For decades, the caravan was the Great Australian Equaliser. It was the ticket to a month-long summer holiday that didn't break the bank. It was the promise that a working-class family could see the Kimberley or the Great Ocean Road without a corporate salary.

But today, that dream is under siege. We are witnessing a "Perfect Storm" of rising costs that is fundamentally changing the value proposition of our industry. If we don't act, we risk the caravan becoming a luxury ornament in a driveway rather than a vessel for adventure.

The Mathematics of the Modern Holiday: Caravan vs. Hotel

Let's look at the cold, hard numbers. A decade ago, the "stay" was the cheapest part of a caravan holiday. Today, the math has shifted dramatically.

Consider a modern family holiday. Between the $80,000 to $150,000 capital outlay for a capable tow vehicle and a modern off-road caravan, the "entry fee" to our lifestyle has never been higher. When you add the soaring cost of diesel (averaging 20-25L/100km while towing), the rising price of road-trip groceries, and the depreciation of the assets, the daily "burn rate" of a caravan holiday is significant.

The Hotel Comparison: In many regional hubs, a family can book a high-quality, air-conditioned hotel room or a modern Airbnb for $180–$250 a night. In contrast, many premium caravan parks in peak season are now charging $80, $100, or even $150 a night for a patch of grass and a shared power pole.

When you factor in that the hotel guest isn't paying for extra fuel, specialised insurance, or a $100k trailer, the "cheap camping holiday" is officially a myth. We are priced at a premium, yet we are asking our customers to provide their own beds, kitchens, and bathrooms.

The "Locked Gate" and the High Cost of Sites

The caravan industry is facing a crisis of Access and Value. As caravan parks are bought out by developers or converted into permanent residential estates, the remaining sites become more expensive and harder to book. Our customers are spending six figures on a "freedom machine," only to find themselves "locked out" of the best locations or priced out by sites that cost as much as a hotel room.

COA Cooperative Ltd  trading as Community Owned Assets (COA) is bringing back the affordable holiday by removing the "middleman" of the commercial park.

The Industry Proposal: Ownership Equals Access

At COA, we have put a radical proposal to the 4WD and Caravan industries: If the industry funds the land, the industry owns the future.

Imagine a manufacturer—let's call them Aussie Rugged Vans. Under the COA Collective Property Strategy, Aussie Rugged Vans (and a collective of manufacturers and dealers) invests in the acquisition of "Secret Squirrel" properties—cheap, off-grid, beautiful parcels of land specifically chosen for their "hideability" and recreational value. Read our An Open Letter to Australian Real Estate Agents: A Strategic Opportunity for Specialised Acreage and Off-Grid Properties, which has been posted to the real estate networks across Australia to attract the suitable properties.

The Exclusive Advantage: These properties are not open to the general public. They are exclusive assets for the owners of those specific products.

• Buy an Aussie Rugged Van? You get a digital key to a private network of COA properties across the country.
• No $120-a-night park fees.
• No "No Camping" signs.
• No prying eyes.

By utilising the Collective Ownership model, we bypass the need for expensive Development Approvals (DAs). We claim—legally—that the user is a collective owner of the land. They aren't "renting a site"; they are standing on their own property.

Operationalising Collective Ownership: Connecting Brands and Buyers

To turn this vision into a frictionless operational reality, the COA structure provides a unique mechanism that directly links a manufacturer's/ dealers investment to their customer base.

When a manufacturer or dealer (like Aussie Rugged Vans) invests in a COA property parcel, they are purchasing shares on behalf of their community. To activate the collective ownership legal defense, COA must formally identify the individual owners.

The Workflow: Upon the sale of a vehicle or caravan, the participating manufacturer/ dealer will securely provide COA with the necessary brand buyer details. This data allows COA to immediately attach those individuals as recognised owners of the specific shares funded by that manufacturer/ dealer.

This streamlined process automatically provides the customer with:

1. Proof of Collective Ownership: The legal documentation required to defend their right of stay.
2. Immediate "Secret Squirrel" Access: Instant unlocking of the private map containing that brand's exclusive property network.

Restricted vs. Universal Access: A Strategic Choice

It is important to understand the hierarchy of access within this system.

Restricted Access (Brand-Exclusive): When a buyer is attached to shares funded by a manufacturer/ dealer, their access is restricted to that manufacturer's/ dealer's portfolio of properties only. This is a powerful, exclusive loyalty hook. The Aussie Rugged Van owner can only stay on Aussie Rugged Van lands, managed by COA.

Universal Access (The Full COA Network): The COA Cooperative operates its own extensive network of public-accessible (to members) and private "COA Camps" nationwide, which are not restricted by brand.

If a buyer attached via Restricted Access wishes to unlock Universal Access (accessing the full scope of the standard COA Camps), they simply purchase their own individual shares directly on the COA platform. By investing personally in the overarching cooperative, they are recognised as a "Universal Shareholder," instantly merging their brand-exclusive access with the unlimited possibilities of the entire COA ecosystem.

This dual-path ensures that manufacturers and dealers can offer a distinct, low-cost advantage, while also providing a clear, incentivised pathway for customers to fully commit to the national cooperative movement.

The Operational Ecosystem: Insurance, Events, and Seamless Bookings

The COA value proposition extends beyond legal theory into a robust, turnkey operational ecosystem designed to protect both the manufacturer/ dealer and the member. We provide the infrastructure that turns a parcel of land into a valuable brand asset.

Comprehensive Insurance and Risk Management

A critical advantage of the COA model is that each collective property is fully covered by COA's overarching insurance policies.

Our tailored bulk-purchased insurance programs provide essential coverage for properties designated for specialised use (adventure camps, farm stays, private campsites, etc.). By activating this cover, we eliminate the complex and expensive task for individual manufacturers/ dealers of securing insurance for rural off-grid assets. This is the cornerstone of risk management that allows us to legally defend the collective owners' right of stay.

Activating Land for Brand Loyalty: Events and Functions

Because the properties are secure, insured, and private, they become incredibly powerful tools for brand engagement.

Manufacturers/ dealers are actively encouraged to use their brand/ dealer-restricted COA properties for their own functions, shows, product launches, and loyalty events. Whether it's an Aussie Rugged Vans annual muster, a customer training day, or an exclusive unveiling of a new model, the property is an asset that belongs to the brand community. This facilitates unprecedented face-to-face interaction and builds deep brand loyalty by providing exclusive, curated experiences that commercial caravan parks cannot replicate.

Seamless Logistics: The In-House Booking Program

To ensure that using these "Secret Squirrel" properties is an enjoyable and effortless experience, COA operates its own proprietary in-house booking program.

This secure digital platform, accessible only to verified members, makes the entire process seamless. The program handles:

• Verification: Automatically ensuring the booker is a recognised owner of the shares for that specific property.
• Availability Management: Real-time checking of capacity and scheduling.
• Logistics: Communicating the "Secret Squirrel" access instructions and guidelines only upon a confirmed booking.
• Seamless Interface: Providing manufacturers with tools to manage and schedule their own internal events.

This system guarantees that the properties remain private and accessible only to authorised members, maintaining the "Secret Squirrel" advantage.

Bringing Back the Freedom

The 4WD and Caravan industries are currently selling a product (freedom) that the current land-use system is making impossible to deliver. We are selling "Go Anywhere" vehicles to a market that is increasingly told "You Can't Stay Here."

The COA Strategy changes the game by:

1. Lowering the Cost of Stay: By removing the commercial profit margin of caravan parks, we bring the daily cost of a holiday back to earth.
2. Securing the Assets: We protect the value of the caravan. A caravan is worth more when there are more places to use it.
3. Industry Loyalty: Manufacturers/ dealers who provide land access to their customers aren't just selling a trailer; they are selling a guaranteed lifestyle.

The "Locked Gate" crisis isn't just about 4WD tracks; it's about the right of an Australian to park their home-on-wheels in a beautiful, quiet place without being gouged by corporate park rates.

It's time for the caravan industry to stop relying on third-party parks and start owning the ground beneath its wheels.

Join the Collective. Own the Land. Bring back the Australian Holiday.

To start a conversation and discuss how we can create industry owned camps, Contact COA Today! Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to the free online COA Community.

www.coa.au