Australian Off Road Collapses Into Administration After 26 Years

Australian Off Road, the Queensland manufacturer of premium off-road caravans and campers, has entered voluntary administration after 26 years in business.

Nick Keramos and Bill Karageozis of DVT McLeods were appointed voluntary administrators of Rhost Pty Ltd, which trades as Australian Off Road, on 15 September.

The appointment followed an abrupt shutdown of the business. ABC News reported shortly before the appointment that AOR's Caloundra factory had closed, its phone line had been disconnected and its website and social media accounts had gone offline, leaving customers waiting for caravans, repairs and warranty work.

AOR was founded by Steve Budden in his carport in Maleny in 2000 before moving to Caloundra and growing into a purpose-built manufacturing operation. At its peak, the company employed around 100 people and built a customer base of more than 4,000 in Australia and overseas. AOR said it manufactured approximately 250 caravans in 2025, including units delivered to the United States, and that year won the Caravan Industry Association of Australia's RVMAP People's Choice Manufacturer of the Year Gold award.

The company blamed an increasingly difficult manufacturing environment for its troubles, pointing to price pressure from Chinese imports, competitors operating in lower-cost parts of Australia and what it described as increasing copying of its products and designs. Budden said maintaining Australian manufacturing, employment and quality standards had become increasingly difficult as the market became more price-driven.

AOR developed products including the Odyssey, Quantum and Matrix, helping establish the company as a recognised name in Australia's off-road camping market. The administration will now determine the future of the company's assets, outstanding obligations and any potential continuation or sale of the business.