Sovereign Manufacturing and Jobs

Contribution to Australia

Employment

21,000 FTE Jobs

Over 4,000 manufacturers, component suppliers, service and repairers, and dealerships support a large number of Australians and creates significant value chains.

Production

31,000 Units Annually

Annually, 31,000 RVs are assembled in Australia, with two-thirds built entirely in Australia. There are 190 local manufacturers of recreational vehicles (caravans & motorhomes).

Economic Benefits

$4.6 billion annually

Trade businesses create $4.6b per annum in revenue, which helps sustain a caravam and camping visitor economy worth $23.1B to the econmy each year.

Our Focus

The recreational vehicle trade sector is of significant national importance as the largest manufacturing sector of automotive production in Australia, following the reduction in the car industry over the past decade.

A long history dating back to the 1950s, RV manufacturers and component suppliers have led the way in designing and constructing innovative and safe vehicles built for Australian roads and harsh outdoor climates.

With increased global competition, changing market behaviour, new technological advancements, transformative factory processes underway and ongoing regulatory reform, our RV Manufacturing Policy and Advocacy stream is focused on the following:

  • Promoting the importance of the trade sector to the Federal government in creating economic value and jobs;
  • Advocating on behalf of industry regarding the Road Vehicle Standards Act and its implementation;
  • Informing Federal government on road safety issues and the need for relevant regulatory oversight;
  • Ensuring opportunities for Industry 4.0 development are applied to the industry;
  • Informing Federal government on the importance of the sector in job creation and the opportunities it provides for apprenticeships and training.
  • Advocating on relevant, fair and sustainable Australian Consumer Law amendments;
  • Advising government committees on relevant technical and standards issues appropriate to the industry.

Latest Announcements

Driving Forward: Inside the 2026 National Conference

Amid challenging market conditions and rapid industry change, the 2026 Caravan Industry National Conference showcased the resilience, adaptability and collaborative spirit driving Australia’s caravan and camping sector forward. A record 1,100 industry professionals gathered at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from 13–15 May for this year’s event, taking in expert insights, networking […]

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Trade CEOs meet in Perth to discuss pressing issues

Amid growing concern over fuel prices and the supply-chain effects of the Iran conflict, trade association CEOs from across Australia met in Perth last week to discuss strategic priorities for the caravan industry. Key topics addressed at the meeting included: The Perth meeting followed a similar session at the Victorian Caravan & Camping Supershow in […]

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Evaluating caravan supply chains: Would ‘onshoring’ pay off?

Can we build more of our caravans here in Australia — and make it stack up economically? That’s the big question driving a new research project by Caravan Industry Association of Australia’s Luke Chippindale, who is investigating whether key caravan components could be made locally rather than imported from overseas. Right now, we are heavily […]

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