The Victorian Caravan & Camping Supershow 2026 provided Drive Queensland with a strong platform to connect with a highly engaged interstate audience actively researching Queensland holidays. While the first two days were slower than the previous year, momentum built across the week, culminating in a very strong Saturday crowd. Although rain affected Sunday attendance and some stage activity, the overall quality of engagement remained high, with many visitors demonstrating genuine travel intent and a strong appetite for practical advice, printed resources and itinerary inspiration.
The larger stand performed exceptionally well, offering improved functionality for staff and visitors alike, and Drive Queensland was recognised as a finalist in the Best Stand Awards, an excellent acknowledgement of the team’s presentation and effort.
Overall Performance
Attendance figures released during the event were:
• Wednesday: 4,705 (2025: 5,150)
• Thursday: 5,290 (2025: 5,511)
• Friday: 6,540 (2025: 7,039)
• Saturday: 12,845 (2025: 11,421)
• Sunday: 9831 (2025: 13,628)
Saturday was the standout day and exceeded the previous year’s attendance, delivering the strongest traffic and the highest volume of brochure distribution. Sunday traffic was notably softer due to wet weather, last year had outstanding numbers, although the stand still attracted steady engagement from committed travellers and brochure collectors.
The show also generated lower than desired competition entries. This suggests there is still room to improve competition visibility and prompting on stand and we are working on strategies to deliver a better outcome.
Stand Performance
The new, larger stand layout was a significant success. Team feedback consistently highlighted that the extra space improved movement, storage, staff comfort and overall presentation. Visitors engaged well with the display, maps and brochure range, and the stand’s visual appeal contributed to Drive Queensland being shortlisted as a Best Stand finalist.
The wall maps and full Australian map were especially effective. They not only helped with route conversations but also encouraged longer, more detailed discussions about travel pathways, hidden gems and alternative itineraries. Bags remained popular throughout the show, and printed maps and brochures continued to prove their value as core engagement tools.
Audience Profile
The Melbourne audience was predominantly made up of older travellers, retirees and pre retirees, although there was also a healthy mix of seasoned road trippers, newcomers to Queensland travel and some visitors still in the dreaming stage. Many were planning trips from April through to July, with winter escapes to Queensland clearly front of mind.
A recurring audience segment was travellers visiting family and friends in Queensland. This provided strong opportunities to extend simple VFR travel into longer, broader Queensland itineraries through route suggestions and destination add ons.
There was also a clear split between:
• Experienced travellers looking for hidden gems, alternative routes and places they had not yet explored, and
• Newer travellers wanting broad direction, reassurance on road conditions and practical starting points.
Key Travel Trends and Destination Interest
Interest was evenly spread across the state. The most consistent destination themes included:
• Cape York
• Savannah Way
• Outback Queensland
• Birdsville
• Mount Isa
• Longreach and Winton
• Tropical North Queensland
• Daintree and Tablelands
• Bowen and the Whitsundays
• Yeppoon and Capricorn Coast
• Carnarvon Gorge
• Dinosaur Trail destinations including Hughenden, Richmond, Winton and Muttaburra
• South East Queensland including Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Bundaberg
Cape York remained one of the biggest drawcards, with many visitors focused on how to get there and what to see along the way. The stand team did particularly well in broadening these conversations into more extensive Queensland touring opportunities, encouraging travellers to consider inland or outback routes rather than simply travelling up and down the coast.
The Savannah Way was another standout, especially among travellers heading to Darwin or looking to cross the north. Outback Queensland more broadly remained highly popular, with Birdsville, Mount Isa, the Matilda Way, Overlanders Way and Camel Trail regularly discussed.
There was also strong interest in coastal and central Queensland, particularly Bowen, Airlie, Yeppoon and the Capricorn Coast. Bowen performed well when positioned as a hidden gem at the top of the Whitsundays, especially for travellers looking for snorkelling and easy day-trip access without the need for a boat.
Visitor Questions and Travel Planning Themes
Several clear planning themes emerged across the week:
• Best routes north and south through Queensland
• Sealed and unsealed road information
• Current road conditions and closures
• Places to leave vans while exploring in a 4WD
• Dog friendly parks
• Hidden gems and short breaks
• Event based travel planning
• Coastal return routes after inland touring
• Future travel ideas for 2026 and beyond
The sealed/unsealed road maps were particularly valued and repeatedly mentioned by staff as an effective planning tool. Travellers appreciated the ability to visually understand how routes linked together and what type of vehicle access would be required.
Road condition conversations were especially important given recent weather impacts. Visitors were advised to check local visitor information centres, council sources, QLD Traffic and RACQ for up to date information.
Events and Presentations
Events played an important role in motivating travel decisions, and the events calendar was consistently popular. Many visitors were shaping their trips around favourite events, festivals and seasonal travel windows.
Kylie Rixon’s daily presentations were a major strength of the show. Her talks attracted responsive crowds throughout the week, with particularly high attendance on Thursday, Saturday and earlier sessions. Audience numbers ranged from around 30–40 on some days to 60+ on Thursday and a very large crowd on Saturday. These presentations generated direct brochure demand, follow up conversations and competition entries, and clearly added value to the stand presence.
A standout highlight of the show was the Opera Queensland / Outback Music Trail presentation, delivered by Laura Hansford alongside Opera Singer Steve from Opera Queensland. The session showcased the Festival of Outback Opera and brought the experience to life for attendees. Steve captivated the audience with a powerful live performance of Waltzing Matilda and Bizet's Toreador Song, creating a memorable and engaging moment within the program.
While immediate stage side attendance was impacted by surrounding programming, there was good visibility from nearby areas, and several attendees returned to the stand afterwards to seek more information and discuss incorporating festival travel into their plans. The presentation was very well received and reinforced the appeal of event led travel in regional Queensland.
Sunday’s final presentation was impacted by rain and a close to closing time slot, although it still led to valuable one on one engagement with interested visitors.
Collateral Performance
All brochures moved extremely well throughout the show, especially as attendance built into the weekend. Team feedback showed strong interest in taking away printed resources, with many visitors wanting to sit down at home and properly plan their trips.
Popular materials included:
• Drive Queensland guide
• Outback Queensland guide
• Cape York brochures
• Savannah Way information
• Bowen guide
• Mount Isa booklet
• Events calendar
• Full Australian map
• Dinosaur Trail and related regional brochures
Some brochures were particularly popular resulting low stocks of:
• Outback Queensland
• Cassowary Coast Maps
• Cape York
• Bowen
• Other regional stock reduced significantly by Sunday
There were also identified gaps where staff would have benefited from more material, particularly for:
• Emerald region
• Bundaberg region
• Moreton Bay
• Toowoomba
It has to be noted that Central Highlands (Emerald), Moreton Bay and Toowoomba are now partners and are supplying brochures for future shows). Unfortunately we still have nothing for the Bundaberg region.
Day-by-Day Summary
Wednesday was slower in foot traffic but delivered strong engagement and longer conversations. The demographic skewed older, with many planning future retirement trips or longer winter escapes. Outback Queensland, Birdsville, Mount Isa, Cape York and Tropical North Queensland were all strong topics. Kylie’s first presentation was very well received, drawing around 40–45 people.
Thursday remained relatively slow but steady, with crowds coming in waves. Longreach, Matilda Way, Bowen, Airlie, Savannah Way and Tropical North Queensland were all popular. Kylie’s presentation drew her biggest Thursday crowd to date, with more than 60 attendees and much post talk engagement. The events calendar and road condition conversations were both prominent.
Friday was noticeably busier, with more repeat Queensland travellers seeking hidden gems and areas they had not previously explored. SE Queensland also featured heavily, including Ipswich, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Cape York remained a key driver of conversations, and brochure demand accelerated.
Saturday was the biggest day by far, with a constant stream of people and the highest overall traffic of the show. Planning intent was strong, with visitors seeking ideas for this year and next. Wellness routes, Dinosaur Trail experiences, coastal and central Queensland, and future festival travel all featured. Kylie’s presentation drew the biggest audience of the week and Laura’s Opera Queensland presentation also generated interest. Brochure stocks were heavily depleted.
Sunday was slower due to rain but still yielded useful conversations. Visitors were more focused on coastal destinations, VFR travel and shorter Queensland itineraries. Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast hinterland and South East Queensland were more prominent. Brochure collecting popular despite lower foot traffic.
Key Learnings
The show highlighted several clear opportunities and observations:
• The larger stand was a major improvement and should be retained where possible.
• Melbourne remains a highly valuable market for Queensland self drive travel.
• The audience quality was strong, with many visitors actively planning real trips rather than casually browsing.
• Cape York, Savannah Way and Outback Queensland remain key hero products for this market.
• Stage presentations are highly effective and will remain part of the activation.
• Printed maps, brochures and guides continue to outperform digital only planning tools in this setting.
• Brochure forecasting, take into account where possible local challenges and opportunities.
• Broaden where possible partnership coverage for regions frequently requested as add on or en route destinations.
• Competition strategies are being developed to increase entries and engagement.
Conclusion
The Victorian Caravan & Camping Supershow 2026 generated an excellent result for Drive Queensland. Despite slower traffic early in the week and wet weather on Sunday, the show delivered high quality visitor engagement, great destination conversations and strong collateral distribution. The audience showed genuine intent to travel, especially for winter escapes, bucket list outback routes and extended touring holidays.
Queensland continues to hold great appeal to the Victorian market, particularly when travellers are given practical route guidance, inspirational ideas and the confidence to expand simple travel plans into broader state wide journeys. The combination of a larger, visually appealing stand, quality team engagement and high performing presentations made this a successful and worthwhile event.
Thank you for being part of the Drive Queensland team:
Kylie Rixon Drive - Sunset Tourist Park / Drive Queensland Ambassador
Laura Hansford - Queensland Music Festival & Opera Queensland
Gary Lane - Capricorn Enterprise
Karen Drury - Mackay Isaac Tourism
Tony Cullen - Qantas Founders Museum
Fiona Nicholl - Drive Queensland
The larger stand performed exceptionally well, offering improved functionality for staff and visitors alike, and Drive Queensland was recognised as a finalist in the Best Stand Awards, an excellent acknowledgement of the team’s presentation and effort.
Overall Performance
Attendance figures released during the event were:
• Wednesday: 4,705 (2025: 5,150)
• Thursday: 5,290 (2025: 5,511)
• Friday: 6,540 (2025: 7,039)
• Saturday: 12,845 (2025: 11,421)
• Sunday: 9831 (2025: 13,628)
Saturday was the standout day and exceeded the previous year’s attendance, delivering the strongest traffic and the highest volume of brochure distribution. Sunday traffic was notably softer due to wet weather, last year had outstanding numbers, although the stand still attracted steady engagement from committed travellers and brochure collectors.
The show also generated lower than desired competition entries. This suggests there is still room to improve competition visibility and prompting on stand and we are working on strategies to deliver a better outcome.
Stand Performance
The new, larger stand layout was a significant success. Team feedback consistently highlighted that the extra space improved movement, storage, staff comfort and overall presentation. Visitors engaged well with the display, maps and brochure range, and the stand’s visual appeal contributed to Drive Queensland being shortlisted as a Best Stand finalist.
The wall maps and full Australian map were especially effective. They not only helped with route conversations but also encouraged longer, more detailed discussions about travel pathways, hidden gems and alternative itineraries. Bags remained popular throughout the show, and printed maps and brochures continued to prove their value as core engagement tools.
Audience Profile
The Melbourne audience was predominantly made up of older travellers, retirees and pre retirees, although there was also a healthy mix of seasoned road trippers, newcomers to Queensland travel and some visitors still in the dreaming stage. Many were planning trips from April through to July, with winter escapes to Queensland clearly front of mind.
A recurring audience segment was travellers visiting family and friends in Queensland. This provided strong opportunities to extend simple VFR travel into longer, broader Queensland itineraries through route suggestions and destination add ons.
There was also a clear split between:
• Experienced travellers looking for hidden gems, alternative routes and places they had not yet explored, and
• Newer travellers wanting broad direction, reassurance on road conditions and practical starting points.
Key Travel Trends and Destination Interest
Interest was evenly spread across the state. The most consistent destination themes included:
• Cape York
• Savannah Way
• Outback Queensland
• Birdsville
• Mount Isa
• Longreach and Winton
• Tropical North Queensland
• Daintree and Tablelands
• Bowen and the Whitsundays
• Yeppoon and Capricorn Coast
• Carnarvon Gorge
• Dinosaur Trail destinations including Hughenden, Richmond, Winton and Muttaburra
• South East Queensland including Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich and Bundaberg
Cape York remained one of the biggest drawcards, with many visitors focused on how to get there and what to see along the way. The stand team did particularly well in broadening these conversations into more extensive Queensland touring opportunities, encouraging travellers to consider inland or outback routes rather than simply travelling up and down the coast.
The Savannah Way was another standout, especially among travellers heading to Darwin or looking to cross the north. Outback Queensland more broadly remained highly popular, with Birdsville, Mount Isa, the Matilda Way, Overlanders Way and Camel Trail regularly discussed.
There was also strong interest in coastal and central Queensland, particularly Bowen, Airlie, Yeppoon and the Capricorn Coast. Bowen performed well when positioned as a hidden gem at the top of the Whitsundays, especially for travellers looking for snorkelling and easy day-trip access without the need for a boat.
Visitor Questions and Travel Planning Themes
Several clear planning themes emerged across the week:
• Best routes north and south through Queensland
• Sealed and unsealed road information
• Current road conditions and closures
• Places to leave vans while exploring in a 4WD
• Dog friendly parks
• Hidden gems and short breaks
• Event based travel planning
• Coastal return routes after inland touring
• Future travel ideas for 2026 and beyond
The sealed/unsealed road maps were particularly valued and repeatedly mentioned by staff as an effective planning tool. Travellers appreciated the ability to visually understand how routes linked together and what type of vehicle access would be required.
Road condition conversations were especially important given recent weather impacts. Visitors were advised to check local visitor information centres, council sources, QLD Traffic and RACQ for up to date information.
Events and Presentations
Events played an important role in motivating travel decisions, and the events calendar was consistently popular. Many visitors were shaping their trips around favourite events, festivals and seasonal travel windows.
Kylie Rixon’s daily presentations were a major strength of the show. Her talks attracted responsive crowds throughout the week, with particularly high attendance on Thursday, Saturday and earlier sessions. Audience numbers ranged from around 30–40 on some days to 60+ on Thursday and a very large crowd on Saturday. These presentations generated direct brochure demand, follow up conversations and competition entries, and clearly added value to the stand presence.
A standout highlight of the show was the Opera Queensland / Outback Music Trail presentation, delivered by Laura Hansford alongside Opera Singer Steve from Opera Queensland. The session showcased the Festival of Outback Opera and brought the experience to life for attendees. Steve captivated the audience with a powerful live performance of Waltzing Matilda and Bizet's Toreador Song, creating a memorable and engaging moment within the program.
While immediate stage side attendance was impacted by surrounding programming, there was good visibility from nearby areas, and several attendees returned to the stand afterwards to seek more information and discuss incorporating festival travel into their plans. The presentation was very well received and reinforced the appeal of event led travel in regional Queensland.
Sunday’s final presentation was impacted by rain and a close to closing time slot, although it still led to valuable one on one engagement with interested visitors.
Collateral Performance
All brochures moved extremely well throughout the show, especially as attendance built into the weekend. Team feedback showed strong interest in taking away printed resources, with many visitors wanting to sit down at home and properly plan their trips.
Popular materials included:
• Drive Queensland guide
• Outback Queensland guide
• Cape York brochures
• Savannah Way information
• Bowen guide
• Mount Isa booklet
• Events calendar
• Full Australian map
• Dinosaur Trail and related regional brochures
Some brochures were particularly popular resulting low stocks of:
• Outback Queensland
• Cassowary Coast Maps
• Cape York
• Bowen
• Other regional stock reduced significantly by Sunday
There were also identified gaps where staff would have benefited from more material, particularly for:
• Emerald region
• Bundaberg region
• Moreton Bay
• Toowoomba
It has to be noted that Central Highlands (Emerald), Moreton Bay and Toowoomba are now partners and are supplying brochures for future shows). Unfortunately we still have nothing for the Bundaberg region.
Day-by-Day Summary
Wednesday was slower in foot traffic but delivered strong engagement and longer conversations. The demographic skewed older, with many planning future retirement trips or longer winter escapes. Outback Queensland, Birdsville, Mount Isa, Cape York and Tropical North Queensland were all strong topics. Kylie’s first presentation was very well received, drawing around 40–45 people.
Thursday remained relatively slow but steady, with crowds coming in waves. Longreach, Matilda Way, Bowen, Airlie, Savannah Way and Tropical North Queensland were all popular. Kylie’s presentation drew her biggest Thursday crowd to date, with more than 60 attendees and much post talk engagement. The events calendar and road condition conversations were both prominent.
Friday was noticeably busier, with more repeat Queensland travellers seeking hidden gems and areas they had not previously explored. SE Queensland also featured heavily, including Ipswich, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Cape York remained a key driver of conversations, and brochure demand accelerated.
Saturday was the biggest day by far, with a constant stream of people and the highest overall traffic of the show. Planning intent was strong, with visitors seeking ideas for this year and next. Wellness routes, Dinosaur Trail experiences, coastal and central Queensland, and future festival travel all featured. Kylie’s presentation drew the biggest audience of the week and Laura’s Opera Queensland presentation also generated interest. Brochure stocks were heavily depleted.
Sunday was slower due to rain but still yielded useful conversations. Visitors were more focused on coastal destinations, VFR travel and shorter Queensland itineraries. Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast hinterland and South East Queensland were more prominent. Brochure collecting popular despite lower foot traffic.
Key Learnings
The show highlighted several clear opportunities and observations:
• The larger stand was a major improvement and should be retained where possible.
• Melbourne remains a highly valuable market for Queensland self drive travel.
• The audience quality was strong, with many visitors actively planning real trips rather than casually browsing.
• Cape York, Savannah Way and Outback Queensland remain key hero products for this market.
• Stage presentations are highly effective and will remain part of the activation.
• Printed maps, brochures and guides continue to outperform digital only planning tools in this setting.
• Brochure forecasting, take into account where possible local challenges and opportunities.
• Broaden where possible partnership coverage for regions frequently requested as add on or en route destinations.
• Competition strategies are being developed to increase entries and engagement.
Conclusion
The Victorian Caravan & Camping Supershow 2026 generated an excellent result for Drive Queensland. Despite slower traffic early in the week and wet weather on Sunday, the show delivered high quality visitor engagement, great destination conversations and strong collateral distribution. The audience showed genuine intent to travel, especially for winter escapes, bucket list outback routes and extended touring holidays.
Queensland continues to hold great appeal to the Victorian market, particularly when travellers are given practical route guidance, inspirational ideas and the confidence to expand simple travel plans into broader state wide journeys. The combination of a larger, visually appealing stand, quality team engagement and high performing presentations made this a successful and worthwhile event.
Thank you for being part of the Drive Queensland team:
Kylie Rixon Drive - Sunset Tourist Park / Drive Queensland Ambassador
Laura Hansford - Queensland Music Festival & Opera Queensland
Gary Lane - Capricorn Enterprise
Karen Drury - Mackay Isaac Tourism
Tony Cullen - Qantas Founders Museum
Fiona Nicholl - Drive Queensland
