The caravanning boom in regional areas across Australia is showing no signs of slowing, according to tourism operators and the nation’s peak caravan club.

There are now 800,000 registered recreational vehicles in Australia, with 1.5 million people taking to the road and holidaying yearly.

The boom is also driving an 18-month wait on new motorhomes, caravans and campers and a lengthy wait times in the second-hand market.

Those on the road include families seeking lifestyle changes and ditching the school system after lengthy pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. 

Regional South Australian tourism operator Jan Coleman, who runs tours at the Engelbrecht Cave in Mount Gambier, said there was an increase in full-time travellers visiting the caves.

“There is a lot more families on the road permanently. They’ve given up their home, they’ve pulled their children out of school, they’re homeschooling, and they’re just travelling,” she said.

Caravaner John Bennet says he has seen an increase in the number of young people and families holidaying in recent years. (ABC News: Jack D Evans)

Hervey Bay retiree John Bennet, who stopped to enjoy the tourism spots at Mount Gambier, has been on the road for several weeks, with plans to travel into Victoria, around Portland, and then through the middle of Australia. 

Caravanning since 2002, he said he had also witnessed an increase in the number of young people and families travelling.

He said this type of travel offered a certain kind of freedom many families were craving after being in lockdown for so long. 

“You can get away from people, but you meet other people too,” he said.

Damian Hooker says he is planning to take his family to Cape York.(ABC News)

Damian Hooker from Adelaide has been caravanning with his family for 11 years, and he too loves the freedom it provides. 

“It’s great just to get out and see Australia and let the kids experience things that they would not from just going here to there.” 

Mr Hooker said COVID affected how often he had been able to travel, but with things beginning to settle, he was planning to take the family on a five-week holiday to Cape York.

Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia chief executive Richard Barwick said there had been a rush of inquiries from families keen to start their nomadic lifestyle.

He had seen a shift from the traditional older demographic to more young people and families.

“We’ve just finished the New South Wales Caravan and Camping Show in Sydney, and there’s a number of young families that are looking to do this in the near future,” Mr Barwick said.

He said many of the younger families interested in this lifestyle owned homes that they rented out for a year and they homeschooled their kids on the road.

Thanks to the technology, Mr Barwick said the lifestyle was becoming easier with people able to work and study remotely.

Some observers say there is a shift from the traditional older demographic of caravanners.(Supplied)

Mr Barwick said events and festivals tailored to campers and caravanners, such as the Mundi Mundi Festival, In western New South Wales, were becoming popular and bringing travellers to regions. 

“There is actually no basic services at that particular festival [Mundi Mundi],” he said. 

Mr Barwick said the popularity of caravanning was expected to continue.

“The uncertainty about travel overseas is making people nervous, but travelling in your own country is not,” he said.