Aussie caravan history in print

A new book touching on the history of caravanning in Australia, and more specifically South Australia, has been officially launched at this week’s Caravan and Camping Show in Adelaide.

Commissioned by the Caravan and Camping Industries Association of South Australia (CCIASA), the glossy softcover book features some of the interesting stories and historic photographs of the early designers and manufacturers who paved the way for millions of Australians who today enjoy the caravanning and camping lifestyle.

In Still Swinging the Billy: Exploring our Caravanning and Camping Past, author Trevor Gill looks at some of the origins of caravanning, from the ancient cameleers of Persia and the colourful gypsies of England and Europe to Australia’s own explorers, bushmen and drovers.

The books throws light on the period after the First World War and the Great Depression when caravan travel and camping became more of a choice than a necessity, and reveals some of the earliest caravans were built in South Australia in the 1920s.

It explores the caravanning boom of the 1950s when Holden’s affordable family cars allowed people to enjoy their freedom like never before. It also takes a closer look at some of the prominent South Australian manufacturers of the time, including names like Furness, Roadmaster, Paramount, Viscount and Clipper, as the industry progressed from timber to aluminium construction.

Other topics covered in the book include the earliest caravan parks and camping grounds, the groundswell of interest in vintage caravans and the transition of the industry to modern, feature-packed caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes.

CCIASA CEO, Stuart Livingstone, said the book would serve as a monument to the industry, particularly in South Australia, and celebrate the achievements of the Association, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The book has already proved popular, with many of the initial 100 copies at the show accounted for on the day it was released. Another 900 copies of the first print run will be available to the public, priced at $45. To order one, visit the CCIASA website.