Top-12 Sydney Supershow highlights

As predicted, the 2024 NSW Caravan, Touring Holiday Supershow held at the Rosehill Racecourse over six days in mid-April was full of surprises.

With dealers and manufacturers now having to chase buyers (rather than the other way around as was the case during COVID), there was plenty of enticing new products on offer, from slide-on, slide-out campers and quarter-million dollar Hilux-based motorhomes, to timber-lined campers and new cut-price Chinese-built hybrids.

All that, among a predominantly Melbourne-built and in some cases heavily discounted display of large caravans...

In the Crossfire

On The Move Caravans used to be a dinki-di all-Aussie caravan manufacturer, but under new owner Caravan HQ it's morphing into an importer of cut-price, eye-catching Chinese-built hybrids and off-road composite caravans.

While borrowing some design ideas from Aussie-built hybrids like the Cub (of which former Perth-based Coromal-Windsor general manager Peter Naylor was also reputedly involved with), the new OTM Crossfire 4.7 stood out at the Supershow in more than a few ways; not the least its odd-shaped tinted automotive glass windows and skateboard decking tape on the exterior...

Related: Sydney showgoers caught in the Crossfire

Conquering the Outback

Sydney's Suncamper is probably starting to stretch the price limit of what buyers are prepared to pay for a Toyota HiLux (or Ford Ranger) ute-based 'off-grid' camper, with the debut of its Conqueror '2.0' 4x4 at the Sydney Supershow, among other 2024-model upgrades.

The optioned up display model (still in pre-production form) had a drive-away sticker price of $258,500 (you'll pay another $5000 for the Ranger version), although it sounds like a few buyers are already lining up to get the first 2.0 Conquerors once they go into production later this year...

Related: Suncamper 4x4 camper gets tougher

Close to a year after launching its first camper trailer, ARB displayed the hard-shell Earth for the first time at a major Australia caravan show. Designed in Australia and built in Thailand, it's clear up close the ARB Earth's designers were heavily inspired by the Track Tvan, particularly when you peer inside the Earth's cosy sleeping quarters.

Also of note was the presence of specially trained 'Earth Camper Experts' on the ARB stand, with Joel from the ARB Moorebank outlet managing to answer all of our questions without skipping a beat. That's not always the case with some of the salespeople you talk to at caravan shows, who can sometimes be a little vague when it comes to the latest models they are being paid to spruik.

Gibb River takes on Snowy River

Not too many Aussie caravan manufacturers would dare introduce a cheaper imported model into their line-up. But times are changing, and as part of its multi-brand approach, fast-growing Melbourne-based caravan manufacturer Network RV displayed its new range of Gibb River Caravans at the Supershow, as a rival to the big-selling imported Snowy River models.

We were told that a main difference is the Gibb River vans have more Australian content than their Snowy rivals, due to the use of a locally-made chassis and suspension to go with the Chinese-built Gibb River bodies.

Like all Chinese vans the pricing is sharp (around $80-$85,000) although we're not too sure about the black piano interior surfaces in some of the display vans, unless there's a dust buster fitted to keep it all nice and shiny when travelling on dusty Outback roads.

Golden touch

Caravan 'bling' has been all the rage in recent years at Aussie caravan shows, with different trends coming and going like coloured panels and matching checker plate, all black exteriors, and black tapware.

While not exactly a trend yet (we only spotted two examples at the show), it was hard to miss the golden sinks with matching tapware on some of the more upmarket display vans. This included a fully optioned 18ft 9in Urban XTreme off-grid van priced at $187,990, while a very well equipped 20ft 'gas free' Bushtracker with gold sink and tapware cost even more at $273,155.

Turkish delight

Lightweight British and European composite caravans have been on the nose down under for quite a few years now, after they had their time in the sun, but that doesn't mean you still can't buy the odd full size Euro van that weighs about the same as an average Aussie camper trailer.

Local importer Carlight Caravans and Trailers had a handful of their latest Turkish-built Carpento caravans on display, including a $57,990 Carpento 410 single axle model with family-friendly fit-out including bunks and ensuite, and 860kg Tare and 1000kg ATM to make it towable by just about anything...

They used to be a common sight at caravan shows, but you don't see too many slide-on ute campers on display these days, despite this type of RV being an ideal travel companion for extreme hardcore 4WD expeditions like the Canning Stock Route.

So we couldn't pass by the Ute Cabin displayed alongside a Toyota HiLux at this year's Sydney Supershow. Not only does it mount to the back of many popular dual-cab utes, it comes with a slide-out dinette, combination ensuite, kitchen and queen bed for living quarters similar to those you see in some compact caravans.

Pricing is also caravan-like with the Thai-built King Class model on display starting at $88,700.

Counting the kilos

Mountain Trail's Nick Edwards was keen to tell us all about how he had just emerged victorious in a drawn-out legal battle involving a former employee, a rival caravan manufacturer and a 'copy-cat' version of a Mountain Trail caravan (you can read the full judgement on the Commonwealth Courts website).

It was obviously a traumatic experience for the founder of the 17-year old Albury, NSW manufacturer, so it's a wonder he's found time to introduce two new models to the range (while also deleting Mountain Trail's pricey hard-floor camper).

Displayed alongside the new XVR Pod camper was a potentially game-changing new single axle variant of Mountain Trail's LXV 5.8 (19ft) off-road composite caravan.

In a refreshing move that counters the overweight epidemic besetting the industry, Edwards said the Tare weight was reduced by about 200kg, down to 2505kg, by reconfiguring the caravan to ride on one instead of two axles.

"By reducing the weight of the caravan we're also reducing the aggregrate trailer mass, so the 3500kg variant of this is now 3150kg, which suits a lot more vehicles in the Australian market," Edwards explains in the Youtube video.

The full-width couple's van still comes loaded to the hilt with 860W rooftop solar, 480Ah lithium batteries, a 3000W inverter, diesel heater, air-conditioner, big fridge, washing machine and air conditioner, for its $180K-odd price tag.

New Age for Coromal

We wonder how many visitors to the Sydney RV stand were aware that the dozen or so brand-new Coromal vans on display came from the same manufacturer as the New Age caravans located just across the pathway?!

Sydney RV made a big splash of the latest Walkinshaw-built Coromal Soul Seeker vans, fresh from the Melbourne factory where New Age vans are also built, and why not with prices you don't normally see in a New Age dealership including a 16ft Coromal van advertised at a wallet-friendly $64,990... not to mention its towing-friendly Tare of 2020kg and ATM of 2430kg.

Franklin's X Factor

Continuing the distinctive green theme from the first caravan supershow of 2024 in Melbourne, was Franklin's new top-spec X Factor off-road van. Built by Melbourne's Concept Caravans, the 20ft 6in Franklin couples' van on the RV Connections stand was optioned up with the latest Military Green composite body panels plus a generator slide toolbox for its $103,290 show-special pricing.

Lotus races to the front

Melbourne's Lotus Caravans pioneered the now ubiquitous 'tough-van' look, with many since successfully adopting the theme including the AFL footy players' favourite caravan brand, Titanium.

Fighting back against the latest line of fabricated add-ons, Lotus displayed its new LC Customs Collection which the company says was inspired by Lotus' founder George Josevski’s passion for drag racing. The new LC Customs Drag Wing and Stealth Solar Panel Bracket were spotted on some of the latest '20th Anniversary' Lotus off-grid caravans.

Finally, those who enjoy the 'vanlife' timber-lined interior and coastal chic look were treated to one of the latest campervan creations from NSW-based Vanable Fitouts, as a taste of what's possible when it comes to creating your very own custom RV dream machine.