Time to Roam Magazine Issue 7 - February/March 2014 | Page 27

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upfront feature
advice, resulting in two new lines of
caravans introduced in 1956.
The first was an upmarket 15ft model carrying
over the original Don shape and many of the
interior features of the old design, but in a
completely new shell with aluminium windows.
The second new line of Don caravans
was an economy Cadet model with a lower
price and a similar shape to many other vans
produced around that time. There were three
models in the Cadet range and it was relatively
successful, with more than 2,000 built.
But by the early 1960s the end was
fast approaching for many smaller
caravan makers including Don.
The booming new Franklin factory in Ballarat
was using an assembly line to produce 10
aluminium caravans per week using just 20
employees. In contrast, Don was still making
bondwood vans and at its height employed
50 to produce three caravans a week.
Franklin’s new lightweight designs meant
Don could no longer claim to be the most
lightweight and affordable caravan on the
market – a fact that had been the mainstay
of its marketing for decades before.
The factory finally closed in 1965. However

The first Don purchased by E.L. Gates

the Robinsons did maintain a link to the industry, operating the ‘Green
Acres’ caravan park in Springdale. Opened in 1953, it was also
innovative for its day, with onsite vans. Don buyers were given the
chance to leave their purchases at the park and rent them out to others.
The park remains in business today as the
undowner Caravan and Cabin Park.
> continued page 28

Albury
14, 15 & 16 February
Illawarra
21, 22 & 23 February
Gold Coast
28, 29 & 30 March
Hunter Valley
23, 24 & 25 May
Mid North Coast
8, 9 & 10 August
Orana
19, 20 & 21 September
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Issue 07 Feb/Mar 2014

27