The Millard story is, at its heart, a family story – one of vision, hard work, and resilience passed down through generations.
The Millard history began with a young man named John Millerd Darlington, who was helping his father, Jim Darlington, paint a caravan factory in the early 1950s. While they were working, John turned to his father and said, “I reckon I could build a better caravan than the ones they’re building.” With Jim’s guidance and quiet confidence behind him, John set about building his first plywood caravan in the backyard of the family home at 26 Wicks Road, North Ryde. Wanting a strong, distinctly Australian name, he took his middle name, Millerd, and reshaped it into “Millard” – and so the brand was born.
At first, John offered his caravans for rent on the front lawn of the Wicks Road home, watching proudly as people noticed the quality of his work. Before long, demand for sales outgrew the rental business, and rentals were phased out as Millard caravans began to find permanent homes with families across the country. John’s younger brother Peter, who was training to be a carpenter, soon joined him, turning the venture into a true family enterprise, with skill and craftsmanship at its core. Their mother, May Darlington, added her own touch by helping with the décor, making curtains and soft furnishings that brought warmth and personality to each van.
As the business grew, Millard moved from the backyard at Wicks Road to a small factory in Mortlake, where plywood caravans were built for several years. The operation soon outgrew those premises as well, and in the early 1960s the business moved again, this time to Smithfield, where plywood construction gave way to aluminium, reflecting both innovation and the changing times. By 1969, Millard had become a major force in the industry, employing around 250 people and producing about 100 units each month. Through a strong dealer network, the company offered an impressive range of around 60 models, from 13-foot to 40-foot vans, giving Australian families a wide choice of ways to travel and holiday.
The 1970s were a decade of rapid growth and change. John’s wife, June Darlington, took over the styling, bringing fresh colours, trends, and ideas inspired by what she saw in the United States. Her eye for detail and design helped set Millard caravans apart and gave them a distinctive personality on the road and in caravan parks across the country. In another major step, Millard operations moved to a factory in Campbelltown, which became the largest caravan factory in the Southern Hemisphere, producing more than 4,000 vans per year and employing around 500 people.
In 1974, Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin, leaving thousands homeless and in urgent need of accommodation. The Whitlam government turned to caravans as a practical solution and, in particular, to Millard, as the largest manufacturer in the country at the time. Out of an event of terrible destruction came an unexpected and profound opportunity for Millard to help provide shelter and dignity to people who had lost so much. For the Darlington family, it was a deeply significant chapter – proof that the business John started in his backyard could make a real difference in people’s lives.
But just a few years later, another natural event brought immense challenges – this time for Millard itself. In 1979, a freak hailstorm struck the Campbelltown site, where more than 300 aluminium vans were standing outside on the lot. The damage was extensive and heartbreaking, with untold hail impacts on the vans, arriving at the same time as fuel prices were suddenly skyrocketing and changing the market almost overnight. Millard now faced serious difficulties, and the weight of those challenges fell heavily on John and the family.
In 1979, a deal was struck with Viscount Caravans to take over the Millard brand. Although Viscount was a rival manufacturer, John understood that this was the only realistic option in the circumstances. He took comfort in knowing that, even if the business could not continue in the same way, the Millard name – shaped from his own middle name and built with his family’s hands and hearts – would live on. For the Darlington family, Millard has never been just a brand; it is a legacy of courage, creativity, and hard work that continues to mean a great deal to all who were part of its journey.
Written by
Michelle Darlington
Daughter of John Darlington
5 year Structural +
2 year Manufacturing warranty
All Millard Caravans are built to last with a hot dipped galvanised chassis (model dependent), an Aluminium structural wall frame and full piece composite roof.
This gives you peace of mind in the longevity of the life of your quality-built Millard caravan which is backed by our commitment and promise of a 5 year Structural and 2 year Manufacturing warranty*.
Millard Caravans are accredited by RVMAP, the official accreditation key of the caravan industry. The RVMAP accreditation key is a symbol of a manufacturer’s commitment to consistently build and supply quality products that adhere to all relevant Australian design rules, regulations and standards.
