It was a fairly rigorous “shake-down trip”, but we had no problems.

What’s your Dream Car?

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG would be our first Lotto purchase. It’s a beautiful car and with the 6.3-litre V8 engine and sports suspension, it’s a magnificent drive. The model I’m thinking of was around $500,000 new — but they don’t make them any more.

What was your first car?

It was a 1956 Peugeot 203 when I was 18. We were living in South Africa then and my Dad bought it for me. My mates and I called it the “green rocket” because it was green — and slow.

What annoys you most about other motorists?

Those who tailgate and those who continuously sit in the right-hand lane when they should move over and let motorists pass.

What’s your favourite driving music?

Anything blues, folk, classic and jazz. So maybe a bit of Beethoven or Bach, Leonard Cohen, Gordon Lightfoot (maybe “Ordinary Man”) and Bob Dylan, say, “I Want You”.