Great start for Border show

The inaugural Border RV & Camping Expo has been judged a big success by its organisers, with more than 15,000 visitors over three days passing through the gates of the Wodonga Racecourse in late-August.

While not a massive number when compared to some of Australia’s bigger metropolitan caravan shows, the Border Expo did manage to eclipse the record 14,300 attendance at last year’s Bendigo Leisurefest, another small Victorian rural show organised by the Caravan Trade & Industries Association of Victoria (CTIAV).

Spread over grassy surrounds near the Wodonga Racecourse grandstand, the Expo attracted around 120 exhibitors displaying a range of caravans, camper trailers, motorhomes, tents, accessories and RV related services.

As well as the usual ‘show specials’ to entice cashed up punters, a number of manufacturers took the opportunity to unveil new models or updates at the Border RV Expo.

These included Presidential Motorhomes’ upgraded Navigator, priced at $200,000 and currently for sale with around $14,000 of optional extras, and a new, budget family caravan from Windsor, called the Genesis 585X, priced at under $34,000 and featuring a double bed and triple bunks.

Crusador Caravans also unveiled a new variation on its luxury Inspiration series, called the Platinum, which features a full-height rear boot with twin access doors. The 21ft example on display, priced at $69,500, also came with a number of bonus options.

Innovative Victorian manufacturer Van Cruiser also drew a decent crowd with a new addition to its striking ‘Bullitt’ series of vans, a compact 3.0m long camper trailer with A-frame-style pop-up canvas roof.

Another novelty was Van Cruiser’s new range of rotomoulded, plastic tub tent trailers, featuring “rust free” polyethylene tubs available in a range of colours. Priced for the budget conscious, the Trekmaster Titan 6x4 Ultra model on display had a show special price of just $4690.

Of course, no RV show worth its salt is complete without a mind boggling range of accessories to tempt show-goers, and the Border Expo didn’t disappoint in this regard. 

EcoPot’s energy-efficient, portable induction cooker, RV Towing Solutions’ handy DIY Smartline clothes line, and the Happy Camper Gourmet range of tasty pre-cooked meals, were just some of the latest products on display.

Some dealers and manufacturers also reported a brisk trade during the show, with local Albury-based camper trailer manufacturer, Mountain Trail Campers, taking orders for four of its premium, soft-floor, off-road campers -- or almost 10 per cent of the company's current annual production.