Australia's first caravan steals show

The most interesting, and thought-provoking, exhibit at this year’s Queensland Caravan Show was not necessarily the Elite Home Theatre Caravan, although we’d love to watch the blockbuster Avatar on its massive 60inch screen.

Nor was it the brand new Global Warrior motorhome, despite looking like it could take you and the family through hell and back without breaking a sweat.

No, the most intriguing RV on display, judging by the amount of spectators swarming around it for a closer look when we dropped by, was a humble 86-year-old caravan constructed of cloth and little else, towed by a similarly eye-catching example of the first successful mass-produced automobile.

“The T Model Ford is actually a 1922 and the caravan was built in 1927,” said Ron Chapman, CEO of Caravanning Queensland, which organizes the annual Queensland Caravan, Camping & Touring Holiday Show and is the current owner of the vintage rig.

“The caravan itself was built for a family, by the name of Bailey, who were sheep farmers at Deloraine, in the mid north of Tasmania,” explained Chapman.

“It was actually built by a boat builder, and the frame inside is timber which has been shaped just like the old wooden boat frames were shaped, and it then had canvas pulled over the top of it.

“Back in the early days it would have had some type of waterproofing. When it was restored we’ve actually put a special paint on to it, as a weatherproofer.”

Despite its bare-boned appearance, the lightweight van is not completely devoid of features. The small opening windows in the roof demonstrate some thought was put into its design. ??The two-piece rear door gives access to three seats/beds, a folding table and folding seat, while a special axle and springs were fabricated along with a semi-spring coupling.

“The Bailey family used to use it for recreation, to go down to beach areas on northern Tasmania, just fishing and camping, and it is we believe Australia’s first caravan,” he said.

Earliest records show the canvas van precedes Australia’s first production caravans, which were built by R.J. Ranking in Sydney’s Newtown from 1929.

Chapman said the stylish tow vehicle has an interesting story of its own.

“When T Model Fords were brought to Australia in those days they often came in just as a cab and chassis and that’s what happened with this. Just the bonnet, the chassis and the front seat were there," he said. ??

“And they used to use the packing cases that they came in to build the body. They were commonly known as a T Model Woodie.

“This particular one was restored a few years ago, by the National Motor Museum in Launceston, and the body on this is now made out of Tasmanian Oak.”

According to Chapman the four-seater wagon, powered by a 17kW, 2.9-litre four-cylinder engine and boasting a LandCruiser-beating 250mm ground clearance and tall, narrow wheels, was the 1920s’ version of today’s four-wheel drives.

“The T Model were very famous for being able to go off-road just like you do with four-wheel drives now, and it’s because they had such high clearance; that if they did sink, eventually they would go down and find grip under the surface, and by finding grip under the surface they could go over some fairly impassable roads…”