Australian Caravan Manufacturers

[austin125]

Hi and I hope this goes to as many people as possible. I am compiling all the Australian Caravans manufactured between approx 1947 and 1970 but will also include earlier years if the information forthcomes.
All data is being based on the Keith Winser Caravan Manuals over those years and I already have over 140 Caravan Manufactures and over 2700 makes/models/options for Australian Caravans over these years. This includes length, width, height and where possible types of brakes and stoves.
Can anyone fill me in on the following questions?
Who made the 1947 Wayfarer Is it the same maker as from 1960? Where were Botteriill & Fraser manufacturer located in 1947? Where was Bungavan manufacturer located in 1948?
Who made Palmtown -The Delite in 1951/2? Who made Courtney caravan in 1956? Who made Streamlite in 1951 to 1958? Who made St James caravan in 1957? Who made Dee-Jay caravans 1960-1961? Who made Trailmaster caravans 1965? Who made Futura Caravans 1967? Who made Escort Caravans 1968? Who made Hunter Caravans 1968?

Does anyone have books 7, 18,21,22,23,24 from which I can scan some missing info from?

If anyone has a passion for a particular make and has a written history, that would be appreciated too. Not sure if I've got the time to scan every picture of every caravan to match ID's though.

[Franklin1]

G'day austin125,

Sounds like you've taken on a humungous project!

You'll be the best friend of many a V.V enthusiast once you've completed that mammoth task.

When you ask "Who made...", what exactly are you looking for? For example, St James caravans were made by the St. James Caravan Co., 393 Liverpool Rd., Ashfield (Sydney suburb) - [advert March 1956], or do you want to know the name of the owner of the business?

What little we know of the Escort brand is in the DHL section.

"Futura" caravans were made by Barnes Caravans, who are currently in Lansvale (Sydney suburb) [selling spare parts only these days], but they may have been in a different location back in the 60s/70s.

I've never heard of plenty of those other names you mention, so it will be interesting to see if any info comes to light.

cheers,
Al.

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Austin125,

The info you are looking for is in the Down History Lane section for the following manufacturers you mentioned:

• Botterill & Fraser
  
• Courtney
  
• Streamlite
  
• St James
  
• Dee-Jay
  
• Futura
  
• Escort
  

Have a look at the index at the top of the section and you should be able to find what you're looking for.

If memory serves me right the Bungavan was the name given to one of the vans in Keith Winser's caravan plans books (and later used by Silvio Berlosconi, former President of Italy, for certain disreputable purposes ).

Trailmaster - several manufacturers used the Trailmaster name, including Jennison, Roadmaster (or Adelma?) and (possibly) a Kennedy dealership, so it depends which one you are thinking of.

Palm-Town was built by Messrs Palmer and Townsend of Wangaratta. Can't figure out where the name came from, though...

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Austin125,

In regard to your previous post about various caravan manufacturers, I've now posted some info on Palm-Town caravans in the Down History Lane section here.

You also mentioned the Bungavan. The reference I've seen to Bungavans is in the 1951/52 Winser, in an advert for Motor Manual's Book of Lightweight Trailers:



The way I read it, there were plans for the Bungavan in the Book of Lightweight Trailers, so it was a DIY van rather than a manufactured item. I am presuming the name Bungavan is a contraction of 'bungalow van', or something similar.

Don Ricardo