My Self-Built Campervan Tour | Full-Time Van Life Setup

My Home On Wheels

Self-built campervan parked in the Australian outback during sunset

After years of chasing travel and adventure, I came back to Australia and realised a “normal” life no longer fit.

What made sense was building something I could take anywhere — a van designed for full-time life on the road, not just short trips or weekends away.

Piece by piece, with plenty of learning along the way, this campervan became more than a project. It became my home.

Today I live and travel full-time in it across Australia. This page is a breakdown of the layout, systems, upgrades, and practical choices that make that possible.

Want to explore the full build? Browse all my campervan build and setup guides here.

Van Specs at a Glance

The base vehicle behind my self-built campervan — the platform I use to live, work, and travel full-time across Australia.

Make & Model: 2016 Fiat Ducato H2 L3 (High Roof)

Engine: 2.3L Multijet 4-Cylinder

Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive

Fuel Type: Diesel

Transmission: 6-Speed Semi Automatic

Build Timeline: 2.5 Years

Height: 2522mm

Length: 5998mm

Width: 2050mm

Solar: 600watts

Battery System: 345ah Lithium

Water Capacity: 180liters (47.55 US Gallons)

White Fiat Ducato campervan with awning extended in the Australian bush, showing exterior layout of Matthew Storer’s self-built van

Full Van Tour

A room-by-room breakdown of the self-built campervan I live in full-time — covering the layout, systems, storage, and practical choices behind life on the road.

Use the tabs below to explore the exterior, interior, kitchen, bed setup, electrics, plumbing, and rear storage.

Exterior Setup

The exterior of my self-built campervan is designed for practical, long-term travel across Australia — not just looks.

Every change on the outside of the van was made to improve usability on the road, from shade and outdoor living to external access, hot water, and storage.

This setup is built around quick camp setups, easy maintenance, and everyday comfort whether I’m parked in the bush, by the coast, or in a remote national park.

Read the full breakdown of why I chose the Fiat Ducato for full-time van life.

Fiamma 350s awning on self-built campervan set up for off-grid travel in Australia

Fiamma Awning & Outdoor Living Space

The full-length awning creates instant shade and weather protection, turning the side of the van into a practical outdoor living area. It’s designed for everyday use — quick to deploy, stable in changing conditions, and ideal for longer stays in exposed or remote camps.

External gas, power, and hot water system on Australian self-built campervan

External Hot Water & Gas Storage

Hot water is powered by a mounted instant gas hot water system, keeping the setup simple, accessible, and easy to service.

The gas bottle is stored externally to save interior space and make day-to-day use more practical while travelling full-time.

Self-built campervan exterior designed for long-term off-grid touring in Australia

Built for Real Touring

The exterior layout is designed around access, simplicity, and reliability rather than aesthetics alone.

Everything is positioned to make camp setup faster, maintenance easier, and daily life on the road more comfortable over long distances.

Interior Layout

The interior of my campervan is built around comfort, visibility, and practical full-time living.

Every decision inside the van was made to improve day-to-day life on the road — from making the cab feel part of the living space, to improving privacy, insulation, and everyday usability.

Rather than trying to cram in more, the goal was to create a layout that feels open, functional, and genuinely comfortable to live in long-term.

For the full story behind the van choice, read why I chose the Fiat Ducato and the products used for this build.

Campervan swivel seats converting cab into living space

Swivel Seats & Open Living Space

Both front seats are mounted on swivel bases, allowing the cab to become part of the living area when parked.

It’s a simple upgrade that makes a huge difference to space and comfort, helping the van feel more open and less cramped day to day.

9-inch GPS infotainment system inside campervan dashboard

Upgraded Touchscreen & GPS

The upgraded 9-inch touchscreen combines navigation, media, and vehicle functions into one central display.

Reliable mapping is especially important for remote travel across Australia, where mobile reception can disappear quickly.

Block-out insulated blinds inside campervan for privacy and insulation

Blockout Blinds for Privacy & Insulation

Custom blockout blinds improve privacy, reduce light, and help regulate temperature inside the van.

They make a noticeable difference for sleeping, staying cool, and feeling more comfortable in exposed camps or busy areas.

Kitchen & Cooking

The kitchen is one of the most important parts of my self-built campervan, designed for proper day-to-day living rather than basic camp cooking.

The goal was to create a space that feels practical, reliable, and comfortable enough to cook real meals while travelling full-time across Australia.

This setup is built around storage, bench space, and two core appliances that make life on the road much easier.

Read the full campervan kitchen setup guide for a deeper breakdown of the layout, appliances, and storage.

Custom campervan kitchen with timber benchtops and storage

Full Campervan Kitchen Layout

A practical galley layout with solid timber benchtops, overhead storage, integrated lighting, and enough working space for daily cooking on the road.

It’s designed to feel usable and efficient rather than cramped or temporary.

Thetford gas cooktop oven and grill inside campervan kitchen

Thetford Oven & Bushman Fridge Setup

The kitchen is built around a Thetford oven and a Bushman 135L fridge — two of the biggest upgrades that make full-time van life more comfortable.

This setup allows me to cook proper meals, store fresh food, and stay off-grid for longer.

Additional kitchen storage and cabinetry inside campervan

Storage & Bench Space

Extra drawers, cupboards, and bench space make it easier to keep food, cooking gear, and essentials organised while travelling.

That extra usability matters a lot when you’re living in the van every day, not just escaping for weekends.

Bed & Sleeping Setup

The bed and seating area is one of the most important parts of the van, because it needs to work for both everyday living and comfortable sleeping.

The layout is built around a flexible oversized single bed that quickly converts into a full queen setup when needed, while still allowing the space to function as a lounge and workspace during the day.

The focus here was comfort, smart storage, and making one area serve multiple purposes without feeling compromised.

Read the full bed and seating layout guide to see how this part of the build works in detail.

campervan bed and seating layout with convertible queen bed and swivel table workspace

Convertible Seating & Queen Bed Setup

The main seating area transforms into the sleeping setup, allowing the space to work as both a lounge during the day and a comfortable bed at night.

This flexibility makes the van feel far more liveable without sacrificing too much usable space.

campervan lift-up bed with large under-bed storage in a DIY van conversion

Lift-Up Bed with Under-Bed Storage

The lift-up bed gives access to a large under-bed storage area without needing to dismantle the surrounding layout.

That makes it much easier to access clothing, gear, and essentials while living on the road full-time.

Built-In Laundry Chute

The under-bed storage system is designed to keep everyday items organised and easy to reach, while the built-in laundry chute helps separate dirty clothes from the main living space.

It’s one of those small details that makes long-term travel much easier.

Electrical System

The electrical system in my self-built campervan is designed for full-time, off-grid living across Australia.

Built around reliability, monitoring, and real-world power use, it supports everything from daily van life to remote work without relying on mains power.

The goal was to build a system that’s simple to manage, dependable in remote locations, and capable of handling both living and content creation on the road.

Read the full campervan electrical setup guide for a complete breakdown of how the system is wired and how it performs off-grid.

Victron electrical system with Cerbo GX in off-grid campervan

Victron Energy Electrical System

The van is powered by a Victron Energy setup, monitored and controlled through the Cerbo GX system.

This gives me real-time visibility over battery health, solar input, charging, and overall system performance from one place.

Campervan electrical charging hub with fuses and power management

Overhead Charging & Electrical Hub

The overhead cabinet houses key charging gear, fuse protection, and storage for batteries, cameras, drones, and everyday electronics.

Keeping everything in one practical access point makes life on the road much easier.

Off-grid campervan workstation and mobile office setupOff-grid campervan workstation and mobile office setup

Off-Grid Mobile Office Setup

This system also supports my ability to work remotely from the van, including charging and running the gear I use for editing, writing, and content creation.

That was a big part of the build — not just travelling, but being able to sustain life and work on the road.

Plumbing & Water

The plumbing system in my self-built campervan is designed around simplicity, reliability, and practical full-time use.

Rather than overcomplicating things, the goal was to create a setup that’s easy to maintain, dependable in remote areas, and capable of supporting day-to-day life on the road.

With generous fresh water capacity, filtration, and an outdoor shower setup, it’s built to work efficiently without taking over the living space.

Read the full campervan plumbing setup guide for a deeper breakdown of the water system, storage, and shower setup.

Shurflo water pump, filters, and one-way valve mounted under the bed in a campervan plumbing system

Water Pump & Filtration System

The water system uses a practical pump and inline filtration setup, mounted in an accessible location for easier servicing and maintenance.

Keeping everything simple and reachable makes a big difference when travelling full-time.

Campervan kitchen sink and plumbing supplied by 180L fresh water and 48L grey water tanks with Cerbo GX monitoring

Fresh & Grey Water Storage

The van carries a generous amount of fresh and grey water, allowing for longer off-grid stays without needing constant refills.

Water levels are monitored through the main system, making it easier to plan ahead while travelling.

Outdoor shower at the rear of a campervan used for off-grid washing without an internal bathroom

Outdoor Shower Setup

The outdoor shower is mounted at the rear of the van, giving me a practical way to rinse off after beach days, hikes, or long days on the road.

I intentionally skipped an internal shower to keep the living space more open and usable.

Rear Storage & Garage

The rear garage is designed as a practical storage zone that supports full-time, off-grid travel across Australia.

Everything is laid out to keep essential gear organised, easy to access, and separate from the main living space without compromising day-to-day usability inside the van.

Under the bed, this area houses deep storage, utility systems, and dedicated zones for outdoor gear and touring essentials.

Read the full rear storage and campervan garage breakdown for a closer look at how this area is organised.

Rear Garage Storage

The rear garage gives quick access to tools, systems, and outdoor gear while keeping the van organised for everyday travel.

It’s designed for fast setup, practical access, and long-term touring rather than occasional use.

Bushman 30 litre freezer and storage drawers in campervan garage

Outdoor Shower & Clothesline

The rear area also includes practical additions like the outdoor shower setup and rear clothesline.

They’re small details, but they make day-to-day life on the road far easier.

Campervan rear setup with outdoor shower clothesline and fishing storage

Freezer & Deep Storage Drawers

A Bushman 30L freezer and custom deep storage drawers help keep food, gear, and essentials organised and accessible.

This setup makes the rear garage feel like a functional extension of the van rather than just leftover storage space.

Explore the Build

If you want a deeper look at the products, systems, and practical gear behind my self-built campervan, I’ve broken everything down in one place.

From kitchen appliances and storage to electrical, plumbing, and off-grid essentials, this is where you can explore the core gear that keeps the van functional on the road.

Self-built campervan interior showing kitchen layout, storage, and living space designed for full-time off-grid travel

Van Gear & Accessories

A breakdown of the everyday gear, accessories, and practical upgrades I use in my self-built campervan — from comfort and storage to the small things that make life on the road easier.

Campervan electrical system install featuring Victron Energy components, batteries, and off-grid power setup

Electrical Setup

A closer look at the off-grid electrical system that powers my van full-time — including solar, battery storage, charging, monitoring, and how I run life and work on the road.

Campervan plumbing system with water pump, filtration, hoses, and outdoor shower setup for off-grid travel

Plumbing & Water Setup

A full overview of the water and plumbing system — including fresh and grey water storage, filtration, pump setup, and the outdoor shower I use while travelling off-grid.

VIEW MY FULL CAMPERVAN GEAR SETUP

Why I Built It This Way

This self-built campervan wasn’t designed to simply look good in photos — it was built to work day after day, in real conditions, across Australia.

Every decision in this build came from experience: living on the road, dealing with weather, limited space, remote travel, and the realities of full-time van life. Rather than chasing trends or overcomplicating systems, I focused on reliability, simplicity, and ease of use.

That’s why there’s no indoor shower, why storage was prioritised over aesthetics, and why every major system was designed to be practical, accessible, and easy to maintain. When something breaks in the middle of nowhere, simple always wins.

This van was built to support long-term travel — not weekend trips. It needed to be a space I could comfortably live and work in full-time, stay off-grid for extended periods, and adapt to different environments without constantly packing, unpacking, or compromising on everyday comfort.

There are definitely things I’d improve in hindsight, and I talk openly about those throughout this site and on YouTube. But every part of this campervan build was shaped by one goal: to create a dependable, practical home on wheels built for real travel.

Complete Campervan Reveal

Matthew Storer Dream Campervan Build YouTube Video

If you want to see how this self-built campervan actually works in real life, this full video walkthrough is the best place to start.

It covers the full build from front to back — including the layout, kitchen, bed setup, electrical system, plumbing, and rear storage — along with the practical design choices that make it work for full-time travel.

In this video:

Full campervan walk around and interior tour
How the key systems are set up for life on the road
The practical choice behind the build

WATCH THE FULL VAN TOUR ON YOUTUBE

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My Self-Built Campervan

The off-grid van I live and travel in full-time across Australia