The Complete Buyers Guide To Caravan Safety Gear

You insure your caravan. You lock it up at night. You check the tyres before every trip. But if someone asked you right now whether your smoke detector is within its expiry date, whether you have a carbon monoxide alarm, or when your fire extinguisher was last serviced, could you answer confidently?

Safety gear is the stuff nobody thinks about until they need it. And in a caravan, where you’re living in a small, enclosed space with gas appliances, electrical systems, and combustible materials, the stakes are higher than at home. You have seconds to escape a caravan fire, not minutes. A slow LPG leak can reach explosive concentration while you sleep. Carbon monoxide from a diesel heater exhaust leak has no smell and no colour.

The good news: fitting your van with comprehensive safety gear costs under $1,000 total, and most of it is fit-and-forget. This guide covers every category of safety equipment your caravan should have, what you need to know about each one, and where to find the detailed product recommendations in our child guides.

Fire Safety Equipment

A caravan fire is one of the most dangerous situations you can face on the road. Caravans are built from lightweight, highly combustible materials: timber framing, foam insulation, synthetic fabrics, and plastic fittings. Once a fire takes hold, it spreads fast. Independent testing has shown that a caravan can be fully engulfed in as little as three minutes. You have a window of seconds to react, not the minutes you might have in a house.

The two essential items are a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket. You should have both, and you should know where they are without thinking about it.

Fire Extinguishers

For caravans, you want an ABE-rated dry chemical powder extinguisher. The ABE rating means it handles ordinary combustibles (A), flammable liquids like petrol and cooking oil (B), and electrical fires (E). A 2.5kg unit is the sweet spot: enough capacity to be useful (roughly 15 seconds of discharge) but light enough to grab and use quickly with one hand. Mount one inside the caravan near the door so you can grab it on the way out or in, and keep a second in your tow vehicle. Fire extinguishers require annual servicing to remain compliant; check the tag on yours and book it in if it’s overdue. Around $60-80 each from Bunnings, BCF, or your local fire safety supplier.

Fire Blankets

A fire blanket is your first response to a cooking fire. If a pan catches fire on the stove, throwing a fire blanket over it smothers the flames by cutting off the oxygen supply. It’s safer and more effective than trying to use an extinguisher on a grease fire, which can actually spread flaming oil across the stovetop. Keep a 1.2m x 1.2m blanket in or near the kitchen area where you can reach it in under five seconds. They don’t expire and don’t need servicing. Around $25-45.

Smoke, Gas & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Detectors are your early warning system. They catch the dangers your senses can’t: smoke building while you sleep, a slow LPG leak pooling at floor level, or odourless carbon monoxide accumulating from a faulty heater. Each detector protects against a different threat, and you can’t rely on one type to cover the others. An LPG detector will not detect carbon monoxide, and a CO detector will not detect an LPG leak. You need separate detectors for each.

Smoke Detectors

Smoke alarms are legally required in caravans across most Australian states. Queensland has the strictest laws: from January 2027, all registered caravans and motorhomes must have a compliant photoelectric smoke alarm installed, regardless of age. NSW already requires at least one working smoke alarm inside the van wherever you sleep, including in the annex. If you’re crossing state borders on the Big Lap, comply with Queensland’s requirements and you’re covered everywhere.

Most new caravans come with a smoke detector fitted, but check the manufacturing date printed on the unit. Smoke detectors have a 10-year lifespan, after which they must be replaced regardless of whether they still beep when you press the test button. The Quell QC1500 Caravan & Motorhome Smoke Alarm (~$25-35) is purpose-built for caravan use: photoelectric, compliant with AS 3786-2014, with a hush button for burnt toast.

LPG Gas Detectors

If your caravan has a gas stove, oven, hot water system, or heater, you need an LPG detector. LPG is heavier than air, so a leak sinks to the floor and pools in low spots. Mount your detector within 30cm of the floor, near your gas appliances. A 12V hardwired LPG detector is the best option for caravans because it’s always running as long as your house battery has charge, so a leak at 3am while you’re asleep still triggers the alarm.

The Peel Electronics LPG Gas Detector (~$120-180) is Australian-made, 12V hardwired, and compliant with AS5601.2. The Safe-T-Alert 12V LP Gas Protector (~$80-120) is another solid option with low current draw.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced by incomplete combustion from gas stoves, gas heaters, and diesel heaters. It’s colourless and odourless, and the symptoms of CO poisoning (headaches, drowsiness, nausea) are easily mistaken for tiredness after a long driving day. If you have a diesel heater fitted, a CO detector is particularly important because a cracked exhaust pipe can leak CO directly into your living space without any visible or audible warning.

Unlike LPG detectors, CO detectors should be installed at head height or breathing height since CO mixes evenly with air rather than sinking. Battery-powered units work well here: the Quell Q7DCO (~$40-55) and FireAngel FA6813 (~$35-50) are both solid choices.

Electrical Safety

Electrical faults are one of the leading causes of caravan fires. Damaged cables, overloaded circuits, incorrect polarity at caravan park power outlets, and water ingress into electrical connections can all create genuine fire and electrocution risks. A few inexpensive devices protect against most of them.

Portable RCD (Safety Switch)

A portable residual current device plugs inline between the caravan park power outlet and your van’s 240V lead. It detects electrical faults, such as current leaking through damaged insulation or water ingress, and cuts the power in milliseconds before anyone gets electrocuted. Some caravan parks have RCDs built into their power outlets, but many older parks don’t, and you can’t rely on it. Carry your own. Around $30-60 from any hardware store.

Polarity Tester

Incorrect wiring at caravan park power pedestals is more common than you’d expect. A polarity tester plugs into any power outlet and tells you instantly whether the wiring is correct. Reversed polarity won’t trip your RCD and can damage your appliances or create a shock hazard. Around $15-25.

Surge Protector

Power quality at caravan parks can be inconsistent, especially in remote areas or during peak demand. Voltage spikes and surges can damage sensitive electronics like inverters, battery chargers, and air conditioners. A surge protector designed for caravan use sits inline on your 240V lead and clamps voltage spikes before they reach your van’s systems. Around $50-150 depending on the rating.