New Age caravans back in New Zealand

Melbourne's New Age is the latest Aussie RV manufacturer to 'cross the ditch', after recently appointing two new dealers in the land of the long white cloud.

The popular Aussie caravan brand will be represented by CMG Campers on the South Island, while Total RV Limited will take on New Age's latest range of pop-tops and caravans at its Auckland dealership on the North Island.

Located in Sockburn, Christchurch, CMG Campers is also the official home for UK-built Swift caravans and motorhomes as well as the big-selling Chinese-built Snowy River and Regent range which like the New Age vans, are shipped out of Melbourne.

CMG Campers is part of the Cockram Motor Group which also represents a large number of car and motorcycle brands including GWM, MG, Jeep, BYD, Aprilia, Indian and Vespa.

Run by a couple of 30-something, ex-Jayco dealer employees, Silverdale, Auckland-based Total RV Limited had been operating as a caravan and motorhome repair specialist before it decided to become a New Age dealer earlier this year.

It's not the first time that New Age vans are being sold in New Zealand, with Auckland Motorhomes operating as a New Age dealer in the North Island for a period from around 2016.

Both of the new New Zealand dealers are currently taking orders for all the Melbourne-built New Age models, with a selection of vans expected to go on display at the respective retail outlets in coming weeks. However, that's unlikely to include the Wayfinder camper trailer which has only been built in small numbers in 2024 as the premium camper market moves away from canvas, and it faces stiff competition from cheaper locally built and imported models.

With RV sales in Australia down significantly from pandemic highs, New Age is the latest Aussie RV brand to cross the ditch in search of new buyers, joining Sydney's Suncamper, along with a long list of others with New Zealand retail outlets including Hilltop, Explorer, Jayco, Crusader, Red Centre, Titanium, Royal Flair, Urban, Rembrandt, and Ausflex.

It's also part of an ongoing shake-up at the Walkinshaw-owned Melbourne caravan manufacturing business following some pandemic-related issues, including a major revamp of New Age's Australian dealer network, and the recent move to build caravans for other brands including Coromal at its Melbourne factory.