Holidaying in a caravan or going camping is no longer considered "an old person's sport" and skyrocketing in popularity, according to a Bulli publisher.
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Brendan Batty of Exploring Eden Books has turned his love for the great outdoors into a career, and managed to build his business during the pandemic due to more people exploring their own backyards.
"Camping, and caravanning especially was an old person's sport for a long time," he said.
"Then the #vanlife movement has glamourised the road-trip, travelling lifestyle."
The flow-on effect is also an increase in people seeking camping related products.
The first book for Batty's publishing house was released just before COVID-19 turned the world on its head, and was a guide to the Kimberly region.
In August the company launched their fourth title, a camping cookbook called Fire To Fork, which has already sold more than 10,000 copies.
"There's social and economic reasons for it all but it's just grown in popularity phenomenally over the last 10 years," he said.
"Everyone i know working in caravan and camping industry is crazy busy, and there's long wait times on new caravan and campers [being delivered to customers]."
Camping, and caravanning especially was an old person's sport for a long time.
- Brendan Batty
The accessibility coupled with affordability, and "disposable income" amassed from not being able to spend on anything else, he said, were the drivers behind the recent spike in interest.
"Australia is an incredibly awesome place so they're realising they can explore it now while they're got this awesome opportunity," Batty said.
"The next few years will be massive for caravanning and camping. Australia will be the one of the most accessible, enjoyable holidays people can have."
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Batty began travelling with his family to remote corners of the country before it was glamourised by Instagram hashtags, writing for various publications about his travels.
His first major trip was with his wife and then one-year-old daughter, on the road for close to a year and long before it was made cool by social media.
"It was rare to see young families traveling that way, but it's more common these days."
Fire to Fork is out now through Bulli publishing house Exploring Eden.
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