Kokoda offers Zone 'clone' relief package

A Melbourne caravan manufacturer is offering financial assistance, including the opportunity to buy a discounted 'Zone clone' caravan, to Zone RV caravan buyers left in the lurch after the recent collapse of the high-profile Queensland caravan builder.

Campbellfield, Victoria-based Kokoda Caravans says it's launched a Community Support Initiative to assist affected Zone RV customers who have lost deposits or instalment payments following Zone RV's decision to enter voluntary administration this week.

Related: Zone RV in administration

Zone RV customers who had placed deposits on undelivered caravans face potential losses of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, while suppliers are also facing substantial losses after the collapse of the 10-year old Queensland premium caravan builder.

According to the Zone RV website, Zone caravan buyers were required to put down an initial 5% deposit, followed by a 40% mid-build payment, and a further 35% payment two months from the completion date. The final 20% was due by the pick-up date.

It's been reported that one Victorian couple was asked to transfer the final $40,000 payment on their newly completed Zone 'van, just hours before the business closed its gates and days before they were due to pick up their 'van. While another Sydney couple that was due to collect their 'van next week had already paid $270,000 to Zone.

As many as 200 or more Zone RV employees with entitlements owing were also told this week they'd lost their job, with the first creditors meeting set to take place on December 10.

Meanwhile, 7News is reporting that a whistleblower alerted the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) back in September, claiming that Zone RV was trading insolvent, after which it is reported that ASIC decided not to "take any further action at this time”.

As part of its novel assistance scheme, Kokoda Caravans is offering up to $20,000 credit to affected Zone buyers towards a new Kokoda 'Peregrine', 'Sojourn' or 'Summit' caravan model.

Kokoda says because it uses a similar composite panel construction method to Zone, their production team can match or closely replicate many layouts and features that the Zone customers originally ordered.

Kokoda has also launched a Community Support Fund with an initial $20,000 contribution from Kokoda, that is available to affected Zone customers but doesn't require the purchase of a Kokoda 'van.

For every eligible Kokoda caravan sold under this initiative, Kokoda says it will contribute an additional $3000 to the fund, while members of the public are also being invited to donate to the fund.

Kokoda said the initiative is about "supporting people first, not replacing orders", and will not impact current Kokoda customer build times or commitments.

"Nobody in this industry wants to see families lose their savings or the dream they’ve been planning for months, sometimes years," explained Kokoda Caravans' owner Trevor Price. "As fellow Australian caravan builders, we feel a responsibility to step up in moments like this."

Under previous owners Kokoda Caravans was placed in administration in 2019, with the Price family transforming the business in recent years including the introduction of the ground-breaking Counterstrike Vincere off-grid model.

It's not the first time an Aussie caravan manufacturer has stepped in to help when another RV business has gone bust. Nova recently gave a new 'van to a victim of the Tango Caravans liquidation and, back in 2019, Melbourne's Lotus Caravans gifted a Trooper 'van to a couple who lost their life savings after a dealer collapse.

Further details on the Community Support Initiative are available on the Kokoda Caravans website.