Noel’s Caravans owner Noel Faggotter dies

Family and friends of caravan king Noel Faggotter have remembered the beloved businessman after his death at 72, amid a bitter legal fight over his fortune.

• How Noel became SA’s richest caravan king

The owner of one of South Australia’s most iconic businesses has died amid a bitter legal fight over his fortune.

Noel’s Caravans owner Noel Faggotter died on Monday night aged 72 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour last March.

He had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy after his diagnosis but a surgery to remove the tumour was unsuccessful.

A family friend told The Advertiser Mr Faggotter was a “brilliant man”.

“He was one of the best blokes I’ve ever known,” he said.

“He was just fantastic.

“It’s a hard day for us.”

Mr Faggotter’s death comes amid a bitter legal dispute over his fortune amassed as South Australia’s most famous caravan dealer.

Noel's Caravans owner Noel Faggotter has died amid a bitter legal dispute over his fortune. Picture: Supplied

Mr Faggotter’s daughters Naomi Joy Porter and Torie Lee-Anne Cooper last month launched legal action in the Supreme Court against their terminally ill father and his new wife Rosemary Dunn.

In a statement, Ms Porter and Ms Cooper paid tribute to their “beloved” father.

“We would like to thank our father for the beautiful memories and cherished time that we spent together over the years,” they said.

“Having you in our lives was an absolute joy, privilege and honour and you will be dearly missed.

“Dad leaves behind a legacy that he was passionate about, building a family business that also became a South Australian icon – Noel’s Caravans.

Noel Faggotter with his daughters Torie Cooper and Naomi Porter. Picture: Supplied

“Dad loved our family holidays caravanning and had a dream to bring the same to South Australians.

“For the last almost 50 years he has helped many families create memories through the joy of holidays and it was something that made him truly happy; he really did leave his mark on the wider community and we will continue to honour his legacy.”

According to their statement of claim lodged in the Supreme Court last month, Mr Faggotter’s only children believed their father was no longer fit to manage his affairs and that Ms Dunn had engaged in “unconscionable conduct” by marrying their father.

They believed their father’s marriage to Ms Dunn on July 25 should be voided because he was not fit to marry.

Naomi Joy Porter (right) and Torie Lee-Anne Cooper last month launched legal action against their father and his new wife. Picture: Dean Martin

Mr Faggotter was diagnosed with a brain tumour last March. Picture: Supplied

They believed their father’s marriage to Ms Dunn on July 25 should be voided because he was not fit to marry.

In their court filings the sisters claim a will allegedly executed after his diagnosis, Mr Faggotter gifted Ms Dunn, whom he married last month, $300,000 and appointed his daughters as executers of his estate and left them his iconic business.

However, that will was invalidated when Mr Faggotter and Ms Dunn married.

“ … Noel was incapable of providing real consent to marriage as he did not understand the nature and effect of the marriage ceremony,” Ms Porter and Ms Cooper said in their statement of claim.

“Rose purported to marry Noel … by taking advantage of his special disability and in order to obtain a financial benefit to herself knowing that marriage would invalidate any previous will.”

In other legal documents, obtained by The Advertiser, Ms Porter and Ms Cooper alleged their father had purchased $2m worth of gold and silver bullion after his diagnosis.

They said about $500,000 of the gold, along with Mr Faggotter’s personal jewellery, had been removed from his safe and stored elsewhere.

They also claimed the location of a $150,000 Land Rover, which was transported to Darwin along with a caravan for a planned trip before Mr Faggotter’s health deteriorated, is unknown.

It is understood the gold, jewellery and the Land Rover have since been recovered.

A family friend said Ms Dunn was “devastated” over her husband’s death.

In a medical report written on August 8, filed with the court, geriatrician Dr Jane Hecker concluded Mr Faggotter did not have “the ability to manage his finance and assets” and “demonstrates paranoia regarding individuals with a claim on his estate”.

Ms Dunn is defending the legal action.

In the Supreme Court last month, Ted Guthrie, for Ms Dunn, said his client denied “exploiting” Mr Faggotter.