Australian Off Road enters administration
Renowned Queensland outback camper manufacturer blames cheaper imports and copycats for collapseThe longstanding Queensland manufacturer behind some of Australia's best built hybrids, campers and pop-tops, has entered voluntary administration.
Despite selling a reported 180 caravans in 2025, which it described as "another fantastic" milestone for the then 25-year old Sunshine Coast manufacturer, AOR said it was forced to close its doors last week after being faced with "an increasingly difficult operating environment".
AOR director Russell Evans said the manufacturer had also been a victim of "intensifying product copying".
"At the same time, the market has experienced significant price pressure from increasingly sophisticated Chinese imports, making it increasingly difficult for a premium Australian manufacturer to compete on price while maintaining Australian manufacturing, employment and quality standards," Evans said.
He also blamed the higher cost of manufacturing on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, compared to that in southern states, and buyers who have "become increasingly price-driven".
Most AOR models sold well into six figures, with even some of its smallest models like the Odyssey Signature compact hybrid boasting a $100k-plus price tag.
It's believed a number of AOR customers who have paid deposits for caravans are still in the dark about when they might receive their 'van or their money back.
The company employed around 100 people at its 5500m2 Caloundra factory.
Quarter century of excellence
In a Youtube video posted last year, founder Steve Budden said AOR had come a long way since starting off in his carport with a $5000 credit card in 2000.
"I looked around and saw what was available at the time and believed I could do a lot better," he said.
More recently AOR expanded overseas including selling more than 20 campers in the USA in 2025; however, the writing was on the wall when it announced it would cease taking orders for its higher-priced Aurora, Sinergi and Quantum Full Height hybrid caravan models from February 2026, for a period of two years.
The company also said at the time it had "a number of exciting projects in the pipeline for 2026".
AOR won a number of awards over the years, including multiple Camper Trailer of the Year trophies, Sunshine Coast and Caloundra business awards, and the 2025 Caravan Industry Association of Australia RVMAP People’s Choice Manufacturer of the Year – Gold award.
“AOR was never simply a business to us. It was a passion for building products that could withstand the toughest conditions Australia could throw at them and provide exceptional back up service and warranty at the same time,” Budden said.
“We are immensely proud of what we achieved. Unfortunately, the manufacturing environment has changed dramatically. Competing against imported products on price, while also facing competitors with substantially lower manufacturing overheads, has made it increasingly difficult to sustain the business in its existing form.”
The road ahead
AOR has appointed Nick Keramos and Bill Karageozis from DVT Mcleods as administrators.
In a statement the company said: "AOR management acknowledges the disappointment and uncertainty facing employees, customers, suppliers, dealers and the broader AOR community.
"The administration process will determine the future of the company’s assets, outstanding obligations and any potential continuation or sale of the business."
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