One of Australia's Off-Grid Gems Has Vanished Without a Trace: Where Is the Brumby Camper?

Ladies and gentlemen, the travel trailer before is dubbed the Brumby - not to be confused with Cub Campers' Brumby unit - doesn't seem to be found in any dealerships and doesn't even have an advertised price tag. What it does have is all the goods outdoor lovers would ever need to get out into the wild, trudge across off-road and rough terrain, and live off the land for days at a time. So, what's going on here?

For starters, the camper we see is the work of none other than Brumby Camper Trailers, a crew from Australia that seems to be steeped in mystery and even inactivity. Heck, their website seems to have last been updated back in 2021, but it's still up and running for all the world to see their magic. Actually, we can still use it as inspiration for a camper does right.

Now, to understand a bit about what's going on here, let's take a step back and analyze what we see in the image gallery. In classic Australian camper fashion, the Brumby, too, is designed to be as compact, stable, and feature-filled as possible. That said, while driving down the highway, you won't be towing along some massive trailer but a nimble and precise machine, one that's ready to handle off-road terrains with ease. Oh, and once you've stopped for the night or days, it'll explode into a full-blown campsite, as you can see.

The latter is made possible by the presence of an off-road-ready independent trailing suspension with a single shock and spring for each axle. From here, a steel chassis sits as the base for the rest of the body, which appears to be completed using aluminum or composite panels; the manufacturer doesn't specify what is used. All we're told is that his bugger will "accompany you for years to come."

As a general layout of the thing, at the very front, a systems locker or storage bay can be spotted, and toward the rear, the main body acts as nothing more than a place to store essentials, a galley, and whatever else you may need on your trips. That large body can also be accessed via the rear hatch seen in the images.

On top, however, in traditional Aussieland style, Brumby adds a roof rack, which is to be used to house a roof-top tent or the only available space to be used for sleeping. Yet, this design also means you can just use this machine for a different style of adventuring, such as short day trips where you load up the unit with kayaks, e-bikes, and some food and drink, only to return home later in the evening. I love campers that can be used for an array of activities.

Now, take all that, place yourself in the center of the action, and let's imagine what a day in the life may be like. Picture the Brumby stabilized, that awning sprawled out over 270 degrees, the galley pulled out with a couple of burgers sizzling, a tent waiting for your tired bones on top, and your significant other putting the finishing touches on spaces like the shower annex. Pitch and connect your solar panels, take a seat by the cooktop and let the sights and sounds of the world around you fill your senses. Breathe in the fresh air and send a smile toward Mrs. Enjoy the time outdoors.

As for a few traits you need to be aware of if you decide to hunt down this camper, it comes in with a total length of 4.4 m (14.4 ft), a width of 1.7 m (5.5 ft), and 1.6 m (5.2 ft) high, so with the right truck or 4X4, you'll be able to see what your rearview mirror reveals. Dry, it rolls in with a weight of 885 kg (1,951 lbs) but can handle up to 1,400 kg (3,086 lbs) of total load. That's pretty good for a couple's camper.

The catch here is the one I mentioned at the beginning of the article. At this time, there seems to be no activity on the manufacturer's website, nor is there a Facebook or YouTube page that we could potentially follow. A price, you say? Nothing of the nature here, and trust me, I searched rather far and wide.

If, however, you've fallen in love with this Brumby, you can send out e-mails, make phone calls, and maybe even move to Australia to get your hands on one of these babies. Then again, it might be a whole lot easier to just use the Brumby as inspiration for your very own garage camper project.