Top-5 costly caravans for sale

Got $250,000 to spend? Here's our pick of caravans for motorhome-money you can buy right now

It wasn't that long ago that a $100,000-plus caravan raised eyebrows, while just five years ago the idea of paying $200,000 for a caravan seemed far-fetched for most buyers.

Now you can easily pay $300,000 for an Australian-built caravan, and the number of $200,000-plus caravans on the market seem to increase every week.

As we pass the mid-way mark of 2023, we've just counted close to 15 caravans priced at around $200,000 or more for sale on caravancampingsales, including four at 'motorhome money' of around a quarter million dollars -- about the same as the 9.6m Avida truck-based house on wheels we reviewed back in 2016!

You can blame a number of factors for the 'boom' in high-priced caravans -- COVID-related inflation and manufacturing cost increases, and the availability of big-buck lithium battery systems capable of powering home appliances while camping off-grid -- among the main culprits.

So if you've won the lotto or retired on a sizable lump sum, here's our pick of money-no-object vans currently available on the market...

Avoid the queue with this near-new Kedron van available now for $250K

Kedron XC5 Cross Country

As a hot commodity at the pointy end of the Aussie caravan market, near-new Kedron vans are a rare sight on the used caravan market. So here's the chance to avoid the queues with a 2022-build 24ft Kedron XC5 family off-roader based in Palm Beach, Queensland available for sale.

"Priced to sell" at $250,000, the seller says the big Kedron bunk van with its 4500kg ATM is "brand new" and has only "done one trip". As you'd expect with any custom-built Kedron, it comes with "every extra known to man" including a dishwasher, Zip HydropTap with sparkling, chilled and boiling water, 6ft 6in mattress and triple bunks, diesel heater, satellite TV, Airsafe coupling, full annexe, and a 300Ah lithium battery system with additional rooftop solar panels.

Lyfe RV Tribe

In only a short time Lyfe RV has developed a reputation for building some of Australia's most desirable composite hybrid caravans, but now the boutique Melbourne manufacturer is hitting the big time with its latest 22ft 48V electric family model, available at its Perth dealer.

Described as the "ultimate family van", the Lyfe RV Tribe 2.2 has a Tare of 3200kg and comes loaded up with the latest features including a 1000Ah lithium battery bank and 2000W rooftop solar panels, to power on-board appliances including a dishwasher, washing machine/dryer, indoor/outdoor induction cooktops and an externally mounted convection oven.

It also comes with Corian benchtops, brass/copper tapware, a UHF Cowfish antenna, composting toilet and Cruisemaster's ATX airbag suspension with disc brakes.

Bruder EXP-7

Blending the best of Bruder's range-topping EXP-8 caravan and its EXP-6 hybrid camper, the latest Bruder EXP-7 pop-top for sale in Queensland is described as the "ultimate camper, with the ability to take you almost anywhere in sumptuous luxury, style and with the comforts of home".

Priced at $258,500 drive-away, it boasts a long list of features including 1245 watts of rooftop solar and a 10kWh lithium battery bank, 280 litres on-board water tanks, two 5m-wide electric awnings, an auto-levelling system, and a reverse cycle air-conditioner and diesel air and hot water heater.

One-year old Zone RV Summit van is priced at $220K

Zone RV Summit 20.6

Queensland's Zone RV no longer sells the top-spec Summit Series model, so if you're looking for something a bit special for your next off-grid caravan holiday, this 2022-build 20ft 6in Summit caravan looks enticing for its $220,000 asking price.

Described as being as "good as new with thousands of dollars in extras" and claimed to have never been taken off the bitumen, the 4500kg ATM, Coolum Beach, Queensland-located Summit 20.6 off-roader comes with extras including a Stone Stomper protection, WiTi GPS tracker, awning walls and and a custom van cover valued at $5000.

Hit the highways with this larger-than-life fifth-wheeler priced at $250K

Custom DRV Tradition

Big fifth-wheeler caravans are not very popular in Australia at the moment, especially those built in the USA, but if you're looking for a luxury-laden motorhome-on-wheels and have the right vehicle to tow it with, then this 2015-model DRV Tradition 390 RESS fifth-wheeler packs in plenty for its $249,990 asking price.

Described as being in "immaculate condition and hardly used", the triple axle behemoth boasts an apartment-style layout thanks to four slide-outs, and is loaded with features including a 'log fire' blow heater, underfloor ducted heating, a ducted vacuum cleaner, pop-up TV, hydraulic auto-levelling legs, an electric awning, and a big onboard 12V battery system along with a 5500 watt generator.