So, how much does a caravan weigh in Australia?

No. Tare is generally the empty caravan weight, not the holiday-ready weight. The real towing weight includes water, gas, food, bedding, tools, bikes and everything packed into the van.

You need more than a 2.5 tonne tow rating. Check the vehicle's braked towing capacity, towball limit, GVM, rear axle load and GCM. A vehicle can be legal on tow rating but still overweight once passengers, fuel and ball weight are included.

Use a public weighbridge with the caravan loaded as you travel. Weigh the car and caravan together, then separately if possible, and measure towball mass with suitable scales or a weighbridge method. Keep the dockets for your records.

Usually not unless the hire agreement specifically allows it and the vehicle has an approved towbar and rating. Do not assume towing is permitted. If you want one self-contained sleeping vehicle, booking a motorhome or campervan is usually the cleaner option.

Yes. Water is part of your loaded weight, and it adds up quickly at 1 kg per litre. If you carry 160 litres for a remote free camp, that is about 160 kg of payload gone before food, gas or camping gear.

You can face state-based fines, defect notices, being told to unload or stop, and insurance trouble after a crash. More importantly, an overweight rig brakes worse, handles poorly and can overheat tyres on long, hot runs between towns.