Custom Made!

A made-to-measure off-road beauty rolls out of the Custom Camper workshop in Meyerton.

- Richard Van Ryneveld

I love mooching around Fred Oosthuizen’s Custom Camper premises in Meyerton. There’s always some fascinating new camper either in the throes of being built or ready to roll out for an adventure, somewhere out in the wide-open spaces of Africa.

I was there to photograph a brand-new Iveco 4x4 camper that Fred had designed for the Gericke family, father Heinrich, his wife Lee-Anne, and their offspring Heindré and Liesl, who were chomping at the bit waiting for the large Iveco to be wheeled out the factory.

They were eagerly waiting to pack this new beauty and head out on its maiden voyage into the bush. I had noticed that their new motorhome had been named Bosbrak (Wild dog). An artistic and neat laser-cut panel with Bosbrak ran across the roof of the Iveco declaring its name in bold, no uncertain terms.

Experience

It’s obvious from the start that the Gericke family are bush and wildlife enthusiasts. The Gericke’s had camping and caravanning in their blood. I found out how, as a kid, Heinrich’s parents had had a Caravette 6. Heinrich and Lee-Anne had met at High School and during their varsity vacs used to camp in an old brown tent. Camping was part of their life, so in 2005 the couple bought their first caravan, a new Sprite Scout. Liesl was one year old at the time. After a couple of years, the Gericke’s traded the Scout in for a Jurgens Fleetline and Heinrich added an aircon.