The Hume
Campervan with a roof bed and convertible dinette
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
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Calypso Campervan Rentals review
An Australian rental company whose offer centres on older, equipped campervans for travel between southern and eastern cities.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Calypso is operated by Maclo Pty Ltd, trading as Calypso Campervan Rentals. The family-owned business deals directly with renters through a network of depots and agents, combining a central rental operation with pickup arrangements in several Australian cities.
Its service covers both return hires and one-way rentals. The business model gives travellers direct contact with the people running the company, while the depot and agent network allows a trip to begin and end in different cities.
Our verdict
Editorial review
Calypso is a traditional campervan proposition: practical interiors and a direct relationship with a family business take priority over a recent-model fleet. It makes most sense when the planned itinerary fits its operating limits. The restrictions on territory and night driving are substantial enough to shape the trip, rather than details to deal with after choosing a van.
Customer accounts associated with the Melbourne listing give a mixed view of support. One traveller describes an auxiliary-battery problem resolved through a local garage after calling Calypso; another reports a breakdown followed by poor handling. The useful distinction is between having a recovery process and knowing how well it will work on an individual rental.
Good points
- Distance and shared driving are included.Unlimited kilometres and additional approved drivers come without an advertised extra charge. These inclusions make the mileage and driver components of a longer rental easier to budget for.
- The travelling essentials come with the van.The categories include cooking equipment, bedding, towels and outdoor seating. Renters do not need to assemble a kitchen and sleeping kit as separate extras before setting off.
Things to consider
- Protection leaves significant exposure.Paying for the highest protection option does not remove the separate excess for a single-vehicle accident or animal collision. That distinction matters when weighing the daily package price against the financial risk retained by the renter.
- A recent-model vehicle is not the focus.The advertised model-year ranges run from 2007–2010 for the Sturt to 2015–2016 for the Hume. Travellers who specifically want a newer vehicle should take that age profile into account; it is not, by itself, a measure of maintenance or reliability.
- Weekend handovers need planning.Saturday handovers have a short morning window, and Sunday or public-holiday arrangements are not automatic. Flight times and the start or end of the rental need to fit those arrangements.
Vehicle categories
Calypso Campervan Rentals fleet
The Riverina
Campervan with a roof bed and convertible dinette
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
The Princes
Hi-top campervan
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 3
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Automatic
The Sturt
Hi-top campervan
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- —
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- Manual
The range keeps to van-sized accommodation, with the main choices coming from layout, gearbox and equipment rather than a large spread of vehicle dimensions.
The Hume and Riverina combine a roof bed with a dinette that converts for sleeping. Both have dual batteries, solar charging for the living battery, a fridge/freezer, gas cooking and a 30-litre water capacity. Their roof bed measures 1.90 × 1.40 metres and the dinette bed 1.85 × 1.44 metres. The Hume also has one advertised child-restraint anchor; the suitability of the booked vehicle for a particular restraint and passenger group still needs confirmation.
The Princes and Sturt are Hi-top formats with a 60-litre water tank, two-burner gas stove, refrigerator, microwave and 240-volt heater. Their advertised bed dimensions are 1.85 × 1.50 metres below and 1.95 × 1.35 metres above. Bed dimensions describe the layout, not the number of people permitted to travel or sleep in the vehicle.
For an automatic, the choice is Hume or Princes; Riverina and Sturt are manual. The Riverina and Princes sit between the Hume and Sturt in advertised age, with model years of 2010–2013. Category descriptions do not guarantee the exact model assigned to a booking.
Locations
Calypso Campervan Rentals pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
Australia
-
Adelaide 20 Salvador St, Flagstaff Hill SA 5159
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Melbourne 45 Bond Street, Ringwood VIC 3134
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Sydney
-
Brisbane
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Starting rental prices | Direct-channel starting prices are AUD 80 per day for the Sturt, AUD 90 for the Princes, AUD 100 for the Riverina and AUD 110 for the Hume. These are starting rates, not a quote for particular dates, a depot or an itinerary. |
| Reservation payment | An AUD 200 payment confirms a direct reservation. It is non-refundable on cancellation and is separate from the security hold taken for the rental. |
| Security hold | A credit-card preauthorisation is taken for an amount equal to the agreed excess; under Basic Protection, the example is AUD 3,000. This ties up available credit rather than adding a routine charge to the trip price. Deductions may apply under the agreement. |
| Protection choices | Basic Protection has an AUD 3,000 damage excess. Protection Plus costs AUD 20 per day and reduces that excess to AUD 1,500; Maximum Protection costs AUD 30 per day and reduces it to AUD 400. For a 30-day rental, the published package maxima are AUD 600 and AUD 900 respectively. These prices and excesses serve different purposes: one buys the package, the other is the liability retained for a covered claim. |
| Remaining damage exposure | A separate AUD 4,000 excess applies to a single-vehicle accident or animal collision and cannot be removed by buying protection. Exclusions include overhead and underbody damage, reversing and dusk-to-dawn exposure. Maximum Protection includes one front windscreen and two tyres; it does not provide unrestricted glass or tyre cover. |
| Taxes | The direct agreement defines the rental amount as including GST and stamp duty. Other amounts generally exclude GST unless stated as included. |
| Distance and additional drivers | Unlimited kilometres are included, and additional approved drivers are advertised without an extra charge. Each driver must still meet Calypso’s eligibility requirements. |
| Payment cards | Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards can be used for the rental payment. A credit card is required for the security hold; paying the rental by debit card does not meet that requirement. American Express and Diners Club are not accepted. |
| Driver eligibility | Drivers must be at least 21, hold a full licence and be nominated and approved. International licence documentation must be arranged before pickup; a licence not in English requires a translation or International Driving Permit. |
| Minimum hire | The ordinary minimum is five days from Melbourne and seven days from Adelaide, Sydney or Brisbane. One-way hires require at least seven days. At Christmas and New Year the minimum is eleven days at all locations; at Easter it is six days from Melbourne and seven elsewhere. The relevant holiday dates must match the booking. |
| One-way rentals | Calypso publishes an AUD 220 fee for a one-way hire and provides for quoted relocation costs. The route-specific quote must establish the total and how those amounts apply; the published fee is not a guaranteed total for every route. |
| Collection and return times | Handover hours are Monday–Friday, 09:00–15:00, and Saturday, 09:00–11:00, in local time. Sunday and public-holiday handovers require a prior arrangement where available. |
| Driving restrictions | The rental terms prohibit travel to Ceduna, Coober Pedy, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, as well as driving from dusk to dawn. Travel in prohibited territory voids cover and leaves the renter responsible for damage. |
| Pets | Pets are not permitted in the vehicles. |
| Fuel and cleaning | Return the van clean, undamaged and full of fuel. Fuel, LP gas, cleaning or damage costs may be charged where the agreement requires them. A relocation van supplied unclean must be returned in at least the same condition. |
| Late or early return | Overdue rental is charged at twice the agreed daily rate. Returning early does not reduce the rental charge or generate a refund. |
| Infringements | An AUD 66 administration charge applies per offence or notice, in addition to recoverable underlying amounts. |
| Roadside help and repairs | Roadside assistance is advertised from 07:00 to 21:00. Repairs costing more than AUD 100 require prior written consent; reimbursement requires a tax invoice and receipt. Costs can apply to a call-out caused by leaving lights on and flattening the starting battery. |
| Major breakdowns | Calypso undertakes to use its best endeavours to provide a similar replacement, or to refund unused rental if replacement is impractical. Downtime hours are credited on return. A replacement is not guaranteed, and breach or misuse can remove the entitlement. |
Quick answers
Calypso Campervan Rentals FAQ
Which Calypso campervans have automatic transmission?
The Hume and Princes are automatic. The Riverina and Sturt are manual, so a requirement for an automatic narrows the choice to two categories before considering dates and pickup arrangements.
Can five people sleep in the Riverina?
No. Its sleeping capacity is four, even though Calypso advertises that it can carry up to five people. The seating layout for the booked vehicle must also be confirmed; a carrying maximum does not establish the individual belted positions.
Does Maximum Protection remove Calypso’s damage excess?
No. It reduces the ordinary covered-claim excess to AUD 400. The separate AUD 4,000 excess for a single-vehicle accident or animal collision remains, together with the applicable exclusions. The AUD 30 daily package charge is the cost of buying that option, not the maximum possible liability.
Can I take a Calypso van into Western Australia or the Northern Territory?
Neither is permitted under Calypso’s rental terms. Ceduna and Coober Pedy are also prohibited, and driving from dusk to dawn is not allowed. These restrictions matter even when collecting and returning the van in one of the four pickup cities.
Can I collect in Melbourne and return in another city?
Calypso offers one-way rentals in principle, subject to the route arrangement. The minimum is seven days and the published one-way fee is AUD 220; the quote must establish the total for the route, including the treatment of any relocation cost. Collecting in Melbourne does not reduce a one-way hire to the ordinary five-day Melbourne minimum.
Can I use a debit card for the whole Calypso rental?
A Visa or Mastercard debit card can pay the rental charge, but the security hold requires a credit card. Under Basic Protection, the hold example is AUD 3,000, so a debit-card payment alone does not complete the payment requirements.
Is Calypso’s roadside assistance available all night?
The advertised service runs from 07:00 to 21:00, rather than around the clock. For a major breakdown, a replacement is conditional on what Calypso can arrange; the agreement provides for unused-rental refunds when replacement is impractical.
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