The number of Australians hitting the road in caravans has increased since the start of the pandemic as people continue to look for alternatives to international travel.
Key Points:
- The number of caravans on the road has increased since the start of the pandemic, the Australian Caravan Club says
- The growth in popularity has led to delays in obtaining custom RVs
- The club says a new generation of campers is hitting the road, helped by the ability to work and study remotely.
The Australian Caravan Club said there were 30,000 new recreational vehicles (RVs) on Australian roads by 2020.
The club said an increase in trailer, motorhome and caravan travel resulted in 1.7 million RV movements on Australian roads over the 2022 Easter weekend.
Club president Ken Newton said market demand and supply chain issues had created a 12- to 24-month wait for custom RVs.
Take the stress out of pandemic travel
Newton attributed the rediscovery and growing popularity of domestic road trips to the ongoing pandemic, a search for freedom and hesitations about international travel.
“Most people would be happy to travel within this country rather than take the risk of getting on a cruise or a flight overseas,” he said.
Happy memories: Denise and Colin Whitehand have traveled around Australia in their caravan. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
In addition to avoiding the potential health risks, disruptions, restrictions and cancellations inherent in pandemic travel, retired RV owners like Colin Whitehand appreciate the simplicity of not having to constantly pack up and check out of motels.
“At least you know where your luggage will be when the caravan follows you!” said Mr. Whitehand, President of the Gippsland Gypsies Branch of the Australian Caravan Club.
Demographic change
More young families are hitting the road, driven by the housing market and unaffordable rents, job insecurity and the freedom to ‘work from the van’ enabled by wi-fi technology.
There is also an abundance of seasonal work across the country, meaning more young families are homeschooling their children on the road.
“The average age of people buying RVs is about 34,” Newton said.
“Baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, who were once the majority of the RV population, are being replaced by millennials.”
He said many couples who were raised on caravan or camping holidays wanted the same experience for their own children.
The thirst for adventure is stimulating the campers. (Supplied)
“With families traveling on the road with homeschooling, mom and dad are usually working whether it’s picking fruit or hitting a keyboard for five or six hours a day,” Newton said.
Some families go from region to region at home or provide relief management services to motel and trailer park operators, he said.
“There are people who just say, ‘I’m going to get a car and a caravan, a caravan or a motorhome and I’m going to drive around Australia and drive around’. It’s about adventure.”
Driving around Australia remains a popular ambition for many backpackers. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Similarly, single women in their 50s and 60s are also increasingly embracing the freedom of life on the road, typically preferring the comfort of a motorhome over towing a van.
“The number of women traveling alone with a pet is huge,” Newton said.
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He said the trend was driven by everything from housing affordability to the death of a partner or healing from an illness.
The proliferation of solo travelers even inspired the Australian Caravan Club to facilitate a special interest group of Lone Trekkers, which includes solo travelers of all ages.
He said VR’s solo lifestyle was particularly inspiring for writers and journalists.
“Technology gives you the freedom to be where you are, when you want, and that’s been a big change,” he said.
“The catalyst was COVID and now Zoom meetings are common.”
The Gippsland Gypsies Caravan Group makes bi-monthly trips to different parts of Victoria. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Go to the forest with comfort
Clubmate Wayne Clark enjoys the freedom to soak in remote natural settings where there’s no COVID, often no TV reception and no negative news cycle.
Mallacoota Foreshore Tourist Park is a popular destination for caravans and motorhomes. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
“Some of the remote places you go, you can’t get further away from reality, you don’t have to worry about anything else,” Clark said.
“You light the fire of an evening, sit in the chair and watch that wonderful light show that happens at night where there is no artificial light.
“It’s absolutely beautiful inside. You think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Lorraine and Wayne Clarke with friends indoors on one of their many adventures. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Disconnecting from the dangers of modern life does not mean disconnecting from the comforts of modern life, even when traveling off-road.
With the expense of a new RV costing between $70,000 and $250,000, the vans include washing machines, bathrooms with hot showers and separate toilets, heat and air conditioning, microwaves, stoves and ovens, and solar panels.
The Clarks have enjoyed learning about local history while caravanning. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Some RV owners have managed to offset the expense of their vehicles by renting them out on sharing economy websites like Camplify, earning hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.
“A lot of people are now traveling shorter distances and stopping somewhere for longer because of the cost of fuel,” Gippsland Gypsies social co-ordinator Lorraine Clarke said.
Camping in style: In the past five years, most RVs have come with larger refrigerators and separate bathrooms. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)
Club member Barbara Willingham has gone from a motorhome to a van with bunk beds for the kids, to a modern van with a bathroom and a large fridge.
“It’s a little more luxurious,” he said. “It’s like towing your own motel room behind you with all the amenities.”
Contemporary caravans are equipped with ovens, hobs, microwaves, fridges and comfortable beds. (ABC Gippsland: Rachael Lucas)