Vintage Classic
Australia's caravanning history is full of beautiful machines, and this section celebrates the vans that started it all. We feature restored Viscounts, Millards, Chesneys and Sunliners, along with the classic tow cars that pulled them — and the dedicated owners who brought them back to life.
Expect full restoration stories with cost breakdowns, sourcing tips for period parts, and advice on modernising brakes, wiring and weight distribution while keeping the vintage character intact. Owning a classic van is part hobby, part preservation, and these stories honour both.
Reno Rescue – 1977 Viscount Supreme
“Struth, I didn’t plan on this many problems!” said Brent, early on in his ambitious renovation of a 1977 Viscount, ‘Vincent’ he bought sigh…
The History of Millard Caravans
There are few people in the history of caravanning that have had as much influence on our pastime as John and Peter Darlington – the two bro…
Will Viscount Caravans be resurrected?
We don't want to sound too much like a tabloid, but anonymous sources close to ROAM (we have always wanted to use that phrase, though), have…
ROAM Issue 34 – Read It Online
Want to know why Roothy would never buy a caravan (and what he'd do the grey-nomad-thing in instead), or how to tow or drive anything into t…
Making your caravan or motorhome a tax deduction
The Australian Tax office has recently made rulings about how income and expenses incurred while hiring out a caravan or RV on a peer to pee…
1961 Jennison Pathfinder Restoration – Video
Once considered the most luxurious caravans on the road, the Jennison Pathfinder's still turn a few heads, especially when they're fitted wi…
Full Size Lego Caravan Will Blow Your Mind
Lego is timeless and so are caravans, so it makes sense that the two should come together. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Queensland …
Aussie Traveller Celebrates 30 Years
Aussie Traveller, the family owned Brisbane manufacturer of awnings, caravan windows, doors and now, fridges and air conditioners, has been …
ROAM Issue 33 – Read It Online
This issue we delve into the history of off-road caravans in Australia, and trace it all back to the first off-road caravan trip in 1896. An…
ROAM’s vintage caravan pop-up museum
As early as 1971, the Sydney Caravan Camping Holiday Supershow has been putting on displays of vintage caravans so visitors can reminisce an…
5 Vintage Caravans or Campers you Should Have Bought Five (or 50) years ago
It’s always easy to look back in hindsight at our purchasing decisions. When I was younger and first started buying cars, I owned an array o…
When Viki Met Lucy – Two Vintage Viscounts
This is a tale about how two vintage caravan look-a-likes met in the most unlikely of circumstances. Kym Hamilton has been travelling extens…
Celebrity Camper – Fanny Lumsden
Edwina ‘Fanny’ Lumsden is one of Australia’s up and coming Australian folk musicians. As well as a highly regarded first album, the young co…
Vintage Caravan – 1946 Sundowner
Stephen and Caroline Lloyd are the fourth owners of their beloved 'Sunny', a Sundowner caravan built in 1946. They say travelling in a vinta…
Video – 1969 Chesney Regal restoration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEyPtuv0tsw&feature=youtu.be Rod West grew up on the Gold Coast at a time when the region was growing rapidl…
Ray’s Clipper – Jenolan Caves Crash Story In Full
Back in issue 28, we highlighted the history of Flxible Clipper coaches and the impact they had on road travel through the 50s and 60s, and …
Club Meet – Vintage Olympic Caravans – Boyds Beach
On the first weekend of Spring the Olympics came to the Tweed Coast Boyds Bay Holiday Park. But there was no sign of Ian Thorpe, for these w…
History – Vintage Olympic Caravans
When it comes to vintage caravans, there are few Australian makes as sought after as the fabulous fiberglass Olympic. Advertised as “the Ari…
Reno Rescue: Crazy Kombi Collectors
1976 VW Kombi Camper ANDREW BARTON and NICK TERAKES from Nimbin NSW are avid Volkswagen Kombi fans. They already had a 1964 ute and 1975 Mi…
The rise and fall of Franklin
Australians have Geoffrey Robertson to thank as one of the great innovators who made caravan holidays affordable for the masses. For the fir…
40 Years Of Jayco Caravans
Gerry Ryan celebrates 40 years in business and reveals how Jayco Caravans outlasted all the other big names from the 1970s. By ROD BRUEM The…
Murrumba Star – The Space Age Caravan
The story of the Murrumba Star Mini – a caravan way ahead of its time. A year before man landed on the moon this space capsule landed in Cab…
Neil Chesney’s 60 years in caravans
There are plaques alongside framed photographs of Neil being presented with awards. There’s the occasional memento from Australia’s golden d…
Rare photos from caravan industry pioneer
Phoenix Caravans Founder, Jeff Chrisfield, opens up his vault from the 1950s onward. Jeff and his father Bill were prominent post-war manuf…