While there has certainly been increased consumer interest in overseas-made caravans in recent years, local manufacturers insist there are good reasons why Australian vans are still favoured by most.
Chinese-built caravans, in particular, have been a growing presence at caravans shows, and on the roads. However, Crusader Caravans says its data reveals that Australians are increasingly prioritising locally-made quality, durability and long-term value.
Crusader Caravans Founder, Serge Valentino, said the data reflected a clear behavioural shift among consumers, and ‘a real flight to quality’.
“Travellers are moving away from imports and towards Australian-manufactured brands that understand local conditions and deliver stronger long-term value for every dollar spent,” he said. “We recognise that it’s a difficult time for many Australians with ongoing cost pressures and fuel prices.”
Crusader has expanded production at its manufacturing facility in Victoria. PIC: Crusader Caravans
Crusader says that, over the past 12 months, it had recorded a 17% increase in website visitors, while its value-focused second brand, Dreamhaven, had seen a 400% surge in search interest within the last six months.
To meet this growing demand, Crusader says it has expanded production at its advanced manufacturing facility in Epping, Victoria.
“Our investment in Victorian manufacturing ensures we can manage lead times while maintaining the premium build quality our customers expect,” Mr Valentino said. “We’ve also focused on standardising high-value features.”
As an example, he cites the inclusion of Airbag Suspension as standard to its MY26 XCountry, Excalibur, Musketeer, and Gladiator CRV.
“Australians are becoming more informed and taking longer in their decision-making,” Mr Valentino said. “They want a caravan manufacturer who understands local market conditions, specialises in manufacturing as opposed to assembly, and can be trusted to deliver a high-quality caravan that will serve them for years to come.”
The Crusader data also highlights evolving buyer behaviour, which it says reveals that families and solo travellers emerging as key customer segments.
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Be good when Australian vans catch up to Euro vans, hydronic central heating, lightweight, high tensile chassis, light colours……Aussie vans, pick your colour as long as its black! great to live in, in 45° heat!
Look into Silversun caravans in Brisbane…Aussie made, light weight, and all white (with your choice of highlight stripe colours…
Love the comment especially on colour when they say Aussie made better understands Australia conditions so ye ms when are many of them coloured black for something most will be experiencing 35deg plus temps
Often thought those black caravans were a bad decision…we know our junior science about how white reflects and black absorbs heat.
Also, they show the mud you’ve been through…or do they never get off road!
Thats what a/c is for, i have a black van and live in QLD, no worries.
What a good made modern AustralianCaravan “your dreaming” after many new vans I’ve given up and built a bus conversion
Recent Big brands we’ve purchased we’ve had nothing but leaks, cupboards failing and frame rot, never again
You must have picked the wrong brand. Plenty decent vans around that are very well built.
I am a member of a caravan club and a number of our members, including us, have purchased vans with major faults. No quality control checks and once they get your money, very little customer service.
Had a composite construction caravan imported from China …… no leaks or frames to rot. No stress. Good resale.
A lot of Australian made vans are not exactly well made either. Many use the composite panels which do not have a frame. You have to pay big money for a high end van like a Bushtracker or a Kedron, but if you want peace of mind that’s what you’ve got to do. Don’t forget the old saying “you get what you pay for “.
We had been caravanning in the NT staying mostly at National parks and free camping. However, we called into a caravan park and as were booking in as the manager said ” look at that van, $120,000 job, fully self-contained, full off road suspension, never has it seen a dirt road, I see them all the time. Why do they waste their money?”
The same reason people buy unnecessary expensive cars- to show off!
I’m extremely Happy with Evernew, quality workmanship and incredible customer service. Built in Melbourne.
I’ll always endeavour to support Australian van builders.
I will ad Salute to that. Great off road, plenty of solar and battery. Extremely well build and great family business to deal with.
yes agree, very happy with Evernew. Decided not to go composite as I wanted to be able to get it repaired more easily rather than destroy a whole side. Maybe it is 20th century construction according to some, but it paid off on first trip! Not cheap but then no problems, great quality and easy to talk to owner about any concerns. Harder to do that with an import.
After years of towing a caravan around the country as well as spending 6 months a year road tripping thru the US we have decided to end our caravan ways instead opting for motels without the hassle of owning a caravan. We’ve endured the parks with cigarette smokers, barking pets locking in caravans while the owners set off for the day, kids trashing the restrooms, ridiculous park fees, and ridiculous fuel prices. Yes spending 6 months a year in the US costs money however it is value for money as apposed to simply burning fuel towing a caravan out of habit. For me caravanning now is simply an expensive hobby for a noticeable percentage of individuals, however it is their money/time.
Sadness. We are campers. Can’t do that in a van park!
Buy an off road van and stay off grid. Nobody around to bother you and you can camp for free at lots of places too. Way cheaper than motels.
We just bought a Austrack X15L 2026 totally love it.We started with a trailer with a tent on top 13 years ago .We see many different vans on the road, a just shake my head and say …why… just getting heavier and more crap on them .. I am sure they bought there shed contence with them
Went to a caravan show yesterday and some of the Australia made vans fit and finish was trash. One van I could fit the brochure between the internal roof and the trim they’d installed along it on one end. Imagine how bad it is where you can’t see it!! I said to the wife they could at least make the show vans smicko
We purchased our second Australian made van new in 2008. It has an aluminium welded frame, reinforced chassis, Australian made Simplicity load sharing suspension and it has traversed many tens of thousands of non sealed roads with nary a problem ; 1 puncture, 1 power supply fault, brake linings replaced once. Sure, plenty of loose screws which are simply retightened (internal) or replaced with stainless steel (external) types. We expect it to work for us for at least another ten years. All this for $47,000 in 2008. Why buy non local when the expectations are that the lifespan is expected to be less.
We ended up purchasing an imported van, the fit and finish as well as the option choices was far superior to the nearest Australian made competitor for a comparable price. There was definitely some Australian made vans on our radar, we wanted full composite construction, but they were $25- $30000 dearer and had some features we weren’t happy with. Many Australian made vans still haven’t moved away from the 1960s build method of ‘stick and tin’ construction either. Yes, you can spend between $250000 and $300000 for a van but that still doesn’t guarantee a perfect, trouble free van as many will attest to.
While I do love to support Australian made where I can and had hoped that following the wake up call during Covid lock downs that highlighted how dependent we were on imports that maybe more people in high places would have realised how much we relied on imports and maybe it was time to bring back more home grown manufacturing, the reality is we just can afford to be self reliant for more reasons than people care to admit, so if we do need to import why do we not insist on better quality again the reason being we all have budget restraints which is why you can buy quality imported gear and cheap crap imported gear, what we need to do to see more Australian manufacturers improve their efficiencies to offer better value for money products the imports just can’t be bothered competing with maybe then will the average cash strap Aussie be able to buy home grown
I’ve owned a Chinese made camper trailer from new and it was plagued with problems but did get me to some memorable spots all over Oz , now sold and I have since been wary of Chinese made anything unless it’s tier 1 .
I have seen some welds on Chinese brand caravans that were so obviously utter crap and stood out like neon signs to anyone in the welding industry but then again I’ve seen some shonky Aus made vans whose brand names adorn the lemon caravan Facebook page of shame .
recently we wanted to upgrade to an off-road van but needed to keep the weight of the van down without sacrificing all the luxuries and found that for a true off road capable van that were lighter in weight was going to be an expensive challenge.
Plus the colour scheme’s are really bright.
We’ve got a 2 year old Aussie made van and the fit out isn’t great, rough as guts silicone in wet areas and other cosmetic issues. But tows like a dream and is really a nice van. Manufacturers need to up their game in the finish dep. I work in the building trades and know what to look for.
I own a “second hand” 2005 23 ft Boroma, a now “deceased” Queensland manufacturer. Boroma made quality vans.
Built with mostly products made in Australia, my model has independent, height adjustable airbag suspension, no need to carry ramps to level the van, just adjust the left/right air pressures, hydraulically operated disc brakes, air con, 20ltr diesel ducted heating, 3 way fridge, Stove with oven, 250ltr water capacity, solar panels, locally built electronics controls, huge storage spaces inside and outside, rollout gas BBQ, and a very strong galvanized chassis. I carry 3 spare wheels, one housed under the van, two on the rear bar.
In its 21 years it has been around Australia at least 4 times, many shorter trips interstate and locally. Admittedly, at 23ft. it’s too big and heavy to tow safely on hilly, muddy dirt tracks. With height adjustable air suspension, it is strong but soft enough to absorb the pot holes and washaways on our remote area roads/tracks with minimal impact on the chassis. I have had one small suspension upgrade, strengthening the upper chassis mountings for new shock absorbers fitted in 2021. No internal cabinetry or equipment has totally failed. Batteries have been replaced once.
We lived full time in this van for over 2 years while our house was being renovated.
Australian made, it has been easy to obtain spare parts everywhere for those small maintenance issues that occur on your travels, such as a water leak in a plastic pipe, a replacement heating element in the HWS, upgrading the cooling air flow for the absorption fridge in the tropics. Replacement brake pads, wheel bearings, suspension bushes are available across Australia.
This van has travelled over 150,000kms, still looks great, and everything works. A tribute to Aussi design and manufacturing, sadly no more.
Why have black and gray caravans today isnt the world depressing enough without makibg it worse
I own a Jurgens Lunagazer. I have had it about 6 years. Purchased it because of its light weight that could be towed by my Toyota Prado. I would not hesitate to purchase an Australian made van. I try to be as patriotic as possible when affordable. This van will be my last because of my age and ability to keep travelling at my age. 70 years.