Van transformation with GC Glampervans: Gold Coast

A cancelled trip away sparked an idea in Ryan and Ash's head - to convert a van and travel to the Whitsundays! But what started out as an exciting adventure soon turned into a thriving side business! With three vans already converted and a fourth on the way, Ryan and Ash from Gold Coast Glampervans share with us their transformation story!

Who we are

Hi, our names are Ryan and Ash, founders of Gold Coast Glampervans.

We live on the beautiful Gold Coast and have been here for the past 5 years, since moving up from Melbourne.

Why did you decide to convert a van and when did you start?

We love travelling and like many others had our travel plans cancelled last year. Instead of the USA trip we had planned, we decided to buy a van and road trip to the Whitsundays with our dog, Lala.

It was this trip that made us fall in love with the # vanlife and the freedom that comes with it. When we returned from our trip we decided to hire out our van on Camplify, so others could enjoy what we had created. Camplify has been great, making it all such an easy process both for us and for our hirers. We are in such a great location, just a few hours drive to Sunshine Coast and a quick trip to Byron, so it seemed too perfect!

Our vans have been on so many adventures, we are at almost 50 hires!!!

We have had so much success with our first van, it enabled us to buy a second - the Burleigh Bus! We couldn’t keep up with the demand so it seemed like a great opportunity to bring on a second van, and now a third, Miami Mover.

How long did your van conversion take?

Our first van was already fitted out, we just made some aesthetic changes. It was SO much fun that when we did the second and third we decided to start with a blank canvas and let our creative side run wild.

We were fortunate enough to find a great local builder to help us with the fit-out for the second and third van. They worked with our budget, time frame and ideas and made it all come to life. Each build and interior fit-out took about 2-4 weeks.

Where did you go to find inspiration?

We have tried to give each van its own personality and a different vibe, with each design inspired by the stunning Gold Coast.

Our vans are practical, affordable and instagramable!

What is one thing you wished you'd known before you started?

We think there will always be afterthoughts once a build is complete but just do your research and take your time in your layout and the results will be sure to impress.

What is one piece of advice you'd offer a first-time van renovator?

One piece of advice for anyone thinking of starting a build….. storage, storage, storage! If you have a small-medium van you need to be VERY smart with your storage solutions, make every inch count. Oh and a fan, you NEED a fan!

What is your funniest/best hirer story?

One of the most memorable stories from a hirer would have to be when the Surfers Sun Seeker went away to a nudist colony for a week!

What's next for GC Glampers? ****

We have just found van number four and will be starting the design process in the next few weeks, hoping to have this one on the road by summer. If things keep going as they are we will keep building and designing more vans to bring into the GC glampers fleet! But to have a 4x4 van would be amazing - imagine being able to go literally anywhere!

We LOVE what we are doing and it makes us so happy to be a part of other hirers adventures and experiences.

Loved hearing about GC Glampervans? Why not hire one of Ryan & Ash's vans for your next trip away! Or check out our guide on how to turn camping into glamping for more tips!