Jet Caravans blasts out of Queensland

It’s rare to go to a major caravan show these days and not spot at least one new brand – it’s that type of industry.

This year’s Queensland Caravan Show was no different, with fledgling custom builder Jet Caravans making its first appearance at Australia’s third-largest caravan show.

Jet Caravans is the RV offshoot of Queensland mining accommodation manufacturer, Portabuild, which employs around 170 people and has factories in Brisbane and Perth.

A slowdown in the mining sector – Portabuild currently builds around six miners’ huts a day, down from 12 previously – has led owner Terry Brouwers into RV manufacturing, with Jet Caravans presently producing just one custom-built caravan a month at its Wacol, Queensland factory.

Brouwers said he was also inspired by West Australia-based Fleetwood Corporation, which builds Coromal and Windsor caravans as well as supplying housing for mining workers.

Utilising some of the expertise gained from building the modular accomodation units, the new caravans’ body and roof are constructed of 35mm thick sandwich panels, with 0.6mm Colorbond steel on both sides similar to that used for domestic roofing.

Two years in development, Brouwers said the “unique patent pending design” is a first for the caravan industry, and is not unlike that used for cold storage in the truck and food processing industries.

Promising superior insulation, strength and resistance to moisture, it also comes with “self extinguishing properties” while interior surfaces feature “antibacterial protection”.

Inside and out, the frameless, semi-monocoque construction also contributes to a clean, edgy look. While the large, double glazed windows, light-coloured decor, and internal height of 6ft 8in (2.085m) help create an airy, spacious interior feel.

While offering a range of lengths and layouts, Jet Caravans had three 23ft 6in models on display in Queensland, highlighting some of the interior options available, including family bunk layouts.

Priced around $80,000, the vans were packed with the latest features and fixtures including China bowl toilet and hand basin, LED lighting, and flick mixers throughout. ATM weights were just under 3000kg including payloads of around 400-500kg.

Like the bodies, the 150mm one piece drawbar chassis are produced in-house, while the lightweight ply cabinetry is sourced and built locally.

Brouwers said he was determined to offer a different “boutique style” product to other caravan manufacturers, and wanted to get the product right before going down the route of mass production.

“We’re not relying on (Jet Caravans) being an income producer for us for quite some time... but we know this is a good market to get into,” he said.

“We’ve got a discerning market in the mining industry, and we understand what they all like, and we want to try and replicate that in the caravans.

“We know we have a good product... There are people out there that want something better, and our aim is to chase that second, third, fourth caravan buyer...”