Page 31 - Tropic Magazine Issue 32

TROPIC • MADE IN FNQ

Awesome

awnings

OUTDOORS
A Cairns four-wheel drive
enthusiast is designing and
manufacturing quality free-
standing awnings from 100 per
cent Australian materials.
Venezuelan native Rafa Mata moved to
Australia five years ago and quickly
fell in love – not just with the country,
but also his wife, Liz Campbell.
Together, they’ve embarked on
a succession of four-wheel drive
adventures, and a related enterprise. The strategic design and
As a COVID-19 lockdown project last year, the strength in the base size to give more shade and protection
Rafa designed the D270 awning, from the weather.” Since launching in
which is extendable, sturdy and all- means it doesn’t May, Destination4WD’s awnings have
Australian made. “I’ve always loved four- need poles been sent to customers across Australia
wheel driving and started doing it with and the operation has expanded,
my Dad when I was a kid,” he told Tropic. with another employee now helping
“I competed in Venezuela and have make them. “We couldn’t have imagined
driven through the Amazon. But moving it would be so well received,” Rafa said.
to Australia after losing my business “People love knowing we are local and that
and livelihood, I realised this is the land we use local businesses and Aussie-made
of plenty. I wanted to give back to the Rafa Mata, material. I’ve really got to thank everyone
country that opened its arms to me and Managing Director who has purchased the awning,
helped support me.” The result is a product that’s unlike those who have referred people to us,
Rafa sources all his materials locally and anything else on the market. and just the amazing people I’ve met in
also works with other Cairns businesses, “The major difference with our awnings the industry and in the local 4WD clubs.”
including North Coast Engineering, is the extendable arms,” he said.
Cairns Powder Coating and Ken’s Canvas “The awning is short and non-intrusive MORE: destination4wd.com
& Upholstery. on your car but can open out to a massive

Campfire cooking “It’s easy to set up and we can easily
control cooking temperatures by
OUTDOORS swinging the hot plate or grill off
the fire,” he said. “It’s versatile and we
A family at Wonga Beach has have spent a considerable amount of time
developed a campfire kitchen developing and building the tooling to
set-up like no other. enable us to manufacture a consistent
quality product.”
Aussie Campfire Kitchens has evolved There are many combinations to choose
from the Morana family’s love of the from, including pans, pots, pits
outdoors and cooking over an open fire, and pokers. All are made from Australian
along with the skills of patriarch, Tony. steel and you can order your own custom
He has more than 20 years’ experience kitchen set-up. Watch demonstrations of
in manufacturing, with dual trades as each product in action via the company’s
a boilermaker and a fitter and turner. YouTube channel to help you choose.
After 15 years of trying different camp The Morana family now ships their
kitchen systems, he now makes and sells products across Australia and has even
swinging barbeque hot plate and grill sets sent a consignment as far away
he’s designed himself. as Belgium.

MORE: aussiecampfirekitchens.com

31 • tropicnow.com.au