Seeney's Caravan (Dalby, Qld)

[Don Ricardo]

SEENEY'S CARAVAN

Manufactured by Seeney's Body & Caravan Builders
Dalby, Queensland

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Photos of a 1940's Seeney's caravan listed on Gumtree in March 2022:

With its design and truck or heavy vehicle hitch, this caravan was evidently for commercial use as mobile accommodation for workers.  The Gumtree advert indicated that the van was built in the 1940's.  In some ways the design looks a bit more modern than that, but the three-digit phone number of 'Dalby 193' does suggest a 1940's origin.

Investigation via Trove tells us that Seeney's was actively involved in providing workers' caravans for shire councils in Western Queensland in the 1940's and 50's.  An extract from the Longreach Leader printed on Friday, 27 May 1949 (page 14) tells us that Isisford Council (south of Longreach) accepted a tender from J Seeney for the supply of the a three man caravan at the cost of £235:

(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article125606315 )

On Friday, 3 March 1950 the Roma Western Star (page 4) reported that the Warroo Shire Council in the Darling Downs decided to approach Seeney's - based in Dalby and Roma - to purchase materials to repair 'the caravan' and also to obtain a quote for a new caravan:


(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97536530 )

Then on Thursday, 1 December 1955 the St George Balconne Beacon reported that the Shire of Balconne (based in St George) received tenders for the supply of two double berth caravans for the use of Council employees.  The tenders came for J & AW Seeney in Dalby at a price of £335 each, J Smith& Sons in Gympie at a price of £542/13/-each, the Warwick Spring Service Station in Warwick at a price of £421/10/-, and Carapark (Queensland) at a price of £600 each for 12 ft x 9 ft models or £500 each for 12 ft x 7 ft models.  Not surprisingly perhaps, Seeney's were awarded the contract!


(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215351422 )

Don Ricardo