Australian Off Road Enters Administration After 26 Years of Australian Manufacturing
Caloundra, Queensland — 15 September 2026

After more than 25 years of designing and manufacturing Australian-made off-road campers and caravans, Australian Off Road (AOR) has entered administration, bringing to a close one of the Sunshine Coast’s best-known specialist manufacturing businesses.

Founded by Stephen (Steve) Budden in 2000, AOR began as a small operation in Budden’s carport in Maleny before moving to Caloundra and growing into a substantial Australian manufacturer. Over the following quarter-century, the company developed a reputation for premium, genuinely off-road products and built a loyal 4000 strong customer base across Australia and internationally.

At its peak, AOR had grown from a one-man operation into a major Sunshine Coast manufacturing business employing around 100 people and operating from a purpose-built factory and showroom. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025 and reported building approximately 250 caravans during that year, including units delivered to customers in Australia and the United States.

AOR’s success was reflected in numerous industry and business awards, including multiple Camper Trailer of the Year awards, Sunshine Coast and Caloundra business awards, and, most recently, the 2025 Caravan Industry Association of Australia RVMAP People’s Choice Manufacturer of the Year – Gold award. (Australian Offroad)

Despite that long record of success, the business has faced an increasingly difficult operating environment.

AOR’s General Manager, says the company has been subjected to intensifying product copying, with competitors reproducing concepts, features and design approaches developed through years of AOR’s engineering and product development. At the same time, the market has experienced significant price pressure from increasingly sophisticated Chinese imports, making it increasingly difficult for a premium Australian manufacturer to compete on price while maintaining Australian manufacturing, employment and quality standards.

The company has also faced growing competition from manufacturers operating in lower-cost parts of Australia, particularly southern states where lower wage and property rental costs can provide a significant structural cost advantage over manufacturing on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

For a business committed to Australian manufacturing, these pressures have created an increasingly difficult commercial equation: customers continue to value Australian design, engineering and construction, but the market has become increasingly price-driven.

> “AOR was never simply a business to us. It was a passion for building products that could withstand the toughest conditions Australia could throw at them and provide exceptional back up service and warranty at the same time,” Mr Budden said.

> “What started in a carport in Maleny grew into a business that employed hundreds of people and their families over its lifetime, supported Australian suppliers and trades, and gave thousands of families the opportunity to explore Australia in luxury, comfort and security.”

> “We are immensely proud of what we achieved. Unfortunately, the manufacturing environment has changed dramatically. Competing against imported products on price, while also facing competitors with substantially lower manufacturing overheads, has made it increasingly difficult to sustain the business in its existing form.” 

AOR’s history is one of innovation and persistence. Its Odyssey camper became the foundation of the business, while later products including the Quantum and Matrix helped establish AOR as a major name in the Australian off-road camping market. The Quantum was the first Australian designed Hybrid in Australia and the start of the entire Hybrid market, a design that changed the Australian market forever.  The company’s products have received national recognition for their engineering, off-road capability and workmanship. (Australian Offroad)

The closure is therefore not simply the end of a company, but the end of a significant chapter in Australian recreational vehicle manufacturing.

AOR management acknowledges the disappointment and uncertainty facing employees, customers, suppliers, dealers and the broader AOR community. The administration process will determine the future of the company’s assets, outstanding obligations and any potential continuation or sale of the business.

After 26 years of operation, Australian Off Road leaves behind a substantial legacy of Australian design and manufacturing, a highly recognised product range, and an exceptionally loyal community of customers who have taken AOR campers and caravans to some of the most remote parts of Australia and beyond.

MyAOR Portal – Frequently asked questions

Welcome to the all-new MyAOR, an online destination for AOR owners that will help you get more out of your buying process.

From here you’ll be able to access your quote and customer order form (COF) after you have paid your deposit, online from anywhere. You will be able to add and remove options and check the price and weight of your trailer, so when it comes to finalisation time with the AOR sales team, it will make the process easier and faster.

MyAOR Portal will be accessible through your build to see progress photos online and even after handover. This is your guide, your portal.

Once you reach the quote stage of your buying process, an AOR Sales team member will enter your details into the MyAOR Portal. An email will be generated and sent to your registered email address. This email will contain instructions and a link to the MyAOR Portal. This link will remain active for your order and can be accessed at any time. A PDF copy of the quote will also be attached.

After you have paid your $1000 deposit, your AOR sales team member will update the status of your quote in the portal and an email will be generated and sent to your registered email address. This email will contain instructions and a link to the MyAOR Portal. This link will remain active for your order and can be accessed at any time.

No worries just contact the Sales team and they can resend the link to your registered email address.

Yes, this link is accessible from all devices with internet access.

We can send you a PDF of your current order, just like your quote. You can then call the Sales team and they can update your order for you in the MyAOR Portal.

Yes. This is the great benefit of the MyAOR Portal. The online system allows you to add and remove options before finalisation, so you can get a feel for what you want and how much it’s going to cost in the comfort of your own home.

Use the link provided. Click on the tabs at the top and enter a quantity in the field next to the option. At the bottom of the page, click the “Save/Update” button. This saves your order choices and automatically sends an email to the AOR Sales team member, notifying them of the change, so they are up to date with your choices. Each time you access MyAOR, the active session will record all changes on all tabs, you will only need to click the “Save” button when your changes are all done. Each time the save button is clicked, the system will email the Sales person, notifying them of your change. So if you don’t change anything no need to click save.

There are also some options that may be only editable by the Sale team, please talk to them if you are wanting to change these locked fields.

The “Files” tab is where we will save all the related documents, such as signed finalised order, contract, any photos or drawings that need to be attached.  These files will be viewable by the customer but only the Sales team can upload to this tab.

The “Additional info” tab is where we will add any custom work information and prices, these prices and weights will be added to the summary page.  These files will be viewable by the customer but only the Sales team can upload to this tab.

No. Sorry, once the order is finalised, the order is locked down in the system and is already getting ready for production. For any changes after the order is finalised, these jobs can be booked in with AOR Service. Please contact them on service@aorservice.com.au

After your build has started in Production, photos will be regularly uploaded to your build. You can access these photos from your link to the MyAOR Portal. These will be displayed at the bottom of the “Summary” tab. You can even right click and save the photo if you wish.

The Handover team member will take a Handover photo and upload it to your order. This will be saved in the same area as your progress photos. You can access this photo using your link. This photo will also be used on AOR’s Facebook page.  If you do not wish to be added to the Facebook page, please let us know at Handover and we will put a note on your file.

Up until 2019, AOR has communicated with their customers with the Welcome Kit and Customer order forms on paper and the internally the Production build processes have been Excel spread sheets, PDF’s and printed copies.

The progression to the online system, whilst still in production, comes with many internal challenges and costs. It also brings with it greater time savings, streamlined production, quality control checks and reporting. If your order started on paper, then we will be starting to bring all of those COF’s over into the new system.

The Welcome Kit has been developed on the AOR company website, but is password protected to help safeguard intellectual property. In time we will continue to develop this with a user, reset own password system. Currently the password will be emailed to you. The Welcome Tab on the MYAOR Portal can link you straight across to the Welcome kit.

The move from paper to online has allowed us to reduce our printing costs and keep the content up to date and accessible to our customers. The Welcome Kit contains more than just the buying process instructions, it also gives you access to Handover videos, Knowledge centre and information on Service, AOR Community and how to become an AOR Ambassador. All information you will be wanting and more after you start using your trailer. It is for these reasons the two sections are separated.

The MyAOR Portal is a separate system as it is a direct link internally between Sales and Production. From COF straight to Production build sheets and Task processes for our fitters, Quality control checks and sign off for Managers, and up to the minute reporting on build times and days. After your build you are most likely not going to come back to the portal.

  SHARE

Categories