I’ve been analysing the financial viability of purchasing an Office on Wheels (OoW) — a caravan — as an alternative to renting cabin accommodations for weekend getaways around Melbourne.
The Numbers
Estimated OoW cost: approximately $40,000.
Frequent usage (4 nights fortnightly): ROI in 2.96 years compared to cabin rentals.
Realistic usage (2 nights monthly): ROI of 13.99 years — significantly longer than typical capital investment timelines.
Using caravan parks with an owned vehicle provides about $5,530 per year in savings versus cabin rentals, though total annual travel expenses reach approximately $17,880.
Alternative: Renting Seasonally
Renting a property seasonally in a single location proves substantially more expensive than caravan park fees with owned equipment, making the mobile lifestyle more economically attractive.
Beyond the Numbers
There are non-monetary advantages too: increased travel flexibility, family weekend getaway capability, and the ability to camp during interstate trips to Adelaide during holidays.