By now, the news has done the rounds: Zone RV, one of the absolute heavyweights of the premium off-road caravan game, has entered voluntary administration. For anyone with a love for top-tier Aussie engineering, this hits hard.
But before the rumour mill goes into overdrive, we need to take a breath. This doesn’t look like the usual story of a “dodgy” operator cutting corners and running off with deposits. This looks like a case of a genuine innovator flying too close to the sun. And for the sake of the Australian manufacturing industry, we should all be hoping they can pull out of the dive.
The Cost of Ambition
Let’s be clear about who we are talking about. Zone RV isn’t some backyard setup slapping together meranti frames. These guys are the real deal, leaders in composite construction, bringing marine and aerospace tech into the 4X4 world. They build rigs most of us aspire to own.
The issue, it seems, wasn’t that they were building bad vans; it’s that they were building a massive future. They invested heavily in a $7.5 million state-of-the-art facility on the Sunshine Coast and ramped up their workforce to over 250 locals. They bet big on the idea that the “Covid Boom” was the new normal.
When you invest that much in improvement, better tech, bigger sheds, more skilled staff, your overheads are enormous. When the market suddenly cools, those overheads turn from assets into anchors. It’s a classic case of growing too fast.
The Post-Covid Hangover
Zone RV isn’t the only one feeling the pinch, and to understand why, you have to look at the broader landscape. The entire RV industry is currently waking up with a massive hangover after the wildest party in its history. During 2020-2022, manufacturers couldn’t build vans fast enough. Order books were full for two years. But the economic weather has changed dramatically:
– The Boom Dried Up: International travel is back. The punters who were forced to holiday at home are now booking flights to Bali or Europe instead of buying $200k caravans.
– Interest Rates: Financing a luxury toy is a lot harder now than it was when rates were near zero.
– Supply Chain Costs: Everything from shipping to Sikaflex costs more than it did three years ago.
Companies that leveraged themselves to the hilt to meet that insane Covid demand are now caught in a squeeze. They have the factory capacity for a boom, but the order volume of a correction.
A Glimmer of Hope
Here is the important part: Administration is not Liquidation. Zone RV has appointed administrators (Cor Cordis) who have stated they are continuing to trade the business in a “substantially reduced capacity.” This is a crucial distinction. It means they are looking for a way to restructure, trim the fat, and survive.
We’ve seen other brands, like Track Trailer, face similar headwinds. It’s a brutal process, and yes, it is incredibly stressful for the customers currently in the queue (and our hearts go out to them). But the fact that they are trying to trade their way out suggests they believe the core business, and the brand’s reputation, is too valuable to let die.
We need companies like Zone RV. We need manufacturers who push the envelope with 3D printing and composite panels because it forces the rest of the industry to lift its game. If they can restructure and come out the other side as a leaner, smarter operation, the whole industry wins.
What This Means for You (The Buyer)
So, what’s the takeaway for us 4X4ers?
1. Support Innovation: It’s easy to kick a brand when they are down, but if we want Australian-made quality, we need to support the recovery of the good guys.
2. Due Diligence is Key: If you are in the market, ask questions. Don’t just look at the wheel travel; look at the stability of the manufacturer. Ask about deposit insurance.
3. Patience: If you are waiting on a build from any manufacturer right now, understand that the industry is in a consolidation phase.
The next few months will be telling. We are crossing our fingers that Zone RV can navigate this rocky section of track. They’ve built some of the toughest vans in the country; let’s hope the business is built just as tough.
8 comments
Yes Pat it is a shame for this company. They build good vans, no doubt about that but…I read where 3 of their customers paid for their new vans on the day that they ceased trading. That, in itself is extremely poor and definitely not the Aussie way. One, I hear was asked to pay just 2 hours before they closed the gates. Their vans were in the yard on full view to them, but they could not take them.
How they must feel. The ultimate let down.
You say they are maybe trying to trade out of this mess, so one would think that they will give these poor people the completed vans that, in my opinion, now own.
C’mon Aussie c’mom. Do the decent thing.
We paid $195K for our Zone Sojourn and were due to collect it the day after they went in to administration. Zone caravans retail between $150K and $270K. We are part of a Whatsapp group of Zone customers who have all fully paid for their caravan and were awaiting handover. There are 23 people in our group and I am sure there are many more out there. In the last 6 months, Zone have taken tens of millions of dollars in deposits, instalments and final payments for vans that have not been delivered.
Very well written article Pat. Great vans and hopefully they can trade out like some other van mobs have in the past for the sake of suppliers, customers staff & the caravan industry.
We are proud owners of a Zone Sojourn and are completely devastated by what has happened. Our hearts and hopes are clinging to the resurrection of Zone, both for the people in limbo, the staff and suppliers.
One idea floated was that Zone owners and staff become shareholders or owners of Zone and employ a capable and competent Manager. They are a beautiful van.
We own a Zone Sojourn that we purchased new 3 years ago and have taken it on some amazing Outback adventures around our beautiful country and absolutely love the build quality. Let’s hope they can pull through this and many other aussies can also experience this. Great article thank you.
Very well said pat. I own a 2021 20.6 base Outback and love it, can’t fault the help from zone with any issues I have had, 🤞they can keep a fantastic product going and I feel for all who are in limbo while the process is underway.
I picked up my ZSP 628 Zone Sojourn 1st October 2025 so far done 3600k in it not one thing had not worked i am very impressed with the build quality and the staff assistance with all details so i will keep my fingers crossed that they can trade out of this situation.
🤷♂️ I hear what you’re saying, but it doesn’t all tie in. A lot of people are blaming the Covid bubble blowout, and saying people are not buying. How come there’s all these people who have paid, and people waiting on the wait list that’s up to eight months if people are not buying. The demand was still there , something was or is very wrong with the business model or where was all the money going.