RV FEATURE

Ten years of GoRV! When we started this business – 10 years ago this month – neither Grant Manson, his brother James nor I conceived of where we would land.

Back then, I was toiling away as the managing editor of Caravan World magazine, not to mention its many offshoots, such as Camper Trailer Australia and Motorhome World. It was a big job. I enjoyed it, but more for the connection to the RV industry and lifestyle than the endless corporate meetings that achieved very little. You know the type.

When Bauer Media Group decided to offload its RV titles, Grant and I had a decision to make. He was the national sales manager. I was the editor. Did we want to be part of the sale and join its new owner, or did we want to forge our own path in the industry we loved?

The answer is self-evident. But at the time, whether we’ d succeed or collapse like a sack of potatoes was far from clear.

So as we celebrate 10 years of GoRV, let’ s look back on some of our more memorable moments. Funnily enough, it all started with a video about a bunch of idiots …

HAPPY HOOLIGANS

Coopers Creek, Vic. It’ s the kind of place where people from all walks of life flock to camp on long weekends and drink and party until all hours, occasionally with a rifle shot or two being heard in the surrounding bushland at 11pm.

I camped there a lot in my younger years, and happened to be there with my old Goldstream and a camera just as GoRV was kicking off. There were some hooligans attempting a 4WD water crossing … in sedans. They’ d driven them down the steep entrance to the creek crossing without any real plan as to how to get out, and what ensued was hilarious.

You’ ll have to forgive the dodgy camerawork and presenting in the video – it was a long time ago and I was still working things out. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time with a camera and an idea to start a media business that operated exclusively in the digital space, at a time when print magazines were still dominant.

/ 27