Avan Applause 600-1 Campervan
The Avan Applause 600-1: twin single beds and a separate shower and toilet in a 6.4 m Fiat Ducato van. Australia’s compact motorhome, in stock now at Searles RV Centre, Bundaberg.
The Avan Applause 600-1 is a Fiat Ducato van-conversion campervan, what Avan calls its compact motorhome, built in Pakenham, Victoria by Avan, Australia’s largest manufacturer of campers and caravans. It drives on a car licence, parks in a normal space, and inside it has two single beds, a full kitchen and something almost no van this size offers: a separate shower and toilet. If you have been thinking about swapping the caravan and tow vehicle for one vehicle that does it all, this is the one to come and sit in.
Why the separate shower and toilet matters
Most campervans fit the bathroom into one small wet cubicle. The toilet sits inside the shower, so every time you wash the whole room gets soaked, the toilet roll with it, and you towel the loo down before anyone can use it. It works, but nobody enjoys it.
The Applause 600-1 does it differently. The shower is its own cubicle with a moulded base and screen. The toilet and vanity sit in their own dry space beside it, with a black matte basin and a proper mirror. One of you can shower while the other uses the toilet, the floor stays dry, and there is nothing to mop. In a van 6.4 m long that is rare, and it is the first thing most people comment on when they step inside one at our yard.
Two single beds, and why couples are choosing them
The rear of the 600-1 has twin single beds running lengthways, each with a proper mattress and storage underneath. Singles suit a lot of travellers better than one east-west double: nobody climbs over anyone to get up at night, each bed has its own window, and a partner who runs hot or sleeps restlessly does not keep the other awake. The Applause comes in other layouts too, but we find the single-bed 600-1 is the most popular because of the room it creates: a clear walkway between the beds and a van that feels bigger than 6.4 m.
Up front, the driver and passenger seats swivel to face a café-style dinette, so the van turns into a lounge in seconds. Four seats are belted for travel, so the grandkids can come along for the day even though the van sleeps two.
What comes standard on the 2026 Avan Applause 600-1
Avan’s 2026 standard-feature list is long for a van this size. There is nothing on it you have to add afterwards to make the van liveable.
Living and sleeping
- Twin single beds with under-bed storage
- Swivel front seats for driver and passenger
- Flat-screen TV on a wall-mounted swivel bracket and wind-up TV antenna
- Roof-mounted air conditioner
- Double-glazed opening windows with integrated blinds and flyscreens
- Full block-out front blinds for windscreen, driver and passenger doors
- Opening skylight with flyscreen, blind and LED lighting
- LED downlights and feature strip lighting
- Fully insulated wall and roof panels, soft-close cabinetry
Kitchen and bathroom
- Full ensuite with separate shower, vanity and toilet
- 85 L two-way fridge
- Two-burner gas cooktop and microwave
- Gas and electric hot water service
- Hot and cold mains-pressure mixing tap
- 95 L fresh water tank and 95 L grey water tank
- 1 x 4.5 kg gas bottle
Power and off-grid
- 100 Ah Projecta lithium battery
- 2 x 200 W solar panels
- Projecta PM635 power management system with 7-inch Bluetooth touchscreen
- 12 V control panel with battery and water-level indicator
Outside
- Wind-out awning as standard
| Specification | Avan Applause 600-1 |
|---|---|
| Body length | 6400 mm |
| Width (including awning) | 2500 mm |
| Travel height | 2830 mm |
| Kerb mass (approx.) | 2940 kg |
| GVM | 4005 kg |
| Sleeps / seats | 2 / 4 |
| Base vehicle | Fiat Ducato, 2.2 L turbo-diesel, automatic |
| Licence | Standard car licence |
Off-grid for days, not hours
The 2026 Applause is the first Avan campervan with lithium power as standard. The 100 Ah Projecta lithium battery and 400 W of rooftop solar run the fridge, lights, water pump and TV without a powered site, and the PM635 touchscreen tells you exactly what is going in and out so you are never guessing. Add the 95 L fresh water tank and the gas-electric hot water, and a couple can comfortably free-camp for several days. The best spots on the Queensland coast rarely come with a power point; this van does not need one.
The drive: a Fiat Ducato on a car licence
The Applause is built on the Fiat Ducato, the base vehicle of choice for European and Australian campervans for good reason. The 2.2 L turbo-diesel with automatic transmission, a wide low-floor cab, large touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and car-like steering make it easy for anyone used to a dual-cab ute or SUV. At 6.4 m long and under 2.9 m high it fits a standard long parking bay and most undercover car parks, and at 4005 kg GVM it stays under the 4.5 t limit, so a standard car licence is all you need.
Why we rate the Applause 600-1 as the best small campervan for Queensland touring
- The bathroom. A dry toilet and a separate shower in a 6.4 m van is close to unique at this price. Most rivals are wet rooms.
- Single beds done properly. Full-length, walk-around, each with a window and storage underneath.
- Standard means standard. Lithium, 400 W solar, awning, air conditioning, double glazing and a full kitchen are all in the base price, not an options list.
- Australian made, 30 years of it. Avan has built campers, caravans and motorhomes in Pakenham, Victoria for more than 30 years, with a five-year manufacturer warranty on the 2026 range.
- Local support. We service, warranty-repair and insurance-repair Avans in our own Bundaberg workshop. You are not driving to Brisbane for a fix.
What the independent reviewers said
The Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia reviewed the smaller Avan Applause 500 in 2025 and called it a compact, easy-to-drive motorhome for couples and solo travellers, noting that unlike most vans this size the shower is its own cubicle and nothing else gets wet when it runs. The points the reviewer wanted improved were the 62 L water tank, the transverse bed for taller people and the lack of bed reading lights. The 2026 range answers them: both the 500 and the 600 now carry 95 L fresh and grey tanks, lithium power and 400 W of solar as standard, and the 600-1 adds full-length single beds with LED lighting over each.
Who is it for?
Couples and solo travellers who want to pull up and be set up, not spend 40 minutes levelling and unhitching. People downsizing from a big caravan who still want a real bathroom. First-time RV buyers who want one vehicle for weekends away and the long lap. If you need to sleep more than two, look at the Applause 600-3 with its convertible dinette, or the Avan Ovation motorhome range.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Avan Applause 600-1 a campervan or a motorhome?
Both terms are used. It is a van-conversion campervan built on a Fiat Ducato, which Avan markets as a compact motorhome. In Australian terms a campervan keeps the van body; a motorhome has a wider coach-built body on a cab-chassis.
Does the Avan Applause 600-1 have a separate shower and toilet?
Yes. The 600-1 has a full ensuite with a separate shower cubicle, a vanity and a toilet in their own dry space. Most campervans of this size combine them in one wet room.
How many people does the Avan Applause 600-1 sleep?
It sleeps two in twin single beds and seats four with seatbelts for travel.
Do I need a special licence to drive the Avan Applause 600-1?
No. With a GVM of 4005 kg it is under 4.5 tonnes, so a standard car licence is enough in every Australian state.
How long is the Avan Applause 600-1?
The body is 6.4 m long, 2.5 m wide including the awning, and 2.83 m high, so it fits a standard long parking bay and most undercover car parks.
Can the Avan Applause 600-1 free camp off-grid?
Yes. It comes standard with a 100 Ah Projecta lithium battery, 2 x 200 W solar panels, a Projecta PM635 power management system, a 95 L fresh water tank and gas-electric hot water.
Where can I see an Avan Applause 600-1 in Queensland?
Searles RV Centre, Cnr Takalvan St and Enterprise St, Bundaberg QLD 4670, is an authorised Avan dealer. Phone 07 4151 3000.
See the Avan Applause 600-1 in Bundaberg
Searles RV Centre is the Avan dealer for Bundaberg and the Wide Bay. We try to keep one on the floor, and at the time of writing there is a 2026 Applause 600-1 in stock. Come and sit in the bathroom, lie on the beds, and we will walk you through the Projecta system. Trade-ins, finance and Caravanning Queensland membership are all handled in-house.
Call us on 07 4151 3000, visit Cnr Takalvan St and Enterprise St, Bundaberg, or enquire online. Open Mon to Fri 8 am to 5 pm, Sat 8:30 am to 12 pm.
2026 Avan Applause 600-1 from $151,990 drive away. Ask us about trade-in and finance options.
