Offgrid Downunder | The Road to 40,000+ Caravans: The Full MDC Story
Welcome to Season 2 of the Offgrid Downunder Podcast — now bigger, bolder, and recorded in our brand-new purpose-built studio.
Hosted by Steve Zammit, this season brings a fresh lineup of voices, new stories, and exciting perspectives from across the off-road and camping community.
Almost twenty years ago, Vaughan Hindley started Market Direct Group with $5,000, a laptop, and a bulk lot of 12-volt camping jugs on eBay.
Today, MDC is one of Australia’s most trusted off-road caravan brands — with 40,000+ units on the road, showrooms across the country, and a footprint in the United States.
In this episode, Steve sits down with Vaughan (CEO & Founder), James Field (General Manager – Commercial & Product), and Mark Banksy (Beach2Bush Adventures) to tell the full story — the pivots, the product firsts, the things that nearly didn’t work, and what’s driving MDC’s next chapter.
In this episode we cover:
How a bulk lot of camping jugs on eBay started it all
Building the first Australian-designed hybrid caravan in China — and holding a four-year lead on everyone else
Why Vaughan built caravans in Australia and will “never do it ever again”
The one-to-one factory relationship that’s been the backbone of MDC quality for 15+ years
Launching MDC USA — and becoming the premium product in a disposable market
Gold Class Caravans, the Forte SR Series, and what’s coming in 2026 and beyond
If you’re an MDC owner, thinking about buying, or just love a good Australian business story — this one’s for you.
