Australian Caravan Giant beats China with $68,000 wheels in his own race

Forget the Million Dollar Mortgage – An Australian caravan giant just surpassed China in the race to provide an affordable home on wheels.

Crusader Caravans has launched a new brand Dreamhaven, with locally-made vans starting at just $68,990 – a nine-built Chinese Campervan that weakened the LDV, snatched the headlines last month with a $89,990 drive.

The move is due to the surge in housing prices to new heights. Fresh Ray White data shows that national value grew 8.9% to $970,000 in 2025, with analysts warning that the market is expected to increase double-digit growth before Christmas.

In Sydney alone, this could mean a surge of $67,500 in just three months.

For many Australians, the numbers are frustrating.

Once considered a holiday luxury, the station wagon is now touted as one of the few remaining affordable “housing” options.

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The Dreamhaven 15 series costs only $250 per week.

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A budget caravan is ideal for singles or couples.

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Studio-style setting includes a dining area overlooking the compact kitchen.

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Consumer surveys conducted by Money.com.au show that more and more Australians will seriously consider the life of caravans, whether temporary or permanently, just to keep them alive.

Crusader founder Serge Valentino said Dreamhaven was designed to fill that gap.

“We see a real opportunity to create high-quality and affordable Australian caravans,” he said.

“The Dreamhaven scope reflects our belief that Australians should be simple, practical and accessible.”

“Dreamhaven offers a range of simple high-quality complete composite caravans created for buyers who are looking for direct and affordable. We are talking about good caravans at high prices.”

The bathroom is small but comes with everything you need.

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The most important thing is that you can pull up the house on the wheel wherever you want.

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Dreamhaven also offers more family-friendly caravans – but as sizes go up, so are prices.

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The van offers about $250 per week in funding – there are 10 models, including off-road options for those who want to take van life outside of asphalt.

By comparison, the average weekly Australian mortgage repayments range from $493 to $1,100 per week, based on location.

Each off-road house has a kitchen including a refrigerator and oven, cabinet space, dining table and seating, and a small bathroom with toilet.

According to the model, Vans either sleep in a pair or a young family.

Unlike Chinese imports, each Dreamhaven was built using trademark composites at Crusader’s award-winning Victorian factory.

“We don’t just assemble caravans – we make them, and that makes a big difference,” Valentino said.

“By supporting local businesses, we not only want to maintain quality, but also create jobs in our communities. This means we can support Australians as much as they support us, and we will not have any other way.”