Kingdom Caravans shuts gates

Victoria's Kingdom Caravans is the latest casualty from an increasingly competitive cluster of caravan manufacturers and dealers located around Campbellfield in Melbourne's north.

Less than a decade old and employing around 25 staff, Kingdom closed its factory doors this week with debts of over $1million.

The appointed liquidator, Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants, is set to hold a creditors’ meeting at its office in William St, Melbourne on February 10. The main creditor is believed to be the Australian Tax Office, with about 30 creditors in total.

Con Kokkinos of Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants told Caravanning News that there’s a good chance of a sale.

“A number of parties have expressed an interest and we are exploring these possibilities,” he said.

Kingdom is the latest caravan company collapse in the thriving industrial hub of Melbourne’s northern suburbs, which is home to as many as 100 RV builders and related businesses.

Thomastown-based Palace Caravans went belly up in 2014, as did Campbellfield multi-brand dealer, the Caravan Super Centre (the site now occupied by Avan).

Somerton’s Galaxy Caravans went into liquidation in late-2014, though the former owner is believed to have recently opened a new factory nearby under the name of Customline caravans.

Manufacturers from other states that have also been forced to shut up shop lately include Queensland’s Southern Cross Caravans and Discoverer Caravans and NSW’s Five Star Campers and Caravans, Play Mor and Newcastle RVs.

However, one well-known brand that refuses to roll over is Campbellfield’s Regent Caravans. Founded in the 1990s, the manufacturer went bust in 2012, only to be revived under new owners and subsequently sold at a bargain price to China’s Daide Group.