Korong Caravans - Bendigo, Vic.

[Franklin1]

Korong Caravans - History:

It would appear Korong Caravans was the name of a caravan dealership in Bendigo, Victoria, who sold rebadged vans that were made by Franklin. This is not unlike the Norm Reeman badged caravans that pop up on the forum from time to time, which are also rebadged Franklins.

Forum discussions about Korong caravans can be found in these threads:

A Tow Car To Die For showing custom59's Korong in the background of the first photo. This van looks very similar to earlee's 1964 Franklin. ( 1964 Franklin - earlee's )

Korong, Valiant and Roma showing clearer photos of custom59's Korong.

Kennedy caravans This is the Down History Lane thread for Kennedy caravans. In Reply #7, korongking makes mention of his fibreglass van that has the name Korong on it.

[Franklin1]

1966 (approx) Korong 13ft x 7ft caravan: This van was listed on ebay in July 2009. The seller told me it was sold new by Bendigo York Caravans. I'm pretty sure this van is a Franklin Premier that has had the Korong name branded on it (see top right photo)...

[barbarab]

Hi,
a comment on the Norm Reeman caravans. We lived in an old caravan on site while we built this house back in the late eighties. It was on its last legs when we got it and when we moved into the house, it went to the great caravan park in the sky - but its badge didn't. Tony felt sentimental over it and he attached it to his workbench (he has soul) and we just went out and rescued it. It reads
Norm Reeman Caravans
408 Canterbury Rd., Surrey Hills, Victoria
Phone 83 8877
Serial No 305

Barbara B

[Don Ricardo]

A late 50's or early 60's van with the 'Korong' name signwritten above the front window, and a Korong name plate.

As indicated the 'Korong' name was applied to a variety of vans sold by Bendigo Caravans, a caravan dealer in Bendigo. This one looks to me as if it is from the Ballarat caravan enclave - Franklin...Coronet...Huntsman?**



Note that there is a very small numerical figure just below and to the right of the 'g' in Korong which indicates the length of the van. I can't quite read it, but at a guess it may be '16' in this case.









Don Ricardo

**Addendum 14 August 2017: To answer my own question regarding the origins of this van, the shelf in the galley with the single centre support indicates that it was built by Franklin.

[Don Ricardo]

Photos of Custom59's 'Korong' branded Franklin van, referred to by Franklin1 in the first post on this thread:





Note that as in the previous example, the small figure below the word 'Korong' on the back of the van indicates the caravan's length - 13 feet, as advised by Custom59 here.