Time to Roam Magazine Issue 7 - February/March 2014 | Page 26

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upfront feature
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“ Even today the
Don appears
quite remarkable
for its design
and features
which included
an enamel bath
and washbasin
in the deluxe
version.”
1 The Dickins family’s brand new Don caravan
in 1949 (see story over page)
2 The Don factory taken in the 1940s, the building still stands today
3 An early Don matched with a Rugby 6 car,
Photographer R. McConchie. Source: Museum Victoria.
4 Don illustration taken from an advertisement in
the Australian Motor Manual 1948

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for a working man at that time.
But Mr Gates readily agreed to the price
and it wasn’t long before another half
dozen were ordered and RH Robinson
and Son moved to bigger premises across
the road, becoming Don Caravans.
Don claimed a number of caravan
firsts including brace-operated parking
jacks, a slide-away step, combined
jack and caster wheel on the A-frame
and a captive ball coupling.
Even today the Don appears quite
remarkable for its design and features
which included an enamel bath and

wash basin in the deluxe version.
Leadlight windows are a stand-out
feature. Apparently they were chosen
originally because single panes could
be replaced in the event of rocks being
thrown up on the rough roads at the time.
The model range expanded with the original
12ft model (of which few were produced)
joined by larger designs including one of
16ft – considered a big van in its day.
Production peaked at around 80 caravans
per year just prior to World War II and
with Syd enlisting, the factory converted
to produce goods for the war effort.
Don is one of only a few caravan builders to
have resumed production after the war. The
only major change was the use of marinegrade bondwood ply timber which had
been developed for aircraft during the war.
Don Robinson did not adapt to change very
readily and continued to produce caravans
until 1956 based very closely on his original
1934 design. Even the colour range was
limited to just one: cream with green trim.
After attending a caravan show in the
mid 1950s, Don’s sister-in-law, who’d
been making curtains for each van,
persuaded Don that his caravans were
looking decidedly old fashioned.
Don reluctantly accepted the