Time to Roam Magazine Issue 3 - June/July 2013 | Page 22

Adelaide All Stars

South Australia produced more than its
fair share of caravans in the 1950s and 60s
By Susan and Keith Hall

Pictured: (Top) Larry and Judy Weeper’s
1963 Roadmaster with a colour-matched
1967 Mercury Cougar. (Middle) The Weepers
relax inside their 1963 Roadmaster.
(Bottom) Ellen and Bob Haywood with their
1960 Adventurer caravan

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www.timetoroam.com.au

Most vintage caravan enthusiasts view
the mid-20th century as the golden age of
caravans.
After all, it was the dawn of an era when
every family aspired to own a car and a
caravan.
Taking family holidays by the beach or in
the bush really became part of the great
Australian dream.
But in the 1950, the era of hand-built
wooden caravans, the states with the biggest
caravan markets weren’t actually the
biggest builders.
South Australia punched way above its
weight, producing many of Australia’s iconic
brands.
New South Wales and Victoria had a
handful of manufacturers, but South
Australia had dozens. Brands included
Adelma, Adventurer, Broadway, Clipper,
Furness, Globetrotter, Hardy, Harris,
Jennison, Paramount, Quest, Road Cruiser,
Roadmaster and Rowvan. Even the
legendary Viscount started out in Adelaide

before moving to Sydney in the late 1950s.
Today Adelaide still has some tell-tale
signs remaining from its glory days of
caravan manufacturing.
In the suburb of St Marys there is a
Furness Street named in honour of the
former caravan builder, while the sign
“Globetrotter Caravans” is still evident on
the back of building in Hindmarsh.
The most enduring testament to the South
Australian caravan industry is the high
esteem in which these vans are regarded in
the vintage caravan community. Beautifully
restored and loved by their owners, they’re
testament to the original high level of
craftsmanship of their builders.
But the most interesting thing about
these vans is the way they all seem to reveal
unexpected stories about different aspects
of South Australian caravanning history.
Because the caravans were manufactured
by small family-owned businesses, these
stories are often also part of a family history.
A 1953 Jennison caravan belonging to
Jeff Gill of Canberra is a good example.
The company that built it was started by