THE saying that everything old is new again is especially true when it comes to vintage caravans.
The little old caravans of the 1950s and earlier have become a trendy item and highly-sought after by a growing band of collectors.
One Wagin enthusiast is not only extremely knowledgeable about old caravans and their history, but is also aiming to make Wagin the home of the first caravan museum in Australia.
Eight years ago Brian Noble lived and worked in Mandurah but a quick six-week holiday in a tiny caravan, towed by a 1930 Model A Ford, turned into a six-month jaunt around Australia and life was never the same.
The peace and quiet of the road and the camaraderie of grey nomads and the inevitable talk about cars and caravans became something of an obsession.
Now vintage caravanning - or vintage vanning as enthusiasts call it – has become a big part of his life.
He and a few mates have made it an annual ritual to take some of the 24 vintage caravans they own between them, on a spring tour exploring some tiny Wheatbelt towns and they always attract plenty of attention along the way.
For many, vintage vanning stemmed from owning a classic or vintage car and the idea that it was cool or trendy or just fun to find an old caravan to tow behind it.
The hobby has a website vintagecaravans.com set up by a friend Mark Taylor, from Armadale and it has a following of more than 6500 members across Australia.
There are moves to set up a WA association for people with similar interests.
Mr Noble moved to the town after he bought the old Wagin Argus building and set up a restoration workshop.
Once restored he houses his completed projects at the Woolorama grounds and the number of vans and cars has grown.
His collection has been sourced in various conditions from around Australia and is steadily growing.
Mr Noble was keen to setup the collection in a museum but, despite his best efforts, he hadn’t found an existing museum willing to display the caravans.
Enter the Wagin Shire.
Mr Noble is in talks with the Shire to find a place to set up Australia’s first dedicated vanning museum and he loves the fact the shire made the offer.
He is also amazed that someone, somewhere in Australia, hasn’t already made the idea a reality.
Vintage car enthusiasts have had vehicle displays at previous Wooloramas but this year Mr Noble and a few others will have the first-ever collective display of caravans and some of the cars from the same era that towed them.
Mr Noble’s collection includes a 1949 Don caravan made of timber that were commonly manufactured between 1934 and 1957, until they were superseded by those with a more modern aluminium construction.
The most modern in the collection comes from the 1980s and there is considerable history behind each.
The display will be on the northern side of the showgrounds and will be complemented by a turnout of classic muscle cars.
Wagin is a fitting home to the museum as it was a popular camp spot among grey nomads as it offers low cost camping from $6 a night for unpowered sites on the showgrounds.