Cub Campers changes hands after 58 years

The Sydney family behind one of Australia's longest running RV builders has stepped away from the business it created almost six decades ago.

Speaking on the Cub Campers' stand at this year's Sydney Caravan Supershow, new Cub Campers' managing director Scott Dillon told caravancampingsales he took full ownership of the 58-year old camper and hybrid manufacturer about a month ago, after managing director Shane Fagan and other family members still involved in the iconic Aussie business decided to sell up and walk away for good.

The son of pioneering Riviera luxury yacht dealer Lee Dillon, Scott has a long history in marine sales including a stint running Sydney Riviera dealership R Marine Pittwater. More recently he worked as Cub's business development director at its North Rocks, Sydney factory and headquarters.

Scott said it was 'business as usual' for Cub Campers, which for most of its existence focussed on affordable, canvas-topped camper trailers but pivotted four years ago and now finds 80 per cent of its overall sales in the hybrid caravan and pop-top category.

Cub unveiled its latest hybrid variant at the Supershow; a pop-top off-road version of its new compact Wollemi composite caravan, priced from $79,000. The prototype on display had a flat slimline roof, which Scott said would be changed for the production version to a lightweight, moulded fibreglass electric pop-top roof like on the H16 model.

He said there are also plans to re-jig the electrical system on the entry-level Cub Weekender tent trailer; adopting a 'plug 'n play' electrical set-up using the myCoolman portable lithium power pack and solar blankets as a way to cut some of the build costs and reduce the starting price by a few thousand dollars (the Weekender currently retails from $29,990, up from $17,990 driveaway in 2019).

He's also slashed the starting price of the recently released 12ft 9in (internal body length) Wollemi Hardtop, down to $62,990 from its launch price of $69,990, as it competes directly with the growing number of feature-packed Chinese-built hybrids.

In other business changes, Cub recently closed its Newcastle dealership and is building a new showroom and service facility at its Sydney production facility.

“I really like the Cub Campers story, the fact that it hasn’t chopped and changed over the years and like me is highly passionate about the Australian-made ethos,” Dillon told Caravan World recently.

“It’s a new chapter in the life of a family business, and I’m honoured to be the first non-Fagan part of it.”

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