What began as a shared passion for travel and exploring Australia has grown into the well-known and innovative Great Aussie Caravans brand.
While the Great Aussie Caravans brand name might be on the newer side, the company has been establishing itself as a trusted name in the caravan industry since 2017. The company began its journey building a range of caravans for a Queensland-based dealer, where the team was able to rebrand the caravans with their own names. Then in 2020, after years of working on their design, the team made the shift and launched Great Aussie Caravans, introducing its range of vans to the Aussie market.
In the years since, Great Aussie has continued to expand and gain industry recognition. It has been named finalist at our past two Caravan of the Year competitions and at the inaugural Australia’s Best Hybrids event held late last year. Another notable recognition is that Great Aussie became a RVMAP Accredited Manufacturer in 2023. This accreditation demonstrates that the Great Aussie team is compliant with the Recreational Vehicle Manufacturing Accreditation Program (RVMAP) and is committed to delivering vans that meet the relevant Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and Federal Compliance Regulations.
The Great Aussie Tonka during an offroad test
Great Aussie headquarters
The Great Aussie headquarters is located in Coolaroo, one of Melbourne’s northern suburbs, and earlier this year the brand expanded its factory space, increasing from 3300sqm to 5000sqm in order to enhance its production capacity.
Almost every aspect of caravan production is done in-house in this factory by Great Aussie’s team of skilled professionals. This includes building the chassis, body, plumbing installations, electrical work and even the production of benchtops.
Keeping production in-house has many benefits, but key among them is the ability to maintain high controls over the manufacturing process to ensure every van is built to the highest standards as well as the ability to remain flexible and efficient when meeting production deadlines.
Suitable for adventures on and off the road
The number of vans Great Aussie builds varies year to year, but the team confirmed that production has steadily increased in response to growing customer demand and the launch of additional models.
Durability, comfort and customisation are key priorities in Great Aussie’s building process. High quality materials, components and accessories are used throughout every van, and in-house CAD designers work alongside customers to customise their vans to meet their individual preferences and travel requirements and to ensure they’re heading home with their forever van.
Great Aussie’s vans find the perfect balance between a luxury interior and a build that is ready for offroad adventures
Unique building methods
One of Great Aussie’s standout features in the caravan industry is that it offers buyers the choice between three different construction types. Each one has different benefits and helps ensure potential buyers can find a van to suit their travel style and budget.
Every Great Aussie caravan (and hybrid) can be built with either an ALLYTECH, TIMBERTECH or FIBRETECH frame.
- ALLYTECH: An aluminium frame, welded in-house with composite cladding and a 100 per cent timber free shell construction
- TIMBERTECH: A traditional meranti timber frame
- FIBRETECH: A composite 100 per cent timber free shell construction
The FIBRETECH method is the newest of the trio, and one that is unique in the Aussie market. With a 100 per cent timber free shell construction, there is no timber used in the floor, roof, walls or cabinetry. The construction design uses eco-friendly recyclable products to prioritise sustainability and is also fire retardant. An added benefit of this building method is that it is approximately 25 per cent lighter (around 150kg) than traditional framing methods, which will give you either extra payload to play with or the simple benefit of a lighter van to tow.
A Xplora van with a 100 per cent timber free FIBRETECH build
FIBRETECH is recyclable, eco-friendly and lightweight
Aussie-tough
Great Aussie’s vans are designed with Australia’s toughest environments in mind. The team thoroughly tests every van before delivery, with general manager John Cullen, who has more than 20 years of experience in the caravan industry, personally testing each model in real-world conditions. These test runs ensure that the vans can withstand Australia’s harsh and varied environments, from rough weather and offroad terrains through to long distance travel.
The range
The Great Aussie lineup features five caravans, a hybrid caravan and even a motorhome.
The caravans are all available in the three different building methods and can be chosen in either couples or family layouts in a variety of sizes ranging from 15ft 6in (4.7m) to 22ft 6in (6.9m). And there’s a list of optional extras that allow owners to customise their rig to suit their unique needs.
Each van is targeted at a different kind of traveller, from the entry level 2ourer and 2ourer Lite models through to the new and versatile Tonka, which is designed for extreme offroad travel with an advanced suspension system, reinforced exterior and enhanced durability to tackle rough terrains. Caravan World reviewer John Hughes got the chance to take a 21ft 6in couple’s version out for a test drive earlier this year when the model was first introduced. He was excited by the offroad readiness and clever ute-like features that were incorporated into the design (check out the full review here).
The Tonka is designed for extreme offroad travel
Another popular choice in Great Aussie’s lineup is its newly released Striker, a full-height hybrid van which the team highlighted is favoured for its balance of luxury and ruggedness. We were lucky enough to check out a Striker fresh off the factory floor at Australia’s Best Hybrids 2024, and the judges were impressed with its off-grid capabilities and sheer number of features packed into a compact unit that will look at home both off the road and at the caravan park. Hybrids are becoming an increasingly popular choice in the RV industry, as travellers look for a versatile trailer that’s compact enough to take into remote locations but still has some of the luxuries you’d expect from a full-size caravan. This is exactly who the Striker appeals to.
Great Aussie general manager John Cullen with the Striker at Australia’s Best Hybrids 2024
Other models include the Gravity and Xplora, both offroad and adventure-ready vans that were named finalists at Caravan of the Year 2023 and 2024 respectively and offer the ideal balance of offroad ruggedness and luxury that Great Aussie delivers across its range.
And with a choice of couples or family layouts on every model and the same level of quality construction across the range, the decision of which one to choose simply comes down to travel style and your budget.
Caravanning trends
The focus on releasing offroad ready vans isn’t unique to just Great Aussie. When we asked the team how the caravan industry has changed and what’s currently trending, it was quick to highlight the increased demand for self-sufficient, off-grid caravans.
It’s not just how the van is built either. Great Aussie has also partnered with leading electrical suppliers to incorporate off-grid capabilities, such as solar power and energy-efficient systems, into their vans so that owners can head into remote locations for longer.
Other trending innovations Great Aussie has noticed include eco-friendly designs and smart technologies, both of which can be seen in their lineup.
Slide-out external kitchen on the Xplora
Great Aussie after sales care
All owners of a Great Aussie van benefit from the brand’s comprehensive after sale care package. This includes a five-year structural guarantee and a two-year tip-to-tail warranty, ensuring that customers are covered for any issues that may arise after purchase.
Great Aussie also has a wide network of 13 dealers located throughout Australia and New Zealand, meaning owners can access service and support country wide.
All the creature comforts you need inside the Striker hybrid
New Great Aussies on the horizon
As a young and growing brand, it’s not surprising that the team has been busy designing and expanding its fleet of vans. Its newest additions are the Striker hybrid and Tonka, both of which have made a great impact in the offroad caravanning market and showcase Great Aussie’s commitment to innovation and providing high quality products at competitive products.
Looking ahead to the new year, the team did reveal that it’s planning further releases in 2025. However, everything is being kept under wraps for now and specific details will be revealed gradually throughout the year, so keep your ear to the ground!
For more information
88–106 Kyabram Street
Coolaroo Vic 3048
P: 03 9308 8511
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Related articles:
Great Aussie Caravans: New 2024 models announced
Review: Great Aussie Caravans Striker Hybrid
Watch the Caravan of the Year 2024 review of the Great Aussie Xplora here:
Great Aussie Caravans: Luxury Aussie innovation