New RV show for Murray River region

The Caravan Trade & Industries Association of Victoria (CTIAV) has added another event to an already jam-packed Australian RV calendar with the inaugural Border RV & Camping Expo kicking off at the border town of Wodonga in late-August.

Retiring CTIAV president and show organiser Peter Wright said Albury-Wodonga was a natural for a major new leisure show, with its location at the junction of the Hume Highway and the mighty Murray River.

The CTIAV also stages the Victorian Caravan Camping & Touring Supershow at Caulfield and the Melbourne and Bendigo Leisurefests, which last year had combined ticket sales of 107,000.

Wright said the "one-stop leisure lifestyle expo" will be the biggest event of its kind in the region. He said "all the big names" of the Australian RV industry will be represented, with around 200 RVs on display as well as a wide range of accessories and services.

"It's hard to think of a more natural area for RVs and caravans – the Hume is on the way to everywhere, and there's nothing quite like the Murray as a leisure destination," he said.

"Not surprisingly, we've had a tremendous response from exhibitors who are keen to show off their wares to the community of the border region, the Riverina and northern Victoria."

Incidentally, the CTIAV’s new executive officer Robert Lucas, who takes over the role from Peter Wright on July 1, has a close affinity with the area, having lived and worked on the border for the past 12 years with the last four years as the chief of Wodonga Chamber of Commerce.

Entry to the Border RV & Camping Expo, at the Wodonga & District Turf Club from August 26-28, is $10 for adults, $8 concession and free for kids under 15.

It's open 9.30am to 5pm on the Friday and Saturday, and 9.30am to 4pm on Sunday, with free parking and free kids' activities including an Anaconda climbing wall.

For more information see the Caravan Industry Australia website .