All-Aussie Solquest campers buck the trend

A small Aussie start-up is bucking the trend of most cheap camper trailers arriving from China, with a fresh two-model range of tough little adventure trailers that are hand-built on the Gold Coast and start at just $12,990.

On display for the first time at the 2025 Queensland Caravan & Camping Supershow was the Solquest Recon-X base trailer and the slightly taller Solquest Combat Master box camper.

Priced from $12,990, the Recon-X Cargo is promoted as a base trailer and base camper platform, with plenty of scope for DIY enthusiasts to add camping and electrical gear down the track as they include 'roughed in' wiring from the factory.

For those wanting a few more accessories with the camper, the mid-spec Recon-X Camper is priced from $24,990 and adds a 120Ah lithium battery and portable solar panel, slide-out kitchen with sink and pantry, a 41L fridge on a slide, roof tent, awning, ball coupling, leaf spring suspension, jockey wheel and stabilizers.

There's also a top-spec Recon-X Evolution aimed at "hardcore off-roaders and camping purists", priced at $35,990, which gets you a lot more gear including an ARK jockey wheel, powdercoated step and guards, Cruisemaster XT suspension and mud tyres, power station and accessory box, and internal and external lights.

The Solquest trailers are built on the Gold Coast with all fabrication and welding of the chassis and body components, wiring and electrical installation completed in-house.

"I send the powder-coating out to get done," explained Solquest Campers founder Evert du Plessis. "I have suppliers that help me with things I can't do like that but in terms of building I do it all."

Coming in with an engineering background, Evert said his new camper business has been up and running since late 2024, and has completed seven customer campers so far.

"I just build campers that I like and hopefully other people like them too," he said.

The partially finished Solquest Combat Master Evolution box camper on display at the Supershow featured an underfloor-mounted 600Ah lithium battery system that's designed to power the caravan-size rooftop air-conditioner on top, with room on the roof bars to add a rooftop tent.

"We wanted to cool the whole [interior] space down," he said about his latest project.

"I've been building customer campers so I haven't had a chance to finish my own. I didn't have the time as I do everything by myself."

Solquest sells mostly factory direct and the new business has gathered momentum after attending some shows and partnering up with suppliers like KickAss, which supplies some of the off-grid power and audio components for the trailers.

"It's a little bit slow, it's a very niche product, but we're built in Australia so quality is good and we stand by the products," he said.

"We pretty much do the same camper but you can spend $25,000 or you can spend $55,000, it's up to you."

"Sure, we have to compete with the imported stuff but on the other hand we don't really, as you either love these [locally-built campers] or you don't," he continued.

"Ever since I started I don't compete with anyone else, I just compete with myself. I try and be a bit better every day, and just worry about what I do."

The loaded-up Recon-X camper on display had $26,990 show pricing, and included a 120Ah lithium battery, 60L water storage, roof tent and shower and wash-up facilities.

"It only weighs 500kg so you can tow it with any car really," he said.

About 15 years ago the Solquest trailers would have blended in with the crowd and hardly caused a second glance at the Brisbane Supershow, unlike today's novelty appeal...

Back in 2010, the majority of budget-priced as well as premium tent trailers sold in Australia were still manufactured here, with dozens of local builders competing fiercely for thousands of annual sales. That's before a flood of cheap Chinese imports decimated the industry, driving once aspirational brands to the wall and forcing remaining manufacturers to move upmarket.

These days there are only a handful of local manufacturers still producing affordable camper-style trailers, with Solquest flying the 'Made in Australia' flag alongside NSW-based Marlin Campers and Queensland's Walkabout Campers.

Meanwhile, Sydney's Cub Campers' once sub-$20K cheapest model and Jayco's most basic wind-up camper trailer are both fighting inflation and local labour costs, currently priced at $26,990 and $26,590 respectively.