50 YEARS AND COUNTING

Fifty years ago, the Recreational Vehicle (RV) industry looked somewhat different to today. Popular for many years, the bondwood style of caravan manufacture was being rapidly replaced by a framed body with silver aluminium cladding.

Manufacturers such as Viscount and Millard, the two largest, had huge factories in Sydney. Additionally, other names including Chesney, Coronet, Crusader, Cub Campers, Franklin, Freeway, Hillandale, Murrumba Star, Newlands and Roma were also a common sight.

At the same time, the Holden Kingswood, Ford Falcon and Chrysler Valiant were typical tow vehicles. Items like towing weights, batteries and air-conditioners were not considered and offroad was a term used mostly by Land Rover and Toyota LandCruiser owners.

WHAT’S CHANGED

Much has since changed, of course. Some of the changes have been evolutionary, others more revolutionary. Most of the names mentioned above have disappeared and, of those still to be seen, only Roma and Cub can claim early ownership back to the original manufacturer. Freeway isn’t around but the owners, the Binns family, are still in the game with their Avida range — after a couple of name changes.

Another item of note is that back in those times a considerable amount of caravan manufacturing happened in Sydney with Melbourne, Ballarat and Brisbane taking lesser roles. Today, about 80 per cent of caravan manufacturing happens in the greater Melbourne area, but motorhome manufacturers are more equally spread. To chart some of the changes, I spoke with a few people who have been around