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Whatsapp Young people are increasingly turning to vintage caravans.

Once seen as a leisure and retirement activity for grey nomads, a younger generation is driving a new appreciation for vintage caravans.

She might be just 25, but Lucy Hersey has been a long-time lover of vintage caravans.

The older vans force you to slow down, be more mindful and appreciate what you are doing. It takes a long time to make a cup of coffee on a gas stove, so you really appreciate the cup of coffee.

'Looking at an original van, everything is done by hand. Everything has been carefully designed, everything flows. You can imagine a lot of people putting a lot of love into them,' says Hersey, who contributes to Australian Caravan+RV magazine.

'I love the way caravanning in a super basic set-up forces you to slow down and appreciate things. There is a cleverness to the small space because you have a lot of life to pack into them.'

Jessie Curtis-Griffiths, owner of caravan hire company Happy Glamper, bought a vintage Airstream on eBay.

The American silver bullet is considered a design classic.

'With a vintage caravan you can express your individuality,' she says.

'People love the retro feel and look of an Airstream. These days it seems everything modern lacks personality.'

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Whatsapp A vintage Airstream caravan.

Lucy Hersey finds second-hand vans have a more accessible price point for younger aficionados.

'They are more affordable and if needed, can be fixed up a bit, plus there is a general appreciation for something with a bit of history, something someone else has loved,' she says.

Thanks to social media and their photogenic nature, though, these once affordable gems are becoming a bit more expensive.

'A few creative young people who wanted to travel around Australia or start small businesses but didn't have much money bought old caravans and renovated them, made them look super beautiful and shared their photos on social media and it made everybody want one,' says Hersey.

'The popularity has definitely made them more expensive. When we bought our first we could pretty much pick and choose any van we wanted for under $1,000. Now you have to fight to get anything under $5,000.'

She believes there is an inherent responsibility on younger buyers to preserve the old appeal of vintage vans.

'I get pretty sad when I see people buy beautiful old vans off elderly people that have been kept immaculately for 40 years and then go and rip them to bits and turn them into a food truck or never finish the renovation,' she says.

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Whatsapp A vintage streamlined caravan parked near Wollongong, NSW.

'I think it's really important to appreciate the value and the history of an old caravan if you buy one and then do your best to ensure it lives on.

'I love the idea that [young enthusiasts] are custodians of little pockets of history on wheels. That's why it is important to keep them as original as possible.

'The older vans force you to slow down, be more mindful and appreciate what you are doing. It takes a long time to make a cup of coffee on a gas stove, so you really appreciate the cup of coffee.'

Listen to the full discussion Blueprint for Living looks at the world of caravanning and asks whether modern really is best.

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