Australia's First Documented Caravan Trip.
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 9:19 pm
I came across a book the other day, and it turns out to be, well I think anyway, the earliest documented caravan trip in Australia. 
Iam pretty sure it has gone un noticed by others for many years and I only came across it after purchasing the book through the internet.
The book or log was an original hand written log of the two trips around Tasmania undertaken by the two friends Frank Styant Brown and Joshua Higgs both of Launceston Tasmania. Frank Styant Brown owned a pharmacy in Launceston and Joshua Higgs also of Launceston was a celebrated artist. The first trip in their little horse drawn caravan was in 1896 across to the east coast of Tasmania. Then their second trip was in 1899 to the country side to the west of Launceston.
I have also recently been reading about the travels of the celebrated Gordon Stables, who is reportedly to be the first person in England to use a caravan for pleasure. He first published his book about his travels in his land yacht "Wanderer" in 1886, which was 10 years before these two Tasmanians headed off in their caravan.
One thing I did find interesting though as Gordon Stables describes the "Wanderer" as having "the wheels and underworks are dark chocolate picked out with vermilion."
Then Frank Styant Brown, who does not give any details as to their caravan other than "our vessel ( the caravan ) was spick and span, and gorgeous in a fresh coat of chocolate paint picked out with vermilion."
It just made me wonder if one or both of these gentlemen had read Gordon Stables book and thought that if the colour scheme was good enough for the "Wanderer" then it was good enough for their caravan..
Iam pretty sure it has gone un noticed by others for many years and I only came across it after purchasing the book through the internet.
The book or log was an original hand written log of the two trips around Tasmania undertaken by the two friends Frank Styant Brown and Joshua Higgs both of Launceston Tasmania. Frank Styant Brown owned a pharmacy in Launceston and Joshua Higgs also of Launceston was a celebrated artist. The first trip in their little horse drawn caravan was in 1896 across to the east coast of Tasmania. Then their second trip was in 1899 to the country side to the west of Launceston.
I have also recently been reading about the travels of the celebrated Gordon Stables, who is reportedly to be the first person in England to use a caravan for pleasure. He first published his book about his travels in his land yacht "Wanderer" in 1886, which was 10 years before these two Tasmanians headed off in their caravan.
One thing I did find interesting though as Gordon Stables describes the "Wanderer" as having "the wheels and underworks are dark chocolate picked out with vermilion."
Then Frank Styant Brown, who does not give any details as to their caravan other than "our vessel ( the caravan ) was spick and span, and gorgeous in a fresh coat of chocolate paint picked out with vermilion."
It just made me wonder if one or both of these gentlemen had read Gordon Stables book and thought that if the colour scheme was good enough for the "Wanderer" then it was good enough for their caravan..
