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Sunshine Coast caravan manufacturer Australian Off Road has collapsed into voluntary administration after 26 years in business, leaving customers with deposits, orders and caravans mid-repair uncertain about what happens next.
What Happened
Australian Off Road (AOR), legally registered as Rhost Pty Ltd and based in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, entered voluntary administration on 15 September 2026. Nick Keramos and Bill Karageozis of DVT Mcleods were appointed as administrators. The company had gone quiet in the preceding week, disconnecting its phones, taking down its website and locking the factory gates, before confirming the collapse. Founder Steve Budden, who started the business in his carport at Maleny in 2000, said “the manufacturing environment has changed dramatically,” pointing to competition from imported caravans and rivals with lower manufacturing overheads.
Who It Affects
Around 100 Sunshine Coast employees are affected, along with an unknown number of customers around Australia who have paid deposits or are waiting on new caravans, and others whose vans were in for warranty or repair work when the factory gates were locked. Affected customers have formed an online support group that grew to almost 800 members within days. It follows the collapse of another Sunshine Coast caravan manufacturer, Zone RV, into administration in December 2025 owing an estimated $42 million, a sign of wider pressure on Australian caravan manufacturing from cheaper imports.
What Readers Should Do
If you have paid a deposit, placed an order or have a caravan currently with Australian Off Road for repair, register as a creditor with the appointed administrators, DVT Mcleods, as soon as a formal creditors’ process is announced, and keep every invoice, contract and payment record. Do not rely on informal assurances about refunds or completion timeframes until the administrators confirm the company’s position. If your caravan finance is linked to the purchase, contact your lender to understand your position. Anyone with a vehicle currently on site should contact the administrators directly rather than attempting to collect it informally.
What to Watch Next
The administrators will report to creditors on whether the business can be restructured and sold as a going concern or will be wound up. That decision will determine whether outstanding orders are ever completed and what, if anything, customers and trade creditors recover. Watch for a creditors’ meeting notice and updates from the administrators, and for any similar pressure on other small and mid-sized Australian caravan manufacturers competing against lower-cost imports. For general recall and safety information relevant to caravan owners, see our coverage of the Regent RV Snowy River caravan recall.
Official Source / Verification
This article is based on ABC News reporting published 14 and 15 September 2026 (“Caravan maker Australian Off Road shuts its gates leaving customers in limbo” and “Caravan manufacturer Australian Off Road collapses into administration after days of uncertainty”), including on-record statements from founder Steve Budden and confirmation of the administrators’ appointment.
This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. If you are a creditor or customer of this company, seek independent advice about your specific position and rely on official communications from the appointed administrators.
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