Tasmanian timber in the wild: Inside Tasvanlife campervans
Every Tasvanlife campervan is fitted out in Tasmanian timber, with Tasmanian Oak and Celery Top Pine lining the ceilings and benchtops.
For founder Paul, there was never any doubt about using Tasmanian timber. He wanted guests to have the most Tasmanian experience possible while they explore the island.
For me Tasmanian timber was the only option.
At home in the wilderness
Paul invites guests to leave crowded caravan parks behind and settle into the national parks instead, closer to the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness. Inside the van, the timber mirrors the forest outside.
That connection is exactly what Paul set out to create. For him, Tasmanian timber is about “linking Tasmania for guests as soon as they arrive.”
There’s something instinctive about it. We’re drawn to nature, and timber brings the calm of the outdoors in. Paul puts it simply:
The look of timber warms you up.
Tasmanian Oak and Celery Top Pine
Paul moved to Tasmania from Sydney after 12 visits, determined to give travellers “the full package.” Three years on, Tasvanlife has grown to a fleet of 15 off-grid vans. Each van carries a palawa kani name, such as Kunanyi, Lutruwita and Nipaluna, a detail Paul is especially proud of.
He wanted to share his love of Tasmania with visitors, so his very first van was designed to be “as Tasmanian as possible,” with a roof and benchtops of Tasmanian Oak. That same spirit now runs through his whole fleet.
Tasmanian Oak features in the Toyota vans. Light in colour, it varies from straw to reddish brown, with cream and pink tones in between. It works well and gives an excellent finish, making it a natural fit for panelling, flooring and furniture.
Celery Top Pine features in the electric vans. Creamy white when freshly cut, and it darkens to a mellow rosy gold hue over time and with exposure to sunlight. This slow-grown timber is fine-grained, with feature knots and figure that give it a distinctive character.
Built for life on the road
Paul designed every fit-out himself, with the builds completed in Sydney and Hobart. His approach is beautifully simple: let the timber speak for itself.
The benchtops are coated to handle everyday wear, while the ceilings are left in their natural state, letting the beauty of the grain shine through. Celery top pine’s hardness and strength make it well suited to life on the road.
Timber is also a practical choice for vans in constant use, with guests cooking, sleeping and travelling in them day after day. Smells and stains that might linger in carpet don’t cling to timber, so the vans stay fresh between trips. There’s no need for a set maintenance routine, and Paul trusts the natural durability of timber to see the vans through many years of adventures.
Waking beneath Tasmanian timber
Do guests notice the timber? “Oh yes,” Paul says.
In fact, many guests choose Tasvanlife “because of the layout and how light the interior looks.” Guests especially love winding down at night, looking up at the timber ceiling with Tasmania’s wilderness just outside.
With Tasmanian timber inside and Tasmania’s wilderness all around, there are few better ways to experience the island.
