Gold Class experience expands to four dealers

Six months after making the bold move of launching a brand new caravan brand in a crowded, stagnant market and establishing a national dealer network from scratch, Market Direct's new Gold Class Caravans 'disruptor' brand is slowly gathering pace and recently appointed its fourth independent dealer in the country.

The Chinese-built Gold Class caravans are now available in four states, with models currently on display at Newcastle RV Super Centre in Beresfield, NSW; Adventure Caravan Centre in Slacks Creek, Queensland; Coastal Caravans in Somerset, Tasmania and The Touring Hub in Epping, Victoria.

Interestingly, most of the outlets chosen so far stock similar style, locally-built models from the likes of New Age, Urban and Essential (The Touring Hub), Concept, Newlands and Viscount (Adventure Caravan Centre), Crusader, Great Aussie (Adventure Caravan Centre), and Traveller (Newcastle RV Super Centre).

Unlike other caravans and hybrids from the Brisbane-based Market Direct Group (MDG), the new Gold Class 'vans will only be available at independent caravan dealers; not the eight MDC exclusive dealers already set up around the country.

Launched in May with a distinct Aussie 'tough nut' caravan appearance, the new Gold Class imported vans' key point of difference is the 'fixed price, all inclusive' sales strategy adopted by MDG.

This sees even the cheapest $84,990 Luxe Class model loaded up with standard features including trailing arm coil suspension, a 300Ah Enerdrive lithium battery system with 2000W inverter and 350W rooftop solar, Eberspächer diesel heater and Dometic rooftop air conditioner, front load washer/dryer, internal induction cooker, slide-out kitchen, a Thetford 224L compressor fridge/freezer, microwave, gas oven, 28in TV, Fusion stereo, Simarine four inch display screen and inclinometer, powered awning and electric lift dining table, along with a separate shower and toilet.

If that's not enough, base models also come standard with Cowfish Cosmo 12V Starlink Gen 3 power supply, LED mood lighting, twin Sirocco fans, Tuson asymmetric stability control, a reverse camera and two 80L fresh water and one 80L grey water tanks.

The only catch is buyers can't personalise exterior/interior styling in the same way that you can with almost all other locally sold 'vans, with just two interior colour schemes available across the Gold Class range.

Lloyd Waldron, marketing and dealer operations manager at Track Trailer for more than 20 years before it was restructured in late-2024, was hired earlier this year as MDG's National Dealer Development Manager in charge of setting up the Gold Class Caravans' dealer network around the country.

While long-time New Age Caravans' executive Adrian Di Vincenzo also joined Gold Class Caravans around the same time, as its Business Development Manager.

Queensland's Adventure Caravan Centre is the latest multi-brand dealer to come on board, and had a display of GC 'vans at the recent Let’s Go Explore Caravan and RV Expo at the Brisbane Showgrounds.

"This partnership with Adventure Caravan Centre builds on our strategy to expand customer access (to Gold Class 'vans) across the country," Waldron said. "The aim is to have direct representation in all states..."

No overnight success, the Brisbane-based Market Direct Group led by founder Vaughan Hindley started off in 2005 importing fairly basic tent trailers, before leading the charge of importing larger off-road pop-top hybrid campers from 2013.

With a claimed 25,000-plus RV sales to date, the company has been aggressively pushing out a range of full-size touring and off-road caravans in recent years, in direct competition with local caravan manufacturers, while also selling them in other markets.

It's not the first time MDG has launched a new brand; its AusRV off-shoot started off as a locally-built composite range before production was taken offshore.

MDG General Manager – Commercial & Product, James Field, said it was not fair to put the new Gold Class Caravans range in the same basket as Chinese-built 'copycats'.

"The idea that importers simply copy existing products is simplistic and untrue," he explained. "Across industries (whether it’s automotive, tech, or caravans) brands evolve with consumer expectations. Innovation and iteration go hand in hand, and that’s no different here.

"(MDG) were in (the offroad-capable hybrid caravans) niche long before it became the norm; leading, not following," he said.

"We currently employ over 160 staff across the country and deliver more than 2500 campers and caravans to Australians every year. Behind every product is a full-time product development and technical team of six, dedicated solely to R&D, innovation and technical excellence."

Field said while it's true that MDG has dedicated Chinese manufacturing facilities the company invests heavily in the Australian market.

It's also leading the way in raising the bar on quality standards in the Australian RV industry, with achievements including ISO9001 compliance, RVMAP accreditation and soon, RV Master Manufacturer accreditation.

"Far from cutting corners, we take pride in aligning with the best Australian suppliers for our key components and appliances," he said. "In many cases, we place more focus on sourcing quality local components than some domestic offroad caravan manufacturers.  This is because building a reliable offroad product for Australian conditions demands it."

You can check out some of the Gold Class 'vans currently listed for sale on caravancampingsales by the Newcastle dealer here.

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