OnlyVans.com.au’s inaugural Caravan and Camper Excellence Round Up in November 2024 saw 15 of Australia’s leading caravans and campers come together at Queensland’s Rosedale Estate for photos, 4WD tests and campfire camaraderie.
An hour from Brisbane, in the hinterland just beyond the Glass House Mountains, sits Rosedale Estate, approximately 31 hectares of green hills and wooded valleys. Here, only a short drive from the small country town of D’Aguliar, visitors can enjoy a tranquil stay with parrots flitting and fighting through the treetops and deer grazing peacefully in the roadside paddocks.
This was the setting of OnlyVans.com.au’s first Caravan and Camper Excellence Round Up, where for two days representatives from some of Australia’s leading caravan manufacturers would show off their latest models. Attendees included Green RV (representing Snowy River Caravans and Prime Edge Caravans), Rembrandt Caravans, Hardkorr Campers, Oz Star Caravans, Trackabout Off-Road Campers, Signature Camper Trailers, Jawa Off Road Campers, MDC Camper Trailers and Vision RV.
Signature Camper Trailers at the first OnlyVans.com.au Round Up
The campsite for the Caravan and Camper Excellence Round Up was a lush grass terrace on the banks above Delaneys Creek, closed to the public for the duration of the event, and close enough to the water to hear the resident frogs start their chorus as the afternoon heat died away.
Many of the attendees were familiar with one another, all of them regulars on the gruelling, months-long schedule of trade shows and field days that see them criss-crossing the country. But in events like this familiarity gives way to friendship and for two days they are not competitors but colleagues, peers and above all else, fellow campers.
Around the campfire, the conversation quickly turned towards trip reports and the sharing of fishing spots, and after a while, the inevitable rig rundown took place: who’s towing what, where did they take it and, most importantly, how did it hold up? Campers and caravans were set up, pop-tops and slide-outs were extended, and everyone was content to spend the next few hours touring each other’s setups and talking shop.
The attendees were able to relax and tour each other’s setups
This laid-back atmosphere was a constant throughout the two-day stay at Rosedale Estate, and although the attendees were all competitors, the event was not a competition. All manufacturers are members of OnlyVans.com.au’s dealer network, and while there was a clear focus on offroad models, the real uniting factor between the brands is excellence in many different categories.
When asked about the event’s genesis, event organiser and Only Sales CEO, Michael Rojek, said, “It’s about getting industry leaders together and giving them an opportunity to talk about their products … and showcase why the market considers them to be industry leaders.”
“We’re also about trying to give back to the dealer network as well and not be an award that pits everyone against each other to try and say that your one particular product is better,” says Jerry Hughes of Credit One, another of the event organisers.
Day one saw everyone gathering around the remains of the campfire ready for a content shoot organised by OnlyVans.com.au. After a week of heavy rain, the sky was blue and cloudless and the group split off for the respective halves of the shoot.
At the summit of the nearby hill, each van was photographed and filmed against a beautiful backdrop of valleys and distant mountain ranges, followed by an interview to talk about what each attendee brought with them.
There was a great range of caravans and camper trailers from leading Aussie manufacturers
And what was on display was some of the industry’s most innovative models, from compact camper trailers to large, dual-axle caravans. Despite the diversity, everyone shared one similarity: passion for the industry.
These brands and the people behind them live and breathe the outdoors, and for many, their entry into the industry came on the back of years, even decades, spent as customers, enthusiasts and adventurers. They know their product, they know what customers need, and that is what allows them to find success, even at a time when the industry as a whole has slowed down.
As the sun set, all 15 models were back at the campsite to set up once more for a scenic evening photoshoot.
A creek crossing was scheduled to kick off day two, which gave everyone a final chance to put their models to the test in front of the cameras. It was also the chance to win bragging rights, with many eyeing the steep, chewed-up bank next to the ‘official’ crossing point. Over the course of an hour the V8 engines of the tow vehicles were put to work while the group gathered on the banks to see what the vans and campers were capable of.
The Hardkorr Xplorer camper trailer
The final car clearing the mud marked the end to a successful two-day event, and everyone packed up and headed their separate ways, and the valley soon filled with double-beep car horns to bid farewell as the 15 cars snaked their way down the single-lane road out of Rosedale Estate.
For more information, and to explore all the brands and models that were present at the 2024 Caravan and Camper Excellence Round Up, head here.
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The first Onlyvans.com.au Caravan and Camper Excellence Round Up