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Caravan

‘Gypsy type’ caravans accommodated Departmental Maintenance Gangs whenever they had to live on site in country South Australia between the late 1920s and early 1960s. The caravans were towed behind a steamroller or horse, and left on the roadside near the work gangs.

This is one of only three caravans constructed in 1929 by the South Australian Railways at their Islington Workshops. They were built like railway carriages, but had wooden wheels with solid rubber tyres and ball bearings. Gang workers needed to use a ladder to enter as the vans stood high off the ground. The vans were constructed of cedar timber with a protective roof covering substance known as ‘goo’, a concoction of linseed oil, red lead and other ingredients.

Road gang work was extremely hard physical labour, and the caravans provided few of the comforts of home at the end of a day’s toil. The vans replaced tents, which previously had been the only protection the workers had from heat, cold, insects and countless other adversities. This caravan slept four and had a small kerosene stove for cooking. Tin food helped to vary the basic provisions and damper was the main type of bread.

Warren Duncan, who was a Maintenance Supervisor in the 1950s, still remembers the smell of the caravan stove. A canopy took the fumes to the chimney and six roof vents provided air ventilation. Workers used tin dishes hanging on the sides of the van for personal washing. Rainwater for drinking was usually available from properties along the way or collected from canvas awnings covering the equipment. A water tank holding about 120 litres of water was attached beneath the caravan.

After Life on the Road

When these vans were no longer needed other uses were found. One went to the Clare Depot where it was eventually sold and is in use as a shack at Swan Reach on the River Murray, another to Minlaton where it was sold to a farmer for use as a wheat bin and was eventually lost in a fire.

The third van ended up in the Port Wakefield Depot in the care of foreman ‘Plugger’ Andrews. It was used as overnight accommodation for Departmental employees in the area. In 1961 it was put up for sale by tender and purchased by Warren Duncan for 35 pounds ($70). It was towed through the Barossa Valley to Mannum where his family used it as a holiday shack. Warren donated it back to the Department in the mid 1980s where the caravan was restored and remained on display for ten years at the Walkley Heights Depot. In 1999 Warren, concerned that the caravan might be disposed of, reclaimed it, and took it to his family home. 

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