Ballarat Outdoor Living & Caravan Expo

Daniel Ball upgraded from a $72,000 Leader Gold LE caravan to a $125,000 Supreme Classic Tourer. He installed a custom Redarc power system with 840 watts of roof solar and a 620-amp lithium battery, enabling off-grid use of a split-system air conditioner and other appliances without a generator. After running a heater for five and a half hours, cooking, and charging devices, the battery still had 91% charge the next morning.

In the Great Southern region of Western Australia, a pickup driver towing a caravan lost control while overtaking a truck carrying grain. The caravan began to sway, and the vehicle left the road. Both drivers were uninjured. The incident occurred on Thursday morning on Collie-Dumbleyung Road. Western Australian authorities urged drivers to be cautious ahead of long weekends and school holidays. As of July 2026, nearly 147,000 caravans and motorhomes were registered in the state; their number has increased over the past five years. This year, three people died in regional Western Australian crashes involving vehicles towing caravans or camper trailers. Over the past decade, 17 people died in such crashes, 16 of them in regional areas of the state. The Road Safety Commission noted that 13 people died on Western Australian roads during last year's October school holidays.

On Thursday on Collie-Dumbleyung Road in Western Australia, a ute towing a caravan lost control while overtaking a grain truck. The caravan fishtailed, but no one was injured.

Two people were taken to hospital after a car towing a caravan rolled on the Newell Highway near Alectown, north of Parkes, shortly before 11am on Friday, September 25. A man in his 80s was treated for an arm injury and a woman in her 70s for minor hand injuries; both were taken to Dubbo Base Hospital. As of 12:40pm, emergency services were still clearing the scene, with alternating stop/slow traffic conditions in place near the intersection of Claremont Lane and the Newell Highway.

Australian off-road camper manufacturer Australian Off Road (AOR), based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, entered external administration on September 15 with debts to creditors of about A$9 million. Nearly 50 customers risk losing a combined A$2.25 million in progress payments for unfinished or not yet manufactured campers, while about 70 employees are owed A$2.16 million in unpaid wages, superannuation and unused leave. The Australian Taxation Office has claims of at least A$2.72 million, suppliers are owed A$1.6 million, and assets are estimated at about A$755,000. Administrators are seeking a buyer for the business; if it cannot be sold as a single package, production machinery, equipment and inventory will be auctioned separately.

The Melbourne Caravan & Camping Leisurefest will run from October 1–4 at Sandown Racecourse for its 34th edition, featuring 165 exhibitors. The show will host launches including Vista RV's 2XL, Austrack Campers' first Toy Hauler Gunbarrel X19, MDC's XT MK4 range, and Supreme Caravans' new motorhome range on a 4500kg GVM Iveco Daily chassis with 10 layouts. Entertainment includes Bluey and Bingo, RC car races, and pet travel sessions with Dr Katrina Warren. A Passport to Freedom competition offers a Dreamhaven 15 Series Tourline Caravan valued at $70,290, and a separate promotion provides a daily $5,000 discount on eligible purchases across six Caravan Industry Victoria shows. According to RV Production IQ, 3,728 new RVs entered the market in July; towable production fell 14% year-on-year while motorised RV production rose 36%.